Английский язык с Мюриэль Спарк (рассказы)
Шрифт:
"I haven't mentioned anything about a will."
"Oh, I thought you had."
"But, in fact, that was his sister's accusation. What made you say that? How did you know?"
"I must be psychic," I said.
She took my arm (она взяла меня за руки). I had become a most endearing case history (я стала ее любимой историей болезни; endearing— милый, привлекательный, внушающий любовь, casehistory— история болезни).
"You must be psychic indeed (вы,
endearing [In'dI(q)rIN] present ['prez(q)nt] fruitful ['fru: tf(q)l]
She took my arm. I had become a most endearing case history.
"You must be psychic indeed," she said. "You must tell me more about yourself. Well, that's the story of my taking up my present profession. When my husband started having these delusions and making these confessions I felt I had to understand the workings of the mind. And I began to study them. It has been fruitful. It has saved my own reason."
"Did it ever occur to you (вам когда-нибудь приходило в голову; tooccur— случаться, происходить, приходить на ум) that the sister's story might be true (что история сестры может быть правдой)?" I said. "Especially as he admits it (особенно если он признает это; toadmit— допускать, впускать)."
She took away her arm and said (она убрала свою руку и сказала), "Yes, I considered the possibility (да, я рассматривала эту возможность). I must admit I considered it well (я должна признать, что я рассматривала ее достаточно тщательно: «значительно»)."
She saw me watching her face (она увидела, что я наблюдаю за ее лицом). She looked as if she were pleading some personal excuse (она смотрела так, как будто бы умоляла о неком личном оправдании; toplead— выступать в суде, призывать, просить, умолять;excuse— извинение, оправдание, отговорка).
"Oh do (о, снимите)," she said, "please take off those glasses (пожалуйста, снимите эти очки)."
"Why don't you believe his own confession (почему вы не верите в его собственное признание)?"
might [maIt] plead [pli: d] excuse [Ik'skju: s]
"Did it ever occur to you that the sister's story might be true?" I said. "Especially as he admits it."
She took away her arm and said, "Yes, I considered the possibility. I must admit I considered it well."
She saw me watching her face. She looked as if she were pleading some personal excuse.
"Oh do," she said, "please take off those glasses."
"Why don't you believe his own confession?"
"I'm a psychiatrist and we seldom believe confessions (я психиатр, а мы редко верим в признания)." She looked at her watch (она посмотрела на свои часы) as if to suggest (как будто бы предполагая, что) I had started the whole conversation (/именно/ я начала весь этот разговор) and was boring her (и теперь надоедала ей).
I said, "He might have stopped seeing eyes (он возможно перестал бы видеть эти глаза) if you'd taken him at his word (если бы вы поверили ему на слово; to take smb. at his word — поверитькому-либонаслово)."
She shouted (она закричала; to shout— кричать, громко говорить, выкрикивать), "What are you saying (что вы говорите)? What are you thinking of (о чем это вы думаете)? He wanted to give a statement to the police (он хотел сделать заявление для полиции; statement— высказывание, заявление, показание), do you realize (вы понимаете, что)…"
"You know he's guilty (вы же знаете, что он виновен; guilty— виновный, повинный, преступный)," I said.
seldom ['seldqm] police [pq'li: s]
"I'm a psychiatrist and we seldom believe confessions." She looked at her watch as if to suggest I had started the whole conversation and was boring her.
I said, "He might have stopped seeing eyes if you'd taken him at his word."
She shouted, "What are you saying? What are you thinking of? He wanted to give a statement to the police, do you realise…"
"You know he's guilty," I said.
"As his wife (как его жена)," she said, "I know he's guilty (я знаю, что он виновен). But as a psychiatrist (но как психиатр) I must regard him as innocent (я должна считать его невиновным; toregard— рассматривать, считать, относиться). That's why I took up the subject (вот почему я приступила к этой теме)." She suddenly turned angry and shouted (она внезапно повернулась яростно и закричала; angry— сердитый, гневный, раздраженный), "You damned inquisitor (вы, чертова мучительница: «следователь»; damned— отвратительный, ужасный, адский, чертов), I've met your type before (я встречала /людей/ вашего типа раньше)."