Английский язык с У. С. Моэмом. На окраине империи. Рассказы

"What do I care (да какая разница; to care— заботиться; беспокоиться; придавать значение)? I love you."

accident ['xksId(q)nt], ruined ['ru: Ind], penniless ['penIlIs]

Then an accident happened. A great bank failed, there was a panic on the exchange, and Edward Barnard's father found himself a ruined man. He came home one night, told his wife that he was penniless, and after dinner, going into his study, shot himself.

A week later, Edward Barnard, with a tired, white face, went to Isabel and asked her to release him. Her only answer was to throw her arms round his neck and burst into tears.

"Don't make it harder for me, sweet," he said.

"Do you think I can let you go now? I love you."

"How can I ask you to marry me? The whole thing's hopeless. Your father would never let you. I haven't a cent."

"What do I care? I love you."

He told her his plans (он рассказал ей о своих планах). He had to earn money at once (он должен немедленно заработать денег), and George Braunschmidt, an old friend of his family, had offered to take him into his own business (и Джордж Брауншмидт, старый друг семьи, предложил взять его в свой бизнес). He was a South Sea merchant (он вел торговлю в южных морях; merchant — купец, оптовый торговец), and he had agencies in many of the islands of the Pacific (и у него были представительства на многих островах Тихого океана). He had suggested that Edward should go to Tahiti for a year or two (он предложил, что Эдвард должен поехать на Таити, на год или два), where under the best of his managers he could learn the details of that varied trade (где под /началом/ его лучших менеджеров он мог бы обучиться всем секретам этого изменчивого бизнеса: «подробностям этого меняющегося ремесла»; detail — деталь, подробность), and at the end of that time he promised the young man a position in Chicago (и по окончании этого времени он обещал молодому человеку место в Чикаго). It was a wonderful opportunity (это была удивительная возможность), and when he had finished his explanations Isabel was once more all smiles (и когда он закончил свои объяснения, у Изабеллы снова был очень довольный вид; smile — улыбка).

merchant ['mWtS(q)nt], opportunity ["Opq'tju: nItI], explanation ["eksplq'neIS(q)n]

He told her his plans. He had to earn money at once, and George Braunschmidt, an old friend of his family, had offered to take him into his own business. He was a South Sea merchant, and he had agencies in many of the islands of the Pacific. He had suggested that Edward should go to Tahiti for a year or two, where under the best of his managers he could learn the details of that varied trade, and at the end of that time he promised the young man a position in Chicago. It was a wonderful opportunity, and when he had finished his explanations Isabel was once more all smiles.

"You foolish boy, why have you been trying to make me miserable (ах ты глупыш, зачем же ты пытался сделать меня несчастной)?"

His face lit up at her words and his eyes flashed (от ее слов лицо его просияло и глаза засверкали; to light up — зажигать; освещать, озарять).

"Isabel, you don't mean to say you'll wait for me (Изабелла, ты что, хочешь сказать, что будешь ждать меня; to mean— намереваться; подразумевать, иметь в виду)?"

"Don't you think you're worth it (а тебе кажется, что ты этого не достоин)? " she smiled (улыбнулась она).

"Ah, don't laugh at me now (ах, не смейся надо мною сейчас). I beseech you to be serious (умоляю тебя, будь серьезной). It may be for two years (это может /растянуться/ на два года)."

"Have no fear (не бойся). I love you, Edward. When you come back I will marry you (когда ты вернешься, я выйду за тебя замуж)."

miserable ['mIz(q)rqb(q)l], beseech [bI'si: tS], serious ['sI(q)rIqs]

"You foolish boy, why have you been trying to make me miserable?"

His face lit up at her words and his eyes flashed.

"Isabel, you don't mean to say you'll wait for me?"

"Don't you think you're worth it?" she smiled.

"Ah, don't laugh at me now. I beseech you to be serious. It may be for two years."

"Have no fear. I love you, Edward. When you come back I will marry you."

Edward's employer was a man who did not like delay (работодатель Эдварда был человеком, не терпящим проволочек: «который не любил промедления»; delay — задержка; замедление, проволочка) and he had told him that if he took the post (и сказал ему, что если тот принимает /предложенную/ работу; post — пост, должность) he offered he must sail that day week from San Francisco (он предлагает ему отплыть из Сан-Франциско /в тот же день/ через неделю). Edward spent his last evening with Isabel (свой последний вечер Эдвард провел с Изабеллой). It was after dinner that Mr. Longstaffe, saying he wanted a word with Edward (а после ужина мистер Лонгстаф, сказав, что он хочет поговорить с Эдвардом; word — слово; речь, разговор), took him into the smoking-room (увел его /с собой/ в курительную комнату). Mr. Longstaffe had accepted good-naturedly the arrangement which his daughter had told him of (мистер Лонгстаф доброжелательно воспринял ту договоренность, о которой ему рассказала дочь; arrangement — приведение в порядок; договоренность, соглашение) and Edward could not imagine what mysterious communication he had now to make (и Эдвард не мог себе представить, о чем же таком таинственном тот хотел с ним поговорить; communication — передача/мыслей, сообщений и т. п./). He was not a little perplexed to see that his host was embarrassed (он был немало озадачен, видя, что его собеседник был смущен; host — хозяин/по отношению к гостю/). He faltered (тот запинался; to falter— спотыкаться; запинаться, говорить неуверенно). He talked of trivial things (он говорил о пустяках; trivial — незначительный, пустой). At last he blurted it out (наконец, он выпалил).

employer [Im'plOIq], accept [qk'sept], mysterious [mI'stI(q)rIqs], perplexed [pq'plekst], embarrass [Im'bxrqs], trivial ['trIvIql]

Edward's employer was a man who did not like delay and he had told him that if he took the post he offered he must sail that day week from San Francisco. Edward spent his last evening with Isabel. It was after dinner that Mr. Longstaffe, saying he wanted a word with Edward, took him into the smoking-room. Mr. Longstaffe had accepted good-naturedly the arrangement which his daughter had told him of and Edward could not imagine what mysterious communication he had now to make. He was not a little perplexed to see that his host was embarrassed. He faltered. He talked of trivial things. At last he blurted it out.

"I guess you've heard of Arnold Jackson (полагаю, ты слышал об Арнольде Джексоне)," he said, looking at Edward with a frown (сказал он, глядя на Эдварда нахмурившись; frown — сдвинутые брови; хмурый взгляд; насупленность, нахмуренность).

Edward hesitated (Эдвард замялся; to hesitate — колебаться, сомневаться; запинаться, заикаться). His natural truthfulness obliged him to admit a knowledge he would gladly have been able to deny (со свойственной ему правдивостью он был вынужден признать знакомство, которое он с радостью бы отрицал; natural — естественный, природный; врожденный, присущий; knowledge — знание; знакомство).

"Yes, I have. But it's a long time ago (но это было очень давно). I guess I didn't pay very much attention (полагаю, что я был не очень внимателен: «не очень-то обращал внимание»)."

"There are not many people in Chicago who haven't heard of Arnold Jackson (в Чикаго не много людей, которые бы не слышали об Арнольде Джексоне)," said Mr. Longstaffe bitterly (сказал мистер Лонгстаф с горечью), "and if there are they'll have no difficulty in finding someone who'll be glad to tell them (а если /такие/ и есть, то им совершенно нетрудно найти кого-то, кто с радостью им /все/ расскажет). Did you know he was Mrs. Longstaffe's brother (ты знал, что он брат миссис Лонгстаф)?"