Oscar Wilde - The Canterville Ghost

emigrate [`emigreit ] improve [im`pru:v ] passage [`pæsidζ ]

"You know nothing about it, and the best thing you can do is to emigrate and improve your mind. My father will be only too happy to give you a free passage, and though there is a heavy duty on spirits of every kind, there will be no difficulty about the Custom House, as the officers are all Democrats. Once in New York, you are sure to be a great success. I know lots of people there who would give a hundred thousand dollars to have a grandfather, and much more than that to have a family ghost."

"I don't think I should like America (я не думаю, что мне бы понравилась Америка) ."

"I suppose because we have no ruins and no curiosities (я полагаю, потому что у нас нет руин и диковинок) ," said Virginia, satirically (сказала Вирджиния с иронией)

suppose [sə`pəυz ] ruins [`ru:inz ] curiosities ["kjυəri`ositiz ]

"I don't think I should like America."

"I suppose because we have no ruins and no curiosities," said Virginia, satirically.

"No ruins! no curiosities!" answered the Ghost; "you have your navy and your manners (у вас есть ваш флот и ваши манеры) ."

"Good evening (до свидания) ; I will go and ask papa to get the twins an extra week's holiday (я пойду и попрошу папу устроить близнецам дополнительную неделю каникул) ."

extra [`ekstrə ] ask [α:sk ] papa [pə`pα: ]

"No ruins! no curiosities!" answered the Ghost; "you have your navy and your manners."

"Good evening; I will go and ask papa to get the twins an extra week's holiday."

"Please don't go, Miss Virginia (пожалуйста, не уходите) ," he cried (воскликнул он) ; "I am so lonely and so unhappy (я так одинок и так несчастлив) , and I really don't know what to do (и я действительно не знаю, что мне делать) . I want to go to sleep and I cannot (я хочу заснуть, но я не могу) ."

lonely [`ləυnli ] unhappy [λn`hæpi ] really [`riəli ]

"Please don't go, Miss Virginia," he cried; "I am so lonely and so unhappy, and I really don't know what to do. I want to go to sleep and I cannot."

"That's quite absurd (это абсолютно нелепо) ! You have merely to go to bed (вы всего лишь должны лечь в постель) and blow out the candle (и задуть свечу) . It is very difficult sometimes to keep awake (иногда бывает очень трудно бодрствовать) , especially at church (особенно в церкви) , but there is no difficulty at all about sleeping (но уснуть совсем не трудно) . Why, even babies know how to do that, and they are not very clever (ну, даже маленькие дети знают, как это сделать, а они не очень умны) ."

absurd [əb`sə:d ] merely [`miəli ] clever [`klevə ]

"That's quite absurd! You have merely to go to bed and blow out the candle. It is very difficult sometimes to keep awake, especially at church, but there is no difficulty at all about sleeping. Why, even babies know how to do that, and they are not very clever."

"I have not slept for three hundred years (я не спал триста лет) ," he said sadly (грустно) , and Virginia's beautiful blue eyes opened in wonder (и красивые голубые глаза Вирджинии широко распахнулись от удивления) ; "for three hundred years I have not slept (триста лет я не спал) , and I am so tired (и я так устал) ."

wonder [`wλndə ] blue [blu: ] eyes [aiz ]

"I have not slept for three hundred years," he said sadly, and Virginia's beautiful blue eyes opened in wonder; "for three hundred years I have not slept, and I am so tired."

Virginia grew quite grave (Вирджиния стала совсем серьезной; to grow — расти; становиться) , and her little lips trembled like rose-leaves (и ее маленькие губки затрепетали, как лепестки роз) . She came towards him (она подошла к нему) , and kneeling down at his side (и, встав на колени рядом с ним) , looked up into his old withered face (посмотрела в его старое, морщинистое лицо) .

rose-leaves [`rəυzli:vz ] towards [tə`wo:dz ] kneel [ni:l ]

Virginia grew quite grave, and her little lips trembled like rose-leaves. She came towards him, and kneeling down at his side, looked up into his old withered face.

"Poor, poor Ghost (бедный, бедный призрак) ," she murmured (прошептала она) ; "have you no place where you can sleep (разве у вас нет места, где вы могли бы спать) ?"

рооr [pυə ] murmur [`mə:mə ]

"Poor, poor Ghost," she murmured; "have you no place where you can sleep?"

"Far away beyond the pine-woods (далеко за сосновыми лесами) ," he answered (ответил он) , in a low, dreamy voice (тихим, задумчивым голосом) , "there is a little garden (есть небольшой сад) . There the grass grows long and deep (там растет высокая трава: «длинная и глубокая») , there are the great white stars of the hemlock flower (там большие белые звезды болиголова) , there the nightingale sings all night long (там соловей поет всю ночь напролет) . All night long he sings (он поет всю ночь) , and the cold crystal moon looks down (и холодная хрустальная луна смотрит вниз) , and the yew-tree spreads out its giant arms over the sleepers (и тутовое дерево простирает свои огромные руки над спящими; giant — гигантский, громадный, исполинский) ."

nightingale [`nαitiŋgeil ] pine-woods [`painwυdz ] dreamy[`dri:mi ]

"Far away beyond the pine-woods," he answered, in a low, dreamy voice, "there is a little garden. There the grass grows long and deep, there are the great white stars of the hemlock flower, there the nightingale sings all night long. All night long he sings, and the cold crystal moon looks down, and the yew-tree spreads out its giant arms over the sleepers."

Virginia's eyes grew dim with tears (глаза Вирджинии наполнились слезами) , and she hid her face in her hands (и она закрыла лицо руками) .

"You mean the Garden of Death (вы имеете в виду Сад Смерти) ," she whispered (прошептала она) ."

death [deθ ] whisper [`wispə ]

Virginia's eyes grew dim with tears, and she hid her face in her hands.

“You mean the Garden of Death," she whispered.

"Yes, death (да, смерти) . Death must be so beautiful (смерть, должно быть, так прекрасна) . To lie in the soft brown earth (лежать в мягкой коричневой земле) , with the grasses waving above one's head (с травами, развевающимися над головой) , and listen to silence (и вслушиваться в безмолвие) . To have no yesterday (не иметь ни вчерашнего дня) , and no to-morrow (ни завтрашнего) . To forget time (забыть о времени) , to forget life (о жизни) , to be at peace (находиться в покое) . You can help me (ты можешь помочь мне) . You can open for me the portals of death's house (ты можешь открыть для меня порталы дома смерти) , for love is always with you (так как любовь всегда с тобой) , and love is stronger than death is (а любовь сильнее, чем смерть) ."

еarth [ə:θ ] listen [lisn ] portal [po:tl ]

"Yes, death. Death must be so beautiful. To lie in the soft brown earth, with the grasses waving above one's head, and listen to silence. To have no yesterday, and no to-morrow. To forget time, to forget life, to be at peace. You can help me. You can open for me the portals of death's house, for love is always with you, and love is stronger than death is."

Virginia trembled (Вирджиния задрожала) , a cold shudder ran through her (холодный озноб пробежал по ней) , and for a few moments there was silence (и в течение нескольких секунд /стояла/ тишина) . She felt as if she was in a terrible dream (она чувствовала себя так, как будто находилась в ужасном сне) .

Then the ghost spoke again (затем призрак заговорил снова) , and his voice sounded like the sighing of the wind (и его голос звучал как дуновение ветра; sigh — вздох; to sigh — вздыхать) .