Jerome Jerome - Английский язык с Джеромом К. Джеромом. Трое в лодке, не считая собаки

Somebody recited a French poem after supper, and we said it was beautiful (кто-то прочитал французские стихи после ужина, и мы сказали, они прекрасны; to recite — декламировать, читать вслух) ; and then a lady sang a sentimental ballad in Spanish (а потом одна дама спела сентиментальную балладу по-испански) , and it made one or two of us weep — it was so pathetic (и она заставила некоторых из нас плакать — настолько она /баллада/ была трогательной) .

philosophy [fɪˈlɔsǝfɪ] humorous [ˈhju:m(ǝ)rǝs] pathetic [pǝˈƟetɪk]

We were a fashionable and highly cultured party. We had on our best clothes, and we talked pretty, and were very happy — all except two young fellows, students, just returned from Germany, commonplace young men, who seemed restless and uncomfortable, as if they found the proceedings slow. The truth was, we were too clever for them. Our brilliant but polished conversation, and our high-class tastes, were beyond them. They were out of place, among us. They never ought to have been there at all. Everybody agreed upon that, later on.

We played morceaux from the old German masters. We discussed philosophy and ethics. We flirted with graceful dignity. We were even humorous — in a high-class way.

Somebody recited a French poem after supper, and we said it was beautiful; and then a lady sang a sentimental ballad in Spanish, and it made one or two of us weep — it was so pathetic.

And then those two young men got up, and asked us if we had ever heard Herr Slossenn Boschen (те двое молодых людей поднялись и спросили нас, слышали ли мы когда-нибудь, как господин Слоссен Бошен) (who had just arrived, and was then down in the supper-room) sing his great German comic song (который только что приехал и сейчас был в столовой, поет свою замечательную немецкую комическую песню) .

None of us had heard it, that we could remember (никто из нас не слышал ее, насколько мы могли вспомнить) .

The young men said it was the funniest song that had ever been written (молодые люди сказали, что это самая забавная песня, что была когда-либо написана; to write) , and that, if we liked, they would get Herr Slossenn Boschen (и что, если мы хотим, они попросят господина Слоссен Бошена) , whom they knew very well, to sing it (которого очень хорошо знают, спеть ее) . They said it was so funny that, when Herr Slossenn Boschen had sung it once before the German Emperor (они сказали, она была настолько смешной, что когда господин Слоссен Бошен спел ее однажды германскому императору: «перед императором») , he (the German Emperor) had had to be carried off to bed (его /императора/ пришлось увести и уложить в постель; to carry off — уносить, уводить) .

German [ˈʤǝ:mǝn] Emperor [ˈemp(ǝ)rǝ]

And then those two young men got up, and asked us if we had ever heard Herr Slossenn Boschen (who had just arrived, and was then down in the supper-room) sing his great German comic song.

None of us had heard it, that we could remember.

The young men said it was the funniest song that had ever been written, and that, if we liked, they would get Herr Slossenn Boschen, whom they knew very well, to sing it. They said it was so funny that, when Herr Slossenn Boschen had sung it once before the German Emperor, he (the German Emperor) had had to be carried off to bed.

They said nobody could sing it like Herr Slossenn Boschen (никто не может спеть ее так, как господин Слоссен Бошен) ; he was so intensely serious all through it that you might fancy he was reciting a tragedy (он так глубоко серьезен на всем ее протяжении, что можно подумать, будто он читает трагедию) , and that, of course, made it all the funnier (и это, конечно, делает все еще смешнее) . They said he never once suggested by his tone or manner that he was singing anything funny — that would spoil it (они сказали, он ни разу еще не намекнул своей интонацией = никогда нельзя предположить по его интонации или поведению, что он поет что-то смешное — это бы все испортило; to suggest — предлагать; наводить на мысль, намекать) . It was his air of seriousness, almost of pathos, that made it so irresistibly amusing (именно его серьезный, почти патетический вид делает песню такой неотразимо забавной; air — воздух, атмосфера; внешний вид, выражение лица) .

We said we yearned to hear it, that we wanted a good laugh (мы сказали, что жаждем услышать ее, что хотим хорошо посмеяться) ; and they went downstairs, and fetched Herr Slossenn Boschen (они спустились по лестнице и позвали господина Слоссен Бошена) .

He appeared to be quite pleased to sing it, for he came up at once (он, видимо, был весьма рад спеть, потому что пришел тотчас же; to come up — подниматься, повышаться) , and sat down to the piano without another word (и сел за фортепьяно, не говоря ни слова; to sit down) .

serious [ˈsɪ(ǝ)rɪǝs] irresistibly [,ɪrɪˈzɪstǝblɪ]

They said nobody could sing it like Herr Slossenn Boschen; he was so intensely serious all through it that you might fancy he was reciting a tragedy, and that, of course, made it all the funnier. They said he never once suggested by his tone or manner that he was singing anything funny — that would spoil it. It was his air of seriousness, almost of pathos, that made it so irresistibly amusing.

We said we yearned to hear it, that we wanted a good laugh; and they went downstairs, and fetched Herr Slossenn Boschen.

He appeared to be quite pleased to sing it, for he came up at once, and sat down to the piano without another word.

"Oh, it will amuse you (это позабавит вас) . You will laugh (вы посмеетесь) ," whispered the two young men, as they passed through the room (шепнули нам двое молодых людей, проходя через комнату) , and took up an unobtrusive position behind the Professor's back (и заняли скромное место за спиной профессора) .

Herr Slossenn Boschen accompanied himself (аккомпанировал себе сам) . The prelude did not suggest a comic song exactly (вступление совсем не наводило на мысль о комической песне; exactly — точно, как раз; совсем, совершенно) . It was a weird, soulful air (это была таинственная, душевная мелодия; air — внешний вид; мелодия, мотив) . It quite made one's flesh creep (от нее по телу шли мурашки; flesh — тело; плоть; to creep — ползать; creeps — мурашки; ощущение ужаса) ; but we murmured to one another that it was the German method, and prepared to enjoy it (но мы прошептали друг другу, что это немецкий способ /петь/, и приготовились наслаждаться) .

I don't understand German myself (сам я не понимаю по-немецки) . I learned it at school, but forgot every word of it two years after I had left (я изучал его в школе, но забыл каждое его слово = до последнего слова через два года после того, как закончил /ее/; to forget; to leave) , and have felt much better ever since (и чувствую себя намного лучше с тех пор) . Still, I did not want the people there to guess my ignorance (однако я не хотел, чтобы люди там = присутствующие узнали о моем невежестве; to guess — догадываться; полагать) ; so I hit upon what I thought to be rather a good idea (поэтому мне пришла, как мне показалось, довольно хорошая мысль; to hit on — найти, прийти к; to hit upon an idea — прийти к мысли) . I kept my eye on the two young students, and followed them (я не спускал глаз с двух молодых студентов и следовал за ними = их примеру) . When they tittered, I tittered (когда они хихикали, я /тоже/ хихикал) ; when they roared, I roared (когда они хохотали, я хохотал) ; and I also threw in a little snigger all by myself now and then (и я также добавлял хихиканье от себя временами; to throw in — добавлять; вставлять /замечание/) , as if I had seen a bit of humour that had escaped the others (словно увидел что-то смешное, что ускользнуло от остальных) . I considered this particularly artful on my part (я считал это особенно ловким = хорошо придуманным со своей стороны) .

unobtrusive [,ʌnǝbˈtru:sɪv] ignorance [ˈɪɡnǝrǝns]

"Oh, it will amuse you. You will laugh," whispered the two young men, as they passed through the room, and took up an unobtrusive position behind the Professor's back.

Herr Slossenn Boschen accompanied himself. The prelude did not suggest a comic song exactly. It was a weird, soulful air. It quite made one's flesh creep; but we murmured to one another that it was the German method, and prepared to enjoy it.

I don't understand German myself. I learned it at school, but forgot every word of it two years after I had left, and have felt much better ever since. Still, I did not want the people there to guess my ignorance; so I hit upon what I thought to be rather a good idea. I kept my eye on the two young students, and followed them. When they tittered, I tittered; when they roared, I roared; and I also threw in a little snigger all by myself now and then, as if I had seen a bit of humour that had escaped the others. I considered this particularly artful on my part.

I noticed, as the song progressed (я заметил по мере того, как песня продолжалась = через некоторое время; to progress — развиваться, двигаться вперед) , that a good many other people seemed to have their eye fixed on the two young men, as well as myself (что довольно много других людей, казалось, не сводило глаз с юношей, как и я; to fix one`s eyes on — уставиться, впиться глазами) . These other people also tittered when the young men tittered (тоже хихикали, когда хихикали молодые люди) , and roared when the young men roared; and, as the two young men tittered and roared (и, так как эти двое молодых людей хихикали, хохотали) and exploded with laughter pretty continuously all through the song, it went exceedingly well (и разражались смехом почти непрерывно на протяжении всей песни, дело шло чрезвычайно хорошо/замечательно; to explode with laughter — разразиться смехом; громко рассмеяться) .