Уильям Моэм - Мистер Всезнайка. Рассказы

light-hearted ["laIt'hQ: tId], leisure ['leZq], captain ['kxptIn], colonial [kq'lqunIql], exotic [Ig'zOtIk]

Riri was a light-hearted youth, and he enjoyed his leisure. He danced, bathed and played tennis. It was thus that he made the acquaintance of a girl who had recently come to live at Le Havre. Her father had been a captain in the colonial army and on his death her mother had returned to Le Havre, which was her native place. Marie-Louise was then eighteen. She had spent almost all her life in Tonkin. This gave her an exotic attraction for the young men who had never been out of France in their lives, and first Riri, then Jean, fell in love with her.

Perhaps that was inevitable (возможно, это было неизбежным); it was certainly unfortunate (и уж определенно это было к несчастью; unfortunate — несчастный; неудачный ). She was a well-brought-up girl, an only child (она была хорошо воспитанной девушкой, единственным ребенком; to bring up — воспитывать, растить ), and her mother, besides her pension, had a little money of her own (и у ее матери, помимо пенсии, были и немного своих собственных денег). It was evident that she could be pursued only with a view to marriage (было очевидно, что искать ее /расположения/ можно было только с намерением жениться; topursue— преследовать /кого-либо/; искать, добиваться;view— вид; цель, намерение ). Of course Riri, dependent for the while entirely on his father (конечно же Рири, который в то время полностью находился на иждивении своего отца; dependent— зависимый; получающий помощь /от кого-либо/, живущий за счет /чего-либо/ ), could not make an offer that there was the least chance of Madame Meurice, Marie-Louise’s mother, accepting (не мог сделать предложения, которое, при малейшем шансе, мадам Мерис, мать Марии-Луизы, приняла бы); but having the whole day to himself he was able to see a great deal more of Marie-Louise than Jean could (но, предоставленный сам себе целыми днями, он мог чаще видеться с Марией-Луизой, чем Жан).

inevitable [I'nevItqb(q)l], pursue [pq'sju: ], marriage ['mxrIdZ]

Perhaps that was inevitable; it was certainly unfortunate. She was a well-brought-up girl, an only child, and her mother, besides her pension, had a little money of her own. It was evident that she could be pursued only with a view to marriage. Of course Riri, dependent for the while entirely on his father, could not make an offer that there was the least chance of Madame Meurice, Marie-Louise’s mother, accepting; but having the whole day to himself he was able to see a great deal more of Marie-Louise than Jean could.

Madame Meurice was something of an invalid (мадам Мерис была, в некотором роде, инвалидом), so that Marie-Louise had more liberty than most French girls of her age and station (поэтому у Марии-Луизы было больше свободы, чем у большинства французских девушек ее возраста и положения; station — место, местоположение; общественноеположение ). She knew that both Riri and Jean were in love with her (она знала, что и Рири, и Жан влюблены в нее), she liked them both and was pleased by their attentions (они оба нравились ей, и ей были приятны их ухаживания; attention — внимание, внимательность; внимание, благосклонность, ухаживание ), but she gave no sign that she was in love with either (но она не подавала вида, что она была влюблена в кого-нибудь из них; sign — признак, примета ). It was impossible to tell which she preferred (было невозможно сказать, кого /из них/: «которого» она предпочитала). She was well aware that Riri was not in a position to marry her (ей было хорошо известно, что у Рири не было возможности жениться на ней; tobeinapositiontodosmth. — иметь возможность /быть в состоянии/ сделать что-либо ).

invalid ['InvqlId], liberty ['lIbqtI], prefer [prI'fW]

Madame Meurice was something of an invalid, so that Marie-Louise had more liberty than most French girls of her age and station. She knew that both Riri and Jean were in love with her, she liked them both and was pleased by their attentions, but she gave no sign that she was in love with either. It was impossible to tell which she preferred. She was well aware that Riri was not in a position to marry her.

"What did she look like (как она выглядела)?" I asked Jean Charvin.

"She was small, with a pretty little figure (она была невысокого роста, с изящной фигуркой), with large grey eyes (с большими серыми глазами), a pale skin and soft, mouse-coloured hair (бледной кожей и мягкими волосами мышиного цвета). She was rather like a little mouse (она была довольно похожа на маленькую мышку). She was not beautiful, but pretty, in a quaint demure way (она не была красавицей, но была хорошенькой, неким изящным скромным образом; quaint — причудливый; уст. изящный, искусный ); there was something very appealing about her (было в ней что-то очень привлекательное; to appeal — апеллировать, взывать; привлекать, интересовать ). She was easy to get on with (с ней было так легко ладить). She was simple and unaffected (она была искренней и естественной; simple— простой, нетрудный; простодушный, бесхитростный ). You couldn’t help feeling that she was reliable (невозможно было не почувствовать, что на нее можно положиться; reliable— надежный ) and would make anyone a good wife (и /любому/ будет хорошей женой)."

figure ['fIgq], quaint [kweInt], demure [dI'mjuq], unaffected ["Anq'fektId]

"What did she look like?" I asked Jean Charvin.

"She was small, with a pretty little figure, with large grey eyes, a pale skin and soft, mouse-coloured hair. She was rather like a little mouse. She was not beautiful, but pretty, in a quaint demure way; there was something very appealing about her. She was easy to get on with. She was simple and unaffected. You couldn’t help feeling that she was reliable and would make anyone a good wife."

Jean and Riri hid nothing from one another (Жан и Рири ничего не скрывали друг от друга; to hide — прятать; скрывать, непоказывать/чувстваит.п./ ) and Jean made no secret of the fact that he was in love with Marie-Louise (и Жан не делал секрета из того факта, что он влюблен в Марию-Луизу), but Riri had met her first (но Рири первый встретил ее) and it was an understood thing between them that Jean should not stand in his way (и между ними было решенным делом, что Жан не будет стоять на его пути; to understand — понимать; уславливаться, договариваться ). At length she made her choice (наконец она сделала свой выбор). One day Riri waited for Jean to come away from his office (однажды Рири дождался, когда Жан придет с работы: «уйдет из офиса») and told him that Marie-Louise had consented to marry him (и сообщил ему, что Мария-Луиза согласилась выйти за него замуж).

length [leNT], choice [tSOIs], consent [kqn'sent]

Jean and Riri hid nothing from one another and Jean made no secret of the fact that he was in love with Marie-Louise, but Riri had met her first and it was an understood thing between them that Jean should not stand in his way. At length she made her choice. One day Riri waited for Jean to come away from his office and told him that Marie-Louise had consented to marry him.

They had arranged that as soon as he got a job (они договорились, что как только он найдет работу; to arrange — приводитьвпорядок; уславливаться, договариваться ) his father should go to her mother and make the formal offer (его отец отправится к ее матери и сделает официальное предложение). Jean was hard hit (Жан был убит горем: «жестко ударен»). It was not easy to listen with eager sympathy to the plans (нелегко было слушать с увлеченной симпатией о тех планах; eager— страстно стремящийся /к чему-либо/, нетерпеливый ) that the excitable and enchanted Riri made for the future (которые легко возбудимый и очарованный Рири строил на будущее). But he was too much attached to Riri to feel sore with him (но он был слишком привязан к Рири, чтобы обижаться на него; toattach— прикреплять, присоединять; разг. привязывать, располагать к себе;sore— болезненный, чувствительный; разг. сердитый, раздраженный ); he knew how lovable he was and he could not game Marie-Louise (он знал, каким привлекательным тот был и что он /Жан/ сам не смог бы пленить Марию-Луизу). He tried with all his might to accept honestly the sacrifice (он изо всех сил честно старался смириться с той жертвой; toaccept— принимать, брать /предложенное/; принимать как неизбежное, мириться /с чем-либо/ ) he made on the altar of friendship (которую он принес на алтарь дружбы).

sympathy ['sImpqTI], excitable [Ik'saItqb(q)l], enchanted [In'tSQ: ntId], altar ['O: ltq]

They had arranged that as soon as he got a job his father should go to her mother and make the formal offer. Jean was hard hit. It was not easy to listen with eager sympathy to the plans that the excitable and enchanted Riri made for the future. But he was too much attached to Riri to feel sore with him; he knew how lovable he was and he could not game Marie-Louise. He tried with all his might to accept honestly the sacrifice he made on the altar of friendship.