Уильям Моэм - Мистер Всезнайка. Рассказы

figure ['fIgq], unconscious [An'kOnSqs], heave [hJv], infallible [In'fxlqbl]

Mrs. Tower drank a little champagne.

"I wish I could describe the frock to you. It would have been quite impossible on anyone else; on her it was perfect. And the eyeglass! I’d known her for thirty-five years and I’d never seen her without spectacles."

"But you knew she had a good figure."

"How should I? I’d never seen her except in the clothes you first saw her in. Did you think she had a good figure? She seemed not to be unconscious of the sensation she made but to take it as a matter of course. I thought of my dinner and I heaved a sigh of relief. Even if she was a little heavy in hand, with that appearance it didn’t so very much matter. She was sitting at the other end of the table and I heard a good deal of laughter; I was glad to think that the other people were playing up well; but after dinner I was a good deal taken aback when no less than three men came up to me and told me that my sister-in-law was priceless, and did I think she would allow them to call on her. I didn’t quite know whether I was standing on my head or my heels. Twenty-four hours later our hostess of to-night rang me up and said she had heard my sister-in-law was in London and she was priceless and would I ask her to luncheon to meet her. She has an infallible instinct, that woman: in a month everyone was talking about Jane. I am here to-night, not because I’ve known our hostess for twenty years and have asked her to dinner a hundred times, but because I’m Jane’s sister-in-law."

Poor Mrs. Tower (бедная миссис Тауэр). The position was galling (такое положение уязвляло /ее/; to gall — ссадить, натереть/кожу/;уязвлять; gall — желчь ), and though I could not help being amused (и хотя меня это забавляло: «я не мог не быть развлеченным»; could not help — немогне ), for the tables were turned on her with a vengeance (так как теперь именно ей по-настоящему приходилось туго: «все скрижали были повернуты к ней/на нее»; to turn the tables on someone — полностьюизменитьситуацию, так, чтоневамотнынестроятпроблемы, авысоздаетепроблемыдлявашихпротивников;with a vengeance — здорово, вовсю; vengeance — месть ), I felt that she deserved my sympathy (я чувствовал, что она заслуживает моего сочувствия).

"People never can resist those who make them laugh (люди не могут противиться = устоятьперед теми, кто заставляет их смеяться)," I said, trying to console her (пытаясь утешить ее).

"She never makes me laugh (она никогда не заставляла меня смеяться)."

Once more from the top of the table I heard a guffaw (и снова с края стола я услышал гогот; top— верхушка; край ) and guessed that Jane had said another amusing thing (и догадался, что Джейн снова сказала /какую-то/ занимательную вещь).

"Do you mean to say that you are the only person who doesn’t think her funny (вы хотите сказать, что вы единственный человек, который не считает ее смешной)?" I asked, smiling (спросил: «сказал» я, улыбаясь).

"Had it struck you that she was a humorist (/а/ вам /разве/ раньше приходило в голову, что она юмористка; tostrike— ударять; поражать, поразить; приходить в голову )?"

"I’m bound to say it hadn’t (вынужден сказать, что нет; tobebound— быть вынужденным;tobind— связывать; обязывать )."

"She says just the same things as she’s said for the last thirty-five years (она просто говорит те же самые вещи = слова , которые она говорила последние тридцать пять лет). I laugh when I see everyone else does (я смеюсь, когда вижу, как смеются другие) because I don’t want to seem a perfect fool (потому что не хочу казаться круглой: «совершенной» дурой), but I am not amused (но мне не смешно; toamuse— развлекать; позабавить, развеселить )."

"Like Queen Victoria (как королеве Виктории /намек на известную фразу королевы Виктории: ‘Wearenotamused’/ )," I said.

vengeance ['venGqns], sympathy ['sImpqTI], console [kqn'squl], guffaw [gA'fL]

Poor Mrs. Tower. The position was galling, and though I could not help being amused, for the tables were turned on her with a vengeance, I felt that she deserved my sympathy.

"People never can resist those who make them laugh," I said, trying to console her.

"She never makes me laugh."

Once more from the top of the table I heard a guffaw and guessed that Jane had said another amusing thing.

"Do you mean to say that you are the only person who doesn’t think her funny?" I asked, smiling.

"Had it struck you that she was a humorist?"

"I’m bound to say it hadn’t."

"She says just the same things as she’s said for the last thirty-five years. I laugh when I see everyone else does because I don’t want to seem a perfect fool, but I am not amused."

"Like Queen Victoria," I said.

It was a foolish jest (это была глупая острота) and Mrs. Tower was quite right sharply to tell me so (и миссис Тауэр была совершенно права, резко сказав мне об этом). I tried another tack (я изменил линию поведения: «попробовал другой курс»; totack— прикреплять; менять курс, линию поведения ).

"Is Gilbert here (/а/ Гилберт здесь)?" I asked, looking down the table (оглядывая стол).

"Gilbert was asked because she won’t go out without him (Гилберта пригласили: «попросили» потому, что она не пошла бы без него), but to-night he’s at a dinner of the Architects’ Institute or whatever it’s called (но сегодня он на приеме в институте архитектуры или как там это называется)."

"I’m dying to renew my acquaintance with her (я очень хочу возобновить наше с ней знакомство; to die — умирать; сильнохотеть; to renew — обновить; возобновить, повторить )."

"Go and talk to her after dinner (пойдите и поговорите с ней после обеда). She’ll ask you to her Tuesdays (она пригласит вас на свои вторники)."

"Her Tuesdays (свои вторники)?"

"She’s at home every Tuesday evening (она дома по вторникам: «каждый вечер вторника»). You’ll meet there everyone you ever heard of (вы встретите там всех, о ком когда-либо слышали). They’re the best parties in London (это лучшие приемы в Лондоне). She’s done in one year what I’ve failed to do in twenty (она сделала за один год то, что мне не удалось сделать за двадцать лет)."

"But what you tell me is really miraculous (но это: «то, что вы рассказываете мне» действительно удивительно; miracle— чудо ). How has it been done (как это случилось: «было сделано»)?"

Mrs. Tower shrugged her handsome but adipose shoulders (миссис Тауэр пожала своими красивыми, но полными плечами; adipose— жирный, тучный ).

"I shall be glad if you’ll tell me (буду рада, если вы мне это скажете)," she replied (ответила она).

jest [Gest], renew [rI'njH], acquaintance [q'kweIntqns], miraculous [mI'rxkjulqs]

It was a foolish jest and Mrs. Tower was quite right sharply to tell me so. I tried another tack.

"Is Gilbert here?" I asked, looking down the table.

"Gilbert was asked because she won’t go out without him, but to-night he’s at a dinner of the Architects’ Institute or whatever it’s called."

"I’m dying to renew my acquaintance with her."

"Go and talk to her after dinner. She’ll ask you to her Tuesdays."

"Her Tuesdays?"

"She’s at home every Tuesday evening. You’ll meet there everyone you ever heard of. They’re the best parties in London. She’s done in one year what I’ve failed to do in twenty."

"But what you tell me is really miraculous. How has it been done?"

Mrs. Tower shrugged her handsome but adipose shoulders.

"I shall be glad if you’ll tell me," she replied.

After dinner I tried to make my way to the sofa on which Jane was sitting (после обеда я попытался проложить себе дорогу = подойти к дивану, на котором сидела Джейн), but I was intercepted (но меня /постоянно/ останавливали; to intercept — перехватить; задержать, остановить ) and it was not till a little later (и лишь немного позже) that my hostess came up to me and said (ко мне подошла хозяйка и сказала):

"I must introduce you to the star of my party (я должна представить вас звезде моего вечера). Do you know Jane Napier (вы знаете Джейн Напир)? She’s priceless (она бесподобна). She’s much more amusing than your comedies (она гораздо забавнее /любых/ ваших комедий)."

I was taken up to the sofa (меня подвели к софе). The admiral who had been sitting beside her at dinner was with her still (адмирал, который сидел рядом с ней за обеденным столом: «обедом», все еще был с ней), showed no sign of moving (не подавая: «показывая» никаких признаков желания уйти), and Jane, shaking hands with me (и Джейн, пожимая мне руку; to shake — трясти; to shake hands — пожать/пожиматьруки ), introduced me to him (представила меня ему).

"Do you know Sir Reginald Frobisher (вы знакомы с сэром Реджинальдом Фробишером)?"

intercept [Intq'sept], introduce [Intrq'djHs], sign [saIn]