Уильям Моэм - Английский язык с У. С. Моэмом. На окраине империи. Рассказы

filthy [`fIlTI], confidentially [kOnfI`denSqlI], transfer ['trxnsfq:]

At last the boy came back and asked him if he would dress for dinner. Of course! He always dressed for dinner. He rose wearily from his chair and put on his stiff shirt and the high collar. He sat down at the prettily decorated table, and was waited on as usual by the two boys while two others waved their great fans. Over there in the bungalow, two hundred yards away, Cooper was eating a filthy meal clad only in a sarong and a baju. His feet were bare and while he ate he probably read a detective story. After dinner Mr. Warburton sat down to write a letter. The Sultan was away, but he wrote, privately and confidentially, to his representative. Cooper did his work very well, he said, but the fact was that he couldn`t get on with him. They were getting dreadfully on each other`s nerves and he would look upon it as a very great favour if Cooper could be transferred to another post.

He dispatched the letter next morning by special messenger (он отправил письмо на следующее утро специальным курьером). The answer came a fortnight later with the month`s mail (ответ пришел через две недели, с ежемесячной почтой). It was a private note and ran as follows (это была личная записка и гласила следующее: «бежала следующим образом»): —

"My dear Warburton (мой дорогой Уорбертон),

I do not want to answer your letter officially (я не хочу отвечать на ваше письмо официально), and so I am writing you a few lines myself (и поэтому я пишу вам несколько строк сам). Of course if you insist I will put the matter up to the Sultan (конечно, если вы настаиваете, я направлю вопрос = просьбу султану), but I think you would be much wiser to drop it (но я считаю, что вы были бы = было бы гораздо разумнее бросить эту затею: «это»). I know Cooper is a rough diamond (я знаю, что Купер — необработанный алмаз), but he is capable, and he had a pretty thin time in the war (но он способный, и на войне ему здорово досталось: «он имел довольно тонкое время на войне»), and I think he should be given every chance (и я думаю, что ему следует дать шанс: «все шансы»). I think you are a little too much inclined to attach importance to a man`s social position (я полагаю, что вы немного = уж чересчур склонны придавать значение социальному положению человека). You must remember that times have changed (вы должны помнить = помните , что времена изменились). Of course it’s a very good thing for a man to be a gentleman (несомненно, это очень хорошая вещь для человека — быть джентльменом), but it’s better that he should be competent and hard-working (но лучше, если он будет компетентен и трудолюбив). I think if you`ll exercise a little tolerance you`ll get on very well with Cooper (полагаю, что если вы проявите немного терпимости, то вы отлично поладите с Купером).

Yours very sincerely, Richard Temple (Ваш, очень искренне = искренне Ваш, Ричард Темпл)."

despatch [dI`spxtS], diamond [`daIqmqnd], incline [In`klaIn], tolerance [`tOlqrqns]

He dispatched the letter next morning by special messenger. The answer came a fortnight later with the month`s mail. It was a private note and ran as follows: —

"My dear Warburton,

I do not want to answer your letter officially, and so I am writing you a few lines myself. Of course if you insist I will put the matter up to the Sultan, but I think you would be much wiser to drop it. I know Cooper is a rough diamond, but he is capable, and he had a pretty thin time in the war, and I think he should be given every chance. I think you are a little too much inclined to attach importance to a man`s social position. You must remember that times have changed. Of course it’s a very good thing for a man to be a gentleman, but it’s better that he should be competent and hard-working. I think if you`ll exercise a little tolerance you`ll get on very well with Cooper.

Yours very sincerely, Richard Temple."

The letter dropped from Mr. Warburton`s hand (письмо выпало из руки = рук мистера Уорбертона). It was easy to read between the lines (было легко читать его между строк). Dick Temple, whom he had known for twenty years (Дик Темпл, которого он знал = с которым он знаком двадцать лет), Dick Temple, who came from quite a good country family (Дик Темпл, который происходил из весьма хорошей/приличной провинциальной семьи), thought him a snob, and for that reason had no patience with his request (считал его снобом и по этой причине не проявил терпения = уважения к его просьбе). Mr. Warburton felt on a sudden discouraged with life (мистер Уорбертон внезапно почувствовал себя обескураженным: «лишенным воли к жизни»). The world of which he was a part had passed away (/тот/ мир, частью которого он был, исчез: «ушел прочь»; to pass away — исчезать ) and the future belonged to a meaner generation (а будущее принадлежало более низкому/вульгарному поколению; mean — убогий, жалкий; неприятный, противный ). Cooper represented it and Cooper he hated with all his heart (Купер представлял/олицетворял его, а Купера он ненавидел всем своим сердцем). He stretched out his hand to fill his glass (он протянул свою руку, чтобы наполнить свой стакан), and at the gesture his head-boy stepped forward (и при /этом/ жесте/телодвижении его старший бой шагнул вперед).

"I didn`t know you were there (я не знал, что ты здесь)."

The boy picked up the official letter (бой поднял официальное письмо). Ah, that was why he was waiting (а, вот: «это было то», почему он ждал).

"Does Tuan Cooper go, Tuan (туан Купер уходит, туан)?"

"No (нет)."

"There will be a misfortune (будет беда)."

patience [peISns], discourage [dI'skArIG], misfortune [mIs'fO: tSqn]

The letter dropped from Mr. Warburton`s hand. It was easy to read between the lines. Dick Temple, whom he had known for twenty years, Dick Temple, who came from quite a good country family, thought him a snob, and for that reason had no patience with his request. Mr. Warburton felt on a sudden discouraged with life. The world of which he was a part had passed away and the future belonged to a meaner generation. Cooper represented it and Cooper he hated with all his heart. He stretched out his hand to fill his glass, and at the gesture his head-boy stepped forward.

"I didn`t know you were there."

The boy picked up the official letter. Ah, that was why he was waiting.

"Does Tuan Cooper go, Tuan?"

"No."

"There will be a misfortune."

For a moment the words conveyed nothing to his lassitude (на мгновение эти слова не подействовали на него: «не передали ничего» /из-за/ его усталости). But only for a moment (но только на мгновение). He sat up in his chair and looked at the boy (он приподнялся в своем кресле и посмотрел на боя). He was all attention (он был сосредоточен/настороже: «весь внимание»).

"What do you mean by that (что ты имеешь в виду: «подразумеваешь этим»)?"

"Tuan Cooper is not behaving rightly with Abas (туан Купер несправедливо ведет себя/поступает с Абасом)."

Mr. Warburton shrugged his shoulders (мистер Уорбертон пожал плечами). How should a man like Cooper know how to treat servants (как должен = может /такой/ человек, как Купер, знать, как обращаться с прислугой)? Mr. Warburton knew the type (мистер Уорбертон встречался с подобными людьми: «знал /этот/ тип»): he would be grossly familiar with them at one moment and rude and inconsiderate the next (он может быть слишком фамильярным с ними в один момент и грубым и невнимательным в следующий; grossly — вульгарно, неаккуратно, некрасиво; уст. весьма; чрезвычайно, избыточно ).

convey [kqn`veI], lassitude [`lxsItju: d], shrug [SrAg]

For a moment the words conveyed nothing to his lassitude. But only for a moment. He sat up in his chair and looked at the boy. He was all attention.

"What do you mean by that?"

"Tuan Cooper is not behaving rightly with Abas."

Mr. Warburton shrugged his shoulders. How should a man like Cooper know how to treat servants? Mr. Warburton knew the type: he would be grossly familiar with them at one moment and rude and inconsiderate the next.

"Let Abas go back to his family (пусть Абас идет назад = вернется к своей семье)."

"Tuan Cooper holds back his wages so that he may not run away (туан Купер удерживает его заработную плату, для того, чтобы он не мог убежать). He has paid him nothing for three months (он не платил ему ничего /уже/ три месяца). I tell him to be patient (я говорю ему быть терпеливым = потерпеть). But he is angry, he will not listen to reason (но он сердит, он не хочет слушать /мои/ доводы). If the Tuan continues to use him ill there will be a misfortune (если туан Купер будет продолжать обращаться с ним плохо, будет беда; to use— пользоваться, применять; обращаться, обходиться /с кем-либо/с чем-либо/ )."

"You were right to tell me (ты правильно /сделал/, что сказал мне)."

wages [weIGqz]

"Let Abas go back to his family."

"Tuan Cooper holds back his wages so that he may not run away. He has paid him nothing for three months. I tell him to be patient. But he is angry, he will not listen to reason. If the Tuan continues to use him ill there will be a misfortune."