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

"They say there’s a deal of cocaine taken in the States now (говорят, сейчас столько кокаина употребляют в Штатах; deal— некоторое количество; большое количество )," said the captain.

Neilson chuckled (Нилсон подавил смешок; chuckle— сдавленный/тихий смех ).

"But I do not see a white man often (но я не /так/ часто вижу /здесь/ белых: «белого человека»)," he continued (продолжал он), "and for once I don’t think a drop of whisky can do me any harm (и за один раз, я не думаю, /что/ капля виски может причинить мне какой-либо вред)."

He poured himself out a little (он налил себе немного), added some soda, and took a sip (добавил немного содовой и сделал маленький глоток).

interfere ["Intq`fIq], subtle [sAtl], deleterious ["delI`tIqrIqs]

"We are foolish and sentimental and melodramatic at twenty-five, but if we weren’t perhaps we should be less wise at fifty.

"Now drink, my friend. Don’t let the nonsense I talk interfere with you."

He waved his thin hand towards the bottle, and the skipper finished what remained in his glass.

"You ain’t drinking nothin’," he said, reaching for the whisky.

"I am of a sober habit," smiled the Swede. "I intoxicate myself in ways which I fancy are more subtle. But perhaps that is only vanity. Anyhow, the effects are more lasting and the results less deleterious."

"They say there’s a deal of cocaine taken in the States now," said the captain.

Neilson chuckled.

"But I do not see a white man often," he continued, "and for once I don’t think a drop of whisky can do me any harm."

He poured himself out a little, added some soda, and took a sip.

"And presently I found out (и вскоре я понял: «выяснил») why the spot had such an unearthly loveliness (почему это место обладало такой неземной красотой). Here love had tarried for a moment (здесь на миг задержалась любовь; moment — момент, мгновение ) like a migrant bird that happens on a ship in mid-ocean (словно перелетная птица, которая случайно встречает корабль посреди океана) and for a little while folds its tired wings (и на короткое время складывает свои усталые крылья). The fragrance of a beautiful passion hovered over it (аромат прекрасной страсти парил над ним) like the fragrance of hawthorn in May in the meadows of my home (словно аромат боярышника в мае на лугах моей родины; home — дом, жилище; родина ). It seems to me that the places where men have loved or suffered (мне кажется, что те места, где люди любили или страдали) keep about them always some faint aroma of something (сохраняют в себе всегда некий слабый аромат чего-то /такого/) that has not wholly died (что не до конца умерло; wholly — полностью ). It is as though they had acquired a spiritual significance (это как будто бы они приобрели какую-то духовную значимость) which mysteriously affects those who pass (которая непостижимым образом влияет /на/ тех, кто проходит мимо). I wish I could make myself clear (хотел бы я смочь = если бы я только мог выразиться яснее)." He smiled a little (он слегка улыбнулся). "Though I cannot imagine (хотя я не могу себе представить) that if I did (что если б я и смог) you would understand (вы бы /меня/ поняли)."

He paused (он сделал паузу).

"I think this place was beautiful (я думаю, это место было красивым) because here for a period (потому что здесь на некоторое время) the ecstasy of love had invested it with beauty (восторг любви окутал его красотой)." And now he shrugged his shoulders (и тотчас же он пожал плечами). "But perhaps it is only (но, может быть, это просто) that my aesthetic sense is gratified (моему эстетическому чувству доставляет удовольствие) by the happy conjunction of young love and a suitable setting (удачное сочетание молодой любви и подходящей обстановки)."

unearthly [An`WTlI], fragrance [`freIgr(q)ns], meadow [`medqu]

"And presently I found out why the spot had such an unearthly loveliness. Here love had tarried for a moment like a migrant bird that happens on a ship in mid-ocean and for a little while folds its tired wings. The fragrance of a beautiful passion hovered over it like the fragrance of hawthorn in May in the meadows of my home. It seems to me that the places where men have loved or suffered keep about them always some faint aroma of something that has not wholly died. It is as though they had acquired a spiritual significance which mysteriously affects those who pass. I wish I could make myself clear." He smiled a little. "Though I cannot imagine that if I did you would understand."

He paused.

"I think this place was beautiful because here for a period the ecstasy of love had invested it with beauty." And now he shrugged his shoulders. "But perhaps it is only that my aesthetic sense is gratified by the happy conjunction of young love and a suitable setting."

Even a man less thick-witted than the skipper (даже человек менее глупый, чем шкипер) might have been forgiven (мог бы быть прощен) if he were bewildered by Neilson’s words (если бы слова Нилсона поставили его в тупик). For he seemed faintly to laugh at what he said (ибо, казалось, он /и сам/ почти смеялся над /тем/, что сказал; faintly — слабо, слегка ). It was as though he spoke from emotion (это было /так/, как будто он говорил, /исходя/ из чувства) which his intellect found ridiculous (которое его разум находил нелепым/смешным). He had said himself that he was a sentimentalist (он сам сказал, что был сентиментальным человеком), and when sentimentality is joined with scepticism (а когда сентиментальность соединяется со скептицизмом) there is often the devil to pay (это часто грозит неприятностями; the devil to pay — /устойчивое выражение/грозящая неприятность, беда; затруднительное положение ).

He was silent for an instant (он замолчал на мгновение) and looked at the captain with eyes (и посмотрел на капитана глазами) in which there was a sudden perplexity (в которых неожиданно мелькнуло: «было неожиданное» недоумение/растерянность).

"You know, I can’t help thinking (вы знаете, я не могу удержаться от мысли; tohelp— помогать; избегать, удерживать/ся/;to think— думать ) that I’ve seen you before somewhere or other (что я видел вас раньше где-то)," he said.

"I couldn’t say as I remember you (а я не припоминаю вас: «я не мог бы сказать, что я помню вас»)," returned the skipper (возразил шкипер).

"I have a curious feeling (у меня /такое/ странное чувство) as though your face were familiar to me (как будто бы ваше лицо мне знакомо). It’s been puzzling me for some time (это мучило меня некоторое время; to puzzle— озадачивать; ставить в тупик ). But I can’t situate my recollection in any place or at any time (но я не могу вспомнить, где и когда /я вас видел/: «но я не могу поместить свои воспоминания в какое бы то ни было место или время»)."

The skipper massively shrugged his heavy shoulders (шкипер тяжело пожал своими крупными плечами).

"It’s thirty years since I first come to the islands (/прошло уже/ тридцать лет, с тех пор как я впервые приехал на эти острова). A man can’t figure on (нельзя ожидать от человека: «человек не может рассчитывать») remembering all the folk he meets in a while like that (/что он будет/ помнить всех людей, /с которыми/ он встречается за /такой/ промежуток времени как этот)."

laugh [lRf], sentimentality ["sentImen`txlItI], folk [fquk]

Even a man less thick-witted than the skipper might have been forgiven if he were bewildered by Neilson’s words. For he seemed faintly to laugh at what he said. It was as though he spoke from emotion which his intellect found ridiculous. He had said himself that he was a sentimentalist, and when sentimentality is joined with scepticism there is often the devil to pay.

He was silent for an instant and looked at the captain with eyes in which there was a sudden perplexity.

"You know, I can’t help thinking that I’ve seen you before somewhere or other," he said.

"I couldn’t say as I remember you," returned the skipper.

"I have a curious feeling as though your face were familiar to me. It’s been puzzling me for some time. But I can’t situate my recollection in any place or at any time."

The skipper massively shrugged his heavy shoulders.

"It’s thirty years since I first come to the islands. A man can’t figure on remembering all the folk he meets in a while like that."

The Swede shook his head (швед /отрицательно/ покачал головой).

"You know how one sometimes has the feeling (вы знаете, как иногда охватывает чувство; one— один; также употребляется в неопределенно-личных предложениях ) that a place one has never been to before (что какое-то место, /где/ никогда /не/ был раньше) is strangely familiar (странным образом знакомо /тебе/). That’s how I seem to see you (вот каким образом, кажется, я /и/ вижу вас)." He gave a whimsical smile (он странно улыбнулся; whimsical — причудливый ). "Perhaps I knew you in some past existence (может быть, я знал вас в какой-нибудь прошлой жизни). Perhaps, perhaps you were the master of a galley in ancient Rome (может быть, вы были управляющим на галере в Древнем Риме; master — хозяин, владелец; господин;мастер ) and I was a slave at the oar (а я был рабом у весла). Thirty years have you been here (вы тридцать лет /уже/ здесь)?"