Протасов Дмитрий Николаевич
1,000,000 pond bank-note // M. Twain //

Самиздат: [Регистрация] [Найти] [Рейтинги] [Обсуждения] [Новинки] [Обзоры] [Помощь|Техвопросы]
Links
Кожевенное мастерство: сумки, ремни своими руками
 Ваша оценка:



 
  When I was twenty-seven years old, I was a mining-broker's clerk in San Francisco, and an expert in all the details of stock traffic.
  I was alone in the world, and had nothing to depend upon but my wits and a clean reputation; but these were setting my feet in the road to eventual fortune, and I was content with the prospect. My time was my own after the afternoon board, Saturdays, and I was accustomed to put it in on a little sail-boat on the bay.

  mining [Єma?n??]

  горная промышленность

  broker [Єbr??k?]

  маклер, брокер;

  marriage broker

  сват

  stock traffic

  биржевые операции

  I was alone in the world

  Я был сам за себя = у меня не было связей

  had nothing to depend upon but

  мне не на что было рассчитывать, кроме

  my wits

  Мои мозги

  clean

  незапятнанная

  but these

  Но именно такая жизнь

  were setting my feet

  Направляла меня (ставила мои ноги)

  eventual [?'vent???l]
 

  окончательный возможный

  fortune [Єf??tju?n]

  удача, счастье

  these were setting my feet in the road to eventual fortune

  это толкало меня на поиски счастья

  content with

  довольный

  prospect

  перспектива

  My time was my own

  я мог свободно располагать временем

  board

  фондовая биржа

  I was accustomed

  У меня вошло в привычку

  to put it in

  Тратить его на

  a little sail-boat

  маленький парусник

 
  One day I ventured too far, and was carried out to sea. Just at nightfall, when hope was about gone, I was picked up by a small brig which was bound for London. It was a long and stormy voyage, and they made me work my passage without pay, as a common sailor. When I stepped ashore in London my clothes were ragged and shabby, and I had only a dollar in my pocket. This money fed and sheltered me twenty-four hours. During the next twenty-four I went without food and shelter.
  About ten o'clock on the following morning, seedy and hungry, I was dragging myself along Portland Place, when a child that was passing, towed by a nurse-maid, ...

  venture [Єvent??]
 

  рискованное предприятие
  рисковать, ставить на карту

  I ventured too far

  Я слишком рискнул

  was carried out to sea

  и меня унесло в море

  at nightfall

  С наступлением темноты

  was about gone

  была почти потеряна

  I was picked up

  меня подобрал

  brig
 
 

  бриг, двухмачтовое судно; амер. помещение для арестованных на военном корабле

  was bound for [ba?nd]

  Держал курс на

  they made me work my passage [ЄpФs?d?]

  меня заставили отработать мое путешествие

  ashore [?Є???]
 

  на берегу; на берег

  ragged [ЄrФg?d]

  Потрёпанный; оборванный

  shabby
 

  поношенный

  fed

  кормили

  sheltered

  Давали мне крышу

  seedy
 

  Потрёпанный; захудалый

  drag
 

  торможение, задержка движения;

  Tow [t??]

  буксировать

  nursemaid ['n?:sme?d]

  Няня
 
 
 

  ... tossed a luscious big pear--minus one bite--into the gutter. I stopped, of course, and fastened my desiring eye on that muddy treasure. My mouth watered for it, my stomach craved it, my whole being begged for it.
 
  But every time whenever I made a move to get it some passing eye detected my purpose, and of course I straightened up then, and looked indifferent, and pretended that I hadn't been thinking about the pear at all. This same thing kept happening and happening, and I couldn't get the pear.

  toss

  бросать

  luscious [Єl???s]

  сочный; наливной

  minus one bite [Єma?n?s]

  откусив ее всего лишь раз.

  gutter [Єg?t?]

  водосточный жёлоб; сточная канава

  fasten [Єf??sn]
 

  запереть; застёгнуть; завязать

  desiring

  жаждущий

  muddy treasure

  Сокровище в грязи

  My mouth watered

  Во рту текли слюнки

  crave [kre?v]

  жаждать

  my whole being

  Всё моё существо =
  каждая моя клеточка

  beg begged, begging

  просить, умолять

  Some .. eye

  чей-то взгляд

  some passing eye

  чей-нибудь глаз мимоходом

  detect

  Выявлять истинность намерений

  purpose

  цель

  straighten up

  Выпрямиться, вести себя прилично

  indifferent

  равнодушный

  pretend

  притворяться

  This same thing

  Тоже самое

  kept happening and happening

  Повторялось многократно

 
  I was just getting desperate enough to brave all the shame, and to seize it, when a window behind me was raised, and a gentleman spoke out of it, saying:
  "Step in here, please."
  I was admitted by a gorgeous flunkey, and shown into a sumptuous room where a couple of elderly gentlemen were sitting. They sent away the servant, and made me sit down. They had just finished their breakfast, and the sight of the remains of it almost overpowered me. I could hardly keep my wits together in the presence of that food, but as I was not asked to sample it, ...

  Desperate[Єdesp?r?t]
 

  отчаянный, беспросветный

  desperate enough

  До такого отчаяния

  brave

  перебороть

  all the shame

  Весь стыд

  seize [si?z]

  хватать, схватить

  a window behind me

  Окно у меня за спиной

  was raised

  Было приподнято

  spoke out of it

  высунувшись оттуда сказал

  Step in here

  Зайдите сюда

  I was admitted

  Я был принят

  gorgeous [Єg??d??s]
 

  великолепный; красочный;

  flunkey [Єfl??k?]

  лакей

  I was ... shown

  Меня проводили

  sumptuous ['s?mpt???s]
 

  роскошный; пышный; великолепный

  elderly ['eld?l?]

  пожилой, почтенный

  They sent away the servant

  Они отпустили слугу

  made me sit down

  попросили меня сесть

  the sight of the remains

  Вид остатков

  almost overpowered

  Чуть не убил

  I could hardly keep my wits together

  Я едва мог соображать

  sample [Єs??mpl]

  пробовать

  I was not asked to sample it

  Мне никто не предложил попробовать

  ... I had to bear my trouble as best I could.
  Now, something had been happening there a little before, which I did not know anything about until a good many days afterwards, but I will tell you about it now. Those two old brothers had been having a pretty hot argument a couple of days before, and had ended by agreeing to decide it by a bet, which is the English way of settling everything.
  You will remember that the Bank of England once issued two notes of a million pounds each, ....

  I had to bear my troublе

  Мне пришлось переносить тяготы

  as best I could

  Настолько хорошо, насколько я мог.

  something had been happening there

  Что-то там происходило

  a little before

  незадолго перед моим появлением

  which I did not know anything

  о чем я в тот момент ничего не знал

  a good many days

  Достаточно много дней

  until a good many days

  Пока не прошло достаточно много дней

  afterwards [Є??ft?w?dz]

  Потом; впоследствии;

  but I will tell you about it now.

  Но об этом я расскажу вам сейчас.

  argument ['?:?j?m?nt]

  дискуссия, спор

  a pretty hot argument

  Достаточно жаркая дискуссия

  a couple of

  несколько

  and had ended by agreeing

  в конце концов они согласились

  to decide it by a bet

  Разрешить спор, заключив пари

  which is the English way

  Так у англичан принято

  settlе everything

  улаживать абсолютно всё

  You will remember

  Вы, должно быть, помните,

  once issued

  выпустил однажды

  two notes of a million pounds

  Две банкноты по миллиону фунтов

  ...to be used for a special purpose connected with some public transaction with a foreign country.
  For some reason or other only one of these had been used and canceled; the other still lay in the vaults of the Bank.
  Well, the brothers, chatting along, happened to get to wondering what might be the fate of a perfectly honest and intelligent stranger who should be turned adrift in London without a friend, and with no money but that million-pound bank-note, and no way to account for his being in possession of it. Brother A said he would starve to death; Brother B said he wouldn't.
 

  to be used

  Чтобы их использовать

  a special purpose

  Дело особой важности

  transaction [trФnЄzФk?n]

  сделка

  For some reason or other

  По неизвестной никому причине

  one of these

  Одна из банкнот

  used and canceled

  использована и погашена

  the other

  А другая

  still lay

  Всё ещё хранилась

  Vault [v??lt, v?lt]

  сейф

  chatting along

  За обыденной беседой

  happened to get to wondering

  Им вдруг стало интерессно

  fate [fe?t]

  судьба, рок

  what might be the fate

  Чтобы могло произойти

  perfectly

  исключительно

  intelligent

  умный

  stranger ['stre?nd??]

  чужестранец посторонний человек

  adrift [?'dr?ft]

  по течению; по воле волн; по воле случая

  with no money but

  Совсем без денег, кроме ...

  and no way to account for

  И совершенно не в состоянии объяснить

  his being in possession of it

  По какому праву он ей владеет

  starve to death

  Умереть от голода

 
  Brother A said he couldn't offer it at a bank or anywhere else, because he would be arrested on the spot. So they went on disputing till Brother B said he would bet twenty thousand pounds that the man would live thirty days, anyway, on that million, and keep out of jail, too. Brother A took him up. Brother B went down to the Bank and bought that note. Just like an Englishman, you see; pluck to the backbone. Then he dictated a letter, which one of his clerks wrote out in a beautiful round hand, and then the two brothers sat at the window a whole day watching for the right man to give it to.
  They saw many honest faces go by that were not intelligent enough; many that were intelligent, but not honest enough; many that were both, but the possessors were not poor enough, or, if poor enough, were not strangers.

  offer it at a bank

  предъявить её в банке

  or anywhere else

  или еще где-нибудь

  on the spot

  немедленно

  dispute with, against [d?'spju:t]

  дискутировать спорить, -- с; on, about -- о

  bet

  держать (impf) пари

  anyway = anyhow

  кое-как; как-нибудь

  keep out of jail

  избежать тюрьмы

  Just like an Englishman

  Как истый англичанин

  pluck [pl?k]

  смелость, отвага;

  backbone ['bФkb??n]

  позвоночник

  pluck to the backbone

  До мозга костей

  a beautiful round hand

  красивый, круглый почерк

  watching for

  высматривая

  the right man

  нужный человек

  go by

  Проходить мимо

  They saw many honest faces go by

  Они видели много честных людей

  not intelligent enough

  недостаточно умными

  not honest enough

  недостаточно честны

  many that were both

  много и умных, и честных

  possessors

  обладатели

  not poor enough

  не достаточно бедными

  not strangers

  Не иностранцы

  There was always a defect, until I came along; but they agreed that I filled the bill all around; so they elected me unanimously, and there I was now waiting to know why I was called in. They began to ask me questions about myself, and pretty soon they had my story. Finally they told me I would answer their purpose. I said I was sincerely glad, and asked what it was. Then one of them handed me an envelope, and said I would find the explanation inside. I was going to open it, but he said no; take it to my lodgings, and look it over carefully, and not be hasty or rash. I was puzzled, and wanted to discuss the matter a little further, ...

  There was always a defect

  Всегда был дефект

  until I came along

  Пока не появился я

  I filled the bill all around

  Я полностью соответствовал банкноте

  they elected

  Они избрали

  Unanimously
  [ju?ЄnФn?m?sli]

  единодушно

  and there I was now

  И вот я стоял там

  waiting to know

  Ожидая узнать

  why I was called in

  Почему меня позвали

  pretty soon

  И довольно скоро

  they had my story

  узнали мою историю

  finally ['fa?n?l?]

  в конце концов

  answer their purpose

  Овечать их цели

  sincere [s?nЄs??]

  искренний

  what it was

  какая же это цель

  envelope [Єenv??l??p]

  конверт

  explanation

  объяснение

  I was going to open it

  Я хотел было распечатать

  take it to my lodgings

  Отнести его ко мне домой

  lodging [Єl?d???]

  наёмная квартира; жильё;

  look it over

  осмотреть

  carefully ['ke?fl?]

  внимательно

  hasty [Єhe?st?]

  поспешный, торопливый

  Rash [rФ?]

  Опрометчивый

  puzzle ['p?zl]

  вопрос, ставящий в тупик;

  ... and wanted to discuss the matter a little further, but they didn't; so I took my leave, feeling hurt and insulted to be made the butt of what was apparently some kind of a practical joke, and yet obliged to put up with it, not being in circumstances to resent affronts from rich and strong folk.
  I would have picked up the pear now and eaten it before all the world, but it was gone; so I had lost that by this unlucky business, and the thought of it did not soften my feeling towards those men. .

  so I took my leave

  Я простился

  hurt

  обиженный

  insulted

  оскорбленный

  Butt [b?t]

  мишень для насмешек

  to make the butt of

  Делать посмешище

  apparently [?ЄpФr?ntl?]

  очевидно, явно

  some kind of

  Что-то вроде

  practical joke

  Безобидная шутка

  yet

  всё ещё

  obliged

  вынужден

  to put up with it

  примириться с этим

  Circumstance [Єs??k?mstns]

  обстоятельство, условие

  not being in circumstances

  Будучи не в тех обстоятельствах

  resent [r?Єzent]

  возмущаться, негодовать

  affront [?Єfr?nt]

  оскорбление

  from rich

  От богатых

  and strong folk

  И сильных мира сего

  I would have picked up ... eaten

  я подобрал бы съел

  before all the world

  перед всем светом

  but it was gone

  но она исчезла

  I had lost that

  Я потерял её

  by this unlucky business

  Из-за этого неудачного бизнеса

  the thought of it

  И лишь мысль об этом

  soften [Єs?fn]

  понижать, смягчать

  towards

  по отношению к

  As soon as I was out of sight of that house I opened my envelope, and saw that it contained money! My opinion of those people changed, I can tell you! I lost not a moment, but shoved note and money into my vest pocket, and broke for the nearest cheap eating house. Well, how I did eat! When at last I couldn't hold any more, I took out my money and unfolded it, took one glimpse and nearly fainted.
  Five millions of dollars!
  Why, it made my head swim.
  I must have sat there stunned and blinking at the note as much as a minute before I came rightly to myself again. The first thing I noticed, then, was the landlord.

  As soon as

  Как только

  I was out of sight of

  Я был вне поле зрения

  contain [k?nЄte?n]

  содержать в себе

  I lost not a moment

  Не теряя ни секунды

  shove [??v]

  пихнуть/толкнуть

  vest pocket

  карман жилета

  broke for

  побежал сломя голову

  the nearest cheap eating house

  ближайший дешевый ресторан

  how I did eat

  Как я объедался

  I couldn't hold any more

  Я уже не мог проглотить больше ни куска

  unfolded

  развернул

  took one glimpse

  бросил беглый взгляд

  nearly fainted

  чуть не упал в обморок

  it made my head swim

  От этого у меня поплыла голова

  I must have sat ... as much as a minute

  Я, вне всякого сомнения, сидел ... минуту

  stunned

  в остолбенении

  blinking

  моргая

  I came ... to myself

  Я пришёл в себя

  rightly

  полностью

  landlord
  ['lФndl?:d]

  владелец дома или квартиры, сдаваемых внаём, хозяин гостиницы, пансиона

  His eye was on the note, and he was petrified. He was worshiping, with all his body and soul, but he looked as if he couldn't stir hand or foot. I took my cue in a moment, and did the only rational thing there was to do. I reached the note towards him, and said, carelessly:
  "Give me the change, please."
  Then he was restored to his normal condition, and made a thousand apologies for not being able to break the bill, and I couldn't get him to touch it. He wanted to look at it, and keep on looking at it; he couldn't seem to get enough of it to quench the thirst of his eye,...

  His eye was on the note

  Он не сводил глаз с банкноты.

  Petrify ['petr?fa?]

  приводить в оцепенение

  He was worshiping

  Он преклонялся перед ним

  with all his body

  Всем телом

  and soul

  и душой

  he looked

  Он выглядел

  as if he

  Как будто бы он

  he couldn't stir hand or foot

  Он не мог шевелить ни рукой ни ногой

  Cue [kju?]

  реплика; намёк;

  take one's cue from

  взять пример с ..

  rational [ЄrФ??nl]

  разумный

  I reached the note towards him

  Я дотронулся до него банкнотой

  carelessly ['ke?l?sl?]
 

  невнимательно
  беззаботно;

  restore [r?Єst??]

  восстанавливать

  and made a thousand apologies

  рассыпался в извинениях

  to break the bill

  разменять этот билет

  and I couldn't get him

  А я не мог заставить его

  and keep on looking at it

  И всё смотрел и смотрел на него

  he couldn't seem to get enough of it

  И казалось ему все было мало

  Quench [kwent?]

  гасить, потушить

  quench one's thirst

  утолить жажду

  ... but he shrank from touching it as if it had been something too sacred for poor common clay to handle. I said:
  "I am sorry if it is an inconvenience, but I must insist. Please change it; I haven't anything else."
  But he said that wasn't any matter; he was quite willing to let the trifle stand over till another time. I said I might not be in his neighborhood again for a good while; but he said it was of no consequence, he could wait, and, moreover, I could have anything I wanted, any time I chose, and let the account run as long as I pleased. .

  shrink
  shrank, shrunk

  уклоняться от чего-л, избегать;

  as if it had been something

  словно это было нечто

  sacred [Єse?kr?d]

  священный

  clay [kle?]

  глина

  for poor common clay

  Для простого смертного

  handle [ЄhФndl]

  трогать, взять в руки

  inconvenience ??nk?nЄvi?n??ns

  Неудобство, беспокойство

  But I must insist

  но я настаиваю

  I haven't anything else

  у меня нет других денег

  that wasn't any matter

  не имело значения

  he was quite willing

  Он вполне желает

  trifle [Єtra?fl]

  пустяк, мелочь

  to let ... stand over

  Пусть подождёт

  till another time

  До неопределённого времени

  neighborhood ['ne?b?h?d]

  микрорайон (от 500 до 1000 семейств, США)

  for a good while

  довольно не скоро

  consequence [Єk?ns?kw?ns]

  важность, значение

  moreover [m??Єr??v?]

  кроме того; сверх того

  anything I wanted

  все, что мне угодно

  any time I chose

  когда мне угодно

  let the account run

  пусть счет растет

  as long as I pleased.

  так долго, как мне будет угодно

  He said he hoped he wasn't afraid to trust as rich a gentleman as I was, merely because I was of a merry disposition, and chose to play larks on the public in the matter of dress. By this time another customer was entering, and the landlord hinted to me to put the monster out of sight; then he bowed me all the way to the door, and I started straight for that house and those brothers, to correct the mistake which had been made before the police should hunt me up. I was pretty nervous; in fact, pretty badly frightened, though, of course, I was no way in fault; but I knew men well enough to know, that when they find they've given a tramp ..
 

  as rich a gentleman as I was

  такому богатому джентельмену, как я

  merely ['m??l?]

  только; просто

  Disposition [?d?sp?Єz??n]

  нрав, характер

  I was of a merry disposition

  мне вздумалось в веселую минуту

  lark [l?:k]

  жаворонок

  to play larks on

  подшутить над

  in the matter of dress

  В манере одеваться

  another customer was entering

  другой посетитель входил

  hinted to me

  Намекнул мне

  monster [Єm?nst?]

  Чудовище, урод;

  out of sight

  Из виду

  bow [ba?]

  кланяться

  all the way to the door

  До самой двери

  I started straight for

  Я стремглав бросился

  to correct the mistake

  чтобы исправить ошибку

  before the police

  прежде чем полиция

  hunt up

  разыскивать

  pretty nervous

  Достаточно нервничал

  pretty badly frightened

  Порядком перепугался

  I was no way in fault

  Я ни в чем не был виноват

  but I knew men well enough

  Но я достаточно хорошо знал людей

  to know

  Чтобы осознать

  tramp

  бродяга

 
  ... a million-pound bill when they thought it was a one-pounder, they are in a frantic rage against him instead of quarreling with their own near-sightedness, as they ought. As I approached the house my excitement began to abate, for all was quiet there, which made me feel pretty sure the blunder was not discovered yet. I rang. The same servant appeared. I asked for those gentlemen.
  "They are gone." This in the lofty, cold way of that fellow's tribe.
  "Gone? Gone where?" "On a journey." "But whereabouts?" "To the Continent, I think." "The Continent?" "Yes, sir." "Which way--by what route?" "I can't say, sir." "When will they be back?" "In a month, they said." "A month! Oh, this is awful! Give me some sort of idea of ...

  when they thought it was a one-pounder

  Когда они думали, что это была банкнота в 1 фунт.

  frantic [ЄfrФnt?k]

  неистовый, безумный

  rage

  ярость, гнев

  they are in a frantic rage against him

  рассердятся на него

  quarrel [Єkw?rl]

  ссориться

  nearsightedness

  близорукость

  abate [?Єbe?t]

  ослабевать

  for

  так как

  blunder [Єbl?nd?]

  ошибка, оплошность

  lofty (loftier, loftiest)
  [Єl?ft?]

  Возвышенный; надменный

  tribe

  Компания, племя

  of that fellow's tribe.

  Людишек такого сорта

  whereabouts

  где?; в каких краях?

  Which way

  Но куда же

  by what route

  в каком направлении

  route [ru?t]

  маршрут

  some sort of idea

  Хоть намекните

  ... how to get a word to them. It's of the last importance."
  "I can't, indeed. I've no idea where they've gone, sir."
  "Then I must see some member of the family."
  "Family's away, too; been abroad months--in Egypt and India, I think."
  "Man, there's been an immense mistake made. They'll be back before night. Will you tell them I've been here, and that I will keep coming till it's all made right, and they needn't be afraid?"
  "I'll tell them, if they come back, but I am not expecting them. They said you would be here in an hour to make inquiries, but I must tell you it's all right, they'll be here on time and expect you."
  So I had to give it up and go away. What a riddle it all was! I was like to lose my mind. They would be here "on time." What could that mean?
 
 
 

  to get a word to them

  Написать им

  the last importance

  важнее нет ничего на свете

  indeed [?nЄdi?d]

  действительно;

  some member

  кого-нибудь из членов семьи

  abroad

  за границей

  immense

  невероятный

  They'll be back before night

  они вернутся еще до вечера

  I will keep coming till

  я буду ходить, пока

  it's all made right

  дело не уладится

  they needn't be afraid

  им нечего опасаться

  inquiry
  [?nЄkwa??r?]

  наведение справок;
  расследование

  Riddle [Єr?dl]

  Загадка; тайна

  What a riddle it all was!

  Какая загадочная история!

  I was like to lose my mind

  Мне казалось, что я потихогьку сходил с ума.

  What could that mean?

  Что это может значить?

  Oh, the letter would explain, maybe. I had forgotten the letter; I got it out and read it. This is what it said:
  "You are an intelligent and honest man, as one may see by your face. We conceive you to be poor and a stranger. Enclosed you will find a sum of money. It is lent to you for thirty days, without interest. Report at this house at the end of that time. I have a bet on you. If I win it you shall have any situation that is in my gift--any, that is, that you shall be able to prove yourself familiar with and competent to fill."
  No signature, no address, no date. Well, here was a coil to be in! You are posted on what had preceded all this, but I was not. It was just a deep, dark puzzle to me.
 

  This is what it said:

  Вот что в нем было:

  by your face

  видно по вашему лицу.

  conceive [k?nЄsi?v]

  задумывать

  a stranger

  зд. и недавно в Лондоне

  Enclosed

  К письму приложено

  a sum of money

  некоторая сумма

  It is lent to you

  Она дана Вам взаймы

  without interest

  без процентов

  Report at this house

  Явитесь в этот дом

  I have a bet on you

  Я держал за вас пари

  any situation

  любое место

  you shall be able to prove yourself

  Вы сможете доказать

  familiar with

  знакомы

  competent [Єk?mp?tnt]

  компетентный.

  you ... familiar with and competent to fill.

  с какой вы знакомы и какую сможете выполнять

  Coil [k??l]

  Виток; спираль, кольцо.

  Well, here was a coil to be in!

  Ну и попал же я в переплет!

  You are posted on

  Вы в курсе

  what had preceded all this

  Что всему этому предшествовало.

  but I was not

  Но я-то не знал

  a deep, dark puzzle

  глубокая, мрачная загадка

  I hadn't the least idea what the game was, nor whether harm was meant me or a kindness. I went into a park, and sat down to try to think it out, and to consider what I had best to do. At the end of an hour my reasonings had crystallized into this verdict.
  Maybe those men mean me well, maybe they mean me ill; no way to decide that--let it go.
  They've got a game, or a scheme, or an experiment, of some kind on hand; no way to determine what it is--let it go.
  There's a bet on me; no way to find out what it is--let it go. That disposes of the indeterminable quantities; .

  I hadn't the least idea

  Я не имел ни малейшего представления

  what the game was

  Что это была за игра

  whether harm was meant me

  хотят ли мне зла

  or a kindness

  или добра

  what I had best to do

  Что лучше предпринять.

  my reasonings

  мои размышления

  crystallize
  [Єkr?st??la?z]

  Кристаллизовать, воплощать в определённую форму

  verdict [Єv??d?kt]

  вердикт

  no way to decide that

  нет возможности выяснить это

  let it go

  Оставим это

  Scheme [ski?m]

  Порядок; проект, план

  experiment [?kЄsper?m?nt]

  эксперимент, опыт

  They've got ... on hand

  У них в данную минуту

  determine [d?Єt??m?n]

  определять

  There's a bet on me

  За меня держат пари

  dispose [d?Єsp??z]

  распологать, склонять

  indeterminable
  [??nd?'t?:m?n?bl]

  Неразрешимый, неопределимый

  quantity [Єkw?nt?t?]

  количество

  That disposes of the indeterminable quantities;

  Вот неизвестные величины

  ... the remainder of the matter is tangible, solid, and may be classed and labeled with certainty.
  If I ask the Bank of England to place this bill to the credit of the man it belongs to, they'll do it, for they know him, although I don't; but they will ask me how I came in possession of it, and if I tell the truth, they'll put me in the asylum, naturally, and a lie will land me in jail.
  The same result would follow if I tried to bank the bill anywhere or to borrow money on it. I have got to carry this immense burden around until those men come back, whether I want to or not.
  It is useless to me, as useless as a handful of ashes, ...

  remainder [r?Єme?nd?]

  остаток

  tangible [ЄtФnd??bl]

  осязаемый, ощутимый

  solid['s?l?d]

  Твёрдый, цельный

  may be classed

  может быть рассортировано

  labeled

  оклеено ярлыками

  certainty [Єs??t?nt?]

  несомненность

  to place this bill to the credit

  положить этот билет на счет

  to the credit of the man it belongs to

  на счет владельца

  for they know him

  Так как они его знают

  how I came in possession of it

  Каким образом я завладел им

  asylum [?Єsa?l?m]

  сумасшедший дом

  and a lie

  И любая ложь

  land me in jail

  Приведет меня в тюрьму

  The same result would follow

  То же произойдет

  to bank the bill

  Положить билет в банк

  borrow money on it

  занять под него денег

  burden [Єb??dn]

  ноша, груз; бремя

  I have got to carry this immense burden around

  придется влачить это тяжкое бремя

  whether I want to or not

  Волей-неволей

  useless [Єju?sl?s]

  непригодный;

  a handful of ashes

  горсть золы

  ... and yet I must take care of it, and watch over it, while I beg my living. I couldn't give it away, if I should try, for neither honest citizen nor highwayman would accept it or meddle with it for anything.
  Those brothers are safe. Even if I lose their bill, or burn it, they are still safe, because they can stop payment, and the Bank will make them whole; but meantime I've got to do a month's suffering without wages or profit--unless I help win that bet, whatever it may be, and get that situation that I am promised. I should like to get that; men of their sort ...

  and yet

  и все-таки

  watch over it

  беречь его

  while I beg my living

  Пока я попрошайничаю себе на жизнь.

  I couldn't give it away

  Я не мог от него отказаться

  if I should try

  если бы я и попытался

  highwayman ['ha?we?m?n]

  разбойник с большой дороги

  accept it

  Принять его

  meddle with, in

  соваться не в своё дело

  for anything

  Ни за что на свете

  Those brothers are safe

  Братья не рискуют ничем

  they are still safe

  Они, все-таки, ничем не рискуют

  stop payment

  приостановить платежи

  the Bank will make them whole

  банк им вернет эту сумму

  meantime ['mi:nta?m]

  meanwhile

  Meanwhile ['mi:nwa?l]

  между тем

  to do a month's suffering

  терпеть нужду целый месяц

  without wages

  без заработка

  Profit [Єpr?f?t]

  польза, выгода

  unless I help

  Пока я не помогу

  whatever it may be

  Что бы это ни было

  get that situation

  получить место

  men of their sort

  у людей такого рода

  ... have situations in their gift that are worth having.
  I got to thinking a good deal about that situation. My hopes began to rise high. Without doubt the salary would be large. It would begin in a month; after that I should be all right. Pretty soon I was feeling first-rate. By this time I was tramping the streets again. The sight of a tailor-shop gave me a sharp longing to shed my rags, and to clothe myself decently once more. Could I afford it? No; I had nothing in the world but a million pounds. So I forced myself to go on by. But soon I was drifting back again. The temptation persecuted me cruelly. I must have passed that shop back and forth six times during that manful struggle. At last I gave in; I had to.
 

  in their gift

  в распоряжении

  that are worth having

  Коротые стоят того, чтобы их получить

  I got to thinking

  Мне пришлось поразмыслить

  a good deal

  много

  to rise high

  Стремиться вверх

  feel first-rate

  чувствовать себя превосходно

  tramp [trФmp]

  бродяга

  longing [Єl????]

  желание, жажда

  Shed

  сбрасывать

  to clothe myself decently once more

  снова одеться прилично

  Could I afford it?

  Было ли это мне по карману?

  So I forced myself

  И я заставил себя

  to go on by

  пройти мимо

  I was drifting back again

  Мои ноги сами повели меня обратно

  persecute ['p?:s?kju:t]

  подвергать гонениям

  cruelly ['kru:?l?]

  жестоко; безжалостно

  manful ['mФnf?l]

  мужественный; смелый,

  At last I gave in

  Наконец я сдался

  I had to

  Меня вынудили обстоятельства

  I must have passed that shop back and forth six times during that manful struggle. At last I gave in; I had to.
  I asked if they had a misfit suit that had been thrown on their hands. The fellow I spoke to nodded his head towards another fellow, and gave me no answer. I went to the indicated fellow, and he indicated another fellow with his head, and no words. I went to him, and he said:
  "'Tend to you presently."
  I waited till he was done with what he was at, then he took me into a back room, and overhauled a pile of rejected suits, and selected the rattiest one for me. I put it on. It didn't fit, and wasn't in any way attractive, but it was new, and I was anxious to have it; so I didn't find any fault,.. .
 

  misfit ['m?sf?t]
 

  плохо сидящее платье; человек не на своём месте

  misfit suit

  Костюм, отвергнутый заказчиком

  that had been thrown on their hands

  Который им бросили на руки

  if they had a misfit suit that had been thrown on their hands

  нет ли у них случайного костюма, не взятого заказчиком

  nodded his head towards another fellow

  кивнул на другого

  the indicated fellow,

  Парень, на которого мне указали

  tend

  присматривать, ухаживать

  Tend to you presently

  Обождите, я вами займусь

  till he was done with what he was at

  пока он кончит то, чем он занимался

  overhauled a pile

  перебрал кучу

  overhaul [Є??v??h??l]

  Ремонтировать, осматривать

  rejected suits

  забракованные костюмы

  ratty

  злой, раздражительный

  selected the rattiest one for me

  выбрал для меня самый дрянной

  I didn't find any fault

  я не нашел никаких недостатков

  ... but said, with some diffidence:
  "It would be an accommodation to me if you could wait some days for the money. I haven't any small change about me."
  The fellow worked up a most sarcastic expression of countenance, and said:
  "Oh, you haven't? Well, of course, I didn't expect it. I'd only expect gentlemen like you to carry large change."
  I was nettled, and said:
  "My friend, you shouldn't judge a stranger always by the clothes he wears. I am quite able to pay for this suit; I simply didn't wish to put you to the trouble of changing a large note."
  He modified his style a little at that, and said, though still with something of an air: "I didn't mean any particular harm, but as long as rebukes are going, I might say it wasn't quite your affair to jump to the conclusion that we couldn't change any note that you might happen to be carrying around.
 

  diffidence
  [Єd?f?d?ns]

  неуверенность в себе; застенчивость;

  accommodation
  ??k?m?Єde??n

  согласование; компромисс

  any small change

  Нет мелких денег

  The fellow worked up

  Парень выработал

  sarcastic [s?:'kФst?k]

  саркастический

  countenance [Єka?nt?n?ns]

  выражение лица

  large change

  крупные деньги

  nettle [Єnetl]

  раздражать, крапива.

  shouldn't judge a stranger

  не судите о незнакомце

  modify [Єm?d??fa?]

  Видоизменять

  though still with something of an air

  все-таки довольно дерзко

  any particular harm

  ничего обидного

  rebuke [r?Єbju?k]

  укор; выговор,

  nоt quite your affair

  Совсем не Ваше дело

  to jump to the conclusion

  Делать выводы

  that you might happen to be carrying around

  Который, по воле случая при Вас имеется

  On the contrary, we can." I handed the note to him, and said: "Oh, very well; I apologize."
  He received it with a smile, one of those large smiles which goes all around over, and has folds in it, and wrinkles, and spirals, and looks like the place where you have thrown a brick in a pond; and then in the act of his taking a glimpse of the bill this smile froze solid, and turned yellow, and looked like those wavy, wormy spreads of lava which you find hardened on little levels on the side of Vesuvius. I never before saw a smile caught like that, and perpetuated.
 

  On the contrary

  Наоборот

  apologize [?Єp?l??d?a?z]

  извиняться

  one of those large smiles

  одна из тех широких улыбок

  goes all around over

  расплывается по всему лицу

  fold

  складка

  wrinkle

  морщинка

  spiral [Єspa??rl]

  Спираль, завитушка

  and looks like the place

  выглядит, как то место

  where you have thrown a brick

  Куда вы бросили кирпич

  pond [p?nd]

  пруд

  freeze [fri?z]

  замораживать

  solid [Єs?l?d]

  твёрдое тело

  turned yellow

  пожелтела

  wavy [Єwe?v?]
  (wavier, waviest)

  волнообразный, волнистый

  wormy ['w?:m?]

  Червивый, подлый

  spread [spred]

  Протяжённость

  lava [Єl??v?]

  лава

  hardened

  окаменевшая

  on little levels

  На нижних слоях

  Vesuvius [v?Єsu?v??s]

  Везувий

  caught like that

  Застывшей, подобно той

  perpetuate [p?'pet??e?t]

  увековечивать;

  a smile caught like that, perpetuated

  Застывшей на веки вечные улыбки

  The man stood there holding the bill, and looking like that, and the proprietor hustled up to see what was the matter, and said, briskly:
  "Well, what's up? what's the trouble? what's wanting?"
  I said: "There isn't any trouble. I'm waiting for my change."
  "Come, come; get him his change, Tod; get him his change."
  Tod retorted: "Get him his change! It's easy to say, sir; but look at the bill yourself."
  The proprietor took a look, gave a low, eloquent whistle, then made a dive for the pile of rejected clothing, and began to snatch it this way and that, talking all the time excitedly, and as if to himself:
  "Sell an eccentric millionaire such an unspeakable suit as that!
 

  proprietor [pr?Єpra??t?]

  владелец, хозяин

  hustle [Єh?sl]

  сутолока, давка. толкать пихать

  brisk

  Скорый; свежий

  the proprietor hustled up to see what was the matter, and said, briskly

  к нам протолкался хозяин мастерской посмотреть, в чём дело, и живо сказал

  I'm waiting for my change

  я дожидаюсь сдачи

  Retort [r?Єt??t]

  отвечать резко

  eloquent [Єel?kw?nt]

  красноречивый

  Whistle [Єw?sl]

  свист

  gave a low, eloquent whistle

  тихо и выразительно свистнул

  then made a dive

  потом нырнул

  pile of rejected clothing

  куча забракованных заказчиками костюмов

  snatch

  хватать

  snatch it this way and that,

  расшвыривать их направо и налево

  as if to himself

  словно про себя

  eccentric [?kЄsentr?k]

  чудак

  Unspeakable
  [?n'spi:k?bl]

  очень плохой; невыразимый (словами);

  Tod's a fool--a born fool. Always doing something like this. Drives every millionaire away from this place, because he can't tell a millionaire from a tramp, and never could. Ah, here's the thing I am after. Please get those things off, sir, and throw them in the fire. Do me the favor to put on this shirt and this suit; it's just the thing, the very thing--plain, rich, modest, and just ducally nobby; made to order for a foreign prince--you may know him, sir, his Serene Highness the Hospodar of Halifax; had to leave it with us and take a mourning-suit because his mother was going to die-- which she didn't. But that's all right; we can't always have things the way we--that is, the way they--there! trousers all right, they fit you to a charm, sir; now the waistcoat; aha, right again! now the coat--lord! look at that, now! Perfect--the whole thing! I never saw such a triumph in all my experience."
 

  Drives every millionaire away

  так он распугает всех миллионеров

  he can't tell

  Он не может отличить

  Ah, here's the thing I am after.

  Ага, вот, как раз то, что я искал

  get those things off,

  снимите

  it's just the thing

  это как раз то, что нужно

  ducal ['dju:kl]

  герцогский

  nobby ['n?b?]

  изящный; модный;

  made to order

  сделано на заказ

  the Hospodar of Halifax 'hФl?fФks

  господарь Галифакса

  mourning [Єm??n??]

  скорбь; траур

  his mother was going to die

  Его матушка собралась умирать

  which she didn't

  Что так и не сделала

  they fit you to a charm

  сидят на вас превосходно

  waistcoat

  жилет

  coat

  сюртук

  lord!

  Боже мой!

  Perfect--the whole thing!

  Весь костюм совершенство!

  triumph [Єtra??mf]

  Торжество; триумф

  I expressed my satisfaction.
  "Quite right, sir, quite right; it'll do for a makeshift, I'm bound to say. But wait till you see what we'll get up for you on your own measure. Come, Tod, book and pen; get at it. Length of leg, 32"--and so on. Before I could get in a word he had measured me, and was giving orders for dress-suits, morning suits, shirts, and all sorts of things. When I got a chance I said:
  "But, my dear sir, I can't give these orders, unless you can wait indefinitely, or change the bill."
  "Indefinitely! It's a weak word, sir, a weak word. Eternally--that's the word, sir. Tod, rush these things through, and send them to the gentleman's address without any waste of time. Let the minor customers wait. Set down the gentleman's address and--"
  "I'm changing my quarters. I will drop in and leave the new address."
  "Quite right, sir, quite right. One moment--let me show you out, sir. There--good day, sir, good day."
  Well, don't you see what was bound to happen?
 

  satisfaction [?sФt?sЄfФk?n]

  удовлетворение

  makeshift ['me?k??ft]

  замена; временное приспособление

  on your own measure

  по вашей мерке

  get in a word

  вставить слово

  indefinitely

  неопределенное время

  a weak word,

  слабо сказано

  Eternally

  Вечно

  rush these things through

  поторопись с этими вещами

  minor customers

  мелкие заказчики

  quarters

  Место проживания

  I will drop in

  я зайду к вам

  show you out

  проводить вас,

  what was bound to happen

  что должно было случиться

 
  I drifted naturally into buying whatever I wanted, and asking for change. Within a week I was sumptuously equipped with all needful comforts and luxuries, and was housed in an expensive private hotel in Hanover Square. I took my dinners there, but for breakfast I stuck by Harris's humble feeding house, where I had got my first meal on my million-pound bill. I was the making of Harris. The fact had gone all abroad that the foreign crank who carried million-pound bills in his vest pocket was the patron saint of the place. That was enough. From being a poor, struggling, little hand-to-mouth enterprise, it had become celebrated, and overcrowded with customers. Harris was so grateful that he forced loans upon me, and would not be denied;

  naturally

  естественным образом

  whatever I wanted

  Чтобы я ни пожелал

  Within a week

  Спустя неделю

  sumptuous [Єs?mptj??s]

  великолепный

  needful [Єni?df?l]

  необходимый

  luxury [Єl?k??r?]

  роскошь

  was housed

  мне дали жильё

  Hanover [ЄhФn??v?]

  Ганновер

  stuck by

  Я постоянно ходил к

  humble [Єh?mbl]
  (humbler, humblest)

  скромный, покорный

  making

  бренд

  I was the making of Harris

  Я создавал Гаррису репутацию

  The fact had gone all abroad

  Распространился слух

  crank

  чудак

  patron [Єpe?tr?n]

  покровитель

  hand-to-mouth
 

  ограниченный; насущный о потребностях

  celebrated [Єsel??bre?t?d]

  знаменитый

  overcrowded [???v?'kra?d?d]

  переполненный

  that he forced loans upon me

  что постоянно настаивал, давая деньги взаймы

  and would not be denied

  Что не могло быть отвергнуто

  ... and so, pauper as I was, I had money to spend, and was living like the rich and the great. I judged that there was going to be a crash by and by, but I was in now and must swim across or drown. You see there was just that element of impending disaster to give a serious side, a sober side, yes, a tragic side, to a state of things which would otherwise have been purely ridiculous. In the night, in the dark, the tragedy part was always to the front, and always warning, always threatening; and so I moaned and tossed, and sleep was hard to find. But in the cheerful daylight the tragedy element faded out and disappeared, .

  Pauper [Єp??p?]

  бедняк, паупер

  the rich

  богатый

  the great

  знатный

  by and by

  Совсем скоро

  crash

  крах

  but I was in

  Но я был в игре

  swim across

  переплыть

  drown [dra?n]

  утонуть

  impending [?m'pend??]
  1. pres. p. от impend

  предстоящий, неминуемый, грозящий

  disaster [d?Єz??st?]

  бедствие

  there was just that element of impending disaster

  В этом был элемент неминуемой беды

  to give a serious side,

  придать нечто серьезное

  sober [Єs??b?]

  здравый, трезвый

  To a state of things

  положению вещей

  otherwise [Є?П??wa?z]

  иначе, по-другому

  ridiculous [r?Єd?kj?l?s]

  смехотворный

  was always to the front

  выходило на первый план

  warning

  предостерегающе

  threatening

  угрожающе

  moan [m??n]

  стонать

  toss

  метаться

  sleep was hard to find

  Заснуть было тяжело

  faded out

  увядал

  disappeared,

  исчезал

  ... and I walked on air, and was happy to giddiness, to intoxication, you may say.
  And it was natural; for I had become one of the notorieties of the metropolis of the world, and it turned my head, not just a little, but a good deal. You could not take up a newspaper, English, Scotch, or Irish, without finding in it one or more references to the "vest-pocket million-pounder" and his latest doings and saying. At first, in these mentions, I was at the bottom of the personal-gossip column; next, I was listed above the knights, next above the baronets, next above the barons, and so on, and so on, climbing steadily, as my notoriety augmented, until I reached the highest altitude possible, and there I remained, taking precedence ...
 

  I walked on air

  Я парил в воздухе

  giddiness ['??d?n?s]

  головокружение

  intoxication [?n?t?ks?Єke??n]

  опьянение

  notoriety [?n??t?Єra??t?]

  дурная слава, печальная известность

  metropolis [m?Єtr?p?l?s]

  столица

  it turned my head

  то вскружило мне голову

  reference

  ссылка

  "vest-pocket million-pounder"

  "Миллион в кармане"

  mentions

  упоминания

  at the bottom

  в низу

  personal-gossip column

  столбца светской хроники

  I was listed above the knights

  Меня поставили над рыцарями

  baronet [ЄbФr?n?t]

  баронет

  baron [ЄbФr?n]

  барон

  climbing steadily

  стабильно повышаясь

  augment [??gЄment]
 

  приумножать, увеличивать

  until I reached the highest altitude possible

  Пока я не достиг из всех возможных высшего положения

  precedence [Єpres?dns]

  первоочерёдность, приоритет

  ... of all England. But mind, this was not fame; as yet I had achieved only notoriety. Then came the climaxing stroke--the accolade, so to speak--which in a single instant transmuted the perishable dross of notoriety into the enduring gold of fame: Punch caricatured me! Yes, I was a made man now; my place was established. I might be joked about still, but reverently, not hilariously, not rudely; I could be smiled at, but not laughed at.
 

  all dukes not royal

  всех герцогов некоролевской крови

  all ecclesiastics [??kli?z?ЄФst?k]

  всех духовных особ

  primate [Єpra?me?t]

  примат

  Primate of All England ?pra?m?t?v ??:l'???l?nd

  примас всей Англии (титул Архиепископа Кентерберийского)

  this was not fame;

  то была еще не слава:

  as yet

  пока что

  the climaxing strok

  завершающий удар

  accolade ['Фk?le?d]

  ист. акколада (обряд посвящения в рыцари)

  in a single instant

  В мгновение ока

  transmute [trФnzЄmju?t]

  превра|щать

  perishable [Єper???bl]

  скоропортящийся

  dross

  шлак, дросс; отбросы

  enduring [?nЄdj??r??]

  продолжительный

  gold of fame

  золото славы:

  Punch [p?nt?]

  юмористический журнал "Панч"

  caricature [ЄkФr?k?tj??]

  в карикатурном виде

  I was a made man now

  И моя карьера сделана

  I might be joked

  Надо мной можно было шутить

  reverent ['revr?nt]

  благоговейный

  hilarious [h?Єle?r??s]

  весёлый, уморительный

  rudely

  грубо

  I could be smiled at

  Надо мной можно было улыбаться

  but not laughed at.

  но не смеяться.

  The time for that had gone by. Punch pictured me all aflutter with rags, dickering with a Bee-feater for the Tower of London. Well, you can imagine how it was with a young fellow who had never been taken notice of before, and now all of a sudden couldn't say a thing that wasn't taken up and repeated everywhere; couldn't stir abroad without constantly overhearing the remark flying from lip to lip, "There he goes; that's him!" couldn't take his breakfast without a crowd to look on; couldn't appear in an opera-box without concentrating there the fire of a thousand lorgnettes. Why, I just swam in glory all day long--that is the amount of it. . You know, I even kept my old suit of rags, and every now and then appeared in them, so as to have the old pleasure of buying trifles, and being insulted, and then shooting the scoffer dead with the million-pound bill. But I couldn't keep that up. The illustrated papers made the outfit so familiar that when I went out in it...

  The time for that had gone by.

  Время для насмешек ушло в прошлое.

  picture

  изображать

  flutter [Єfl?t?]

  трепетание, волнение,

  aflutter [?Єfl?t?]

  Трепещущий; взволнованный

  dicker

  торговаться по мелочам

  Bee-feater ['bi:f?i:t?]

  лейб-гвардеец-
  охраны Тауэра

  all of a sudden

  Совершенно внезапно

  stir abroad

  сделать шага

  opera-box

  театральная ложа

  lorgnette [l??Єnjet]

  лорнет

  that is the amount of it

  вот так шли мои дела.

  and every now and then

  и время от времени

  being insulted

  Быть оскорблённым

  scoffer [Єsk?f?]

  насмешник, зубоскал

  Shoot dead

  убить наповал

  keep that up

  Продолжать долго

  illustrate [Є?l??stre?t]

  иллюстрировать

  outfit [Єa?tf?t]

  комплект (одежды)

  ... I was at once recognized and followed by a crowd, and if I attempted a purchase the man would offer me his whole shop on credit before I could pull my note on him.
  About the tenth day of my fame I went to fulfil my duty to my flag by paying my respects to the American minister.
  He received me with the enthusiasm proper in my case, upbraided me for being so tardy in my duty, and said that there was only one way to get his forgiveness, and that was to take the seat at his dinner-party that night made vacant by the illness of one of his guests. I said I would, and we got to talking. It turned out that he and my father had been schoolmates in boyhood, Yale students together later, and always warm friends up to my father's death.
 

  I was at once recognized

  меня сразу узнавали

  purchase [Єp??t??s]

  покупка

  on credit

  в кредит

  About the tenth day

  Приблизительно на десятый день

  fulfil [f?lЄf?l]

  выполнять

  to my flag

  Моей родине

  paying my respects

  Нанеся визит

  American minister

  американский посланник

  Enthusiasm ?nЄ?ju?z??Фzm

  восторг, энтузиазм

  proper in my case

  Соотвесвенно моей ситуации

  upbraid [?p'bre?d]

  бранить, укорять

  tardy ['t?:d?]

  медлительный запоздалый

  forgiveness

  прощение

  to take the seat

  Занять место

  made vacant by the illness

  Которое освободилось из-за болезни

  we got to talking

  мы разговорились

  It turned out

  Оказалось

  Yale students

  учились в Йельском университете

  So then he required me to put in at his house all the odd time I might have to spare, and I was very willing, of course.
  In fact, I was more than willing; I was glad. When the crash should come, he might somehow be able to save me from total destruction; I didn't know how, but he might think of a way, maybe. I couldn't venture to unbosom myself to him at this late date, a thing which I would have been quick to do in the beginning of this awful career of mine in London. No, I couldn't venture it now; I was in too deep; that is, too deep for me to be risking revelations to so new a friend,
  though not clear beyond my depth, as I looked at it. Because, you see, with all my borrowing, ...
 

  require [r?Єkwa??]

  требовать

  to put in at his house

  проводить у него в доме

  odd

  лишний, избыточный

  somehow

  как-нибудь

  destruction [d?Єstr?k?n]

  уничтожение, разрушение

  from total destruction

  от окончательной погибели

  he might think of a way

  Он мог бы подумать, как это сделать

  I couldn't venture

  Я не смог отважиться

  unbosom [?nЄb?zm]

  Открыть, изливать душу

  at this late date

  Так как всё зашло слишком далеко

  a thing which I would have been quick to do

  То, что я не замедлил бы сделать

  I was in too deep

  Я зашел слишком далеко

  too deep ... to be risking

  слишком далеко ... чтобы рисковать

  revelation [?rev?Єle??n]

  открытие, откровение

  Though ... as I looked at it

  Хотя, как я это понимал

  not clear beyond my depth

  Оно было не таким уж ясным в моей глубине

  though not clear beyond my depth, as I looked at it

  если разобраться, я зашел не дальше, чем предполагалось

  with all my borrowing,

  при всех моих займах

  ... I was carefully keeping within my means--I mean within my salary.
  Of course, I couldn't know what my salary was going to be, but I had a good enough basis for an estimate in the fact, that if I won the bet I was to have choice of any situation in that rich old gentleman's gift provided I was competent--and I should certainly prove competent; I hadn't any doubt about that.
  And as to the bet, I wasn't worrying about that; I had always been lucky. Now my estimate of the salary was six hundred to a thousand a year; say, six hundred for the first year, and so on up year by year, till I struck the upper figure by proved merit.
  At present I was only in debt for my first year's salary.
  Everybody had been trying to lend me money, but I had fought off the most of them on one pretext or another; so this indebtedness represented only ё300 borrowed money, the other ё300 represented my keep and my purchases.
 

  keeping within my means

  Живя по средствам

  within my salary

  В пределая моей будущей зарплаты

  basis (pl bases) [Єbe?s?s]

  основа, базис

  Estimate ['est?m?t]

  смета; калькуляция

  Provided [pr?Єva?d?d]

  при условии, что; если

  so on up year by year

  И будет увеличиваться год за годом

  till I struck the upper figure

  пока я не дойду до самой высокой суммы

  by proved merit

  Доказав, как много я приношу выгоды

  Everybody had been trying

  Все только и пытались

  I had fought off

  Я отринул их в борьбе

  on one pretext or another

  под тем или иным предлогом

  indebtedness
  [?nЄdet?dn?s]

  задолженность; обязанность

  my keep

  на мое содержание

  my purchases

  покупки

  I believed my second year's salary would carry me through the rest of the month if I went on being cautious and economical, and I intended to look sharply out for that.
  My month ended, my employer back from his journey, I should be all right once more, for I should at once divide the two years' salary among my creditors by assignment, and get right down to my work.
  It was a lovely dinner-party of fourteen. The Duke and Duchess of Shoreditch, and their daughter the Lady Anne-Grace-Eleanor-Celeste-and-so-forth-and-so-forth-de-Bohun, the Earl and Countess of Newgate, Viscount Cheapside, Lord and Lady Blatherskite, some untitled people of both sexes, the minister and his wife and daughter, and his daughter's visiting friend, an English girl of twenty-two, named Portia Langham, whom I fell in love within two minutes, and she with me--I could see it without glasses.
  There was still another guest, an American--but I am a little ahead of my story.
 

  carry me through

  Помежет мне прожить

  cautious ['k?:??s]
 

  осторожный; предусмотрительный

  I intended to look sharply out for that

  я был намерен быть осмотрительным

  assignment [?Єsa?nm?nt]

  Назначение; поручение

  get right down to

  И приступить

  dinner-party of fourteen

  Обед .. приглашенных было четырнадцать

  Earl [?:l]

  Граф

  countess ['kaunt?s]

  Графиня

  Viscount [Єva?ka?nt]

  виконт

  untitled

  нетитулованные

  his daughter's visiting friend

  Подруга, гостившя у их дочери

  whom I fell in love

  в которую я влюбился

  within two minutes

  За две минуты

  without glasses

  без очков

  a little ahead of my story

  Но о нем я расскажу позже

  While the people were still in the drawing-room, whetting up for dinner, and coldly inspecting the late comers, the servant announced:
  "Mr. Lloyd Hastings."
  The moment the usual civilities were over, Hastings caught sight of me, and came straight with cordially outstretched hand; then stopped short when about to shake, and said, with an embarrassed look:
  "I beg your pardon, sir, I thought I knew you." "Why, you do know me, old fellow."
  "No. Are you the--the--"
  "Vest-pocket monster? I am, indeed. Don't be afraid to call me by my nickname; I'm used to it."
  "Well, well, well, this is a surprise. Once or twice I've seen your own name coupled with the nickname, but it never occurred to me that you could be the Henry Adams referred to. .

  drawing room ['dr?:??ru:m]

  гостиная

  whet [wet]

  обострять, возбуждать

  whetting up for dinner

  Обостряя аппетит к обеду

  inspecting

  анализируя

  late comers

  опоздавшие

  the servant announced:

  слуга доложил:

  civility [s?Єv?l?t?]

  вежливость

  the usual civilities were over

  После обычных приветствий

  cordially ['k?:d??l?]

  сердечно

  outstretched hand [ a?tЄstret?d]

  протянутый;

  stopped short

  вдруг остановился

  when about to shake

  Когда собирался пожать руку

  with an embarrassed look:[?m'bФr?st]

  смущенно

  by my nickname

  По моей кличке

  but it never occurred to me

  Но у меня и мысли не было

  the Henry Adams referred to

  тот самый Генри Адамc

  Why, it isn't six months since you were clerking away for Blake Hopkins in Frisco on a salary, and sitting up nights on an extra allowance, helping me arrange and verify the Gould and Curry Extension papers and statistics.
  The idea of your being in London, and a vast millionaire, and a colossal celebrity!
  Why, it's the Arabian Nights come again. Man, I can't take it in at all; can't realize it; give me time to settle the whirl in my head."
  "The fact is, Lloyd, you are no worse off than I am. I can't realize it myself."
 

  you were clerking away for

  как вы работали клерком на

  on a salary

  на жалованье

  sitting up nights

  просиживали целыми ночами

  allowance [?Єla??ns]

  пособие

  on an extra allowance

  За дополнительную плату

  arrange [?Єre?nd?]

  приводить в порядок

  verify [Єver??fa?]

  проверять

  Gould and Curry

  Гулд и Кэрри
  (фамилии)

  extension [?k'sten?n]

  отсрочка;

  Extension papers

  Документы по отсрочкам платежей

  statistics [st?Єt?st?ks]

  статистические данные;

  The idea of

  И подумать только

  vast millionaire,

  архимиллионер

  colossal [k?'l?sl]

  колоссальный, грандиозный

  colossal celebrity

  такая знаменитость

  Why, it's the Arabian Nights come again

  Да это просто тысяча и одна ночь, воплощённая в жизнь

  I can't take it in at all

  я никак не могу взять этого в толк

  can't realize it

  просто не понимаю

  to settle the whirl in my head

  Успокоить вихри мыслей в моей голове.

  "Dear me, it is stunning, now isn't it? Why, it's just three months today since we went to the Miners' restaurant--"
  "No; the What Cheer."
  "Right, it was the What Cheer; went there at two in the morning, and had a chop and coffee after a hard six-hours grind over those Extension papers, and I tried to persuade you to come to London with me, and offered to get leave of absence for you and pay all your expenses, and give you something over if I succeeded in making the sale; and you would not listen to me, said I wouldn't succeed, and you couldn't afford to lose the run of business and be no end of time getting the hang of things again when you got back home.
  And yet here you are.
  How odd it all is! How did you happen to come, and whatever did give you this incredible start?" .

  The fact is

   Суть в том,

  no worse off

  Ни чуть нехуже

  stunning ['st?n??]

  сногсшибательный

  Miners' restaurant

  Ресторан для горняков

  What Cheer

  "Вашем здоровье"

  grind [?ra?nd]
 

  разг. тяжёлая, однообразная

  to get leave of absence

  Предоставить вам отпуск

  all your expenses

  все расходы

  give you something over

  дать кое-что наличными

  sale [se?l]

  продажа, сбыт

  you would not listen to me

  А вы не хотели меня слушать

  you couldn't afford

  Вы не можете себе позволить

  to lose the run of business

  Рисковать налаженным бизнесом

  no end of time

  Огромное количество
  времени

  getting the hang of things again

  снова входя в курс дела

  How odd it all is!

  Удивительно!

  incredible start

  Невероятный старт

  "Oh, just an accident. It's a long story--a romance, a body may say. I'll tell you all about it, but not now."
  "When?"
  "The end of this month."
  "That's more than a fortnight yet. It's too much of a strain on a person's curiosity. Make it a week."
  "I can't. You'll know why, by and by. But how's the trade getting along?"
  His cheerfulness vanished like a breath, and he said with a sigh:
  "You were a true prophet, Hal, a true prophet. I wish I hadn't come. I don't want to talk about it."
  "But you must. You must come and stop with me tonight, when we leave here, and tell me all about it."
  "Oh, may I? Are you in earnest?" and the water showed in his eyes.
  "Yes; I want to hear the whole story, every word."
 

  accident [ЄФks?dnt]

  случайность

  romance [r??ЄmФns]

  роман

  fortnight [Єf??tna?t]

  две недели

  It's too much of a strain

  Напряжение слишком велико

  curiosity [?kj??r?Є?s?t?]

  любопытство

  Make it a week

  Давайте через неделю.

  by and by

  Со временем

  cheerfulness [Єt???f?ln?s]

  весёлость, радостность

  vanish

  исчезать

  breath [bre?]

  дыхание

  prophet [Єpr?f?t]

  пророк, предсказатель

  I wish I hadn't come.

  Лучше бы я не приезжал.

  stop with me

  Остановиться у меня

  when we leave here

  Когда мы отсюда уйдём серьёзно

  in earnest [Є??n?st]

  откровенны

  the water showed in his eyes.

  И слезы навернулись у него на глазах

  "I'm so grateful! Just to find a human interest once more, in some voice and in some eye, in me and affairs of mine, after what I've been through here--lord!
  I could go down on my knees for it!"
  He gripped my hand hard, and braced up, and was all right and lively after that for the dinner--which didn't come off. No; the usual thing happened, the thing that is always happening under that vicious and aggravating English system--the matter of precedence couldn't be settled, and so there was no dinner. Englishmen always eat dinner before they go out to dinner, because they know the risks they are running; but nobody ever warns the stranger, and so he walks placidly into trap.
 

  a human interest

  человеческое участие

  I could go down on my knees for it!

  Да ради этого я готов на колени стать!

  grip

  схватывание; понимание

  He gripped my hand hard

  Он крепко схватил меня за руку

  brace

  подпорка, скрепа,

  braced up

  воспрянул духом

  lively [Єla?vl?]

  живой

  was all right and lively after that for the dinner-

  и был готов приступить к обеду,

  which didn't come off

  который так и не состоялся

  vicious [Єv???s]

  злой, опасный, злобный.

  aggravating ['Ф?r?ve?t??]

  ухудшающий; отягчающий

  precedence [Єpres?dns]
 

  первоочерёдность, приоритет

  and so there was no dinner.

  и потому обед не состоялся

  the risks they are running

  Какому они подвергаются риску

  placid [ЄplФs?d]

  Спокойный, безмятежный

  he walks placidly into trap

  Он безмятежно заходит в ловушку

  Of course, nobody was hurt this time, because we had all been to dinner, none of us being novices excepting Hastings, and he having been informed by the minister at the time that he invited him that in deference to the English custom he had not provided any dinner.
  Everybody took a lady and processioned down to the dining-room, because it is usual to go through the motions; but there the dispute began.
  The Duke of Shoreditch wanted to take precedence, and sit at the head of the table, holding that he outranked a minister who represented merely a nation and not a monarch; but I stood for my rights, and refused to yield. In the gossip column I ranked all dukes not royal, and said so, ....

  nobody was hurt this time

  никто на этот раз не пострадал

  we had all been to dinner

  все мы пообедали до того

  novice [Єn?v?s]

  новичок

  excepting

  исключая

  having been informed by the minister

  Был проинформирован посланником

  deference [Єdef?r?ns]

  уважение

  Provide [pr?'va?d]

  снабжать; обеспечивать

  procession [pr?Єse?n]

  шествовать

  motion [Єm???n]

  движение

  to go through the motions

  Выполнить ритуал

  dispute [ Єd?spju?t]

  диспут; спор

  to take precedence

  идти в первой паре

  outrank [?a?t'rФ?k]

  иметь более высокий ранг

  merely [Єm??l?]

  просто; только

  monarch [Єm?n?k]

  монарх

  I stood for my rights

  Я отстаивал мои права

  yield [ji?ld]

  Урожай; доход

  refused to yield

  Отказывался пропускать вперёд

  In the gossip column

  В столбце светской хроники

  I ranked all dukes

  я был выше всех герцогов

  ... and claimed precedence of this one. It couldn't be settled, of course, struggle as we might and did, he finally (and injudiciously) trying to play birth and antiquity, and I "seeing" his Conqueror and "raising" him with Adam, whose direct posterity I was, as shown by my name, while he was of a collateral branch, as shown by his, and by his recent Norman origin; so we all processioned back to the drawing-room again and had a perpendicular lunch--plate of sardines and a strawberry, and you group yourself and stand up and eat it. Here the religion of precedence is not so strenuous; .

  claimed precedence

  Потребовал, чтобы мне отдали предпочтение

  It couldn't be settled

  Это невозможно было разрешить

  struggle as we might and did

  Как бы мы не боролись

  injudicious [??nd?u?Єd???s]

  неблагоразумный

  to play birth

  сыграть на своем происхождении

  antiquity [ФnЄt?kw?t?]

  Древность; античность

  posterity [p?Єster?t?]

  потомство

  whose direct posterity I was,

  от которого происхожу по прямой линии

  as shown by my name

  что видно из моей фамилии

  collateral ЄlФt?rl

  побочный

  he was of a collateral branch

  по боковой линии

  as shown by his

  Как видно из его

  by his recent Norman origin

  и от норманнов он произошел совсем недавно

  perpendicular ?p??p?nЄd?kj?l?

  перпендикуляр

  had a perpendicular lunch

  перекусили стоя

  sardine [s??Єdi?n]

  сардин(к)а

  religion [r?Єl?d?n]

  культ

  religion of precedence

  Культ предпочтительности

  strenuous ['strenj??s]

  требующий усилий

  the two persons of highest rank chuck up a shilling, the one that wins has first go at his strawberry, and the loser gets the shilling. The next two chuck up, then the next two, and so on. After refreshment, tables were brought, and we all played cribbage, sixpence a game. The English never play any game for amusement. If they can't make something or lose something--they don't care which--they won't play.
  We had a lovely time; certainly two of us had, Miss Langham and I. I was so bewitched with her that I couldn't count my hands if they went above a double sequence; and when I struck home I never discovered it, and started up the outside row again, and would have lost the game every time, only the girl did the same, she being in just my condition, you see; and consequently neither of us ever got out, or cared to wonder why we didn't;

  of highest rank

  высшего ранга

  chuck up a shilling

  бросают шиллинг

  first go

  первоочерёдность

  The next two

  Следующая пара

  refreshments
  [r?'fre?m?nts]

  закуска; освежающий напиток

  tables were brought

  Столы принесли

  cribbage [Єkr?b?d?]

  криббидж

  sixpence a game

  шесть пенсов партия

  amusement [?Єmju?zm?nt]

  развлечение, забава

  for amusement

  Ради забавы

  they don't care which

  Им совсем не важно, что именно

  certainly two of us

  особенно двое из нас

  bewitch [b?Єw?t?]

  очаровывать

  Sequence [Єsi?kw?ns]

  последовательность; порядок

  would have lost the game every time

  и непременно проигрывал бы каждую партию

  consequently
  [Єk?ns??kwentl?]

  следовательно, значит, стало быть

  ever got out

  выходил из игры

  cared to wonder

  беспокоился, чтобы узнать

  we only just knew we were happy, and didn't wish to know anything else, and didn't want to be interrupted. And I told her--I did, indeed--told her I loved her; and she--well, she blushed till her hair turned red, but she liked it; she said she did. Oh, there was never such an evening! Every time I pegged I put on a postscript; every time she pegged she acknowledged receipt of it, counting the hands the same. Why, I couldn't even say "Two for his heels" without adding, "My, how sweet you do look!" and she would say, "Fifteen two, fifteen four, fifteen six, and a pair are eight, and eight are sixteen--do you think so?" --peeping out aslant from under her lashes, you know, so sweet and cunning. Oh, it was just too-too!
  Well, I was perfectly honest and square with her; told her I hadn't a cent in the world but just the million-pound note she'd heard so much talk about, and it didn't belong to me, and that started her curiosity; and then I talked low, and told her the whole history right from the start, and it nearly killed her laughing.

  she blushed till her hair turned red

  она покраснела до корней волос

  Every time I pegged

  Каждый раз, считая взятки

  I put on a postscript

  Я что-то приписывал

  acknowledge [?kЄn?l?d?]

  признавать

  receipt [r?Єsi?t]

  получение

  heel [hi?l]

  пятка

  without adding

  Не добавляя

  Peep [pi?p]

  взгляд украдкой

  aslant [?Єsl??nt]

  наискось, косо

  Lash [lФ?]

  ресница

  cunning [Єk?n??]

  хитрость; ловкость

  square with her

  честен с ней

  that started her curiosity

  это возбудило ее любопытство

  I talked low, and told

  я понизил голос и рассказал

  it nearly killed her laughing

  и она чуть не умерла со смеха

  What in the nation she could find to laugh about I couldn't see, but there it was; every half-minute some new detail would fetch her, and I would have to stop as much as a minute and a half to give her a chance to settle down again. Why, she laughed herself lame --she did, indeed; I never saw anything like it. I mean I never saw a painful story--a story of a person's troubles and worries and fears--produce just that kind of effect before. So I loved her all the more, seeing she could be so cheerful when there wasn't anything to be cheerful about; for I might soon need that kind of wife, you know, the way things looked. Of course, I told her we should have to wait a couple of years, till I could catch up on my salary; but she didn't mind that, only she hoped I would be as careful as possible in the matter of expenses, and not let them run the least risk of trenching on our third year's pay.

  What in the nation

  Что, собственно,

  every half-minute

  каждые полминуты

  would fetch her

  Возвращала её к смеху

  to settle down again

  прийти в себя

  lame

  хромой

  she laughed herself lame

  Она смеялась до потери сознания

  painful story

  грустный рассказ

  just that kind of effect

  такого рода впечатление

  So I loved her all the more

  И я полюбил ее еще больше

  for I might soon need that kind of wife

  мне очень скоро могла понадобиться именно такая жена

  the way things looked

  Судя по тому, как шли дела

  till I could catch up on my salary

  Пока я (расчитавшись с долгами) не начну получать жалованье

  be as careful as possible in the matter of expenses

  быть как можно экономнее в расходах

  trench [trent?]

  ров, канава; отрывать, прорезать

  run the least risk of trenching on our third year's pay

  не рисковать нашим жалованьем за третий год

  Then she began to get a little worried, and wondered if we were making any mistake, and starting the salary on a higher figure for the first year than I would get. This was good sense, and it made me feel a little less confident than I had been feeling before; but it gave me a good business idea, and I brought it frankly out.
  "Portia, dear, would you mind going with me that day, when I confront those old gentlemen?"
  She shrank a little, but said:
  "N-o; if my being with you would help hearten you. But--would it be quite proper, do you think?"
  "No, I don't know that it would--in fact, I'm afraid it wouldn't; but, you see, there's so much dependent upon it that--"
  "Then I'll go anyway, proper or improper," she said, with a beautiful and generous enthusiasm. "Oh, I shall be so happy to think I'm helping!"
  "Helping, dear? Why, you'll be doing it all. You're so beautiful and so lovely and so winning, that with you there ...
 

  a little worried

  Немного взволнована

  if we were making any mistake

  не ошибаемся ли мы,

  starting the salary on a higher figure

  Принимая за основу самую высокую зарплату

  Confident [Єk?nf?dnt]

  уверенный

  I brought it frankly out

  я откровенно высказал

  confront [k?nЄfr?nt]

  Ставить лицом к лицу

  shrink [?r??k]

  избегать; уклоняться

  hearten [Єh??tn]

  ободрять

  But--would it be quite proper

  Но будет ли это удобно

  there's so much dependent upon it

  от этого так много зависит

  proper or improper

  удобно или неудобно

  generous [Єd?en?r?s]

  великодушный

  enthusiasm [?n'?ju:z??Фz?m]

  восторг; энтузиазм

  you'll be doing it all

  все зависит от вас

  Winning [Єw?n??]

  выигравший, победивший

  ... I can pile our salary up till I break those good old fellows, and they'll never have the heart to struggle."
  Sho! you should have seen the rich blood mount, and her happy eyes shine!
  "You wicked flatterer! There isn't a word of truth in what you say, but still I'll go with you. Maybe it will teach you not to expect other people to look with your eyes."
  Were my doubts dissipated? Was my confidence restored? You may judge by this fact: privately I raised my salary to twelve hundred the first year on the spot. But I didn't tell her; I saved it for a surprise.
  All the way home I was in the clouds, Hastings talking, I not hearing a word. When he and I entered my parlor, he brought me to myself with...
 

  I can pile our salary up

  Я могу увеличить нашу зарплату

  till I break those good old fellows

  Пока я не уломаю этих милых стариков

  they'll never have the heart to struggle

  у них не хватит духу сражаться

  rich blood

  Благородная кровь

  Mount [ma?nt]

  поднялась

  wicked [Єw?k?d]

  грешный, порочный

  flatterer [ЄflФt?r?]

  льстец

  not to expect other people

  Не ждать от других людей

  to look with your eyes

  Смотреть на мир Вашими глазами

  dissipate [Єd?s??pe?t]

  рассеивать

  confidence

  уверенность

  privately ['pra?v?tl?]

  про себя

  on the spot

  немедленно

  in the clouds

  Летел, как на крыльях

  parlor ['p?:l?] обыкн. амер.

  parlour

  parlour [Єp??l?]

  гостиная

  he brought me to myself

  он привел меня в чувство

  ... with his fervent appreciations of my manifold comforts and luxuries.
  "Let me just stand here a little and look my fill. Dear me! it's a palace --it's just a palace! And in it everything a body could desire, including cosy coal fire and supper standing ready.
  Henry, it doesn't merely make me realize how rich you are; it makes me realize, to the bone, to the marrow, how poor I am--how poor I am, and how miserable, how defeated, routed, annihilated!"
  Plague take it! this language gave me the cold shudders. It scared me broad awake, and made me comprehend that I was standing on a half inch crust, ...

  fervent [Єf??vnt]

  горячий, пылкий

  appreciation [??pri???Єe??n]

  признание достоинств

  manifold [ЄmФn??f??ld]
 

  многочисленный; разнообразный

  look my fill

  наглядеться досыта

  everything a body could desire

  все, чего только тело ни пожелает

  cosy coal fire

  уютный огонь в камине

  supper standing ready

  ужин наготове

  to the bone

  До костей

  marrow [ЄmФr??]

  костный мозг

  miserable [Єm?z?r?bl]

  жалкий, несчастный

  Defeated [d?Єfi?tid]

  уничтожен,

  Routed [ra?tid]

  разбит окончательно

  annihilate [?'na??le?t]

  истреблять

  plague [ple?g]

  чума

  Plague take it!

  Чума всё это побери!

  shudder [Є??d?]

  дрожь

  this language gave me the cold shudders

  От такого языка у меня по спине пробежали мурашки

  It scared me broad awake

  От страха я полностью проснулся

  comprehend [?k?mpr?Єhend]

  понимать

  crust [kr?st]

  корка

  ... with a crater underneath. I didn't know I had been dreaming --that is, I hadn't been allowing myself to know it for a while back; but now--oh, dear!
  Deep in debt, not a cent in the world, a lovely girl's happiness or woe in my hands, and nothing in front of me but a salary which might never--oh, would never--materialize! Oh, oh, oh! I am ruined past hope! nothing can save me!
  "Henry, the mere unconsidered drippings of your daily income would--"
  "Oh, my daily income! Here, down with this hot Scotch, and cheer up your soul. Here's with you! Or, no--you're hungry; sit down and--"
  "Not a bite for me; I'm past it. I can't eat, these days; but I'll drink with you till I drop. Come!"
  "Barrel for barrel, I'm with you! Ready? Here we go! Now, then, Lloyd, unreel your story while I brew."
 

  on a half inch crust

  На корке толщиной в полдюйма

  crater [Єkre?t?]

  кратер

  underneath [??nd?Єni??]

  внизу

  Deep in debt

  По уши в долгах

  woe [w??]

  горе, скорбь

  nothing in front of me

  а впереди ничего

  materialize [m?Єt??r???la?z]

  осуществляться

  I am ruined past hope

  Я погиб безвозвратно

  unconsidered [??nk?nЄs?d?d]

  непродуманный

  drippings

  крохи

  daily income

  ежедневного дохода

  hot Scotch

  Горячий виски

  I'm past it.

  мне не до того

  till I drop

  пока не свалюсь

  unreel [??n'ri:l]

  разматывать

  brew [bru:]

  варить (пиво), приготовлять (пунш)

  unreel your story while I brew

  выкладывайте вашу историю, пока я приготовлю еще выпить

  "Unreel it? What, again?"
  "Again? What do you mean by that?"
  "Why, I mean do you want to hear it over again?"
  "Do I want to hear it over again? This is a puzzler. Wait; don't take any more of that liquid. You don't need it."
  "Look here, Henry, you alarm me. Didn't I tell you the whole story on the way here?"
  "You?"
  "Yes, I."
  "I'll be hanged if I heard a word of it."
  "Henry, this is a serious thing. It troubles me. What did you take up yonder at the minister's?"
  Then it all flashed on me, and I owned up like a man.
  "I took the dearest girl in this world--prisoner!"
  So then he came with a rush, and we shook, and shook, and shook till our hands ached; and he didn't blame me for not having heard a word of a story which had lasted while we walked three miles. He just sat down then, like the patient, good fellow he was, and told it all over again. Synopsized, it amounted to this:
 

  puzzler ['p?zl?]

  трудный вопрос

  liquid [Єl?kw?d]

  жидкость

  I'll be hanged if I heard a word of it.

  меня повесят, если я слышал хоть слово

  yonder ['j?nd?]

  1. a вон тот// 2. adv вон там

  at the minister's

  у посланника

  Then it all flashed on me

  Тогда меня мгновенно осенило

  I owned up

  Я признался

  like a man

  как подобает мужчине

  I took

  зд. я познакомился

  till our hands ached

  до боли в руках

  like the patient

  Подобно пациенту

  Synopsized

  Вкратце

  it amounted to this

  Он сводился к этому

  He had come to England with what he thought was a grand opportunity; he had an "option" to sell the Gould and Curry Extension for the "locators" of it, and keep all he could get over a million dollars. He had worked hard, had pulled every wire he knew of, had left no honest expedient untried, had spent nearly all the money he had in the world, had not been able to get a solitary capitalist to listen to him, and his option would run out at the end of the month. In a word, he was ruined. Then he jumped up and cried out:
  "Henry, you can save me! You can save me, and you're the only man in the universe that can. Will you do it? Won't you do it?"
  "Tell me how. Speak out, my boy."
  "Give me a million and my passage home for my 'option'!
  Don't, don't refuse!"
  I was in a kind of agony. I was right on the point of coming out with the words, "Lloyd, I'm a pauper myself--absolutely penniless, and in debt!"
 

  locator амер. [l??'ke?t?]

  землемер

  pulled every wire he knew of

  Дёргал за каждую проволку

  expedient [?kЄspi?d??nt]

  приём, способ

  untried [?nЄtra?d]

  неиспытанный, непроверенный

  had left no honest expedient untried

  испробовал все дозволенные законом приёмы

  to get a solitary capitalist

  заставить хоть одного капиталиста

  solitary ['s?l?t?r?]

  одинокий; уединённый

  and his option

  а срок его полномочий

  would run out

  заканчивался

  he jumped up

  он вскочил

  universe [Єju?n??v??s]

  вселенная, мир

  my passage home

  обратный билет

  agony [ЄФg?n?]

  мучение, страдание

  I was right on the point of coming out with the words

  Я был уже готов выпалить

 
  But a white-hot idea came flaming through my head, and I gripped my jaws together, and calmed myself down till I was as cold as a capitalist. Then I said, in a commercial and self-possessed way:
  "I will save you, Lloyd--"
  "Then I'm already saved! God be merciful to you forever! If ever I--"
  "Let me finish, Lloyd. I will save you, but not in that way; for that would not be fair to you, after your hard work, and the risks you've run. I don't need to buy mines; I can keep my capital moving, in a commercial center like London, without that; it's what I'm at, all the time; but here is what I'll do. I know all about that mine, of course; I know its immense value, and can swear to it if anybody wishes it. You shall sell out inside of the fortnight for three millions cash, using my name freely, and we'll divide, share and share alike."
  Do you know, he would have danced the furniture to kindling-wood in his insane joy, and broken everything on the place, if I hadn't tripped him up and tied him.

  white-hot idea

  гениальная идея

  came flaming through

  Прошла осеняя

  I gripped my jaws together

  стиснул зубы

  self-possessed

  сдержанный

  I can keep my capital moving

  Я могу держать капитал постоянно работающим

  its immense value

  он стоит больших денег

  swear [swe?]

  клясться

  inside of the fortnight

  Не пройдет и двух недель

  we'll divide share and share alike

  мы с вами поделимся поровну

  he would have danced the furniture

  Он бы в танце разнес всю мебель

  kindling-wood ['k?ndl??w?d]

  растопка, щепа

  insane [?nЄse?n]

  Безумный, невменяемый

  if I hadn't tripped him up

  если б я не поставил ему подножку

  if I hadn't ... tied him.

  и не связал бы его

  Then he lay there, perfectly happy, saying:
  "I may use your name! Your name--think of it!
  Man, they'll flock in droves, these rich Londoners; they'll fight for that stock! I'm a made man, I'm a made man forever, and I'll never forget you as long as I live!"
  In less than twenty-four hours London was abuzz! I hadn't anything to do, day after day, but sit at home, and say to all comers:
  "Yes; I told him to refer to me. I know the man, and I know the mine. His character is above reproach, and the mine is worth far more than he asks for it." Meantime I spent all my evenings at the minister's with Portia.
  I didn't say a word to her about the mine; I saved it for a surprise.
  We talked salary; never anything but salary and love; sometimes love, sometimes salary, sometimes love and salary together. And my! the interest the minister's wife and daughter took in our little affair, and the endless ingenuities they invented to save us from interruption, ...

  perfectly happy

  безгранично счастливый

  flock

  Стая; стадо;

  Drove [dr??v]

  стадо, толпа

  I'm a made man

  Теперь моя карьера обеспечена

  forever

  обеспечена навсегда

  as long as I live

  Пока я жив

  In less than twenty-four hours

  Не прошло двадцать четыре часа

  abuzz [?'b?z]

  гудящий, жужжащий

  to refer to me

  ссылаться на меня

  character

  Репутация

  above reproach

  вне подозрений

  worth far more

  стоит гораздо больше

  never anything but

  ни о чем другом, кроме

  the interest

  Какое участие

  endless

  баесконечный

  ingenuity [??nd??Єnju??t?]

  изобретательность;

  interruption [??nt?Єr?p?n]

  помеха; вторжение

  ... and to keep the minister in the dark and unsuspicious--well, it was just lovely of them!
  When the month was up at last, I had a million dollars to my credit in the London and County Bank, and Hastings was fixed in the same way. Dressed at my level best, I drove by the house in Portland Place, judged by the look of things that my birds were home again, went on towards the minister's and got my precious, and we started back, talking salary with all our might. She was so excited and anxious that it made her just intolerably beautiful. I said:
  "Dearie, the way you're looking it's a crime to strike for a salary a single penny under three thousand a year."
  "Henry, Henry, you'll ruin us!"
  "Don't you be afraid. Just keep up those looks, and trust to me. It'll all come out right."

  keep the minister in the dark and unsuspicious

  Держать посланника в темноте и вне подозрений

  When the month was up

  Когда закончился месяц

  to my credit

  На моём счету

  was fixed in the same way

  И столько же было у

  at my level best

  На моём самом лучшем уровне

  I drove by

  я проехал мимо

  judged by the look of things

  и судя по внешнему виду

  precious [Єpre??s]

  драгоценный

  with all our might

  На всю силу

  excited

  возбуждённый, взволнованный

  anxious [ЄФ?k??s]

  озабоченный

  Intolerable [?n't?l?r?bl]

  нестерпимый; недопустимый

  dearie ['d??r?]

  милочка, душечка;

  the way you're looking

  Вы настолько красивы, что

  it's a crime

  Это преступление

  to strike for a salary

  Требовать зарплату

  a single penny under

  На пенни меньше

  So, as it turned out, I had to keep bolstering up her courage all the way. She kept pleading with me, and saying:
  "Oh, please remember that if we ask for too much we may get no salary at all; and then what will become of us, with no way in the world to earn our living?" We were ushered in by that same servant, and there they were, the two old gentlemen. Of course, they were surprised to see that wonderful creature with me, but I said:
  "It's all right, gentlemen; she is my future stay and helpmate."
  And I introduced them to her, and called them by name. It didn't surprise them; they knew I would know enough to consult the directory. They seated us, and were very polite to me, and very solicitous to relieve her from embarrassment, and put her as much at her ease as they could. Then I said:
  "Gentlemen, I am ready to report."
 
 
 

  So, as it turned out

  Вышло так,

  bolster [Єb??lst?]

  валик; опора.
  подпирать

  I had to keep bolstering up her courage

  мне пришлось поддерживать в ней бодрость

  plead [pli:d]

  просить, умолять

  to earn our living

  Заработать на жизнь

  usher [Є???]

  швейцар; вв|одить

  Stay [ste?]

  опора, поддержка

  helpmate ['helpme?t]

  Помощник, супруга

  to consult the directory

  заглянуть в справочник

  solicitous [s?Єl?s?t?s]

  заботливый, внимательный

  relieve [r?'li:v]

  облегчать, уменьшать

  Embarrassment [?mЄbФr?sm?nt]

  смущение, замешательство

  to report

  дать отчет

 
  "We are glad to hear it," said my man, "for now we can decide the bet which my brother Abel and I made. If you have won for me, you shall have any situation in my gift. Have you the million-pound note?"
  "Here it is, sir," and I handed it to him.
  "I've won!" he shouted, and slapped Abel on the back. "Now what do you say, brother?"
  "I say he did survive, and I've lost twenty thousand pounds. I never would have believed it."
  "I've a further report to make," I said, "and a pretty long one. I want you to let me come soon, and detail my whole month's history; and I promise you it's worth hearing. Meantime, take a look at that."
  "What, man! Certificate of deposit for ё200,000. Is it yours?" "Mine. I earned it by thirty days' judicious use of that little loan you let me have. And the only use I made of it was to buy trifles and offer the bill in change." "Come, this is astonishing! It's incredible, man!" "Never mind, I'll prove it. Don't take my word unsupported."
  But now Portia's turn was come to be surprised.
 

  decide the bet

  решить спор

  slap

  хлопать, шлёпать

  to let me come soon

  Позволить мне придти вскоре

  my whole month's history

  Всё, что произошло со мной за месяц

  it's worth hearing

  Это стоит послушать

  Certificate of deposit for ё200,000.

  Счет в банке на двести тысяч фунтов

  judicious [d?u?Єd???s]

  Здравомыслящий, рассудительный

  little loan

  небольшая ссуда

  astonishing

  поразительно

  incredible

  невероятно

  Don't take my word unsupported.

  Не принимайте моих слов на веру.

  Her eyes were spread wide, and she said: "Henry, is that really your money? Have you been fibbing to me?"
  "I have, indeed, dearie. But you'll forgive me, I know."
  She put up an arch pout, and said: "Don't you be so sure. You are a naughty thing to deceive me so!"
  "Oh, you'll get over it, sweetheart, you'll get over it; it was only fun, you know. Come, let's be going." "But wait, wait! The situation, you know. I want to give you the situation," said my man.
  "Well," I said, "I'm just as grateful as I can be, but really I don't want one." "But you can have the very choicest one in my gift." "Thanks again, with all my heart; but I don't even want that one." "Henry, I'm ashamed of you. You don't half thank the good gentleman. May I do it for you?"
  "Indeed, you shall, dear, if you can improve it. Let us see you try." She walked to my man, got up in his lap, put her arm round his neck, and kissed him right on the mouth.

  spread wide

  Широко раскрыв

  fib (fibbed, fibbing)

  выдумывать, выдумать

  arch [?:t?]

  арка; свод, дуга; прогиб

  pout [pa?t]
 

  недовольная гримаса; надутые губы

  naughty [Єn??t?]

  нeпослушный,

  deceive [d?Єsi?v]

  обман|ывать

  let's be going

  теперь нам пора.

  situation

  вакансия

  the very choicest

  самое лучшее

  in my gift

  какое имеется в моем распоряжении!

  You don't half thank

  Вы и наполовину не поблагодарили

  got up in his lap

  села к нему на колени

  right on the mouth

  прямо в губы

  Then the two old gentlemen shouted with laughter, but I was dumfounded, just petrified, as you may say. Portia said:
  "Papa, he has said you haven't a situation in your gift that he'd take; and I feel just as hurt as--"
  "My darling, is that your papa?"
  "Yes; he's my step-papa, and the dearest one that ever was. You understand now, don't you, why I was able to laugh when you told me at the minister's, not knowing my relationships, what trouble and worry papa's and Uncle Abel's scheme was giving you?"
  Of course, I spoke right up now, without any fooling, and went straight to the point.
  "Oh, my dearest dear sir, I want to take back what I said. You have got a situation open that I want."
  "Name it."
  "Son-in-law."
  "Well, well, well! But you know, if you haven't ever served in that capacity, you, of course, can't furnish recommendations of a sort to satisfy the conditions of the contract, and so--"
  "Try me--oh, do, I beg of you! Only just try me thirty or forty years, and if--"
  "Oh, well, all right; it's but a little thing to ask, take her along."

  I was dumfounded

  я застыл на месте

  petrify [Єpetr??fa?]

  превратить в камень

  I feel just as hurt as

  я обижена так же как

  step-papa

  отчим

  relationships

  Родственные связи

  scheme [ski:m]

  план, проект;

  straight to the point.

  напрямик

  situation open

  свободная вакансия,

  Son-in-law

  зять

  serve in that capacity

  занимать эту должность

  furnish recommendations

  представить рекомендации

  to satisfy the conditions

  удовлетворять условиям

  Happy, we two? There are not words enough in the unabridged to describe it. And when London got the whole history, a day or two later, of my month's adventures with that bank-note, and how they ended, did London talk, and have a good time?
  Yes.
  My Portia's papa took that friendly and hospitable bill back to the Bank of England and cashed it; then the Bank canceled it and made him a present of it, and he gave it to us at our wedding, and it has always hung in its frame in the sacredest place in our home ever since. For it gave me my Portia. But for it I could not have remained in London, would not have appeared at the minister's, never should have met her. And so I always say, "Yes, it's a million-pounder, as you see; but it never made but one purchase in its life, and then got the article for only about a tenth part of its value."
 
 
 

  unabridged [??n?'br?d?d]

  полный, несокращённый

  in the unabridged

  В самом полном словаре

  friendly [Єfrendl?] adj (friendlier, friendliest)

  дружеский, товарищеский

  hospitable [h?'sp?t?bl]

  гостеприимный

  cancelled it

  погасил его

  and made him a present of it

  И подарил ему тот билет

  wedding [Єwed??]

  бракосочетание

  sacred [Єse?kr?d]

  святой

  But for it

  Если бы не он

  but it never made but one purchase

  он сделал одну покупку

  about a tenth part of its value

  Приблизительно вдесятеро дороже этой суммы

 

  The ё1,000,000 Bank Note - Такой купюры никогда не существовало. Раритетные банкноты США $500   - 25-й Президент Уильям Мак-Кинли; $1000 - 22-й президент ГроверHYPERLINK "http://ru.wikipedia.org/wiki/Гровер_Кливленд" Кливленд; $5000 - 4-й президент Джеймс Мэдисон;    $10 000 - Глава Министерства Финансов во время правления президента Линкольна, а впоследствии глава Верховного Суда США СэлмонHYPERLINK "http://ru.wikipedia.org/wiki/Чейз,_Сэлмон" Чейз. Он первым распорядился поместить на американских деньгах надпись: "In God We Trust" 
  $100 000 - 28-й президент ВудроHYPERLINK "http://ru.wikipedia.org/wiki/Вудро_Вильсон" HYPERLINK "http://ru.wikipedia.org/wiki/Вудро_Вильсон"Вильсон

  Банкноты Великобритании - 5, 10, 20, 50 фунтов

  Сан-Франци?ско -- город и округ в штате Калифорния, США, названный в честь католического святого Франциска АссизскогоHYPERLINK "http://ru.wikipedia.org/wiki/Франциск_Ассизский". Площадь 600,6 км2, суши -- 121,4 км2, воды -- 479,2 км2.

  I was accustomed to put it in on a little sail-boat Видно, неплохая была зарплата, что он мог позволить выходить в открытый океан один

 

  The ё1,000,000 Bank Note
  When I was twenty-seven years old, I was a mining-broker's clerk in San Francisco, and an expert in all the details of stock traffic. I was alone in the world, and had nothing to depend upon but my wits and a clean reputation; but these were setting my feet in the road to eventual fortune, and I was content with the prospect.
  My time was my own after the afternoon board, Saturdays, and I was accustomed to put it in on a little sail-boat on the bay. One day I ventured too far, and was carried out to sea.
  Just at nightfall, when hope was about gone, I was picked up by a small brig which was bound for London. It was a long and stormy voyage, and they made me work my passage without pay, as a common sailor. When I stepped ashore in London my clothes were ragged and shabby, and I had only a dollar in my pocket. This money fed and sheltered me twenty-four hours. During the next twenty-four I went without food and shelter.

  Portland Place - улица в фешенебельном районе Мэрилебон - в северо-западной части Лондона.

  But every time = whenever две синонимичные конструкции = каждый раз когда, когда бы я

  straighten up
  You must straighten up or else! Веди себя прилично, а не то...!
  He determined to straighten up and make something of himself -- Он решил взяться за ум и чего-то добиться в жизни

  I made a move; eye detected; I straightened up, looked indifferent, pretended
  все эти действия произошли после
  I hadn't been thinking about the pear at all.

  same thing kept happening and happening
  to keep + герундий - значит, что действие повторяется непрерывно.

  getting desperate desperate diseases must have desperate cures
  -"при тяжёлых болезнях прибегают к сильным средствам", т. е. клин клином вышибают
  [этим. лат. extremis malis extrema remedia]

 
  About ten o'clock on the following morning, seedy and hungry, I was dragging myself along Portland Place, when a child that was passing, towed by a nurse-maid, tossed a luscious big pear--minus one bite--into the gutter. I stopped, of course, and fastened my desiring eye on that muddy treasure. My mouth watered for it, my stomach craved it, my whole being begged for it. But every time whenever I made a move to get it some passing eye detected my purpose, and of course I straightened up then, and looked indifferent, and pretended that I hadn't been thinking about the pear at all. This same thing kept happening and happening, and I couldn't get the pear. I was just getting desperate enough to brave all the shame, and to seize it, when a window behind me was raised, and a gentleman spoke out of it, saying:
  "Step in here, please."

  Sumptuous пышный, великолепный, шикарный

  something had been happening ... which I did not know anything ... brothers had been having.. ... and had ended by agreeing ... редкий случай употребления Ps Pf C; Ps Pf C; Ps Pf - PsI То есть я не знал, что происходило, что братья замышляли, и чем это закончилось

  vaults большой сейф обычно находится в подвале и защищена от взлома, пожара, наводнения

 -- Adrift, abuzz, asleep - слова категории состояния, образуются прибавлением "а" к глаголу.

 -- adrift - плывущий по течению, брошенный на произвол судьбы; отстающий по течению.

  I was admitted by a gorgeous flunkey, and shown into a sumptuous room where a couple of elderly gentlemen were sitting. They sent away the servant, and made me sit down. They had just finished their breakfast, and the sight of the remains of it almost overpowered me. I could hardly keep my wits together in the presence of that food, but as I was not asked to sample it, I had to bear my trouble as best I could.
  Now, something had been happening there a little before, which I did not know anything about until a good many days afterwards, but I will tell you about it now. Those two old brothers had been having a pretty hot argument a couple of days before, and had ended by agreeing to decide it by a bet, which is the English way of settling everything.
  You will remember that the Bank of England once issued two notes of a million pounds each, to be used for a special purpose connected with some public transaction with a foreign country. For some reason or other only one of these had been used and canceled; the other still lay in the vaults of the Bank. Well, the brothers, chatting along, happened to get to wondering what might be the fate of a perfectly honest and intelligent stranger who should be turned adrift...

  London Англичане часто называют Лондон The Big Smoke (или The Great Smog). "Большой дым". Связано со знаменитым лондонским смогом XIX--XX веков.
  The Great Wen. Wen -- это старое английское слово, которое переводится буквально как "фурункул", что в этом контексте означает "перенаселённый город"

  .. A said he would starve .. B said he wouldn't. .. A said he couldn't offer it...he would be arrested ... Brother B said he would bet ... the man would live thirty days,

  Future in the past

  There was always a defect, until I came along. Фраза - достойная пера Шекспира. Ведь только ему приписывают умение в одной строчке выразить характер всей нации.

  ...in London without a friend, and with no money but that million-pound bank-note, and no way to account for his being in possession of it. Brother A said he would starve to death; Brother B said he wouldn't. Brother A said he couldn't offer it at a bank or anywhere else, because he would be arrested on the spot. So they went on disputing till Brother B said he would bet twenty thousand pounds that the man would live thirty days, anyway, on that million, and keep out of jail, too. Brother A took him up. Brother B went down to the Bank and bought that note. Just like an Englishman, you see; pluck to the backbone. Then he dictated a letter, which one of his clerks wrote out in a beautiful round hand, and then the two brothers sat at the window a whole day watching for the right man to give it to.
  They saw many honest faces go by that were not intelligent enough; many that were intelligent, but not honest enough; many that were both, but the possessors were not poor enough, or, if poor enough, were not strangers. There was always a defect, until I came along; but they agreed that I filled the bill all around; so they elected me unanimously, and there I was now waiting to know why I was called in.

  and not be hasty or rash разг. do not be hasty or rash

  Puzzled = puzzle-headed [?p?zl'hed?d] запутавшийся; не разбирающийся в самых простых вещах; сумбурный

  practical joke - шутка, на которой можно обогатиться

  I would have picked up the pear now and eaten it сослагательное наклонение прошедшее время. Показывает, что совершить действие - абсолютно невозможно.

  the nearest не путайте с next near - близко к ;
next to - следующий за; между двумя объектами нет ничего.

  They began to ask me questions about myself, and pretty soon they had my story. Finally they told me I would answer their purpose. I said I was sincerely glad, and asked what it was. Then one of them handed me an envelope, and said I would find the explanation inside. I was going to open it, but he said no; take it to my lodgings, and look it over carefully, and not be hasty or rash. I was puzzled, and wanted to discuss the matter a little further, but they didn't; so I took my leave, feeling hurt and insulted to be made the butt of what was apparently some kind of a practical joke, and yet obliged to put up with it, not being in circumstances to resent affronts from rich and strong folk.
  I would have picked up the pear now and eaten it before all the world, but it was gone; so I had lost that by this unlucky business, and the thought of it did not soften my feeling towards those men. As soon as I was out of sight of that house I opened my envelope, and saw that it contained money! My opinion of those people changed, I can tell you! I lost not a moment, but shoved note and money into my vest pocket, and broke for the nearest cheap eating house. Well, how I did eat! When at last I couldn't hold any more, I took out my money and unfolded it, took one glimpse and nearly fainted. Five millions of dollars! Why, it made my head swim.

  Petrified
  They drink till they pass out petrified -- Они пьют до потери пульса

  keep on looking at it keep on + gerund = непрерывность действия

  "I am sorry if it is an inconvenience, but I must insist. Please change it; I haven't anything else." Как меняется стиль речи!

  Merely во всех учебниках написано, что ere читается как [??]; но это верно лишь для трёх слов here; mere; sere. Если ряд дополнить were; where; there , то в любом тексте ... here - 11% mere - 1% sere - 0,33% were - 33% where - 44% there - 9%;

  I must have sat there stunned and blinking at the note as much as a minute before I came rightly to myself again. The first thing I noticed, then, was the landlord. His eye was on the note, and he was petrified. He was worshiping, with all his body and soul, but he looked as if he couldn't stir hand or foot. I took my cue in a moment, and did the only rational thing there was to do. I reached the note towards him, and said, carelessly:
  "Give me the change, please." Then he was restored to his normal condition, and made a thousand apologies for not being able to break the bill, and I couldn't get him to touch it. He wanted to look at it, and keep on looking at it; he couldn't seem to get enough of it to quench the thirst of his eye, but he shrank from touching it as if it had been something too sacred for poor common clay to handle. I said:
  "I am sorry if it is an inconvenience, but I must insist. Please change it; I haven't anything else."
  But he said that wasn't any matter; he was quite willing to let the trifle stand over till another time. I said I might not be in his neighborhood again for a good while; but he said it was of no consequence, he could wait, and, moreover, I could have anything I wanted, any time I chose, and let the account run as long as I pleased. He said he hoped he wasn't afraid to trust as rich a gentleman as I was, merely because ...

  monster = ё1,000,000 Bank Note

  one-pounder = ё1 Bank Note

  Blunder - грубая ошибка, промах, просчёт первая метафора о происходящем

  Whereabouts - abouts - для сильной эмоциональной окраски.

  Continent так англичане называют Европу

 
  ... I was of a merry disposition, and chose to play larks on the public in the matter of dress. By this time another customer was entering, and the landlord hinted to me to put the monster out of sight; then he bowed me all the way to the door, and I started straight for that house and those brothers, to correct the mistake which had been made before the police should hunt me up. I was pretty nervous; in fact, pretty badly frightened, though, of course, I was no way in fault; but I knew men well enough to know that when they find they've given a tramp a million-pound bill when they thought it was a one-pounder, they are in a frantic rage against him instead of quarreling with their own near-sightedness, as they ought. As I approached the house my excitement began to abate, for all was quiet there, which made me feel pretty sure the blunder was not discovered yet. I rang. The same servant appeared. I asked for those gentlemen.
  "They are gone." This in the lofty, cold way of that fellow's tribe.
  "Gone? Gone where?"
  "On a journey."
  "But whereabouts?"
  "To the Continent, I think."
  "The Continent?"
  "Yes, sir."
  "Which way--by what route?"

  It's of the last importance - вторая метафора о происходящем.

  Blunder - It's of the last importance - an immense mistake третья метафора о происходящем.

  on time - точно вовремя in time - не позже определенного момента, после которого будет уже поздно.

  Stranger - Strange как и в Русском слово "иностранец" происходит от "странный"

 
  "I can't say, sir."
  "When will they be back?"
  "In a month, they said."
  "A month! Oh, this is awful! Give me some sort of idea of how to get a word to them. It's of the last importance." "I can't, indeed. I've no idea where they've gone, sir."
  "Then I must see some member of the family."
  "Family's away, too; been abroad months--in Egypt and India, I think."
  "Man, there's been an immense mistake made. They'll be back before night. Will you tell them I've been here, and that I will keep coming till it's all made right, and they needn't be afraid?"
  "I'll tell them, if they come back, but I am not expecting them. They said you would be here in an hour to make inquiries, but I must tell you it's all right, they'll be here on time and expect you."
  So I had to give it up and go away. What a riddle it all was! I was like to lose my mind. They would be here "on time." What could that mean? Oh, the letter would explain, maybe. I had forgotten the letter; I got it out and read it. This is what it said:
  "You are an intelligent and honest man, as one may see by your face. We conceive you to be poor and a stranger. Enclosed you will find a sum of money. It is lent to you for thirty days, without interest. Report at this house at the end of that time. I have a bet on you.

  you shall have shall ? will I shall; we shall мы говорим не только о будущем, но и даём обязательство; you will; he will; they will - просто желание.

  No signature, no address, no date. - анафора ( многократное повторение первого слова)

  I hadn't the least idea ... harm was meant ... I .. sat ..what I had best to do. At the end of an hour my reasonings had crystallized ... В этом рассказе немало великолепных примеров на Ps I + Ps Pf. Для иностранца три действия происходят одно за другим, и, скорее всего, он употребит Ps I трижды, но англичане рассматривают цепь событий выборочно, расставляя между действиями понятные лишь носителем языка границы.

  let it go - эпифора -- многократное повторение последних слов

 
  If I win it you shall have any situation that is in my gift--any, that is, that you shall be able to prove yourself familiar with and competent to fill."
  No signature, no address, no date.
  Well, here was a coil to be in! You are posted on what had preceded all this, but I was not. It was just a deep, dark puzzle to me. I hadn't the least idea what the game was, nor whether harm was meant me or a kindness. I went into a park, and sat down to try to think it out, and to consider what I had best to do.
  At the end of an hour my reasonings had crystallized into this verdict.
  Maybe those men mean me well, maybe they mean me ill; no way to decide that--let it go. They've got a game, or a scheme, or an experiment, of some kind on hand; no way to determine what it is--let it go.
  There's a bet on me; no way to find out what it is--let it go. That disposes of the indeterminable quantities; the remainder of the matter is tangible, solid, and may be classed and labeled with certainty.

  If I ask ... they'll do it, ... but they will ask me ... if I tell the truth, they'll put me ... a lie will land me in jail. Первый тип условных предложений. После "If" будущее время в Английском не употребляется.

  Even if I lose their bill... the Bank will make them whole;

  asylum - убежище, пристанище, защита, приют; Срв. political asylum - политическое убежище; lunatic asylum - сумасшедший дом

  The same result would follow if I tried to bank the bill. Второй тип условных предложений. Он так же как и первый относится к ближайшему будущему, но звучит более тактично.

  Whatever - любой, какой бы то ни было; Whenever - в любое время, всё равно, когда Wherever где бы (то) ни было; Whoever кто бы ни, который бы ни, любой

  If I ask the Bank of England to place this bill to the credit of the man it belongs to, they'll do it, for they know him, although I don't; but they will ask me how I came in possession of it, and if I tell the truth, they'll put me in the asylum, naturally, and a lie will land me in jail. The same result would follow if I tried to bank the bill anywhere or to borrow money on it. I have got to carry this immense burden around until those men come back, whether I want to or not. It is useless to me, as useless as a handful of ashes, and yet I must take care of it, and watch over it, while I beg my living. I couldn't give it away, if I should try, for neither honest citizen nor highwayman would accept it or meddle with it for anything.
  Those brothers are safe. Even if I lose their bill, or burn it, they are still safe, because they can stop payment, and the Bank will make them whole; but meantime I've got to do a month's suffering without wages or profit--unless I help win that bet, whatever it may be, and get that situation that I am promised. I should like to get that; men of their sort have situations in their gift that are worth having.

  I got to thinking - мне пришлось задуматься. Got - модальный глагол, прошедшее время от have got

  My hopes began ...the salary would be large. It would begin ... Future in the past

  Pretty soon I was feeling first-rate. To feel употребляется в continuous tenses очень редко для выражения очень сильных чувств

  forced myself to go on by. Срв. it made my head swim. I couldn't get him to touch it.

  I must have passed must + Pf Infinitive = 100% уверенность. Вне всякого сомнения, я прошёл мимо этого магазина 5 или даже 6 раз.

  Tend to you presently - разг. I am going to tend to you presently

  I waited till he was done ... - разг. I waited till he had done ...

  I got to thinking a good deal about that situation. My hopes began to rise high. Without doubt the salary would be large. It would begin in a month; after that I should be all right. Pretty soon I was feeling first-rate. By this time I was tramping the streets again. The sight of a tailor-shop gave me a sharp longing to shed my rags, and to clothe myself decently once more. Could I afford it? No; I had nothing in the world but a million pounds. So I forced myself to go on by. But soon I was drifting back again. The temptation persecuted me cruelly. I must have passed that shop back and forth six times during that manful struggle. At last I gave in; I had to. I asked if they had a misfit suit that had been thrown on their hands. The fellow I spoke to nodded his head towards another fellow, and gave me no answer. I went to the indicated fellow, and he indicated another fellow with his head, and no words. I went to him, and he said:
  "'Tend to you presently."
  I waited till he was done with what he was at,...

  "It would be an accommodation to me if you could wait some days for the money. I haven't any small change about me." Обратите внимание на второй уровень изменения стиля речи!

  "My friend, you shouldn't judge a stranger always by the clothes he wears. I am quite able to pay for this suit; I simply didn't wish to put you to the trouble of changing a large note." третий уровень изменения стиля речи!

 
  ... then he took me into a back room, and overhauled a pile of rejected suits, and selected the rattiest one for me. I put it on.
  It didn't fit, and wasn't in any way attractive, but it was new, and I was anxious to have it; so I didn't find any fault, but said, with some diffidence:
  "It would be an accommodation to me if you could wait some days for the money. I haven't any small change about me."
  The fellow worked up a most sarcastic expression of countenance, and said:
  "Oh, you haven't? Well, of course, I didn't expect it. I'd only expect gentlemen like you to carry large change."
  I was nettled, and said:
  "My friend, you shouldn't judge a stranger always by the clothes he wears. I am quite able to pay for this suit; I simply didn't wish to put you to the trouble of changing a large note."
  He modified his style a little at that, and said, though still with something of an air:
  "I didn't mean any particular harm, but as long as rebukes are going, I might say it wasn't quite your affair to jump to the conclusion that we couldn't change any note that you might happen to be carrying around.
  On the contrary, we can."
  I handed the note to him, and said:
  "Oh, very well; I apologize."

  Vesuvius Везувий -- действующий вулкан на юге Италии, примерно в 15 км от Неаполя. высота 1281 м.

  "Well, what's up? What's the trouble? What's wanting?" анафора ( многократное повторение первого слова)

  Drives every millionaire away - фраза коммерчески очень верная. Неважно, что за покупатели ходят ли в этот магазин, надо убедить любого из клиентов, что магазин исключительно для миллионеров.

 
  He received it with a smile, one of those large smiles which goes all around over, and has folds in it, and wrinkles, and spirals, and looks like the place where you have thrown a brick in a pond; and then in the act of his taking a glimpse of the bill this smile froze solid, and turned yellow, and looked like those wavy, wormy spreads of lava which you find hardened on little levels on the side of Vesuvius.
  I never before saw a smile caught like that, and perpetuated. The man stood there holding the bill, and looking like that, and the proprietor hustled up to see what was the matter, and said, briskly:
  "Well, what's up? What's the trouble? What's wanting?"
  I said: "There isn't any trouble. I'm waiting for my change."
  "Come, come; get him his change, Tod; get him his change."
  Tod retorted: "Get him his change! It's easy to say, sir; but look at the bill yourself."
  The proprietor took a look, gave a low, eloquent whistle, then made a dive for the pile of rejected clothing, and began to snatch it this way and that, talking all the time excitedly, and as if to himself:
  "Sell an eccentric millionaire such an unspeakable suit as that!
  Tod's a fool--a born fool. Always doing something like this. Drives every millionaire away from this place, ...
 

  he can't tell - он не может отличить, не может сказать, кто есть кто.

  millionaire from a tramp - почему -то вспоминается песня Ф. Синатры "Lady is a tramp"

  the thing, the very thing--plain, rich, modest, and just ducally nobby; - то, что надо; именно то, что надо

  Halifax - Галифакс -- город в Великобритании.

  I never saw such a triumph in all my experience. Ещё со времён М. Твена американцы предпочитают Past Indefinite. Совр.: I have never seen such a triumph in all my experience. Present Perfect

 
  ... because he can't tell a millionaire from a tramp, and never could. Ah, here's the thing I am after. Please get those things off, sir, and throw them in the fire. Do me the favor to put on this shirt and this suit; it's just the thing, the very thing--plain, rich, modest, and just ducally nobby; made to order for a foreign prince--you may know him, sir, his Serene Highness the Hospodar of Halifax; had to leave it with us and take a mourning-suit because his mother was going to die-- which she didn't. But that's all right; we can't always have things the way we--that is, the way they--there! Trousers all right, they fit you to a charm, sir; now the waistcoat; aha, right again! now the coat--lord! Look at that, now! Perfect--the whole thing! I never saw such a triumph in all my experience."
  I expressed my satisfaction.
  "Quite right, sir, quite right; it'll do for a makeshift, I'm bound to say. But wait till you see what we'll get up for you on your own measure. Come, Tod, book and pen; get at it. Length of leg, 32"--and so on. Before I could get in a word he had measured me, and was giving orders for dress-suits, morning suits, shirts, and all sorts of things. When I got a chance I said:

  "But, my dear sir, I can't give these orders, unless you can wait indefinitely, or change the bill." четвёртый уровень изменения стиля речи!

  my quarters срвн. Head-quarters - штаб квартира.

  Within a week I was sumptuously equipped. Срвн. I was admitted by a gorgeous flunkey, and shown into a sumptuous room

  Hanover Square Хэновер-Сквер, Лондон, площадь в Мейфэр, лондонском W1, расположена на юго-западе от Оксфорд Сиркус, на ней Оксфорд Стрит пересекается с Риджент Стрит.

  "But, my dear sir, I can't give these orders, unless you can wait indefinitely, or change the bill."
  "Indefinitely! It's a weak word, sir, a weak word. Eternally--that's the word, sir. Tod, rush these things through, and send them to the gentleman's address without any waste of time. Let the minor customers wait. Set down the gentleman's address and--"
  "I'm changing my quarters. I will drop in and leave the new address."
  "Quite right, sir, quite right. One moment--let me show you out, sir. There--good day, sir, good day."
  Well, don't you see what was bound to happen? I drifted naturally into buying whatever I wanted, and asking for change. Within a week I was sumptuously equipped with all needful comforts and luxuries, and was housed in an expensive private hotel in Hanover Square.
  I took my dinners there, but for breakfast I stuck by Harris's humble feeding house, where I had got my first meal on my million-pound bill. I was the making of Harris. The fact had gone all abroad that the foreign crank who carried million-pound bills in his vest pocket was the patron saint of the place.

  hand-to-mouth enterprise - что зарабатывали, то и проедали

 -- pauper Принц и нищий/The Prince and the Pauper.

  Notorieties [?n?ut(?)'ra??t?] - знаменитость, человек дурной славы

  metropolis - столица; the Metropolis -- Лондон

  Knight - самый низкий аристократический титул в Англии. В Англии до настоящего времени сохраняется разделение на дворянство (lord temporal), духовенство (lord spiritual) и общинников ( commoners). Низшее духовенство - сословие общинников.

 
  That was enough. From being a poor, struggling, little hand-to-mouth enterprise, it had become celebrated, and overcrowded with customers. Harris was so grateful that he forced loans upon me, and would not be denied; and so, pauper as I was, I had money to spend, and was living like the rich and the great. I judged that there was going to be a crash by and by, but I was in now and must swim across or drown. You see there was just that element of impending disaster to give a serious side, a sober side, yes, a tragic side, to a state of things which would otherwise have been purely ridiculous. In the night, in the dark, the tragedy part was always to the front, and always warning, always threatening; and so I moaned and tossed, and sleep was hard to find. But in the cheerful daylight the tragedy element faded out and disappeared, and I walked on air, and was happy to giddiness, to intoxication, you may say.
  And it was natural; for I had become one of the notorieties of the metropolis of the world, and it turned my head, not just a little, but a good deal. You could not take up a newspaper, English, Scotch, or Irish, without finding in it one or more references to the "vest-pocket million-pounder" and his latest doings and saying. At first, in these mentions, I was at the bottom of the personal-gossip column; next, I was listed above the knights, next above the baronets, ...

  Punch "Панч" - британский еженедельный журнал 22юмора"юмора и %22тиры"сHYPERLINK "%22сHYPERLINK%20%22http://ru.wikipedia.org/wiki/%D0%A1%D0%B0%D1%82%D0%B8%D1%80%D0%B0%22аHYPERLINK%20%22http://ru.wikipedia.org/wiki/%D0%A1%D0%B0%D1%82%D0%B8%D1%80%D0%B0%22тиры"аHYPERLINK "%22сHYPERLINK%20%22http://ru.wikipedia.org/wiki/%D0%A1%D0%B0%D1%82%D0%B8%D1%80%D0%B0%22аHYPERLINK%20%22http://ru.wikipedia.org/wiki/%D0%A1%D0%B0%D1%82%D0%B8%D1%80%D0%B0%22тиры"тиры, издававшийся с 1841 по 20год"1992 HYPERLINK "%221992%20год"год и с 1996 по %22год"2002 HYPERLINK "%222002%20HYPERLINK%20%22http://ru.wikipedia.org/wiki/2002_%D0%B3%D0%BE%D0%B4%22год"год. Первое название Лондонский Le Charivari, по принципу французского сатирического журнала LeHYPERLINK "http://ru.wikipedia.org/wiki/Le_Charivari" HYPERLINK "http://ru.wikipedia.org/wiki/Le_Charivari"Charivari. Вскоре поменяли название на имя сатирического 22кукольного"кукольного персонажа Панча.

  Beefeater - служитель 22Тауэра"Тауэра; почётное звание лейб-гвардейца и один из символов Лондона. Дословно "мясоед". Бифитеры служили при дворе чтобы определить, отравлено или нет мясо, подаваемое к столу монархов.

  Tower of London Одно из старейших исторических сооружений Великобритании, основанное Юлием цезарем, долгое время служившее резиденцией английских монархов.

  / / ... next above the barons, and so on, and so on, climbing steadily, as my notoriety augmented, until I reached the highest altitude possible, and there I remained, taking precedence of all dukes not royal, and of all ecclesiastics except the primate of all England. But mind, this was not fame; as yet I had achieved only notoriety. Then came the climaxing stroke--the accolade, so to speak--which in a single instant transmuted the perishable dross of notoriety into the enduring gold of fame: Punch caricatured me! Yes, I was a made-man now; my place was established. I might be joked about still, but reverently, not hilariously, not rudely; I could be smiled at, but not laughed at. The time for that had gone by. Punch pictured me all a-flutter with rags, dickering with a Beefeater for the Tower of London. Well, you can imagine how it was with a young fellow who had never been taken notice of before, and now all of a sudden couldn't say a thing that wasn't taken up and repeated everywhere; couldn't stir abroad without constantly overhearing the remark flying from lip to lip, "There he goes; that's him!" couldn't take his breakfast without a crowd to look on;

  Lorgnette - Лорнет - разновидность очков, отличающаяся от пенсне отсутствием фиксирующего устройства: пара линз в оправе, зафиксированной на рукоятке. Модный аксессуар кон.18-19 вв., по функции соответствующий театральному биноклю. Изобретен Джорджем АдаHYPERLINK "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_Adams_(optician)"мHYPERLINK "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_Adams_(optician)"сом.

  Minister - не только министр, но и посланник

  Boyhood hood [hud] - Капюшон, башлык, капор, чепец Sisterhood/ brotherhood/ motherhood/ fatherhood

  Yale students Йе?льский университе?т -- входит в "лигу плюща" -- сообщество восьми наиболее престижных частных университетов США

  ... couldn't appear in an opera box without concentrating there the fire of a thousand lorgnettes. Why, I just swam in glory all day long--that is the amount of it.
  You know, I even kept my old suit of rags, and every now and then appeared in them, so as to have the old pleasure of buying trifles, and being insulted, and then shooting the scoffer dead with the million-pound bill. But I couldn't keep that up. The illustrated papers made the outfit so familiar that when I went out in it I was at once recognized and followed by a crowd, and if I attempted a purchase the man would offer me his whole shop on credit before I could pull my note on him. About the tenth day of my fame I went to fulfill my duty to my flag by paying my respects to the American minister. He received me with the enthusiasm proper in my case, upbraided me for being so tardy in my duty, and said that there was only one way to get his forgiveness, and that was to take the seat at his dinner-party that night made vacant by the illness of one of his guests. I said I would, and we got to talking. It turned out that he and my father had been schoolmates in boyhood, Yale students together later, and always warm friends up to my father's death.

  he might somehow be able to save me - двойная модальная конструкция

  so new a friend (устр)- совр. Such a new friend

  I wasn't worrying about that; I had always been lucky. - я не волновался, так как до того момента я всегда был удачлив.

  six hundred for the first year NB!!! не уточняется в какой валюте

 
  So then he required me to put in at his house all the odd time I might have to spare, and I was very willing, of course.
  In fact, I was more than willing; I was glad. When the crash should come, he might somehow be able to save me from total destruction; I didn't know how, but he might think of a way, maybe. I couldn't venture to unbosom myself to him at this late date, a thing which I would have been quick to do in the beginning of this awful career of mine in London. No, I couldn't venture it now; I was in too deep; that is, too deep for me to be risking revelations to so new a friend, though not clear beyond my depth, as I looked at it. Because, you see, with all my borrowing, I was carefully keeping within my means--I mean within my salary.
  Of course, I couldn't know what my salary was going to be, but I had a good enough basis for an estimate in the fact, that if I won the bet I was to have choice of any situation in that rich old gentleman's gift provided I was competent--and I should certainly prove competent; I hadn't any doubt about that. And as to the bet, I wasn't worrying about that; I had always been lucky. Now my estimate of the salary was six hundred to a thousand a year; say, six hundred for the first year, and so on up year by year, till I struck the upper figure by proved merit. At present I was only in debt for my first year's salary. Everybody had been trying to lend me money, but I had fought off the most of them on one pretext or another; so this indebtedness represented only ё300 borrowed money, the other ё300 represented my keep and my purchases.

  I could see it without glasses - glasses - не только очки, но и стаканы.

  The moment - в то самое мгновение, как только, так сразу

 
  I believed my second year's salary would carry me through the rest of the month if I went on being cautious and economical, and I intended to look sharply out for that. My month ended, my employer back from his journey, I should be all right once more, for I should at once divide the two years' salary among my creditors by assignment, and get right down to my work.
  It was a lovely dinner-party of fourteen. The Duke and Duchess of Shoreditch, and their daughter the Lady Anne-Grace-Eleanor-Celeste-and-so-forth-and-so-forth-de-Bohun, the Earl and Countess of Newgate, Viscount Cheapside, Lord and Lady Blatherskite, some untitled people of both sexes, the minister and his wife and daughter, and his daughter's visiting friend, an English girl of twenty-two, named Portia Langham, whom I fell in love within two minutes, and she with me--I could see it without glasses. There was still another guest, an American--but I am a little ahead of my story. While the people were still in the drawing-room, whetting up for dinner, and coldly inspecting the late comers, the servant announced:
  "Mr. Lloyd Hastings."
  The moment the usual civilities were over, Hastings caught sight of me, and came straight with cordially outstretched hand; then stopped short when about to shake, and said, with an embarrassed look:
  "I beg your pardon, sir, I thought I knew you."
  "Why, you do know me, old fellow."
  "No. Are you the--the--"
  "Vest-pocket monster? I am, indeed. Don't be afraid to call me by my nickname; I'm used to it." "Well, well, well, this is a surprise. Once or twice I've seen your own name coupled with the nickname, but it never occurred to me that you could be the Henry Adams referred to.

  the Arabian Nights - "Тысяча и одна ночь" памятник средневековой арабской и персидской литературы, собрание рассказов, объединённое историей о персидском царе Шахрияре и его жене по имени )%22разада"ШаHYPERLINK ")%22ШаHYPERLINK%20%22http://ru.wikipedia.org/wiki/%D0%A8%D0%B0%D1%85%D0%B5%D1%80%D0%B5%D0%B7%D0%B0%D0%B4%D0%B0_(%D0%BF%D0%B5%D1%80%D1%81%D0%BE%D0%BD%D0%B0%D0%B6)%22хHYPERLINK%20%22http://ru.wikipedia.org/wiki/%D0%A8%D0%B0%D1%85%D0%B5%D1%80%D0%B5%D0%B7%D0%B0%D0%B4%D0%B0_(%D0%BF%D0%B5%D1%80%D1%81%D0%BE%D0%BD%D0%B0%D0%B6)%22разада"хHYPERLINK ")%22ШаHYPERLINK%20%22http://ru.wikipedia.org/wiki/%D0%A8%D0%B0%D1%85%D0%B5%D1%80%D0%B5%D0%B7%D0%B0%D0%B4%D0%B0_(%D0%BF%D0%B5%D1%80%D1%81%D0%BE%D0%BD%D0%B0%D0%B6)%22хHYPERLINK%20%22http://ru.wikipedia.org/wiki/%D0%A8%D0%B0%D1%85%D0%B5%D1%80%D0%B5%D0%B7%D0%B0%D0%B4%D0%B0_(%D0%BF%D0%B5%D1%80%D1%81%D0%BE%D0%BD%D0%B0%D0%B6)%22разада"разада

  whirl [w?:l] водоворот, завихрение, вихрь Whirlpool -- произоводитель бытовой техники

  the Miners' restaurant; the What Cheer - названия ресторанов употребляются с определённым артиклем: the Pushkin, the Tourandot; Но если ресторан назван в честь основателя - то без артикля: McDonalds

  Why, it isn't six months since you were clerking away for Blake Hopkins in Frisco on a salary, and sitting up nights on an extra allowance, helping me arrange and verify the Gould and Curry Extension papers and statistics. The idea of your being in London, and a vast millionaire, and a colossal celebrity! Why, it's the Arabian Nights come again. Man, I can't take it in at all; can't realize it; give me time to settle the whirl in my head."
  "The fact is, Lloyd, you are no worse off than I am. I can't realize it myself."
  "Dear me, it is stunning, now isn't it? Why, it's just three months today since we went to the Miners' restaurant--"
  "No; the What Cheer."
  "Right, it was the What Cheer; went there at two in the morning, and had a chop and coffee after a hard six-hours grind over those Extension papers, and I tried to persuade you to come to London with me, and offered to get leave of absence for you and pay all your expenses, and give you something over if I succeeded in making the sale; and you would not listen to me, said I wouldn't succeed, and you couldn't afford to lose the run of business and be no end of time getting the hang of things again when you got back home. And yet here you are. How odd it all is! How did you happen to come, and whatever did give you this incredible start?"

  Accident; romance - раньше он своё приключение называл по- другому: Blunder - It's of the last importance - an immense mistake

  vicious and aggravating English system-- the matter of precedence couldn't be settled - так об архаичных неписанных английских законах думают не только американцы. Англичане же считают их самыми лучшими и надёжными в мире.

  Englishmen always eat dinner before they go out to dinner - проще говоря, все беды иностранцев в Англии то, что они всё переводят слишком буквально.

  "Oh, just an accident. It's a long story--a romance, a body may say. I'll tell you all about it, but not now." "When?" "The end of this month." "That's more than a fortnight yet. It's too much of a strain on a person's curiosity. Make it a week." "I can't. You'll know why, by and by. But how's the trade getting along?" His cheerfulness vanished like a breath, and he said with a sigh: "You were a true prophet, Hal, a true prophet. I wish I hadn't come. I don't want to talk about it." "But you must. You must come and stop with me to-night, when we leave here, and tell me all about it." "Oh, may I? Are you in earnest?" and the water showed in his eyes. "Yes; I want to hear the whole story, every word."
  "I'm so grateful! Just to find a human interest once more, in some voice and in some eye, in me and affairs of mine, after what I've been through here--lord! I could go down on my knees for it!" He gripped my hand hard, and braced up, and was all right and lively after that for the dinner--which didn't come off. No; the usual thing happened, the thing that is always happening under that vicious and aggravating English system--the matter of precedence couldn't be settled, and so there was no dinner. Englishmen always eat dinner before they go out to dinner, because they know the risks they are running;

  Conqueror Вильгельм I Завоеватель 1028 -- 1087 король Англии (с 20года"1066), организатор и руководитель нормандского завоевания Англии. Вильгельм основал единое Английское королевство, утвердил законоположения, создал армию и флот. Английский язык обогатился французскими словами, однако ещё 3 столетия среди знати не употреблялся, так как считался "простонародным наречием"

 
  ... but nobody ever warns the stranger, and so he walks placidly into trap. Of course, nobody was hurt this time, because we had all been to dinner, none of us being novices excepting Hastings, and he having been informed by the minister at the time that he invited him that in deference to the English custom he had not provided any dinner.
  Everybody took a lady and processioned down to the dining-room, because it is usual to go through the motions; but there the dispute began. The Duke of Shoreditch wanted to take precedence, and sit at the head of the table, holding that he outranked a minister who represented merely a nation and not a monarch; but I stood for my rights, and refused to yield.
  In the gossip column I ranked all dukes not royal, and said so, and claimed precedence of this one. It couldn't be settled, of course, struggle as we might and did, he finally (and injudiciously) trying to play birth and antiquity, and I "seeing" his Conqueror and "raising" him with Adam, whose direct posterity I was, as shown by my name, while he was of a collateral branch, as shown by his, and by his recent Norman origin; so we all processioned back to the drawing-room again and had a perpendicular lunch--plate of sardines and a strawberry, and you group yourself and stand up and eat it. Here the religion of precedence is not so strenuous; the two persons of highest rank chuck up a shilling, the one that wins has first go at his strawberry, and the loser gets the shilling. The next two chuck up, then the next two, and so on.

  Cribbage Кри?ббедж -- игра для двоих, популярная в Англии и 22США"США. 52 карты. Старшинство карт -- от туза до короля: туз -- 1 очко, десятка, )%22лет"вHYPERLINK ")%22вHYPERLINK%20%22http://ru.wikipedia.org/wiki/%D0%92%D0%B0%D0%BB%D0%B5%D1%82_(%D0%BA%D0%B0%D1%80%D1%82%D0%B0)%22аHYPERLINK%20%22http://ru.wikipedia.org/wiki/%D0%92%D0%B0%D0%BB%D0%B5%D1%82_(%D0%BA%D0%B0%D1%80%D1%82%D0%B0)%22лет"аHYPERLINK ")%22вHYPERLINK%20%22http://ru.wikipedia.org/wiki/%D0%92%D0%B0%D0%BB%D0%B5%D1%82_(%D0%BA%D0%B0%D1%80%D1%82%D0%B0)%22аHYPERLINK%20%22http://ru.wikipedia.org/wiki/%D0%92%D0%B0%D0%BB%D0%B5%D1%82_(%D0%BA%D0%B0%D1%80%D1%82%D0%B0)%22лет"лет, дама, король -- по 10 очков, все прочие карты оцениваются по числу очков на карте. Козырей нет. Цель игры -- набрать 121 очко.

  too-too She's just too-too -- Она ведет себя как-то неестественно; Isn't he just too-too? -- Ну не воображала, а?

 
  After refreshment, tables were brought, and we all played cribbage, sixpence a game. The English never play any game for amusement. If they can't make something or lose something--they don't care which--they won't play.
  We had a lovely time; certainly two of us had, Miss Langham and I. I was so bewitched with her that I couldn't count my hands if they went above a double sequence; and when I struck home I never discovered it, and started up the outside row again, and would have lost the game every time, only the girl did the same, she being in just my condition, you see; and consequently neither of us ever got out, or cared to wonder why we didn't; we only just knew we were happy, and didn't wish to know anything else, and didn't want to be interrupted. And I told her--I did, indeed--told her I loved her; and she--well, she blushed till her hair turned red, but she liked it; she said she did. Oh, there was never such an evening! Every time I pegged I put on a postscript; every time she pegged she acknowledged receipt of it, counting the hands the same. Why, I couldn't even say "Two for his heels" without adding, "My, how sweet you do look!" and she would say, "Fifteen two, fifteen four, fifteen six, and a pair are eight, and eight are sixteen--do you think so?" --peeping out aslant from under her lashes, you know, so sweet and cunning. Oh, it was just too-too! . Well, I was perfectly honest and square with her; told her I hadn't a cent in the world but just the million-pound note she'd heard so much talk .. .

  What in the nation - для современного уха слишком благородно

  she laughed herself lame - она смеялась до хромоты

  So I loved her all the more (устр.) - совр. So I loved her more and more

  for I might soon need that kind of wife - двойная модальная конструкция, сотканная из противоречий. Might - низшая степень уверенности need - выражает крайнюю необходимость. There are only a few small clouds in the sky, so it might rain. She has been seriously injured. She needs two operations on her leg. Hо самое главное слово в предложении - that. а смысл его будет раскроется в самом поледнем предложении.

  ... about, and it didn't belong to me, and that started her curiosity; and then I talked low, and told her the whole history right from the start, and it nearly killed her laughing. What in the nation she could find to laugh about I couldn't see, but there it was; every half-minute some new detail would fetch her, and I would have to stop as much as a minute and a half to give her a chance to settle down again.
  Why, she laughed herself lame --she did, indeed; I never saw anything like it. I mean I never saw a painful story--a story of a person's troubles and worries and fears--produce just that kind of effect before.
  So I loved her all the more, seeing she could be so cheerful when there wasn't anything to be cheerful about; for I might soon need that kind of wife, you know, the way things looked.
  Of course, I told her we should have to wait a couple of years, till I could catch up on my salary; but she didn't mind that, only she hoped I would be as careful as possible in the matter of expenses, and not let them run the least risk of trenching on our third year's pay. Then she began to get a little worried, and wondered if we were making any mistake, and starting the salary on a higher figure for the first year than I would get.

  Confident - уверенность основанная на опыте, интуиции. The surgeon is confident of curing her by means of two serious operations. срвн. their car is too big. they surely don't need such a huge car!? No, they don't. She looks young, but she is not as young as tells us and she certainly dies her hair. surely - чтобы узнат мнение собеседника. certainly - 100% уверенность говорящего.

  I had been feeling To feel употребляется в continuous tenses очень редко для выражения очень сильных чувств. Срвн. Pretty soon I was feeling first-rate.

  Confront ? meet (нейтрально) - значит, во время встречи мог произойти конфликт.

  would it be quite proper - in the proper way надлежащим образом;
  in the proper sense of the word в буквальном смысле слова
  We're in a proper mess -- Мы действительно влипли
  She made a proper fool of herself -- Она вела себя как последняя дура
  He's a proper scoundrel -- Он подлец, каких мало constitutionally proper -- конституционно правильный

  This was good sense, and it made me feel a little less confident than I had been feeling before; but it gave me a good business idea, and I brought it frankly out.
  "Portia, dear, would you mind going with me that day, when I confront those old gentlemen?"
  She shrank a little, but said:
  "N-o; if my being with you would help hearten you. But--would it be quite proper, do you think?" "No, I don't know that it would--in fact, I'm afraid it wouldn't; but, you see, there's so much dependent upon it that--"
  "Then I'll go anyway, proper or improper," she said, with a beautiful and generous enthusiasm. "Oh, I shall be so happy to think I'm helping!"

  everything a body could desire - в России говорят: "Всё, что душа не пожелает!"

  how poor I am--how poor I am, and how miserable, how defeated, routed, annihilated!" анафора ( многократное повторение первого слова)

  Plague take it! - Да проберёт это чума! (сослагательное наклонение)

  "Helping, dear? Why, you'll be doing it all. You're so beautiful and so lovely and so winning, that with you there I can pile our salary up till I break those good old fellows, and they'll never have the heart to struggle."
  Sho! you should have seen the rich blood mount, and her happy eyes shine!
  "You wicked flatterer! There isn't a word of truth in what you say, but still I'll go with you. Maybe it will teach you not to expect other people to look with your eyes."
  Were my doubts dissipated? Was my confidence restored? You may judge by this fact: privately I raised my salary to twelve hundred the first year on the spot. But I didn't tell her; I saved it for a surprise.
  All the way home I was in the clouds, Hastings talking, I not hearing a word. When he and I entered my parlor, he brought me to myself with his fervent appreciations of my manifold comforts and luxuries.
  "Let me just stand here a little and look my fill. Dear me! it's a palace --it's just a palace! And in it everything a body could desire, including cosy coal fire and supper standing ready. Henry, it doesn't merely make me realize how rich you are; it makes me realize, to the bone, to the marrow, how poor I am--how poor I am, and how miserable, how defeated, routed, annihilated! . . "Plague take it! This language gave me the cold shudders. It scared me broad awake, and made me comprehend that I was standing on a half inch crust, with a crater underneath.

  Баррель (досл. -- бочка), мера вместимости и объёма, применяемая в США, Англии и ряде стран, использующих английскую систему мер. В США различают Б. сухой, равный 115,628 дм3, и Б. нефтяной, равный 158,988 дм3. Английский Б. (мера вместимости для сыпучих веществ) равен 163,65 дм3.

  I didn't know I had been dreaming --that is, I hadn't been allowing myself to know it for a while back; but now--oh, dear! Deep in debt, not a cent in the world, a lovely girl's happiness or woe in my hands, and nothing in front of me but a salary which might never--oh, would never--materialize! Oh, oh, oh! I am ruined past hope! nothing can save me!
  "Henry, the mere unconsidered drippings of your daily income would--"
  "Oh, my daily income! Here, down with this hot Scotch, and cheer up your soul. Here's with you! Or, no--you're hungry; sit down and--"
  "Not a bite for me; I'm past it. I can't eat, these days; but I'll drink with you till I drop. Come!"
  "Barrel for barrel, I'm with you! Ready? Here we go! Now, then, Lloyd, unreel your story while I brew."
  "Unreel it? What, again?"
  "Again? What do you mean by that?"
  "Why, I mean do you want to hear it over again?"
  "Do I want to hear it over again? This is a puzzler. Wait; don't take any more of that liquid. You don't need it."
  "Look here, Henry, you alarm me. Didn't I tell you the whole story on the way here?"
  "You?"
  "Yes, I."
  "I'll be hanged if I heard a word of it."
  "Henry, this is a serious thing. It troubles me. What did you take up yonder at the minister's?"
  Then it all flashed on me, and I owned up like a man.
  "I took the dearest girl in this world--prisoner!"
 

  ... he came ... we shook, and shook, and shook till our hands ached; and he didn't blame me for not having heard ... story which had lasted while we walked three miles. He ... sat down ... he told it all over again.

  not having heard ... story which had lasted = i had not heard ... story which had lasted оба эти действия произошли до цепи событий

  Synopsized, it amounted to this: Synopsized = being synopsized пассивный залог.

  He had come to England ... he had an "option... all he could get ... He had worked hard, had pulled ..., had left ... had spent nearly all the money he had in the world, had not been able to get ... In a word, he was ruined. Then he jumped up and cried out: до того как он был разорен, он приехал в Англию ... не смог получить. 6-кратное употребление Ps Pf перед Ps I. NB! ДАЖЕ ЕСЛИ ЦЕПЬ СОБЫТИЙ в Ps Pf, в придаточных предложениях употребляется только Ps I.

 
  So then he came with a rush, and we shook, and shook, and shook till our hands ached; and he didn't blame me for not having heard a word of a story which had lasted while we walked three miles. He just sat down then, like the patient, good fellow he was, and told it all over again. Synopsized, it amounted to this: He had come to England with what he thought was a grand opportunity; he had an "option" to sell the Gould and Curry Extension for the "locators" of it, and keep all he could get over a million dollars. He had worked hard, had pulled every wire he knew of, had left no honest expedient untried, had spent nearly all the money he had in the world, had not been able to get a solitary capitalist to listen to him, and his option would run out at the end of the month. In a word, he was ruined.
  Then he jumped up and cried out:

  Will you do it? Won't you do it? - потенциальный миллионер явно не страдает от избытка красноречия! До чего ж любил М. Твен иронизировать над соотечественниками.

  he would have danced the furniture to kindling-wood in his insane joy, and broken everything on the place, if I hadn't tripped him up and tied him. сослагательное наклонение. прошедшее время.

 
  "Henry, you can save me! You can save me, and you're the only man in the universe that can. Will you do it? Won't you do it?"
  "Tell me how. Speak out, my boy."
  "Give me a million and my passage home for my 'option'! Don't, don't refuse!"
  I was in a kind of agony. I was right on the point of coming out with the words, "Lloyd, I'm a pauper myself--absolutely penniless, and in debt!" But a white-hot idea came flaming through my head, and I gripped my jaws together, and calmed myself down till I was as cold as a capitalist. Then I said, in a commercial and self-possessed way:
  "I will save you, Lloyd--"
  "Then I'm already saved! God be merciful to you forever! If ever I--"
  "Let me finish, Lloyd. I will save you, but not in that way; for that would not be fair to you, after your hard work, and the risks you've run. I don't need to buy mines; I can keep my capital moving, in a commercial center like London, without that; it's what I'm at, all the time; but here is what I'll do. I know all about that mine, of course; I know its immense value, and can swear to it if anybody wishes it. You shall sell out inside of the fortnight for three millions cash, using my name freely, and we'll divide, share and share alike."
  Do you know, he would have danced the furniture to kindling-wood in his insane joy, and broken everything on the place, if I hadn't tripped him up and tied him. Then he lay there, perfectly happy, saying:

  abuzz гудящий, жужжащий, деятельный срвн. buzz [b?z] "зависать" (о системе); зацикливание, неисправность компьютера, при которой он что-то делает, но не реагирует на команды

  Dressed = having dressed

 
  "I may use your name! Your name--think of it!
  Man, they'll flock in droves, these rich Londoners; they'll fight for that stock! I'm a made man, I'm a made man forever, and I'll never forget you as long as I live!"
  In less than twenty-four hours London was abuzz! I hadn't anything to do, day after day, but sit at home, and say to all comers:
  "Yes; I told him to refer to me. I know the man, and I know the mine. His character is above reproach, and the mine is worth far more than he asks for it." Meantime I spent all my evenings at the minister's with Portia. I didn't say a word to her about the mine; I saved it for a surprise. We talked salary; never anything but salary and love; sometimes love, sometimes salary, sometimes love and salary together. And my! the interest the minister's wife and daughter took in our little affair, and the endless ingenuities they invented to save us from interruption, and to keep the minister in the dark and unsuspicious--well, it was just lovely of them!
  When the month was up at last, I had a million dollars to my credit in the London and County Bank, and Hastings was fixed in the same way. Dressed at my level best, I drove by the house in Portland Place, judged by the look of things that my birds were home again, went on towards the minister's and got my precious, and we started back, talking salary with all our might. She was so excited and anxious that it made her just intolerably beautiful. I said:
  "Dearie, the way you're looking it's a crime to strike for a salary a single penny under three thousand a year."
  "Henry, Henry, you'll ruin us!"
  "Don't you be afraid. Just keep up those looks, and trust to me. It'll all come out right."

  future stay and helpmate = wife NB ... for I might soon need that kind of wife ... ТАЙНА СЛОВА "" приоткрыта, но интрига ещё сохраняется

  косвенное (кому, чему?) и прямое (кого,что?) дополнения. I introduced brothers to Portia. I introduced brothers to her. I introduced them to the Portia. I introduced them to her I introduced Portia the brothers. I introduced her the brothers.

  he did survive cрвн. how I did eat!

  So, as it turned out, I had to keep bolstering up her courage all the way. She kept pleading with me, and saying:
  "Oh, please remember that if we ask for too much we may get no salary at all; and then what will become of us, with no way in the world to earn our living?" We were ushered in by that same servant, and there they were, the two old gentlemen. Of course, they were surprised to see that wonderful creature with me, but I said:
  "It's all right, gentlemen; she is my future stay and helpmate."
  And I introduced them to her, and called them by name. It didn't surprise them; they knew I would know enough to consult the directory. They seated us, and were very polite to me, and very solicitous to relieve her from embarrassment, and put her as much at her ease as they could. Then I said:
  "Gentlemen, I am ready to report."
  "We are glad to hear it," said my man, "for now we can decide the bet which my brother Abel and I made. If you have won for me, you shall have any situation in my gift. Have you the million-pound note?"
  "Here it is, sir," and I handed it to him.
  "I've won!" he shouted, and slapped Abel on the back. "Now what do you say, brother?"
  "I say he did survive, and I've lost twenty thousand pounds.

  I never would have believed it. ни за что б в жизни я этому не поверил! Сослагательное наклонение, прошедшее время.

  Have you been fibbing to me? Is this another one of your fibs? -- Это еще одна твоя очередная выдумка? Stop fibbing and tell me the truth -- Хватит выдумывать и скажи мне правду

 
  I never would have believed it."
  "I've a further report to make," I said, "and a pretty long one.
  I want you to let me come soon, and detail my whole month's history; and I promise you it's worth hearing. Meantime, take a look at that."
  "What, man! Certificate of deposit for ё200,000. Is it yours?"
  "Mine. I earned it by thirty days' judicious use of that little loan you let me have.
  And the only use I made of it was to buy trifles and offer the bill in change."
  "Come, this is astonishing! It's incredible, man!"
  "Never mind, I'll prove it. Don't take my word unsupported."
  But now Portia's turn was come to be surprised. Her eyes were spread wide, and she said:
  "Henry, is that really your money? Have you been fibbing to me?"
  "I have, indeed, dearie. But you'll forgive me, I know."
  She put up an arch pout, and said:
  "Don't you be so sure. You are a naughty thing to deceive me so!"
  "Oh, you'll get over it, sweetheart, you'll get over it; it was only fun, you know. Come, let's be going."
  "But wait, wait! The situation, you know. I want to give you the situation," said my man.
  "Well," I said, "I'm just as grateful as I can be, but really I don't want one."

  the very choicest - избранную из избранных

  petrified They drink till they pass out petrified -- Они пьют до потери пульса
  Petrified Forest - "Окаменелый лес", большой национальный парк штат Аризона, где в разрезах скал видны окаменевшие остатки древних деревьев
  petrified wood - окаменевшее дерево (символ штата Вашингтон, 1975

  at the minister's = at the minister's house срвн. at the baker's, doctor's, butcher's...

  papa's and Uncle Abel's scheme - два подлежащих в притяжательном падеже.

  "Henry, I'm ashamed of you. You don't half thank the good gentleman. May I do it for you?"
  "Indeed, you shall, dear, if you can improve it. Let us see you try."
  She walked to my man, got up in his lap, put her arm round his neck, and kissed him right on the mouth. Then the two old gentlemen shouted with laughter, but I was dumfounded, just petrified, as you may say. Portia said:
  "Papa, he has said you haven't a situation in your gift that he'd take; and I feel just as hurt as--"
  "My darling, is that your papa?"
  "Yes; he's my step-papa, and the dearest one that ever was. You understand now, don't you, why I was able to laugh when you told me at the minister's, not knowing my relationships, what trouble and worry papa's and Uncle Abel's scheme was giving you?"
  Of course, I spoke right up now, without any fooling, and went straight to the point.
  "Oh, my dearest dear sir, I want to take back what I said. You have got a situation open that I want."
  "Name it."

  ...papa took that ... bill ... cashed it; the Bank canceled it and made ... he gave it ... it has always hung ... For it gave me my Portia. и с тех пор, как только закончилась цепь событий банкнота всё висит...

  But for it I could not have remained in London, would not have appeared at the minister's, never should have met her. Сослагательное наклонение, прошедшее время.

  it never made but one purchase in its life. на него сделана всего лишь одна покупка.

  about a tenth part of its value = ё10,000,000. теперь становится понятно, истинное значение слова "that" ... for I might soon need that kind of wife... = future stay and helpmate, who is worth = ё10,000,000

  "Son-in-law." "Well, well, well! But you know, if you haven't ever served in that capacity, you, of course, can't furnish recommendations of a sort to satisfy the conditions of the contract, and so--" "Try me--oh, do, I beg of you! Only just try me thirty or forty years, and if--" "Oh, well, all right; it's but a little thing to ask, take her along."
  Happy, we two? There are not words enough in the unabridged to describe it. And when London got the whole history, a day or two later, of my month's adventures with that bank-note, and how they ended, did London talk, and have a good time? Yes. My Portia's papa took that friendly and hospitable bill back to the Bank of England and cashed it; then the Bank canceled it and made him a present of it, and he gave it to us at our wedding, and it has always hung in its frame in the sacredest place in our home ever since. For it gave me my Portia. But for it I could not have remained in London, would not have appeared at the minister's, never should have met her. And so I always say, "Yes, it's a million-pounder, as you see; but it never made but one purchase in its life, and then got the article for only about a tenth part of its value."
 
 
 
 
 
  191
 
 
 

 Ваша оценка:

Связаться с программистом сайта.

Новые книги авторов СИ, вышедшие из печати:
О.Болдырева "Крадуш. Чужие души" М.Николаев "Вторжение на Землю"

Как попасть в этoт список

Кожевенное мастерство | Сайт "Художники" | Доска об'явлений "Книги"