Читаем без скачивания Английский язык с Джеромом К. Джеромом. Трое в лодке, не считая собаки - Jerome Jerome

Old ladies, not accustomed to the river, are always intensely nervous of steam launches (старые дамы, не привыкшие к реке, всегда очень пугаются паровых баркасов). I remember going up once from Staines to Windsor (помню, как однажды поднимался из Стэйнса в Виндзор) — a stretch of water peculiarly rich in these mechanical monstrosities (участок реки, особенно богатый этими механическими чудовищами) — with a party containing three ladies of this description (с компанией, в которой были: «содержавшей/включавшей» трех дам этого типа; description — описание; вид, сорт, класс). It was very exciting (это было очень увлекательно). At the first glimpse of every steam launch that came in view (при первом мелькании баркаса, что попадал в поле зрения = только завидев баркас), they insisted on landing and sitting down on the bank until it was out of sight again (они настаивали на том, чтобы причалить и посидеть на берегу, пока он снова не скроется из виду). They said they were very sorry, but that they owed it to their families not to be foolhardy (они говорили, им очень жаль, но их семьи не позволяют им быть безрассудно смелыми; to owe — быть должным, быть обязанным).

saucepan [ˈsɔ:spǝn] mechanical [mɪˈkænɪk(ǝ)l]

Another good way we discovered of irritating the aristocratic type of steam launch, was to mistake them for a beanfeast, and ask them if they were Messrs. Cubit's lot or the Bermondsey Good Templars, and could they lend us a saucepan.

Old ladies, not accustomed to the river, are always intensely nervous of steam launches. I remember going up once from Staines to Windsor — a stretch of water peculiarly rich in these mechanical monstrosities — with a party containing three ladies of this description. It was very exciting. At the first glimpse of every steam launch that came in view, they insisted on landing and sitting down on the bank until it was out of sight again. They said they were very sorry, but that they owed it to their families not to be foolhardy.

We found ourselves short of water at Hambledon Lock (мы обнаружили, что у нас нет воды, у Хамблдонского шлюза); so we took our jar and went up to the lock-keeper's house to beg for some (поэтому мы взяли кувшин и отправились к дому начальника шлюза, чтобы попросить воды).

George was our spokesman (Джордж был нашим представителем). He put on a winning smile, and said (он пустил в ход обаятельную улыбку и сказал; to put on — надевать; принимать вид, прикидываться):

"Oh, please could you spare us a little water (не могли бы вы выделить нам немного воды)?"

"Certainly (конечно)," replied the old gentleman (ответил пожилой джентльмен); "take as much as you want, and leave the rest (возьмите, сколько вам нужно, и оставьте остальное)."

"Thank you so much (большое вам спасибо)," murmured George, looking about him (пробормотал Джордж, осматриваясь). "Where — where do you keep it (где вы ее держите)?"

"It's always in the same place, my boy (она всегда на одном и том же месте, молодой человек: «мой мальчик»; my boy — братец, старина; парень, человек /употребляется вместо man/)," was the stolid reply (был невозмутимый ответ; stolid — бесстрастный, невозмутимый, флегматичный, вялый): "just behind you (как раз позади вас)."

"I don't see it (я ее не вижу)," said George, turning round (сказал Джордж, оборачиваясь).

We found ourselves short of water at Hambledon Lock; so we took our jar and went up to the lock-keeper's house to beg for some.

George was our spokesman. He put on a winning smile, and said:

"Oh, please could you spare us a little water?"

"Certainly," replied the old gentleman; "take as much as you want, and leave the rest."

"Thank you so much," murmured George, looking about him. "Where — where do you keep it?"

"It's always in the same place, my boy," was the stolid reply: "just behind you."

"I don't see it," said George, turning round.

"Why, bless us, where's your eyes (черт возьми, где же ваши глаза)?" was the man's comment, as he twisted George round and pointed up and down the stream (было замечание этого человека = заметил начальник шлюза, поворачивая Джорджа кругом и показывая вверх и вниз по течению = обводя всю реку). "There's enough of it to see, ain't there (ее достаточно, чтобы увидеть, не так ли = вон сколько воды)?"

"Oh!" exclaimed George, grasping the idea (воскликнул Джордж, понимая); "but we can't drink the river, you know (но мы не можем выпить реку, видите ли)!"

"No; but you can drink some of it (но вы можете выпить часть ее)," replied the old fellow (ответил старик). "It's what I've drunk for the last fifteen years (/именно/ ее я пил последние пятнадцать лет)."

George told him that his appearance, after the course (Джордж сказал ему, что его внешность после этого; course — курс, направление; продолжение; линия поведения, образ действия), did not seem a sufficiently good advertisement for the brand (не выглядит достаточно хорошей рекламой торговой марки = плохая реклама для фирмы; brand — торговая марка, товарный знак, бренд; клеймо); and that he would prefer it out of a pump (и что он предпочел бы воду из колодца; pump — колодец, помпа; колодец с насосом).

comment [ˈkɔment] advertisement [ǝdˈvǝ:tɪsmǝnt]

"Why, bless us, where's your eyes?" was the man's comment, as he twisted George round and pointed up and down the stream. "There's enough of it to see, ain't there?"

"Oh!" exclaimed George, grasping the idea; "but we can't drink the river, you know!"

"No; but you can drink some of it," replied the old fellow. "It's what I've drunk for the last fifteen years."

George told him that his appearance, after the course, did not seem a sufficiently good advertisement for the brand; and that he would prefer it out of a pump.

We got some from a cottage a little higher up (мы достали воды в одном домике, немного выше /по течению/). I daresay that was only river water, if we had known (полагаю, это была всего лишь речная вода, если бы мы знали). But we did not know, so it was all right (но мы не знали, поэтому все было в порядке). What the eye does not see, the stomach does not get upset over (что не видит глаз, из-за того желудок не расстраивается /переделка изречения: what the eye does not see, the heart does not grieve — что глаз не видит, о том сердце не скорбит/).

We tried river water once, later on in the season, but it was not a success (мы пробовали речную воду однажды, позднее, но это не было удачей = вышло плохо; season — время года; сезон, период; неопределенный отрезок времени). We were coming down stream, and had pulled up to have tea in a backwater near Windsor (мы шли вниз по течению и остановились выпить чаю в заводи неподалеку от Виндзора). Our jar was empty, and it was a case of going without our tea or taking water from the river (наш кувшин был пуст, и это было ситуацией = нам предстояло обойтись без чая или взять воду из реки). Harris was for chancing it (Гаррис был за то, чтобы рискнуть). He said it must be all right if we boiled the water (он сказал, все будет хорошо, если мы вскипятим воду). He said that the various germs of poison present in the water would be killed by the boiling (он сказал, что различные ядовитые/вредные микробы, присутствующие в воде, будут убиты кипячением). So we filled our kettle with Thames backwater, and boiled it (поэтому мы наполнили чайник водой из заводи Темзы и вскипятили ее); and very careful we were to see that it did boil (очень тщательно проследили, чтобы она действительно вскипела).

stomach [ˈstʌmǝk] germ [ʤǝ:m]

We got some from a cottage a little higher up. I daresay that was only river water, if we had known. But we did not know, so it was all right. What the eye does not see, the stomach does not get upset over.

We tried river water once, later on in the season, but it was not a success. We were coming down stream, and had pulled up to have tea in a backwater near Windsor. Our jar was empty, and it was a case of going without our tea or taking water from the river. Harris was for chancing it. He said it must be all right if we boiled the water. He said that the various germs of poison present in the water would be killed by the boiling. So we filled our kettle with Thames backwater, and boiled it; and very careful we were to see that it did boil.

We had made the tea, and were just settling down comfortably to drink it (мы приготовили чай и усаживались удобно, чтобы выпить его), when George, with his cup half-way to his lips, paused and exclaimed (когда Джордж, /поднеся/ чашку на полпути к своим губам, остановился и воскликнул):

"What's that (что это)?"

"What's what (что)?" asked Harris and I.

"Why that (да вот это)!" said George, looking westward (сказал Джордж, глядя на запад).

Harris and I followed his gaze, and saw (мы с Гаррисом последовали за его взглядом и увидели), coming down towards us on the sluggish current, a dog (как к нам плыла в медленном/ленивом потоке собака). It was one of the quietest and peacefullest dogs I have ever seen (это была одна из самых спокойных и мирных собак, что я когда-либо видел). I never met a dog who seemed more contented — more easy in its mind (никогда не встречал собаки, которая казалась бы более довольной — более спокойной). It was floating dreamily on its back, with its four legs stuck up straight into the air (она плыла мечтательно на спине, вытянув в воздух /все/ четыре лапы; to stick up — ставить торчком, выставлять). It was what I should call a full-bodied dog, with a well-developed chest (это была, как бы я назвал, полная/основательная собака, с хорошо развитой грудной клеткой). On he came, serene, dignified, and calm, until he was abreast of our boat (она плыла, спокойная, величественная и мирная, пока не поравнялась с нашей лодкой; to be abreast of — быть наравне с кем-либо; идти в ногу), and there, among the rushes, he eased up (тут, среди камышей = в камышах, она замедлила ход), and settled down cosily for the evening (и устроилась уютно на /весь/ вечер).

paused [pɔ:zd] serene [sɪˈri:n]

We had made the tea, and were just settling down comfortably to drink it, when George, with his cup half-way to his lips, paused and exclaimed:

"What's that?"

"What's what?" asked Harris and I.

"Why that!" said George, looking westward.

Harris and I followed his gaze, and saw, coming down towards us on the sluggish current, a dog. It was one of the quietest and peacefullest dogs I have ever seen. I never met a dog who seemed more contented — more easy in its mind. It was floating dreamily on its back, with its four legs stuck up straight into the air. It was what I should call a full-bodied dog, with a well-developed chest. On he came, serene, dignified, and calm, until he was abreast of our boat, and there, among the rushes, he eased up, and settled down cosily for the evening.