Array O. Henry - 10 short stories O. Henry. Книга для чтения на английском языке. Неадаптированный текст

And now for the story which is to prove to you| эта история докажет вам | that we have traditions on this side of the ocean that are becoming older at a much rapider| которые становятся старее, гораздо быстрее, чем… | rate than those of England are – thanks to our git-up and enterprise| настойчивости и предприимчивости |.

Stuffy Pete| Слово stuffy имеет много значений – душный, скучный, занудный, забитый, чопорный. Стаффи Пит – это явно кличка, но какое именно значение слова stuffy имел в виду О. Генри понять сложно, поэтому в русском переводе слово не было переведено. Стаффи Пит так и остался Стаффи Питом| , took his seat on the third bench to the right as you enter Union Square from the east at the walk opposite the fountain. Every Thanksgiving Day for nine years he had taken his seat there promptly at 1 o’clock. For every time he had done so things had happened to him – Charles Dickensy things| события в духе Чарльза Диккенса случались с ним | that swelled| раздувало | his waistcoat above his heart, and equally| в равной степени | on the other side.

But to-day Stuffy Pete’s appearance at the annual trysting place| обычном месте | seemed to have been rather| казалось, что было скорее… | the result of habit than of the yearly hunger which, as the philanthropists seem to think, afflicts the poor at such extended intervals| буквально – мучают бедняков в такие большие интервалы. Лучше – по мнению филантропов, голод настигает бедных раз в году на День Благодарения (Тут О.Генри имеет в виду, что в Америке есть традиция подкармливать бедных в этот день)|.

Certainly Pete was not hungry. He had just come from a feast that had left him of his powers barely those of respiration and locomotion| он едва мог двигаться и дышать |. His eyes were like two pale gooseberries| ягоды крыжовника | firmly imbedded in a swollen and gravy-smeared mask of putty | опухший, намазанный соусом пластилин |. His breath came in short wheezes; a senatorial roll of adipose tissue denied a fashionable set to his upturned coat collar| складки депутатского жира на шее портили линию поднятого воротника пальто |. Buttons that had been sewed| были пришиты | upon his clothes by kind Salvation fingers| добрыми пальцами служителя Армии Спасения . Армия Спасения – одна из старейших христианских организаций , целью которой является помощь бедным , бездомным и т . д .| a week before flew like popcorn, strewingthe earth around him | отлетали … усеивая |. Ragged| истрепанный , в лохмотьях | he was, with a split shirt front open to the wishbone| разорвана на груди |; but the November breeze, carrying fine snowflakes, brought him only a grateful coolness. For Stuffy Pete was overchargedwith the caloric| перенасыщен калориями | produced by a super-bountiful dinner, beginning with oysters and ending with plum pudding, and including (it seemed to him) all the roast turkey and baked potatoes and chicken salad and squash pie and ice cream in the world. Wherefore| Вот почему | he sat, gorged, and gazed upon the world with after-dinner contempt| с послеобеденным презрением |.

The meal had been an unexpected one| Еда получилась неожиданной |. He was passing a red brick mansion near the beginning of Fifth avenue, in which lived two old ladies of ancient family and a reverence| с глубоким уважением | for traditions. They even denied the existence of New York, and believed that Thanksgiving Day was declared solely for Washington Square| квартал Нью-Йорка, где две старые леди и жили |. One of their traditional habits was to station| поставить | a servant at the postern gate| у задних ворот | with orders to admit | впустить |the first hungry wayfarer| путника | that came along after the hour of noon had struck, and banquet him to a finish| и накормить его до потери пульса |. Stuffy Pete happened| так случилось, что | to pass by on his way to the park, and the seneschals| сенешаль, он же швейцар | gathered him in and upheld the custom of the castle.

After Stuffy Pete had gazed straight before him for ten minutes he was conscious of a desire for a more varied field of vision| к нему пришло желание расширить кругозор |. With a tremendous effort he moved his head slowly to the left. And then his eyes bulged out fearfully| его глаза выкатились от страха |, and his breath ceased, and the rough-shod ends of his short legs wriggled and rustled on the gravel| и его ступни, обутые в грубую обувь, задергались по гравию |.

For the Old Gentleman| For здесь никак не переводится | was coming across Fourth avenue toward his bench.

Every Thanksgiving Day for nine years the Old Gentleman had come there and found Stuffy Pete on his bench. That was a thing that the Old Gentleman was trying to make a tradition of. Every Thanksgiving Day for nine years he had found Stuffy there, and had led him| отводил его | to a restaurant and watched him eat a big dinner. They do those things in England unconsciously. But this is a young country, and nine years is not so bad. The Old Gentleman was a staunch| преданный | American patriot, and considered himself a pioneer|« пионер» в смысле первооткрыватель | in American tradition. In order to become picturesque we must keep on doing one thing for a long time without ever letting it get away from us. Something like collecting the weekly dimes in industrial insurance| сбора еженедельных десятицентовых взносов в промышленном страховании |. Or cleaning the streets.