Оскар Уайльд: Английский с Оскаром Уайльдом. Кентервильское привидение / Oscar Wilde. The Canterville Ghost

“We have not cared to live in the place ourselves,” said Lord Canterville, “since my grandaunt, the Dowager Duchess of Bolton, was frightened into a fit, from which she never really recovered, by two skeleton hands being placed on her shoulders as she was dressing for dinner, and I feel bound to tell you, Mr. Otis, that the ghost has been seen by several living members of my family, as well as by the rector of the parish, the Rev. Augustus Dampier, who is a Fellow of King’s College, Cambridge.”

“After the unfortunate accident to the Duchess(после несчастного случая с герцогиней) , none of our younger servants would stay with us(никто из наших более молодых слуг не хотел оставаться с нами) , and Lady Canterville often got very little sleep at night(и леди Кентервиль часто очень мало спала ночью) in consequence of the mysterious noises(вследствие таинственных звуков) that came from the corridor and the library(которые доносились из коридора и библиотеки; to come – приходить, приезжать; происходить, бывать /from/ ) .”

“After the unfortunate accident to the Duchess, none of our younger servants would stay with us, and Lady Canterville often got very little sleep at night, in consequence of the mysterious noises that came from the corridor and the library.”

“My Lord,” answered the Minister(«мой лорд», ответил посол) , “I will take the furniture and the ghost at a valuation(я возьму и мебель, и привидение за /назначенную/ цену; valuation – оценка, определение ценности ) . I have come from a modern country(я приехал из современной страны) , where we have everything that money can buy(где у нас есть все, что можно купить за деньги) ; and with all our spry young fellows painting the Old World red(и со всеми нашими проворными молодыми парнями, /приезжающими/ развлекаться в Старый Свет; to paint red – посещать бары, клубы и т. д.; развлекаться; to paint – писать красками ) and carrying off your best actors and primadonnas(и увозящими ваших лучших актеров и примадонн) , I reckon that if there were such a thing as a ghost in Europe(я полагаю, что если бы такая вещь, как привидение, существовала в Европе) , we’d have it at home in a very short time in one of our public museums(мы бы очень скоро имели его дома = у нас в одном из наших публичных музеев; in a very short time – в очень короткое время ) or on the road as a show(или на дороге, как /разъездное/ шоу) .”

“My Lord,” answered the Minister, “I will take the furniture and the ghost at a valuation. I have come from a modern country, where we have everything that money can buy; and with all our spry young fellows painting the Old World red, and carrying off your best actors and primadonnas, I reckon that if there were such a thing as a ghost in Europe, we’d have it at home in a very short time in one of our public museums, or on the road as a show.”

“I fear that the ghost exists(я боюсь, что привидение существует) ,” said Lord Canterville, smiling(улыбаясь) , “though it may have resisted the overtures of your enterprising impresarios(хотя оно могло противостоять предложениям ваших предприимчивых импресарио; overture – попытка /примирения, завязывания знакомства/; инициатива /переговоров, заключения договоров и т. п./; формальное предложение; увертюра ) . It has been well known for three centuries(оно было хорошо известно в течение трех веков; to know – знать ) , since 1584 in fact(в действительности, с 1584 г.) , and always makes its appearance before the death of any member of our family(и всегда появляется перед смертью кого-либо из членов нашей семьи; to make one’s appearance – появляться ) .”

“I fear that the ghost exists,” said Lord Canterville, smiling, “though it may have resisted the overtures of your enterprising impresarios. It has been well known for three centuries, since 1584 in fact, and always makes its appearance before the death of any member of our family.”

“Well, so does the family doctor for that matter, Lord Canterville(ну, так же как и семейный доктор, коли на то пошло; matter – вещество; сущность; вопрос, тема ) . But there is no such thing, sir, as a ghost(но не существует такой вещи, сэр, как привидение) , and I guess the laws of Nature are not going to be suspended for the British aristocracy(и я думаю, что законы природы не будут изменены ради британской аристократии; to suspend – откладывать; приостанавливать ) .”

“Well, so does the family doctor for that matter, Lord Canterville. But there is no such thing, sir, as a ghost, and I guess the laws of Nature are not going to be suspended for the British aristocracy.”

“You are certainly very natural in America,”(вы в Америке, несомненно, очень близки к природе; to be very natural – быть очень естественным ) ,” answered Lord Canterville(ответил) , who did not quite understand Mr. Otis’s last observation(который не совсем понял последнее замечание мистера Отиса) ,” and if you don’t mind a ghost in the house(и если вы не против привидения в доме; to mind – быть против ) , it is all right(все в порядке) . Only you must remember I warned you(только вы должны помнить, /что/ я предупредил вас) .”