Коллектив авторов - Лучшие повести британских и американских писателей / Best Short Novels by British & American Authors

Ah Bartleby! Ah humanity!

Somersetshire– а historic county in the southwest of England

Methodist– а member of the Methodist Church which separated from the Church of England in the 18th century and later developed into an autonomous church

chaise– а low carriage with two or four wheels

Cambridgeshire– а historic county in eastern England

brogue– а local way of speaking English; а dialect

was dead against– was strongly against

Providence– God or some power that intervenes in human lives and affairs of the world

the Eesraelites– the Israelites, people of Jewish origin, members of the twelve tribes of Israel; in the 10th century BC, ten tribes established the Kingdom of Israel, and two tribes the Kingdom of Judah.

the West-end– the fashionable part of London known for its palaces, mansions, parks and shops

laudanum– а sedative made from opium

delusion– а false opinion that may be а symptom of madness

Metz– а city in northeastern France; it was founded by а Gallic tribe and later fortified by the Romans

the River Moselle– а river in northeastern France and western Germany, а tributary of the Rhine River

Moselle wine– famous wine produced in Germany from the vineyards on the banks of the Moselle River

lunatic asylum– а mental hospital for the care and treatment of mental patients

delirium– mental excitement during illness (usually fever) accompanied by senseless, incoherent speech

pâté– paste

demon– а wicked or cruel spirit or supernatural creature

yawl– а sailing boat with two masts

Deptford– an area in the borough of Lewicham in London

Greenwich– an outer borough of London on the bank of the Thames

Erith– an area in Bexley, an outer borough of London on the south bank of the River Thames

halos– а halo is a circle of light round the sun and the moon, or above the heads of the saints

the Gauls– Celtic tribes known to the Romans as Gauls; they inhabited Europe in 500 BC-500 AD

concertina– а musical wind instrument held in the hands and played by pressing keys

Falernian wine– an Italian dark red wine

Ravenna– а city in northeastern Italy 10 km from the Adriatic Sea

Buddha(6th-4th century BC) – the founder of Buddhism, one of the major world religious and philosophical systems

Fleet Street– а street in central London where important newspaper offices used to be located at the time of the events depicted in the story

the Channel– or the English Channel, а narrow arm of the Atlantic Ocean separating the British Isles from the Continent

venetian blinds– а window screen with horizontal strips that can be adjusted as wanted

Bon voyage.– Happy voyage., Happy journey. ( French )

Morituri te salutant.– ‘Those who are going to die salute you.’ ( Latin ) – the words used by Roman gladiators to greet Caesar

emissary– а person sent with а message (usually а secret one)

farcical– absurd

catacomb(s)– underground galleries, often used for the burial of the dead

inches– an inch is a unit of length equal to 2.54 cm

Deal– а town on the Strait of Dover, 14 km northeast of Dover

Gravesend– а town in the county of Kent, in the southeastern England, on the bank of the Thames

yokels– simple-minded countrymen

lb.– а pound, measure of weight equal to 453.59 grams

Zanzibaris– inhabitants of Zanzibar, an island in the Indian Ocean near the coast of eastern Africa

philanthropic– kind, helpful, sympathetic

papier-mâché– pulped paper used to make boxes, souvenirs, etc.

Mephistopheles– а literary character invented in the tradition of magic and demonology by anonymous author in 1587; а fallen angel, а spirit of the Devil

lunatics– mad persons

ichthyosaurus– an extinct aquatic reptile

Eldorado– an imaginary country rich in gold

cannibals– persons who eat humans

Winchesters– rifles developed by Oliver Winchester (1810–1880), an American manufacturer of guns

hullabaloo– uproar or disturbance

apathy– indifference

Martini-Henry– а rifle used in the 19th century

a black Sahara– the southern part of Sahara, the largest desert of the world, where Negroid peoples live; the north of Sahara is inhabited by the Arabs

harlequin– а character in Italian comedy and English pantomime wearing а mask and multicoloured clothes

brown holland– rough linen

canoes– а canoe is a light boat moved by one or several persons

Jupiter– in Roman mythology and religion, the chief God, the sky God

sorcerer– а person who practices magic with the help of evil spirits

Hades– in the Greek Old Testament, the place where the dead live

the Mississippi River– the largest river in North America, and, together with its tributary, the Missouri, the longest river in the world

New England– а region in the northwest of the USA including several states; the name was given by Captain Smith in 1614

Midas– in Greek and Roman mythology, а king of Phrygia known for his foolishness and greed

Boston– а city in the northwest of the United States, on Massachusetts Bay

Chicago– а large city in northwestern Illinois

Victorian– smb. or smth. (art, style, literature, people, etc.) of the time of Queen Victoria (1837–1901)

preparatory school– in the USA, а private school where pupils are prepared for college