Илья Франк - Английский язык с В. Ирвингом. Рип ван Винкль

Here they used to sit in the shade through a long lazy summer's day, talking listlessly over village gossip, or telling endless sleepy stories about nothing. But it would have been worth any statesman's money to have heard the profound discussions that sometimes took place, when by chance an old newspaper fell into their hands from some passing traveller. How solemnly they would listen to the contents, as drawled out by Derrick Van Bummel, the schoolmaster, a dapper learned little man, who was not to be daunted by the most gigantic word in the dictionary; and how sagely they would deliberate upon public events some months after they had taken place.

The opinions of this junto were completely controlled by Nicholas Vedder (убеждения этого тайного союза были полностью под контролем Николаса Веддера; junto [‘GAntqV] — тайный союз, клика ), a patriarch of the village (патриарха деревни; patriarch [‘peItrIQ:k] — глава рода; патриарх; основатель ), and landlord of the inn (и владельца гостиницы), at the door of which he took his seat from morning till night (у двери которой он занимал свое место с утра до вечера), just moving sufficiently to avoid the sun (только сдвигаясь в достаточной мере, чтобы избежать солнца; sufficient [s(q)’fIS(q)nt] — достаточный, обоснованный; достаточное количество ) and keep in the shade of a large tree (и держаться в тени большого дерева); so that the neighbors could tell the hour by his movements as accurately as by a sun-dial (так, что соседи могли определять время: «час» по его передвижениям так же точно, как по солнечным часам). It is true he was rarely heard to speak (правда, редко слышали, чтобы он говорил: «это правда, что он был редко слышим говорящим»; to hear [hIq] — heard [hq:d] — heard — слышать; услышать ), but smoked his pipe incessantly (но беспрестанно курил свою трубку; incessant [In’sesnt] — непрерывный, беспрестанный ).

The opinions of this junto were completely controlled by Nicholas Vedder, a patriarch of the village, and landlord of the inn, at the door of which he took his seat from morning till night, just moving sufficiently to avoid the sun and keep in the shade of a large tree; so that the neighbors could tell the hour by his movements as accurately as by a sun-dial. It is true he was rarely heard to speak, but smoked his pipe incessantly.

His adherents, however (его сторонники, однако) (for every great man has his adherents (так как у каждого великого человека есть свои сторонники)), perfectly understood him (отлично понимали его; to understand [,Andq’stxnd] — understood [,Andq’stVd] — understood — понимать; смыслить; осознавать ), and knew how to gather his opinions (и знали, как понимать его мнение; to know [nqV] — knew [nju:] — known[nqVn] — знать; разбираться; уметь; to gather [‘gxðq] — собирать; накоплять; делать умозаключения ). When any thing that was read or related displeased him (когда что-нибудь, что было прочитано или рассказано, вызывало его недовольство; to relate [rI’leIt] — относиться; реагировать; рассказывать, повествовать; to displease [dIs’pli:z] — навлекать на себя недовольство, вызывать недовольство; раздражать ), he was observed to smoke his pipe vehemently (было видно, как он неистово курил свою трубку; vehement [‘vi:Imqnt] — сильный, неистовый, страстный ); and to send forth short (и выпускал короткие), frequent and angry puffs (частые и сердитые клубы дыма; puff [pAf] — дуновение; порыв; затяжка; клуб дыма ); but when pleased (но, когда ему нравилось), he would inhale the smoke slowly and tranquilly (он вдыхал дым медленно и умиротворенно; tranquil [‘trxNkwIl] — спокойный, уравновешенный, мирный, безмятежный ), and emit it in light and placid clouds (и выпускал его светлыми и спокойными клубами: «облаками»); and sometimes (и иногда), taking the pipe from his mouth (вынимая трубку изо рта), and letting the fragrant vapor curl about his nose (и позволяя ароматному дыму извиваться вокруг его носа), would gravely nod his head in token of perfect approbation (бывало, серьезно кивал головой в знак полного одобрения).

His adherents, however (for every great man has his adherents), perfectly understood him, and knew how to gather his opinions. When any thing that was read or related displeased him, he was observed to smoke his pipe vehemently; and to send forth short, frequent and angry puffs; but when pleased, he would inhale the smoke slowly and tranquilly, and emit it in light and placid clouds; and sometimes, taking the pipe from his mouth, and letting the fragrant vapor curl about his nose, would gravely nod his head in token of perfect approbation.

From even this stronghold (даже из этой цитадели; stronghold [‘strONhqVld] — крепость, твердыня, цитадель; оплот ) the unlucky Rip was at length routed by his termagant wife (несчастный Рип, в конце концов, бывал обращен в бегство его сварливой женой), who would suddenly break in upon the tranquility of the assemblage (которая, бывало, неожиданно врывалась в спокойствие собрания; assemblage [q’semblIG] — сбор, собрание; скопление ) and call the members all to naught (и называла его участников ничтожествами; naught [nO:t] — ничто; ноль; бесполезный, ничтожный ); nor was that august personage (не была даже такая августейшая особа), Nicholas Vedder himself (как сам Николас Веддер), sacred from the daring tongue of this terrible virago (неприкосновенен от дерзкого языка этой ужасной мегеры; virago [vI’rQ:gqV] — бой-баба, амазонка; сварливая женщина, мегера ), who charged him outright with encouraging her husband in habits of idleness (которая прямо обвиняла его в подстрекательстве ее мужа к привычкам праздности).

From even this stronghold the unlucky Rip was at length routed by his termagant wife, who would suddenly break in upon the tranquility of the assemblage and call the members all to naught; nor was that august personage, Nicholas Vedder himself, sacred from the daring tongue of this terrible virago, who charged him outright with encouraging her husband in habits of idleness.