Мюриэль Спарк - Английский язык с Мюриэль Спарк (рассказы)

"Well, this is a secret, mind (ну, это секрет, пойми; to mind — возражать, обращать внимание ). Promise not to tell (обещай /никому/ не говорить)."

"Promise (обещаю)."

particular [pq'tIkjVlq] dozen ['dAz(q)n] onwards ['Onwqdz]

"A secret," George said. "Remember we used tohave those secrets."

"Oh, yes we did!"

"Did you ever tell any of mine?"

"Oh no, George!" In reality, I couldn't remember any particular secret out of the dozens we must have exchanged from our schooldays onwards.

"Well, this is a secret, mind. Promise not to tell."

"Promise."

"I'm married (я женат; to be married to smb. — быть женатым/замужем, marriage — брак )."

"Married, George! (Женат, Джордж!) Oh who to?" (На ком?; who — кто )

"Matilda (На Матильде)."

"How dreadful!" (Какой ужас; dreadful — ужасный ) I spoke before I could think (сказала я, не успев подумать: «до того, как я смогла подумать») but he agreed with me (но он согласился со мной; to agree — соглашаться ).

"Yes, it's awful (да, это ужасно), but what could I do (но что я мог поделать)?"

"You might have asked my advice (ты мог бы спросить моего совета; advice — совет )," I said pompously (сказала я напыщенно; pompously — помпезный ).

dreadful ['dredf(q)l] awful ['O: f(q)l] pompously ['pOmpqslI]

"I'm married."

"Married, George! Oh who to?"

"Matilda."

"How dreadful!" I spoke before I could think, buthe agreed with me.

"Yes, it's awful, but what could I do?"

"You might have asked my advice," I saidpompously.

"I'm two years older than you are (я на два года старше, чем ты). I don't ask advice from you (я не спрашиваю у тебя совета), Needle, little beast (Игла, ты, маленькая упрямица, малышка; beast — зверь, животное )."

"Don't ask for sympathy then (тогда не проси: «не спрашивай» сострадания; sympathy — симпатия, сочувствие )."

"A nice friend you are (ну и хороший же ты друг)," he said, "I must say after all these years (должен сказать после всех этих лет)."

"Poor George!" I said (бедный Джордж, — сказала я).

"There are three white men to one white woman in this country (здесь три белых мужчины приходятся на одну белую женщину в этой стране)," said George. "An isolated planter (далеко живущий плантатор; isolated — изолированный ) doesn’t see a white woman (не видит белую женщину) and if he sees one (а если и видит) she doesn’t see him (она не замечает: «не видит» его). What could I do (что я мог поделать)? I needed the woman (мне нужна была женщина)."

advice [qd'vaIs] sympathy ['sImpqTI] isolated ['aIsqleItId]

"I'm two years older than you are. I don't askadvice from you, Needle, little beast."

"Don't ask for sympathy then."

"A nice friend you are," he said, "I must say afterall these years."

"Poor George!" I said,

"There are three white men to one white womanin this country," said George. "An isolated planter doesn't see a white woman and if he sees one she doesn't see him. What could I do? I needed the woman."

I was nearly sick (мне было очень противно: «меня почти тошнило»; sick — больной, чувствующий тошноту ). One, because of my Scottish upbringing (во-первых, из-за моего шотландского воспитания; Scottish — шотландский; to bring up = upbringing = воспитание ). Two, because of my horror (во-вторых, из-за моего ужаса) of corny-phrases like (от банальных фраз типа; corny — хлебный; старомодный, избитый ) "I needed the woman (мне нужна женщина)." which George repeated twice again (которую Джордж повторил еще раза два; twice — дважды ).

"And Matilda got tough (И Матильда заупрямилась; tough — жесткий, крепкий )," said George, "after you and Skinny came to visit us (после того, как ты и Скинни приезжали в гости: «посетить нас»). She had some friends at the Mission (у нее были друзья в Миссии), and she packed up (она уложила свои вещи) and went to them (и ушла к ним; to go-went-gone )."

"You should have let her go (ты должен был позволить ей уйти; let — позволять, разрешать )," I said.

"I went after her (я отправился за ней)," George said. "She insisted on being married (она настаивала на женитьбе; to insist — настаивать ), so I married her (и я женился на ней)."

corny ['kO: nI] twice [twaIs] tough [tAf]

I was nearly sick. One, because of my Scottish upbringing. Two, because of my horror of corny-phrases like "I needed the woman." which George repeated twice again.

"And Matilda got tough," said George, "after you and Skinny came to visit us. She had some friends at the Mission, and she packed up and went to them."

"You should have let her go," I said.

"I went after her," George said. "She insisted onbeing married, so I married her."

"That's not a proper secret, then («это не правильный»=это вообще не секрет, тогда; proper — правильный, настоящий )," I said. "The news of a mixed marriage soon gets about (новость о смешанном браке быстро становится известной: «распространяется»; news /ед. число/ — новость; marriage — брак; to mix — смешивать )."

"I took care of that (я позаботился об этом; to take care )," George said. "Crazy as I was (хотя я и был сумасшедшим; crazy — безумный ), I took her to the Congo (я отвез ее в Конго) and married her there (и женился на ней там). She promised to keep quiet about it (она обещала молчать об этом; to promise — обещать; to keep — держать; quiet — тихий, спокойный )."

"Well, you can't clear off (ну, ты не можешь уехать; to clear — чистить ) and leave her now (и оставить ее сейчас; to leave — оставлять, покидать; now — сейчас ), surely (конечно)," I said.

proper ['prPpq] mixed [mIkst] crazy ['kreIzI]

"That's not a proper secret, then," I said. "Thenews of a mixed marriage soon gets about."