Елизавета Хейнонен - The Mysterious Disappearance of the Chevalier Valmont

“I’m not late, am I?” she asked.

“Don’t worry, Marietta. I haven’t had a chance yet to win over the Chevalier Valmont. We start together,” reassured her the Viscountess Fumaison. Then, turning to the hostess, she said, “Which brings us back to my first question: “Where is he?”

“The chevalier has some business in town,” answered the baroness.

“Business? In Mouseville? What business could he have in a strange town (41)?” asked the viscountess.

“You’re forgetting, Marietta, that he is looking for his sister,” the countess interrupted. “And, please, lay off Margaret. Don’t you see she is not quite herself?”

“I wonder why. Wait, don’t tell me. I think I know why. You tried your feminine charms on him, but he gave you the cold shoulder. Is that it, Margaret?”

“Of course not,” answered the baroness. “He is a hero, no doubt, but not my type of hero.”

reassureобнадежить, ободрить; win overсклонить на свою сторону, расположить к себе; здесь: покорить, обаять; hostessхозяйка дома ( по отношению к гостям ); lay off sbотстать от кого-либо, не приставать к кому-либо, оставить в покое; not quite herselfсама не своя; wonderзадаваться вопросом, спрашиваться себя, гадать; I wonder why. Хотела бы я знать, почему; любопытно было бы узнать, почему; feminineженский; charmsчары; give sb the cold shoulderдемонстративно игнорировать, не проявлять интереса; heroгерой; doubtсомнение

“I don’t believe you, Margaret. You’re hiding something from us,” insisted the viscountess.

“I’m not. Why should I?”

“So, you wouldn’t mind us hunting on your lands, then?”

“Not at all.”

“Which reminds me. Are you sure that sister of his is really his sister, and not some third cousin?”

“I suspect she is neither,” answered the baroness. “My maid told me that he carries a ring in his pocket, which seems to be very dear to him – so he said. Maribel tried it on. It is definitely not a man’s ring.”

“That doesn’t mean anything,” said the countess. “It can be an heirloom of sorts. Besides, as far as I remember, he is looking for a nun – those don’t count.”

“Thank you, Marietta, you cheered me up to no end,” said the Viscountess sarcastically.

insistнастаивать; huntохотиться ; lands здесь: угодья; not at allнисколько, ничуть; remindнапоминать; third cousinчетвероюродная сестра; susp e ctподозревать; neitherни то, ни другое; try onпримерить; definitelyопределенно; heirloomфамильная вещь, семейная реликвия; of sortsсвоего рода, что-то типа; to no endкрайне, бесконечно

“I have brought you your favourite éclairs, Margaret,” said the countess, changing the subject. “Why don’t we have tea? All this excitement has given me quite an appetite.” (42)

“How long is your guest going to stay in Mouseville?” the viscountess asked after a while.

“I think he is going to settle down here as a painter. He wants to buy a studio.”

“Buy a studio? So, he is rich, this Chevalier Valmont?”

“I don’t know how rich he is, but he is certainly not poor. He has an unlimited credit with Tomme Corse and Sons .”

“Unlimited credit! That’s something!” the viscountess cried out. “It looks like we have dug up quite the tasty morsel. (43)Say what you will, girls, but I’m going to swallow it whole,” – and she took a large bite off the éclair she was holding in her little hand.

subjectтема разговора; excitementволнение, эмоциональное возбуждение; settle downобосноваться, поселиться; unlimitedнеограниченный; dig up(dug; dug) откопать, отыскать; tasty morselлакомый кусочек; say what you willчто ни говори; swallowглотать; wholeцеликом; take a large biteоткусить большой кусок

(38) as far the baroness was concerned– как полагала баронесса

Конструкция as far as somebody is concerned указывает на личное мнение соответствующего лица относительно чего-либо.

Сравните также:

As far as I’m concerned, you’re no longer friends. – Насколько я понимаю. вы с ним больше не друзья.

(39)may I forever remain the widow of the good Viscount Fumaison – пусть я навсегда останусь вдовой славного виконта Фюмезона

Наряду с другими значениями, модальный глагол may используется для выражения надежд и желаний. Например:

May he rest in peace. – Да упокоится он с миром!

May the best man win! – Пусть победит сильнейший!

(40) Be second to somebodyзначит уступать первенство кому-либо, стоять ниже по положению, чем кто-то. Например:

second only to the president – второй по значимости после президента;

He is second to none. – Ему нет равных.

(41) Strange– это не только «странный», но также «незнакомый», «неизвестный», например:

The language was strange to me. – Этот язык был мне незнаком.

She woke up in a strange room. – Она проснулась в незнакомой комнате.

It's good to see you among all these strange faces. – Приятно вас увидеть среди всех этих чужих лиц.