Льюис Кэрролл - Алиса в Стране чудес / Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland. Алиса в Зазеркалье / Through the Looking-glass, and What Alice Found There

‘That’ll do very well,’ said Alice: ‘and “slithy”?’

‘Well, “slithy” means “ lithe and slimy [240] lithe and slimy – гибкий и липкий ”. “Lithe” is the same as “active”. You see it’s like a portmanteau [241] portmanteau – слово-омоним: складная дорожная сумка, слово-гибрид … there are two meanings packed into one word.’

‘I see it now,’ Alice said thoughtfully: ‘and what are “toves”?’

‘Well, “toves” are something like badgers… they’re something like lizards…’

‘They are very curious creatures.’

‘Yes, they are,’ said Humpty Dumpty; ‘also they make their nests under sun-dials… and they eat cheese.’

‘And what’s about “gyre” and to “gimble”?’

‘To “gyre” is to go round and round like a gyroscope. [242] gyroscope – волчок, гироскоп To “gimble” is to make holes like a gimlet. [243] gimlet – буравчик ’

‘And “the wabe” is the lawn round a sun-dial?’ said Alice, she finally understood something.

‘Of course, it is. It’s called “wabe” you know, because it goes a long way before it, and a long way behind it…’

‘And a long way beyond it on each side,’ Alice added.

‘Exactly so. Well then, “mimsy” is “ flimsy and miserable [244] flimsy and miserable – ломкий и несчастный ” (there’s another portmanteau for you). And a “borogove” is a thin bird, which looks very shabby.’

‘And then “mome raths”?’ said Alice.

‘Well, a “rath” is a sort of green pig, but “mome” I’m not sure about it…

‘And what does “outgrabe” mean?’

‘Well, “outgribing” is something between bellowing and whistling, [245] bellowing and whistling – рев и свист with a kind of sneeze in the middle. Where did you find this hard poem?’

‘I read it in a book,’ said Alice. ‘Tweedledee told me one, which was much easier.’

‘As to poetry, you know,’ said Humpty Dumpty, ‘I can repeat poetry too…’

‘Oh, you don’t have to!’ Alice quickly said, hoping to keep him from beginning.

‘The piece that I’m going to repeat,’ he didn’t notice her words, ‘was written for you.’

Alice sat down and said sadly: ‘Thank you’.

only I don’t sing it,’ he added.

‘Thank you very much,’ said Alice.

‘I will, if I can remember it,’ said Alice.

‘Stop making remarks like that,’ Humpty Dumpty said: ‘they’re not sensible, and they put me out. [246] to put somebody out – сбивать кого-либо ’

‘I’m afraid I don’t understand,’ said Alice.

‘It will be easier,’ Humpty Dumpty replied.

Humpty Dumpty raised his voice almost to a scream as he repeated this:

There was a long pause.

‘Is that all?’ Alice asked.

‘That’s all,’ said Humpty Dumpty. ‘Good-bye.’

It was very sudden, Alice thought: but she understood the hint that she should go. So she got up, gave him her hand. ‘Good-bye, till we meet again!’ she said cheerfully.

Humpty Dumpty gave her one of his fingers to shake and said: ‘You’re exactly like other people.’

‘You should look at my face, people have different faces,’ Alice said in a thoughtful tone.

‘That’s a problem,’ said Humpty Dumpty. ‘Your face is the same as everybody has… the two eyes, nose in the middle, mouth under. It’s always the same. Now if you had the two eyes on the same side of the nose, for example… or the mouth at the top… it would help.’

‘It wouldn’t look nice,’ Alice said. But Humpty Dumpty only shut his eyes.

Alice waited a minute but he didn’t say anything. She said ‘Good-bye!’ once more and quietly went away. And as she went, she said to herself: ‘Of all the unsatisfactory people I ever met…’ She didn’t finish the sentence, because at this moment she heard a terrible noise.

The next moment soldiers came running through the wood. Soon they filled the whole forest. Alice hid behind a tree and watched them.

She thought that in all her life she had never seen soldiers so uncertain on their feet: [248] so uncertain on their feet – которые так плохо держались на ногах whenever one went down, several more always fell over him, so that the ground was soon covered with soldiers.

Then came the horses. They had four feet, but however they fell too. And Alice was very glad when she got out of the wood. There she found the White King. He was sitting on the ground and writing something in his note-book.

‘I’ve sent them all!’ the King cried when he saw Alice. ‘Did you meet any soldiers, my dear, when you came through the wood?’

‘Yes, I did,’ said Alice: ‘several thousand, I think.’

‘Four thousand two hundred and seven, that’s the exact number,’ the King said. ‘I couldn’t send all the horses, because two of them are in the game. And I haven’t sent the two Messengers. They’re both in the town. Just look and tell me if you can see them.’

‘I see nobody on the road,’ said Alice.

‘I only wish I had such eyes,’ the King said. ‘To see Nobody! And at that distance!’