Francis Fitzgerald - The Curious Case of Benjamin Button and Selected Tales of the Jazz Age Сollection. Адаптированная книга для чтения на английском языке. Уровень B1

The past – the wild fight when he led his soldiers up San Juan Hill; the first years of his marriage when he worked hard for young Hildegarde whom he loved; the days before that when he sat smoking with his grandfather in the dark old Button house – all these memories faded like dreams from his mind as if they had never been. He did not remember.

He did not remember clearly whether the milk was warm or cool at his last feeding or how the days passed – there was only his crib and Nana's familiar presence. And then he remembered nothing. When he was hungry he cried – that was all. Through the days and nights he breathed and there were soft sounds over him that he hardly heard. He felt only faint smells, and light and darkness.

Then it was all dark, and his white crib and the dim faces that moved above him, and the warm sweet smell of the milk faded away from his mind.

The war had been fought and won and the great city of the winners was celebrating the victory. All through the long spring days the returning soldiers marched up the highway to the loud sounds of the drums and happy sounds of the military orchestras. The great city had never seen such greatness and shine, because the returning young men were straight and brave, and the young women of the land were naive and pretty both of face and of figure.

There were many adventures that happened in the great city during this time, and several of them – or perhaps one – are presented here.

At nine o'clock on the morning of the first of May, 1919, a young man spoke to the room clerk at the Biltmore Hotel, asking if Mr. Philip Dean had checked in there, and if so, could he be connected with Mr. Dean's rooms. The young man was small, slender, and handsome; his eyes were shaped with unusually long eyelashes above and with the blue circles of ill health below, which gave his face an unnatural color as if he had a constant fever.

Mr. Dean was staying there. After a second the connection was made; a sleepy voice said «hello» from somewhere above.

«Mr. Dean? It's Gordon, Phil. It's Gordon Sterrett. I'm downstairs. I heard you were in New York and I had an idea you could be here».

The sleepy voice became enthusiastic. Well, how was Gordy, old boy! Well, he certainly was surprised and excited! Would Gordy come right up, for Heaven's sake [56] for Heaven's sake – (идиом., разг.) ради бога !

A few minutes later Philip Dean, dressed in blue silk pajamas, opened his door and the two young men greeted each other with a bit embarrassed enthusiasm. They were both about twenty-four, Yale graduates of the year before the war; but there the resemblance stopped. Dean was blond, healthy, and strong under his thin pajamas. Everything about him showed physical comfort. He smiled frequently, showing large and prominent teeth.

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pre-war – (ист., амер.) довоенный, то есть произошедший до Гражданской войны в США (1861–1865)

Baltimore – Балтимор, город в США, штат Мэриленд

Confederacy – (ист., амер.) Конфедерация, Конфедеративные штаты Америки, известные также как Южане, объединение рабовладельческих штатов Юга, существовавшее как независимое государство в период Гражданской войны; рабовладельческий штат Мэриленд не присоединился к Конфедерации

Yale College in Connecticut – Йельский колледж в штате Коннектикут, одно из старейших и наиболее престижных учебных заведений США, статус университета получил в 1887 г.

Roger Button & Co., Wholesale Hardware – Роджер Баттон и К °, оптовая торговля скобяными товарами

I'm through with you – (фраз. гл., разг.) между нами всё кончено

was about to collapse – (идиом.) был на грани обморока

I can't stand this! – (идиом.) Я этого не вынесу!

back and forth – (идиом.) взад и вперёд, из стороны в сторону

to make the best of it – (идиом.) зд. смириться

Good heavens! – (идиом.) О боже!

Pull yourself together – (идиом.) Возьмите себя в руки

Look here – (разг.) Послушайте

not to mention – (идиом.) не говоря уже о

fancy dress – маскарадный костюм

Methuselah – (библ.) Мафусаил, согласно Библии один из праотцов человечества, проживший 969 лет, имя используется как синоним долгожителя, древнего старика

five feet eight inches – 5 футов 8 дюймов, 172 см

do without – (фраз. гл., разг.) обходиться без

rattle – детская погремушка

from time to time – (идиом.) время от времени; от случая к случаю

Noah's ark – (библ.) Ноев ковчег, судно, построенное Ноем для спасения от Всемирного потопа своей семьи, а также всех животных (по паре особей каждого вида)

Civil War – Гражданская война в США 1861–1865 гг. между промышленными штатами Севера и рабовладельческими штатами Юга

in case of a fracture his ancient bones would never knit – при переломе его старческие кости никогда не срастутся

his parents had got used to him – родители наконец к нему привыкли