Мистер Всезнайка. Рассказы

I do not wish to put on airs, but I cannot help feeling that it is seemly in a total stranger to put "mister" before my name when he addresses me. Mr Kelada, doubtless to set me at my case, used no such formality. I did not like Mr Kelada. I had put aside the cards when he sat down, but now, thinking that for this first occasion our conversation had lasted long enough, I went on with my game.

"The three on the four (тройку на четверку)," said Mr Kelada.

There is nothing more exasperating (нет ничего более невыносимого) when you are playing patience (когда вы раскладываете пасьянс) than to be told where to put the card you have turned up (чем когда вам говорят, куда класть карту, /которую/ вы подняли/перевернули) before you have had a chance to look for yourself (до того как вы имели возможность поискать /место для карты/ самому).

"It`s coming out (получается: to come out — выходить; получаться, складываться), it`s coming out," he cried (закричал он). "The ten on the knave (десятку на валета)."

With rage and hatred in my heart I finished (с гневом и ненавистью в моем сердце я закончил).

exasperating [IgўzQ: spqreItIN], patience [ўpeISqns], knave [neIv], hatred [ўheItrId], heart [hQ: t]

"The three on the four," said Mr Kelada.

There is nothing more exasperating when you are playing patience than to be told where to put the card you have turned up before you have had a chance to look for yourself.

"It`s coming out, it`s coming out," he cried. "The ten on the knave."

With rage and hatred in my heart I finished.

Then he seized the pack (потом он схватил колоду).

"Do you like card tricks (вы любите карточные фокусы)?"

"No, I hate card tricks (нет, я ненавижу карточные фокусы)," I answered (ответил я).

"Well, I`ll just show you this one (хорошо, я только покажу вам вот этот)."

He showed me three (он показал мне три). Then I said I would go down to the dining-room and get my seat at table (потом я сказал, что спущусь в столовую и займу место за столом).

"Oh, that`s all right, (о, /это/ хорошо = не беспокойтесь)" he said. "I`ve already taken a seat for you (я уже занял место для вас). I thought that as we were in the same state-room (я подумал, что раз мы /путешествуем/ в одной каюте) we might just as well sit at the same table (мы могли бы так же сидеть за одним: «тем же» столом: just as well — с тем же успехом/также)".

I did not like Mr Kelada.

seize [sI: z], answer [ўQ: nsq], show [Squ], already [O: lўredI], thought [TO: t]

Then he seized the pack.

"Do you like card tricks?"

"No, I hate card tricks," I answered.

"Well, I`ll just show you this one."

He showed me three. Then I said I would go down to the dining-room and get my seat at table.

"Oh, that`s all right," he said. "I`ve already taken a seat for you. I thought that as we were in the same state-room we might just as well sit at the same table."

I did not like Mr Kelada.

I not only shared a cabin with him (я не только делил с ним каюту) and ate three meals a day at the same table (и ел три раза: «три еды» в день за одним: «за тем же» столом), but I could not walk round the deck without his joining me (но я не мог прогуляться по палубе без его сопровождения: «без того, чтобы он ко мне присоединился»). It was impossible to snub him (было невозможно дать ему отпор). It never occurred to him (ему никогда не приходило на ум: to occur— случаться; приходить на ум) that he was not wanted (что его не хотят видеть: «он не желаем = нежелателен»). He was certain that you were as glad to see him as he was to see you (он был уверен, что вы /были/ так же рады видеть его, как он был /рад/ — видеть вас).

ate [et], could [kud], walk [wO: k], certain [sq: tn]

I not only shared a cabin with him and ate three meals a day at the same table, but I could not walk round the deck without his joining me. It was impossible to snub him. It never occurred to him that he was not wanted. He was certain that you were as glad to see him as he was to see you.

In your own house (в своем собственном доме) you might have kicked him downstairs (вы могли бы спустить его с лестницы: «иметь столкнутым его вниз по ступенькам») and slammed the door in his face (и захлопнуть дверь перед его лицом: «в его лицо») without the suspicion dawning on him that he was not a welcome visitor (без того, чтобы сомнение прокралось в его сердце, что он не был желанным гостем: to dawn — светать; становиться ясным, доходить). He was a good mixer (он был общительным человеком; to mix — смешивать/ся/), and in three days knew everyone on board (и через три дня знал каждого на борту). He ran everything (он участвовал во всем; to run— бежать; участвовать). He managed the sweeps (он принимал ставки: «руководил/управлял тотализатором»: sweep— подметание; пари на скачках/тотализатор), conducted the auctions (проводил аукционы), collected money for prizes at the sports (собирал деньги на призы в спортивных состязаниях), got up quoit and golf matches (организовывал матчи по метанию колец в цель и гольфу; to get up— вставать; организовывать, подготавливать), organized the concert and arranged the fancy-dress ball (организовал концерт и устроил маскарад: fancy-dressball— маскарад).

downstairs [ўdaunўsteqz], suspicion [sqsўpISqn], dawning [ўdO: nIN], auction [ўO: kSqn], quoit [kOIt], organize ['O: gqnaIz], arrange [q'reInG]

In your own house you might have kicked him downstairs and slammed the door in his face without the suspicion dawning on him that he was not a welcome visitor. He was a good mixer, and in three days knew everyone on board. He ran everything. He managed the sweeps, conducted the auctions, collected money for prizes at the sports, got up quoit and golf matches, organized the concert and arranged the fancy-dress ball.

He was everywhere and always (он был везде и всегда). He was certainly the best hated man in the ship (он был несомненно самым ненавистным человеком на судне). We called him Mr Know-All, even to his face (мы называли его мистер Всезнайка, даже в лицо). He took it as a compliment (он воспринял это как комплимент; to take— брать; воспринимать). But it was at mealtimes that he was most intolerable (но наиболее невыносимым он был во время еды: «но это было во время принятия пищи, что он был наиболее невыносимым»). For the better part of an hour (почти в течение часа: «большей части часа»; thebetterpart— «лучшая часть») then he had us at his mercy (тогда мы были в его власти: «он имел нас в своей милости»). He was hearty (он был энергичным: hearty— сердечный; энергичный), jovial (веселым/общительным), loquacious and argumentative (словоохотливым и любящим спорить). He knew everything better than anybody else (он знал все лучше, чем кто-то еще), and it was an affront to his overweening vanity (и /это/ было оскорблением/унижением его самоуверенного самолюбия: vanity— суета; самолюбие/тщеславие) that you should disagree with him (/что/ если вы не согласитесь с ним).

certainly ['sWtnlI], intolerable [In'tLlqrqbl], jovial ['Gquvjql], loquacious [lqu'kweISqs], argumentative ["Rgju:'mentqtIv], affront [q'frAnt]

He was everywhere and always. He was certainly the best hated man in the ship. We called him Mr Know-All, even to his face. He took it as a compliment. But it was at mealtimes that he was most intolerable. For the better part of an hour then he had us at his mercy. He was hearty, jovial, loquacious and argumentative. He knew everything better than anybody else, and it was an affront to his overweening vanity that you should disagree with him.

He would not drop a subject (он никогда не оставлял тему разговора: to drop— капать, бросать; оставлять), however unimportant (насколько бы незначительной /она ни была/: important— важный), till he had brought you round to his way of thinking (пока он не склонит вас к своей точке зрения: «приведет вас вокруг к его способу думать»; to bring— приносить; заставлять/убеждать). The possibility that he could be mistaken (вероятность, что он мог ошибаться: «быть ошибающимся»; to mistake) never occurred to him (никогда не приходила ему /в голову/). He was the chap who knew (он был тем парнем, кто знает). We sat at the doctor`s table (мы сидели за столом /судового/ врача). Mr Kelada would certainly have had it all his own way (мистер Келада, несомненно, навязал бы всем /сидящим за столом/ свое мнение: «имел бы все это по-своему»), for the doctor was lazy (так как доктор был ленив) and I was frigidly indifferent (подчеркнуто: «холодно» равнодушен/безразличен), except for a man called Ramsay who sat there also (за исключением человека по имени = называемого Рэмзи, который также сидел там). He was as dogmatic as Mr Kelada (он был таким же самоуверенным, как мистер Келада) and resented bitterly the Levantine`s cock sureness (и негодовал сильно по поводу самоуверенности левантинца; to resent— негодовать, возмущаться;cocksure— совершенно уверенный). The discussions they had (дискуссии, которые они вели: «имели») were acrimonious and interminable (были язвительными и бесконечными: terminable— срочный/могущий быть прекращенным).

frigidly ['frIGIdlI], except [Ik'sept], resented [rI'zentId], Levantine ['levqntaIn], acrimonious ["xkrI'mqunjqs], interminable [In'tWmInqbl]

He would not drop a subject, however unimportant, till he had brought you round to his way of thinking. The possibility that he could be mistaken never occurred to him. He was the chap who knew. We sat at the doctor`s table. Mr Kelada would certainly have had it all his own way, for the doctor was lazy and I was frigidly indifferent, except for a man called Ramsay who sat there also. He was as dogmatic as Mr Kelada and resented bitterly the Levantine`s cocksureness. The discussions they had were acrimonious and interminable.

Ramsay was in the American Consular Service (Рэмзи был = служил в Американском Консульстве) and was stationed at Kobe (и был размещенным = и проживал в Кобе). He was a great heavy fellow from the Middle West (он был большим грузным человеком со Среднего Запада), with loose fat under a tight skin (со свисающим: «свободно свисающим/разрыхленным» жиром под толстой кожей), and he bulged out of this really-made clothes (и он едва помещался: «выпирал из» в своем дешевом костюме: really — натурально/истинно; made — сделанный/изготовленный). He was on his way back to resume his post (он возвращался, чтобы продолжить службу), having been on a flying visit to New York to retake his wife (после недолгого визита в Нью-Йорк, чтобы снова взять с собой жену) who had been spending a year at home (которая провела год дома). Mrs Ramsay was a very pretty little thing (миссис Рэмзи была прелестным маленьким созданием), with pleasant manners and a sense of humour (с приятными манерами и чувством юмора).

heavy ['hevI], year [jW], humour ['hjHmq]

Ramsay was in the American Consular Service and was stationed at Kobe. He was a great heavy fellow from the Middle West, with loose fat under a tight skin, and he bulged out of this really-made clothes. He was on his way back to resume his post, having been on a flying visit to New York to retake his wife who had been spending a year at home. Mrs Ramsay was a very pretty little thing, with pleasant manners and a sense of humour.

The Consular Service is ill-paid (консульская служба плохо оплачивается: ill — нездоровый; плохо; to pay — платить), and she was dressed always very simply (и она была одета всегда очень просто); but she knew how to wear her clothes (но она знала, как носить = умела носить свою одежду). She achieved an effect of quiet distinction (она достигала эффекта элегантности: «спокойной оригинальности»).

clothes [klquDz], quiet ['kwaIqt], particular [pq'tIkjulq]

The Consular Service is ill-paid, and she was dressed always very simply; but she knew how to wear her clothes. She achieved an effect of quiet distinction.

I should not have paid any particular attention to her (я не обратил бы на нее особого внимания: to pay — платить; оказывать/обращать) but that she possessed a quality that may be common enough in women (но она обладала качеством, которое, может быть, обычно свойственно женщинам; common — частый/обыкновенный), but nowadays is not obvious in their demeanour (но в настоящее время не проявляется: «не есть явно» в их поведении). You could not look at her without being struck by her modesty (вы не могли смотреть на нее, не будучи пораженными ее скромностью; to strike — бить; поражать). It shone in her (она/скромность/ светилась в ней) like a flower on a coat (как цветок на /лацкане/ пальто/пиджака).

enough [I'nAf], women ['wImIn], obvious ['ObvIqs], demeanour [dI'mJnq]

I should not have paid any particular attention to her but that she possessed a quality that may be common enough in women, but nowadays is not obvious in their demeanour. You could not look at her without being struck by her modesty. It shone in her like a flower on a coat.

One evening at dinner (однажды вечером за ужином) the conversation by chance drifted to the subject of pearls (разговор случайно коснулся темы жемчуга: «был снесен к предмету жемчуга» to drift — дрейфовать). There had been in the papers a good deal of talk (в газетах было большое количество разговоров/слухов = много писалось) about the culture pearls which the cunning Japanese were making (о /способе/ выращивания жемчуга, который хитроумные японцы создавали/разрабатывали), and the doctor remarked (и доктор заметил) that they must inevitably diminish the value of real ones (что они /искусственные жемчужины/ должны неизбежно уменьшить ценность настоящих). They were very good already (они /жемчужины, жемчуг/ были уже очень хороши); they would soon be perfect (они скоро будут превосходными).

pearls [pWlz], culture ['kAlCq], Japanese ["Gxpq'nJz], value ['vxljH]

One evening at dinner the conversation by chance drifted to the subject of pearls. There had been in the papers a good deal of talk about the culture pearls which the cunning Japanese were making, and the doctor remarked that they must inevitably diminish the value of real ones. They were very good already; they would soon be perfect.

Mr Kelada, as was his habit, rushed the new topic (мистер Келада, как была его привычка = по привычке, ухватился за новую тему: to rush— бросаться; тараторить; встревать). He told us all that was to be known about pearls (он рассказал нам все, что нужно было знать о жемчуге). I do not believe (я не верю) Ramsay knew anything about them at all (/что/ Рэмзи знал что-либо о них /жемчужинах/ вообще), but he could not resist the opportunity (но он не мог устоять перед возможностью) to have a fling at the Levantine (сделать выпад на Левантинца), and in five minutes (и через пять минут) we were in the middle of a heated argument (мы были в центре горячего спора: argument— довод/аргумент; спор). I had seen Mr Kelada vehement and voluble before (я видел мистера Келада неистовым и речистым ранее), but never so voluble and vehement as now (но никогда настолько речистым и неистовым, как теперь).

argument ['Rgjumqnt], vehement ['vJImqnt], voluble ['vOljubl]

Mr Kelada, as was his habit, rushed the new topic. He told us all that was to be known about pearls. I do not believe Ramsay knew anything about them at all, but he could not resist the opportunity to have a fling at the Levantine, and in five minutes we were in the middle of a heated argument. I had seen Mr Kelada vehement and voluble before, but never so voluble and vehement as now.

At last something that Ramsay said stung him (наконец, что-то, что сказал Рэмзи, уязвило его: to sting — жалить; причинять острую боль), for he thumped the table and shouted (так как он ударил /кулаком/ по столу и закричал):

"Well, I ought to know what I am talking about (ну, я, должно быть знаю, о чем я говорю). I`m going to Japan just to look into this Japanese pearl business (я еду в Японию как раз взглянуть на этот японский жемчужный бизнес). I`m in the trade (это моя специальность: «я есть в этом ремесле/профессии») and there`s not a man in it (и нет ни одного человека в нем /в это деле/) who won`t tell you that what I say about pearls goes (кто не сказал бы вам, что то, что я говорю о жемчуге, идет = является достоверным: to go— идти; иметь успех, быть принятым). I know all the best pearls in the world (я знаю все лучшие жемчужины в мире), and what I don`t know about pearls isn`t worth knowing (и то, чего я не знаю о жемчуге, не стоит знания = того и знать не стоит)."

said [sed], thumped [TAmpqd], world [wWld], worth [wWT]

At last something that Ramsay said stung him, for he thumped the table and shouted:

"Well, I ought to know what I am talking about. I`m going to Japan just to look into this Japanese pearl business. I`m in the trade and there`s not a man in it who won`t tell you that what I say about pearls goes. I know all the best pearls in the world, and what I don`t know about pearls isn`t worth knowing."

Here was news for us (здесь была новость = это было новостью для нас), for Mr Kelada, with all his loquacity (потому что мистер Келада, несмотря на всю его болтливость), had never told anyone what his business was (никогда не говорил кому-либо, каким его дело было = чем он занимался). We only knew vaguely (мы только знали приблизительно/смутно) that he was going to Japan on some commercial errand (что он направлялся в Японию по какому-то коммерческому делу: errand— поручение, командировка). He looked round the table triumphantly (он оглядел стол = сидевших за столом торжествующе).

loquacity [lqu'kwxsItI], business ['bIznIs], vaguely ['veIglI], errand ['erqnd], triumphantly ['traIqmfqntlI]

Here was news for us, for Mr Kelada, with all his loquacity, had never told anyone what his business was. We only knew vaguely that he was going to Japan on some commercial errand. He looked round the table triumphantly.