mouth [mauT], mistress ['mIstrIs], military ['mIlIt(q)rI]
"I saw at once what the question meant. If Riri got the job he would stay and marry Marie-Louise, if he didn’t he would go out to Cambodia and I should marry her. I swear to you it was not I who answered, it was someone who stood in my shoes and spoke with my voice, I had nothing to do with the words that came from my mouth.
"‘Monsieur le directeur,’ I said, ‘Henri and I have been friends all our lives. We have never been separated for a week. We went to school together; we shared our pocket-money and our mistresses when we were old enough to have them; we did our military service together.’
" ‘I know (я знаю /об этом/). You know him better than anyone in the world (вы знаете его лучше, чем кто-либо еще во всем мире). That is why I ask you these questions (именно поэтому: «вот почему» я и задаю вам эти вопросы).’
" ‘It is not fair, Monsieur le directeur (это нечестно, господин директор). You are asking me to betray my friend (вы просите меня предать моего друга). I cannot, and I will not answer your questions (я не могу и не буду отвечать на ваши вопросы).’
"The director gave me a shrewd smile (он улыбнулся /мне/ проницательной = понимающей улыбкой). He thought himself much cleverer than he really was (он считал себя гораздо умнее, чем он был на самом деле).
fair [feq], betray [bI'treI], shrewd [Sru: d]
" ‘I know. You know him better than anyone in the world. That is why I ask you these questions.’
" ‘It is not fair, Monsieur le directeur. You are asking me to betray my friend. I cannot, and I will not answer your questions.’
"The director gave me a shrewd smile. He thought himself much cleverer than he really was.
‘"Your answer does you credit (ваш ответ делает вам честь; credit — вера, доверие; честь, заслуга), but it has told me all I wished to know (но он поведал мне все, что я хотел знать).’ Then he smiled kindly (затем он добродушно улыбнулся). I suppose I was pale (полагаю, я побледнел: «был бледным»), I dare say I was trembling a little (мне кажется, я /даже/ немного дрожал). ‘Pull yourself together, my dear boy (возьмите себя в руки, дорогой мой /друг/; to pull oneself together — взятьсебявруки, собратьсясдухом); you’re upset and I can understand it (вы расстроены, и я могу это понять; upset — опрокинутый; расстроенный, встревоженный). Sometimes in life one is faced by a situation (иногда в жизни сталкиваешься лицом к лицу с такими ситуациями) where honesty stands on the one side and loyalty on the other (в которых честность стоит на одной стороне, а лояльность — на другой; loyalty — верность, преданность; лояльность, благонадежность). Of course one mustn’t hesitate, but the choice is bitter (конечно же, колебаться нельзя, но выбор мучителен; bitter — горький/овкусе/;горький, мучительный). I shall not forget your behaviour in this case (я не забуду вашего поведения в этом деле = я буду помнить, как вы себя повели в этом деле; to behave — вестисебя) and on behalf of Monsieur Untel I thank you (и от лица этого мсье такого-то я благодарю вас).’
situation ["sItSu'eIS(q)n], loyalty ['lOIqltI], behaviour [bI'heIvIq]
‘"Your answer does you credit, but it has told me all I wished to know.’ Then he smiled kindly. I suppose I was pale, I dare say I was trembling a little. ‘Pull yourself together, my dear boy; you’re upset and I can understand it. Sometimes in life one is faced by a situation where honesty stands on the one side and loyalty on the other. Of course one mustn’t hesitate, but the choice is bitter. I shall not forget your behaviour in this case and on behalf of Monsieur Untel I thank you.’
"I withdrew (я ушел; towithdraw— отнимать, отдергивать; уходить, удаляться). Next morning Riri received a letter informing him that his services were not required (на следующее утро Рири получил письмо, в котором ему сообщалось, что в его услугах не нуждаются; service— услужение; услуга, одолжение, помощь;torequire— требовать, приказывать; нуждаться /в чем-либо/, требовать /чего-либо/), and a month later he sailed for the far East (и месяц спустя он отплыл на Дальний Восток)."
Six months after this Jean Charvin and Marie-Louise were married (через полгода: «/через/ шесть месяцев после этого» Жан Шарвен и Мария-Луиза поженились). The marriage was hastened by the increasing gravity of Madame Meurice’s illness (свадьба ускорилась из-за усиливающейся болезни мадам Мерис; gravity— серьезность, важность; тяжесть, опасность /болезни, положения и т. п./). Knowing that she could not live long (зная, что долго она не проживет), she was anxious to see her daughter settled before she died (она стремилась увидеть свою дочь /надежно/ устроенной до того, как умрет; anxious— беспокоящийся, тревожащийся; стремящийся /к чему-либо/).
withdrew [wID'dru: ], require [rI'kwaIq], gravity ['grxvItI], anxious ['xNkSqs]
"I withdrew. Next morning Riri received a letter informing him that his services were not required, and a month later he sailed for the Far East."
Six months after this Jean Charvin and Marie-Louise were married. The marriage was hastened by the increasing gravity of Madame Meurice’s illness. Knowing that she could not live long, she was anxious to see her daughter settled before she died.
Jean wrote to Riri telling him the facts (Жан написал Рири, сообщая ему эти обстоятельства) and Riri wrote back warmly congratulating him (и Рири написал в ответ, сердечно поздравляя его). He assured him that he need have no compunctions on his behalf (тот заверил его, что совесть его может быть спокойна на его счет; compunctions — угрызения совести; терзания; раскаяние); when he had left France he realised that he could never marry Marie-Louise (что когда он покинул Францию, он понял, что никогда не сможет жениться на Марии-Луизе), and he was glad that Jean was going to (и был рад тому, что Жан собирался /жениться на ней/). He was finding consolation at Phnom-Penh (у него получалось находить утешение в Пномпене).
congratulate [kqn'grxtjuleIt], compunction [kqm'pANkS(q)n], consolation ["kOnsq'leIS(q)n]
Jean wrote to Riri telling him the facts and Riri wrote back warmly congratulating him. He assured him that he need have no compunctions on his behalf; when he had left France he realised that he could never marry Marie-Louise, and he was glad that Jean was going to. He was finding consolation at Phnom-Penh.
His letter was very cheerful (письмо его было очень бодрым). From the beginning Jean had told himself that Riri, with his mercurial temperament (с самого начала Жан сказал себе, что Рири, с его переменчивым характером; mercurial — ртутный; живой, подвижный), would soon forget Marie-Louise (вскоре забудет Марию-Луизу), and his letter looked as if he had already done so (и по его письму было похоже, словно он уже это сделал). He had done him no irreparable injury (/значит/, он не нанес ему непоправимого вреда; irreparable — непоправимый; injury — вред, повреждение, порча, убыток, ущерб). It was a justification (это было оправдание = так он оправдывал сам себя). For if he had lost Marie-Louise he would have died (потому что, если бы он /сам/ потерял Марию-Луизу, он бы умер); with him it was a matter of life and death (для него это был вопрос жизни и смерти).
cheerful ['tSIqf(q)l], mercurial [mW'kju(q)rIql], irreparable [I'rep(q)rqb(q)l], injury ['IndZqrI], justification ["dZAstIfI'keIS(q)n]
His letter was very cheerful. From the beginning Jean had told himself that Riri, with his mercurial temperament, would soon forget Marie-Louise, and his letter looked as if he had already done so. He had done him no irreparable injury. It was a justification. For if he had lost Marie-Louise he would have died; with him it was a matter of life and death.
For a year Jean and Marie-Louise were extremely happy (целый год Жан и Мария-Луиза были очень счастливы; extremely — крайне, чрезвычайно). Madame Meurice died, and Marie-Louise inherited a couple of hundred thousand francs (мадам Мерис умерла, и Мария-Луиза унаследовала пару сотен тысяч франков); but with the depression and the unstable currency (но из-за /экономической/ депрессии и неустойчивого /курса/ валюты; currency — употребительность; валюта, деньги) they decided not to have a child till the economic situation was less uncertain (они решили не заводить ребенка до тех пор, пока экономическая ситуация не станет более надежной: «менее сомнительной»). Marie-Louise was a good and frugal housekeeper (Мария-Луиза была хорошей и экономной хозяйкой; housekeeper — экономка; домашняяхозяйка). She was an affectionate, amiable and satisfactory wife (она была любящей, дружелюбной, хорошей женой; satisfactory — удовлетворительный; приятный, хороший).
extremely [Ik'stri: mlI], inherit [In'herIt], currency ['kArqnsI], frugal ['fru: g(q)l]
For a year Jean and Marie-Louise were extremely happy. Madame Meurice died, and Marie-Louise inherited a couple of hundred thousand francs; but with the depression and the unstable currency they decided not to have a child till the economic situation was less uncertain. Marie-Louise was a good and frugal housekeeper. She was an affectionate, amiable and satisfactory wife.
She was placid (она была спокойной). This before he married her had seemed to Jean a rather charming trait (это /ее качество/ до того, как он женился, казалось Жану довольно очаровательным; trait— характерная черта, особенность, свойство), but as time wore on it was borne in upon him (но со временем: «но, когда время прошло» ему стало понятно; towearon— медленно тянуться, проходить;tobear— нести;tobeborneinon/upon/smb. — стать ясным, понятным кому-либо) that her placidity came from a certain lack of emotional ardour (что ее спокойствие происходит от некоторого недостатка эмоциональности: «эмоционального жара»; ardour — жар, рвение, пыл). It concealed no depth (оно /спокойствие/ не таило в себе никакой глубины; depth— глубина, глубь). He had always thought she was like a little mouse (ему всегда казалось, что она была похожа на маленькую мышку); there was something mouse-like in her furtive reticences (было что-то мышиное в ее скрытных умалчиваниях; furtive— вороватый; скрытый, тайный; reticence — молчаливость, немногословность; сдержанность; умалчивание); she was oddly serious about trivial matters (она как-то странно серьезно относилась к мелочам; trivial— незначительный, мелкий; тривиальный) and could busy herself indefinitely with things that were of no consequence (и могла бесконечно заниматься вещами, которые не имели совершенно никакого значения; consequence— следствие, последствие; значение, важность).
placid ['plxsId], ardour ['Q: dq], furtive ['fWtIv], reticence ['retIs(q)ns], trivial ['trIvIql]
She was placid. This before he married her had seemed to Jean a rather charming trait, but as time wore on it was borne in upon him that her placidity came from a certain lack of emotional ardour. It concealed no depth. He had always thought she was like a little mouse; there was something mouse-like in her furtive reticences; she was oddly serious about trivial matters and could busy herself indefinitely with things that were of no consequence.
