Английский язык с У. С. Моэмом. На окраине империи. Рассказы - Уильям Моэм

humour [`hju: mq], coarse [kO: s], sullen [`sAlqn], violent [`vaIqlqnt], humiliation [hju: mIlI`eISn], idiosyncrasy [IdIq`sINkrqsI], malicious [mq`lISqs]

Mr. Warburton watched the development of the situation with acrid humour. Cooper`s clerk was unable to persuade Malay, Dyak or Chinese to enter the house of such a master. Abas, the boy who remained faithful to him, knew how to cook only native food, and Cooper, a coarse feeder, found his gorge rise against the everlasting rice. There was no water-carrier, and in that great heat he needed several baths a day. He cursed Abas, but Abas opposed him with sullen resistance and would not do more than he chose. It was galling to know that the lad stayed with him only because the Resident insisted. This went on for a fortnight and then, one morning, he found in his house the very servants whom he had previously dismissed. He fell into a violent rage, but he had learnt a little sense, and this time, without a word, he let them stay. He swallowed his humiliation, but the impatient contempt he had felt for Mr. Warburton`s idiosyncrasies changed into a sullen hatred: the Resident with this malicious stroke had made him the laughing-stock of all the natives.

The two men now held no communication with one another (эти двое мужчин теперь не поддерживали никакой связи друг с другом). They broke the time-honoured custom of sharing, notwithstanding personal dislike, a drink at six o`clock with any white man who happened to be at the station (они сломали/нарушили освященную временем традицию совместного выпивания, несмотря на личную неприязнь, в шесть часов стаканчика с любым белым, оказавшимся на станции; sharing — деление, разделение; разделение, совместное использование). Each lived in his own house as though the other did not exist (каждый жил в своем собственном доме так, как будто другого не существует). Now that Cooper had fallen into the work (теперь, когда Купер вошел в работу = в суть дела), it was necessary for them to have little to do with one another in the office (им было необходимо иметь мало дела друг с другом в канцелярии = они старались иметь друг с другом как можно меньше дела, встречаться как можно реже). Mr. Warburton used his orderly to send any message he had to give his assistant (мистер Уорбертон использовал своего курьера, чтобы послать любое сообщение, предназначенное помощнику: «которое нужно было отдать помощнику»), and his instructions he sent by formal letter (и свои распоряжения он посылал формальным = официальным письмом). They saw one another constantly, that was inevitable (они виделись постоянно, это было неизбежно), but did not exchange half a dozen words in a week (но за неделю не обменивались и полдюжиной слов). The fact that they could not avoid catching sight of one another got on their nerves (факт, что они не могли избежать того, чтобы уловить взгляд = увидеть друг друга, действовал им на нервы; to catch sight of— увидеть, заметить). They brooded over their antagonism (они размышляли над своим антагонизмом), and Mr. Warburton, taking his daily walk (и мистер Уорбертон во время ежедневной прогулки = ежедневно прогуливаясь; to take a walk — прогуляться), could think of nothing but how much he detested his assistant (не мог думать ни о чем, кроме того, как сильно он ненавидит своего помощника).

notwithstanding [nOtwIT`stxndIN], inevitable [In`evItqbl], antagonism [xn`txgqnIzm]

The two men now held no communication with one another. They broke the time-honoured custom of sharing, notwithstanding personal dislike, a drink at six o`clock with any white man who happened to be at the station. Each lived in his own house as though the other did not exist. Now that Cooper had fallen into the work, it was necessary for them to have little to do with one another in the office. Mr. Warburton used his orderly to send any message he had to give his assistant, and his instructions he sent by formal letter. They saw one another constantly, that was inevitable, but did not exchange half a dozen words in a week. The fact that they could not avoid catching sight of one another got on their nerves. They brooded over their antagonism, and Mr. Warburton, taking his daily walk, could think of nothing but how much he detested his assistant.

And the dreadful thing was that in all probability they would remain thus (и ужасной вещью было то, что по всей вероятности, они останутся = будут жить таким образом; in all probability — по всей вероятности, по всей видимости), facing each other in deadly enmity (противостоя друг другу в непримиримой: «суровой» вражде), till Mr. Warburton went on leave (пока мистер Уорбертон не уедет в отпуск), it might be three years (это могло бы быть = может наступить через три года), he had no reason to send in a complaint to headquarters (он не имел никакой причины посылать жалобу в главное управление): Cooper did his work very well (Купер делал свою работу очень хорошо), and at that time men were hard to get (и в то время людей было трудно найти). True, vague complaints reached him and hints that the natives found Cooper harsh (правда, до него доходили смутные жалобы и намеки, что туземцы находят = считают Купер грубым). There was certainly a feeling of dissatisfaction among them (было, конечно, чувство неудовлетворенности/недовольства среди них). But when Mr. Warburton looked into specific cases (но когда мистер Уорбертон изучал отдельные случаи), all he could say was that Cooper had shown severity (все, что он мог сказать, было, что Купер показывал = проявлял строгость/жесткость) where mildness would not have been misplaced (где мягкость была бы уместна: «не была бы неуместна»), and had been unfeeling when himself would have been sympathetic (и был жесток: «бесчувствен», тогда как он сам был бы полон сочувствия). He had done nothing for which he could be taken to task (он не сделал ничего, за что его можно было бы осудить/обвинить: «он мог быть взят к обвинению»). But Mr. Warburton watched him (но мистер Уорбертон следил за ним). Hatred will often make a man clear-sighted (ненависть часто делает человека проницательным), and he had a suspicion that Cooper was using the natives without consideration (и у него было подозрение, что Купер использует туземцев, не считая их за людей; consideration — размышление, рассуждение, анализ, разбор, рассмотрение; вежливость, предупредительность; уважение), yet keeping within the law (хоть и оставаясь в рамках закона), because he felt that thus he could exasperate his chief (потому что он чувствовал, что таким образом он мог раздражать своего начальника). One day perhaps he would go too far (однажды, возможно, он зайдет слишком далеко). None knew better than Mr. Warburton (никто не знал лучше, чем мистер Уорбертон) how irritable the incessant heat could make a man (каким раздражительным может сделать человека постоянная жара) and how difficult it was to keep one`s self-control after a sleepless night (и как трудно было сохранять самообладание после бессонной ночи). He smiled softly to himself (он приятно улыбнулся). Sooner or later Cooper would deliver himself into his hand (рано или поздно Купер отдаст себя в его руки).

headquarters [hed'kwO: tqz], severity [sI`verItI], suspicion [sq`spISn], exasperate [Ig`zQ: spqreIt], incessant [In`sesnt]

And the dreadful thing was that in all probability they would remain thus, facing each other in deadly enmity, till Mr. Warburton went on leave, it might be three years, he had no reason to send in a complaint to headquarters: Cooper did his work very well, and at that time men were hard to get. True, vague complaints reached him and hints that the natives found Cooper harsh. There was certainly a feeling of dissatisfaction among them. But when Mr. Warburton looked into specific cases, all he could say was that Cooper had shown severity where mildness would not have been misplaced, and had been unfeeling when himself would have been sympathetic. He had done nothing for which he could be taken to task. But Mr. Warburton watched him. Hatred will often make a man clear-sighted, and he had a suspicion that Cooper was using the natives without consideration, yet keeping within the law, because he felt that thus he could exasperate his chief. One day perhaps he would go too far. None knew better than Mr. Warburton how irritable the incessant heat could make a man and how difficult it was to keep one`s self-control after a sleepless night. He smiled softly to himself. Sooner or later Cooper would deliver himself into his hand.

When at last the opportunity came, Mr. Warburton laughed aloud (когда, наконец, такой случай представился, мистер Уорбертон рассмеялся во весь голос/вслух). Cooper had charge of the prisoners (Купер руководил заключенными); they made roads (они делали = прокладывали/мостили дороги), built sheds (строили сараи), rowed when it was necessary to send the prahu up or down stream (гребли/работали веслами, когда было необходимо выслать прау вверх или вниз по реке), kept the town clean and otherwise usefully employed themselves (поддерживали город в чистоте: «сохраняли город чистым» и другим способом/иначе полезно занимали себя). If well-behaved they even on occasion served as house-boys (если хорошего поведения = при хорошем поведении, они даже иногда служили боями в доме). Cooper kept them hard at it (Купер не щадил их: «держал их жестко в этом»). He liked to see them work (он любил видеть, чтобы они работали). He took pleasure in devising tasks for them (ему доставляло: «он брал» удовольствие/наслаждение в изобретении задач для них; to devise— разрабатывать; выдумывать, изобретать); and seeing quickly enough that they were being made to do useless things the prisoners worked badly (и понимая: «видя» достаточно быстро, что их заставляют делать бесполезные вещи, заключенные работали плохо). He punished them by lengthening their hours (он наказывал их, заставляя работать дольше: «удлиняя их часы»). This was contrary to the regulations (это противоречило правилам/нормам), and as soon as it was brought to the attention of Mr. Warburton (и как только это /известие/ дошло до: «было представлено вниманию» мистера Уорбертона), without referring the matter back to his subordinate (не передавая вопрос для подтверждения = ни слова не сказав своему помощнику; to refer back— возвращать для нового рассмотрения; справляться, наводить справки), he gave instructions that the old hours should be kept (он отдал распоряжение, что нужно соблюдать прежние /определенные/ часы /работы/); Cooper, going out for his walk (Купер, выйдя на прогулку), was astounded to see the prisoners strolling back to the jail (был изумлен/поражен, увидев, что заключенные брели обратно в тюрьму); he had given instructions that they were not to knock off till dusk (он отдал распоряжение, чтобы они не заканчивали работу до сумрака/дотемна). When he asked the warder in charge why they had left off work (когда он спросил ответственного надзирателя, почему они оставили = прекратили работу) he was told that it was the Resident`s bidding (/тот/ ответил ему, что это распоряжение резидента).

astound [q`stqund], devise [dI`vaIz], warder [`wO: dq]

When at last the opportunity came, Mr. Warburton laughed aloud. Cooper had charge of the prisoners; they made roads, built sheds, rowed when it was necessary to send the prahu up or down stream, kept the town clean and otherwise usefully employed themselves. If well-behaved they even on occasion served as house-boys. Cooper kept them hard at it. He liked to see them work. He took pleasure in devising tasks for them; and seeing quickly enough that they were being made to do useless things the prisoners worked badly. He punished them by lengthening their hours. This was contrary to the regulations, and as soon as it was brought to the attention of Mr. Warburton, without referring the matter back to his subordinate, he gave instructions that the old hours should be kept; Cooper, going out for his walk, was astounded to see the prisoners strolling back to the jail; he had given instructions that they were not to knock off till dusk. When he asked the warder in charge why they had left off work he was told that it was the Resident`s bidding.