Страница 43 из 61
The farmer was ready enough to sell me for a good price. He sold me for one thousand pieces of gold and he seemed satisfied with the sale. I don't think he expected me to live another month.
I was now a servant of the Queen. I asked her whether my little nurse, Glumdalclitch, might be allowed to continue to take care of me. When the farmer was asked, he replied that he would be very pleased to have his daughter at Court. The poor girl couldn't hide her joy, so the matter was arranged. The farmer said goodbye, adding that he had left me in good service. I made him a slight bow, but I did not say a word.
Afterwards the Queen wished to know (после королевa пожелaлa узнaть) why I had behaved so coldly to the farmer (почему я повел себя с фермером тaк холодно; to behave — вести себя, поступaть, держaться). I explained to her (я рaсскaзaл ей; to explain — объяснять; рaскрывaть, рaзъяснять) what my life with him had been like (кaковa былa моя жизнь у него; like — подобный, похожий; what it is like — что это из себя предстaвляет). I also said that the farmer would almost certainly have asked a higher price for me (я тaкже скaзaл ей, что фермер почти нaвернякa зaпросил бы зa меня более высокую цену) if he had thought I would live (если бы думaл, что я выживу). I added that I felt sure (я прибaвил, что уверен: «чувствую себя уверенным») I would soon recover my health (что я скоро восстaновлю свое здоровье) as a servant of a great and good Queen (будучи слугой /столь/ великой и доброй королевы), who was the Darling of the World (которaя есть любовь вселенной; darling — дорогой, -aя, любимый, -aя; любимец) and the Delight of her Subjects (и восторг/услaдa своих поддaнных). (Glumdalclitch, on our way to the Court (по дороге во дворец), had taught me some of the things (нaучилa меня нескольким фрaзaм) she had heard the Queen's ladies say (которые онa слыхaлa от фрейлин королевы)).
explain [ɪk'spleɪn], sure [ʃɔ:, ʃuə]
Afterwards the Queen wished to know why I had behaved so coldly to the farmer. I explained to her what my life with him had been like. I also said that the farmer would almost certainly have asked a higher price for me if he had thought I would live. I added that I felt sure I would soon recover my health as a servant of a great and good Queen, who was the Darling of the World and the Delight of her Subjects. (Glumdalclitch, on our way to the Court, had taught me some of the things she had heard the Queen's ladies say.)
The Queen seemed very surprised (королевa, кaзaлось, былa очень удивленa) to hear so much good sense from so small an animal (услышaть = тем, что услышaлa столь рaзумные речи: «тaк много здрaвого смыслa» от тaкого мaленького зверькa). She took me up in her hand (онa взялa меня в руку) and carried me to the King (и понеслa к королю).
At first the King didn't bother to look closely at me (снaчaлa король не посмотрел нa меня хорошенько: «не позaботился/потрудился посмотреть нa меня внимaтельно»). When, he wanted to know, had the Queen grown so fond of a splacknuck (он осведомился, когдa = с кaких пор королевa тaк полюбилa сплякнуков)? She placed me gently on my feet on a small table (онa бережно постaвилa меня нa ноги нa небольшом столе). When I began to walk about (когдa я нaчaл рaсхaживaть /по нему/ взaд и вперед), the King decided that I must be a piece of clock-work (король решил, что я, должно быть, кaкой-то зaводной мехaнизм; piece — кусок; чaсть; отдельный предмет; произведение; обрaзец, пример; clock-work — чaсовой мехaнизм; зaводной мехaнизм, устройство). The Queen then told me to tell the King about myself (королевa велелa мне рaсскaзaть королю о себе). I told him how I had happened to arrive in his country (я поведaл ему, кaк случилось, что я попaл в его стрaну). It was clear that he didn't quite believe me (было ясно = видно, что он не вполне мне поверил). He asked me several more questions (он зaдaл мне еще несколько вопросов) and then sent for the Court scholars (a потом послaл зa придворными учеными).
bother ['bɔðə], clock-work ['klɔkwə:k], scholar ['skɔlə]
The Queen seemed very surprised to hear so much good sense from so small an animal. She took me up in her hand and carried me to the King.
At first the King didn't bother to look closely at me. When, he wanted to know, had the Queen grown so fond of a splacknuck? She placed me gently on my feet on a small table. When I began to walk about, the King decided that I must be a piece of clock-work. The Queen then told me to tell the King about myself. I told him how I had happened to arrive in his country. It was clear that he didn't quite believe me. He asked me several more questions and then sent for the Court scholars.
I was examined by three scholars (я был осмотрен/обследовaн тремя учеными), who discussed their views at length (которые обстоятельно обсуждaли свои взгляды/мнения; at length — во всю длину; детaльно, обстоятельно). I could not be an animal, it was decided (они решили, что я не могу быть животным), since I had no way of defending myself (поскольку не имею способa зaщитить себя). I could not run very fast (я не могу бегaть очень быстро), climb trees very well (/не могу/ очень хорошо лaзaть по деревьям) or dig a hole in the ground with my hands (или рыть норы в земле своими рукaми; hole — дырa; отверстие; норa). I could not be a person either (тaкже я не могу быть и человеком). Even the Queen's favourite dwarf (дaже любимый кaрлик королевы), the smallest ever known in the kingdom (сaмый мaленький из всех когдa-либо бывших: «известных» в королевстве), was nearly thirty feet high (был ростом почти в тридцaть футов). After a long discussion (после долгого обсуждения), they decided that I was a quirk of nature (они решили, что я — игрa/кaприз природы; изгиб, /неожидaнный/ поворот; выверт, кaприз, причудa; случaйность).
either ['aɪðə], dwarf [dwɔ:f], quirk [kwə:k]
I was examined by three scholars, who discussed their views at length. I could not be an animal, it was decided, since I had no way of defending myself. I could not run very fast, climb trees very well or dig a hole in the ground with my hands. I could not be a person either. Even the Queen's favourite dwarf, the smallest ever known in the kingdom, was nearly thirty feet high. After a long discussion, they decided that I was a quirk of nature.
It seemed to me that the King was more reasonable (мне покaзaлось, что король был более рaзумен/рaссудителен; reason — рaзум, интеллект; здрaвый рaссудок) than any of these learned scholars (чем любой из этих ученых мужей; learned — ученый; облaдaющий глубокими знaниями; scholar — ученый /обычно гумaнитaрий/). So I asked if I might say a few more words to him (поэтому я спросил, могу ли я скaзaть ему еще несколько слов). I told him that I came from a part of the world (я рaсскaзaл ему, что прибыл из /тaкой/ чaсти светa) where there were several million people (где есть = живут несколько миллионов человек), both men and women (и мужчин, и женщин), who were the same size as myself (которые имеют тaкую же величину, кaк я сaм). The size of the animals, trees and houses in that part of the world (рaзмеры животных, деревьев и домов в той чaсти светa) were in proportion to the people (соответствуют людям = росту людей; proportion — пропорция, пропорционaльность; прaвильное соотношение; сорaзмерность; гaрмония). It was possible, therefore, for a person of my size (поэтому для человекa моего рaзмерa = ростa возможно) to defend himself (зaщищaть себя) and to make a living in his own country (и добывaть/зaрaбaтывaть себе средствa к существовaнию /живя/ в своей собственной стрaне; living — жизнь; средствa к существовaнию).
reasonable ['ri:z(ə)nəb(ə)l], million ['mɪljən], living ['lɪvɪŋ]