Читать интересную книгу Английский язык с Конан Дойлем. Этюд в багровых тонах - Arthur Conan Doyle

squall [skwɔ:l], raise [reɪz], knuckle [nʌkl]

"But we haven't opposed him yet," her father answered. "It will be time to look out for squalls when we do. We have a clear month before us; at the end of that, I guess we had best shin out of Utah."

"Leave Utah!"

"That's about the size of it."

"But the farm?"

"We will raise as much as we can in money, and let the rest go. To tell the truth, Lucy, it isn't the first time I have thought of doing it. I don't care about knuckling under to any man, as these folk do to their darned prophet. I'm a free-born American, and it's all new to me. Guess I'm too old to learn. If he comes browsing about this farm, he might chance to run up against a charge of buckshot travelling in the opposite direction."

"But they won't let us leave," his daughter objected (но они не позволят нам уехать, — возразила дочь).

"Wait till Jefferson comes, and we'll soon manage that (подожди, пока вернется Джефферсон, и мы вскоре все устроим). In the meantime, don't you fret yourself, my dearie (а пока не беспокойся, моя дорогая), and don't get your eyes swelled up (и смотри, чтобы у тебя не опухли глаза от слез; to swell — набухать, опухать), else he'll be walking into me when he sees you (а то он сразу набросится на меня, когда увидит тебя). There's nothing to be afeared about (бояться нечего), and there's no danger at all (и нет никакой опасности)."

John Ferrier uttered these consoling remarks in a very confident tone (Джон Феррьер очень уверенно произнес эти слова утешения: «произнес эти утешающие высказывания очень уверенным тоном»), but she could not help observing (но она не могла не заметить) that he paid unusual care to the fastening of the doors that night (что он необычно тщательно запирал двери: «оказал необычное внимание запиранию дверей» этим вечером; to pay — оказывать, обращать; care — внимание; тщательность), and that he carefully cleaned and loaded the rusty old shotgun which hung upon the wall of his bedroom (и что он тщательно вычистил и зарядил старый ржавый дробовик, который висел на стене его спальни).

object [ǝbˈʤekt], danger [ˈdeɪnʤǝ], console [kǝnˈsǝul], fasten [ˈfɑ:s(ǝ)n]

"But they won't let us leave," his daughter objected.

"Wait till Jefferson comes, and we'll soon manage that. In the meantime, don't you fret yourself, my dearie, and don't get your eyes swelled up, else he'll be walking into me when he sees you. There's nothing to be afeared about, and there's no danger at all."

John Ferrier uttered these consoling remarks in a very confident tone, but she could not help observing that he paid unusual care to the fastening of the doors that night, and that he carefully cleaned and loaded the rusty old shotgun which hung upon the wall of his bedroom.

Chapter IV. A Flight For Life

(Побег, чтобы спасти свою жизнь: «ради жизни»)

ON the morning which followed his interview with the Mormon Prophet (следующим утром: «утром, которое последовало за его встречей/беседой с Пророком мормонов»), John Ferrier went in to Salt Lake City (Джон Феррьер пошел в Солт-Лейк-Сити), and having found his acquaintance, who was bound for the Nevada Mountains (и, найдя своего знакомого, который отправлялся в горы Невады; to be bound for — следовать, направляться), he entrusted him with his message to Jefferson Hope (поручил ему передать письмо Джефферсону Хоупу; to entrust — вверять; поручать; message — сообщение; письмо). In it he told the young man of the imminent danger which threatened them (в нем он рассказал молодому человеку о неизбежной опасности, которая угрожала им), and how necessary it was that he should return (и как необходимо было, чтобы он вернулся). Having done thus he felt easier in his mind (когда он это сделал, на душе у него стало легче), and returned home with a lighter heart (и он возвращался домой с легким сердцем: «с более легким сердцем»).

As he approached his farm (подходя к ферме), he was surprised to see a horse hitched to each of the posts of the gate (он удивился, увидев, что к каждому столбу ворот было привязано по лошади; to hitch — привязывать, временно прикреплять). Still more surprised was he on entering to find two young men in possession of his sitting-room (еще больше он удивился, когда, войдя в дом, увидел, что его гостиную заняли два молодых человека: «когда, войдя, обнаружил двух молодых людей во владении его гостиной»). One, with a long pale face, was leaning back in the rocking-chair (один, с длинным бледным лицом, развалился в кресле-качалке; to lean — наклоняться; прислоняться, опираться), with his feet cocked up upon the stove (задрав ноги на печь; to cock — поднимать, загибать кверху /как петух свой хвост/; cock — петух). The other, a bull-necked youth with coarse bloated features (другой, с бычьей шеей и грубыми, одутловатыми чертами лица; to bloat — раздуваться, пухнуть), was standing in front of the window with his hands in his pocket, whistling a popular hymn (стоял у окна, засунув руки в карманы и насвистывая популярный церковный гимн). Both of them nodded to Ferrier as he entered (оба они кивнули Феррьеру, когда он вошел), and the one in the rocking-chair commenced the conversation (и тот, что был в кресле, начал беседу).

acquaintance [ǝˈkweɪnt(ǝ)ns], feature [ˈfi:ʧǝ], hymn [hɪm], commence [kǝˈmens]

On the morning which followed his interview with the Mormon Prophet, John Ferrier went in to Salt Lake City, and having found his acquaintance, who was bound for the Nevada Mountains, he entrusted him with his message to Jefferson Hope. In it he told the young man of the imminent danger which threatened them, and how necessary it was that he should return. Having done thus he felt easier in his mind, and returned home with a lighter heart.

As he approached his farm, he was surprised to see a horse hitched to each of the posts of the gate. Still more surprised was he on entering to find two young men in possession of his sitting-room. One, with a long pale face, was leaning back in the rocking-chair, with his feet cocked up upon the stove. The other, a bull-necked youth with coarse bloated features, was standing in front of the window with his hands in his pocket, whistling a popular hymn. Both of them nodded to Ferrier as he entered, and the one in the rocking-chair commenced the conversation.

"Maybe you don't know us (возможно, вы нас не знаете)," he said. "This here is the son of Elder Drebber (это вот сын старейшины Дреббера), and I'm Joseph Stangerson (а я Джозеф Стенджерсон), who travelled with you in the desert (который путешествовал с вами в пустыне) when the Lord stretched out His hand and gathered you into the true fold (когда Господь простер Свою руку и забрал вас в лоно истинной веры; to gather — снимать; собирать; fold — паства, церковь)."

"As He will all the nations in His own good time," said the other in a nasal voice (как Он приберет все народы в угодное Ему время, — сказал второй гнусавым голосом; nasal — носовой; гнусавый); "He grindeth[18] slowly but exceeding small (медленно мелют жернова Господни, но перемалывают в пыль; to grind — молоть, перемалывать; exceeding = exceedingly — очень, чрезвычайно)."

John Ferrier bowed coldly (Джон Феррьер холодно кивнул). He had guessed who his visitors were (он уже догадался, кто такие его посетители).

"We have come," continued Stangerson (мы пришли, — продолжал Стенджерсон), "at the advice of our fathers to solicit the hand of your daughter (по совету наших отцов попросить руки вашей дочери) for whichever of us may seem good to you and to her (для того из нас, кто покажется вам или ей более подходящим: «хорошим»; whichever — какой угодно, какой бы ни). As I have but four wives and Brother Drebber here has seven (поскольку у меня лишь четыре жены, а у брата Дреббера семь), it appears to me that my claim is the stronger one (мне кажется, что я имею больше прав на нее: «что мое притязание более сильное»)."

"Nay, nay, Brother Stangerson," cried the other (нет, нет, брат Стенджерсон, — вскричал другой); "the question is not how many wives we have, but how many we can keep (вопрос заключается не в том, сколько у нас жен, но в том, сколько мы можем содержать). My father has now given over his mills to me, and I am the richer man (мой отец передал мне свои мельницы, и я теперь богаче)."

fold [fǝuld], nasal [ˈneɪz(ǝ)l], grind [ɡraɪnd], solicit [sǝˈlɪsɪt]

"Maybe you don't know us," he said. "This here is the son of Elder Drebber, and I'm Joseph Stangerson, who travelled with you in the desert when the Lord stretched out His hand and gathered you into the true fold."

"As He will all the nations in His own good time," said the other in a nasal voice; "He grindeth slowly but exceeding small."

John Ferrier bowed coldly. He had guessed who his visitors were.

"We have come," continued Stangerson, "at the advice of our fathers to solicit the hand of your daughter for whichever of us may seem good to you and to her. As I have but four wives and Brother Drebber here has seven, it appears to me that my claim is the stronger one."

"Nay, nay, Brother Stangerson," cried the other; "the question is not how many wives we have, but how many we can keep. My father has now given over his mills to me, and I am the richer man."

"But my prospects are better," said the other, warmly (зато мои виды на будущее лучше, — пылко сказал Стенджерсон). "When the Lord removes my father (когда Господь приберет моего отца; to remove — убирать, уносить, устранять), I shall have his tanning yard and his leather factory (мне будут принадлежать его дубильня и кожевенный завод). Then I am your elder, and am higher in the Church (к тому же я старше тебя и выше в церковной иерархии)."

"It will be for the maiden to decide," rejoined young Drebber (пусть решает девушка, — возразил Дреббер; maiden — дева, девица), smirking at his own reflection in the glass (самодовольно улыбаясь своему отражению в зеркале; to smirk — притворно, глупо или самодовольно улыбаться; ухмыляться). "We will leave it all to her decision (мы предоставим ей право выбора: «мы оставим это все на ее выбор»)."

During this dialogue, John Ferrier had stood fuming in the doorway (во время этого диалога Джон Феррьер стоял в дверях, вскипая от гнева; to fume — раздражаться; кипеть от злости), hardly able to keep his riding-whip from the backs of his two visitors (едва сдерживаясь, чтобы не приложиться своим хлыстом к спинам двух посетителей).

"Look here," he said at last, striding up to them (а теперь слушайте, — наконец сказал он, подходя к ним), "when my daughter summons you, you can come (когда моя дочь позовет вас, можете приходить; to summon — вызвать, позвать), but until then I don't want to see your faces again (но до этого момента я не хочу больше видеть ваши физиономии)."

The two young Mormons stared at him in amazement (два молодых мормона удивленно уставились на него). In their eyes this competition between them for the maiden's hand was the highest of honours both to her and her father (с их точки зрения это соперничество за руку девушки было высшей честью как для нее, так и для ее отца).