desperate ['desp(q)rqt], gather ['gxDq], shovel [SAvl], sugar ['Sugq], prefer [prI'fq:], breathe [bri:D], approve [q'pru:v], circle [sq:kl], persistent [pq'sIst(q)nt], informative [In'fO:mqtIv], proceeding [prq'si:dIN], unbiased ['An'baIqst], emphasis ['emfqsIs], particular [pq'tIkjulq]
He said desperately to Mr. Crabbin, "I'm sorry, but..."
"Don't think any more about it," Mr. Crabbin said. "One cup of coffee and then let's go on to the discussion. We have a very good gathering tonight. They'll put you on your mettle, Mr. Dexter." One of the young men placed a cup in his hand, the other shovelled in sugar before he could say he preferred his coffee unsweetened. The youngest man breathed into his ear, "Afterwards would you mind signing one of your books, Mr. Dexter?" A large woman in black silk bore down upon him and said, "I don't mind if the Gräfin does hear me, Mr. Dexter, but I don't like your books, I don't approve of them. I think a novel should tell a good story."
"So do I," Martins said hopelessly.
"Now Mrs. Bannock, wait for question time."
"I know I'm downright, but I'm sure Mr. Dexter values honest criticism."
An old lady, who he supposed was the Gräfin, said, "I do not read many English books, Mr. Dexter, but I am told that yours ..."
"Do you mind drinking up?" Crabbin said and hustled him through into an inner room where a number of elderly people were sitting on a semi-circle of chairs with an air of sad patience.
Martins was not able to tell me very much about the meeting: his mind was still dazed with the death: when he looked up he expected to see at any moment the child Hänsel and hear that persistent informative refrain, "Papa, Papa." Apparently Crabbin opened the proceedings, and knowing Crabbin I am sure that it was a very lucid, very fair and unbiased picture of the contemporary English novel. I have heard him give that talk so often, varied only by the emphasis given to the work of the particular English visitor. He would have touched lightly on various problems of technique—the point of view, the passage of time, and then he would have declared the meeting open for questions and discussions.
Martins missed the first question altogether (Мартинс пропустил первый вопрос совершенно), but luckily Crabbin filled the gap (но к счастью: «счастливо» Крэббин заполнил лакуну) and answered it satisfactorily (и ответил на него удовлетворительно). A woman wearing a brown hat and a piece of fur round her throat (женщина, носившая коричневую шляпу и кусок меха вокруг своего горла = женщина, на которой были…) said with passionate interest (сказала со страстным интересом): "May I ask Mr. Dexter if he is engaged on a new work (могу я спросить мистера Декстера, занят ли он новой работой)?"
"Oh yes ... Yes."
"May I ask the title (могу я спросить заглавие)?"
"The Third Man («Третий человек»)," Martins said and gained a spurious confidence as the result of taking that hurdle (сказал Мартинс и обрел иллюзорную уверенность /в себе/ как результат взятия этого барьера; spurious — поддельный; подложный, фальшивый, фиктивный; ложный, иллюзорный).
"Mr. Dexter, could you tell us what author has chiefly influenced you (мистер Декстер, могли бы вы сказать нам, какой автор главным образом повлиял на вас)?"
Martins without thinking said (Мартинс без раздумий сказал), "Grey (Грей)." He meant of course the author of Riders of the Purple Sage (он подразумевал, конечно, автора «Всадников пурпурной полыни»), and he was pleased to find his reply gave general satisfaction (и был обрадован, когда обнаружил, что его ответ дал = вызвал всеобщее удовлетворение)—to all save an elderly Austrian who asked (у всех, кроме престарелого австрийца, который спросил), "Grey. What Grey (Грей, какой Грей)? I do not know the name (я не знаю этого имени)."
Martins felt he was safe now and said (Мартинс почувствовал, что он был теперь в безопасности, и сказал; safe — сохранный, находящийся в безопасности), "Zane Grey—I don't know any other (Зейн Грей — я не знаю какого-либо другого)," and was mystified at the low subservient laughter from the English colony (и был озадачен тихим угодливым смехом из английской колонии; subservient — подчиненный, зависимый; рабский, раболепный).
Crabbin interposed quickly for the sake of the Austrians (Крэббин вмешался быстро ради: «для блага» австрийцев): "That is a little joke of Mr. Dexter's (это маленькая шутка мистера Декстера). He meant the poet Gray (он подразумевал поэта Грея)—a gentle, mild subtle genius (нежного, мягкого, тонкого гения; subtle — нежный; утонченный, изысканный)—one can see the affinity (можно увидеть родственность; affinity — сходство, близость /на основе связей, строения и т. п./; близость, сходство /характера, интересов; with, between, to/)."
"And he is called Zane Grey (и его зовут Зейн Грей)?"
"That was Mr. Dexter's joke (это была шутка мистера Декстера). Zane Grey wrote what we call Westerns (Зейн Грей писал то, что мы называем вестернами)—cheap popular novelettes about bandits and cowboys (дешевые популярные романчики о бандитах и ковбоях)."
"He is not a greater writer (он не великий писатель)?"
"No, no. Far from it (далеко от этого)," Mr. Crabbin said. "In the strict sense I would not call him a writer at all (в строгом смысле я бы не назвал его писателем вообще)." Martins told me that he felt the first stirrings of revolt at that statement (Мартинс сказал мне, что он почувствовал первые колыхания протеста при этом заявлении; to stir — шевелить/ся/; двигать/ся/; мешать, помешивать; stirring — взбалтывание, помешивание; движение; побуждение, стимул, толчок). He had never regarded himself before as a writer (он никогда не рассматривал себя прежде как писателя), but Crabbin's self-confidence irritated him (но самоуверенность Крэббина раздражала его)—even the way the light flashed back from Crabbin's spectacles seemed an added cause of vexation (даже способ, каким свет отражался: «сверкал назад» от очков Крэббина, казался дополнительной причиной досады; to add — прибавлять, присоединять). Crabbin said, "He was just a popular entertainer (он был просто популярным развлекателем; to entertain — занимать, развлекать)."
"Why the hell not (почему бы, черт возьми, и нет; hell — ад)?" Martins said fiercely (сказал яростно Мартинс).
"Oh well, I merely meant... (о, ладно, я просто имел в виду…)"
"What was Shakespeare (что был Шекспир = а чем, по-вашему, был Шекспир)?"
Somebody with great daring said (кто-то с = обладающий большой отвагой сказал), "A poet (поэт)."
"Have you ever read Zane Grey (вы когда-либо читали Зейна Грея)?"
"No, I can't say (нет, я не могу сказать)..."
"Then you don't know what you are talking about (тогда вы не знаете, о чем вы говорите)."
One of the young men tried to come to Crabbin's rescue (один из молодых людей попытался прийти Крэббину на помощь; rescue — спасение). "And James Joyce, where would you put James Joyce, Mr. Dexter (а Джеймс Джойс, куда бы вы поставили Джеймса Джойса, мистер Декстер)?"
"What do you mean put (что вы имеете в виду «поставил бы»)? I don't want to put anybody anywhere (я не хочу ставить кого-либо куда-либо)," Martins said. It had been a very full day (это был очень наполненный день): he had drunk too much with Cooler (он выпил слишком много с Кулером): he had fallen in love (он влюбился): a man had been murdered (был убит человек)—and now he had the quite unjust feeling (а теперь у него было совершенно несправедливое чувство) that he was being got at (что над ним смеялись; to get at — смеяться над: «добраться до»). Zane Grey was one of his heroes (Зейн Грей был одним из его героев = кумиров): he was damned if he was going to stand any nonsense (он был бы проклят, если он собирался выслушивать: «выдерживать» какую-либо чушь).
"I mean would you put him among the really great (я имею в виду, вы бы поместили его среди действительно великих)?"
"If you want to know, I've never heard of him (если вы хотите знать, я никогда не слышал о нем). What did he write (что он писал)?"
wear ['weq], fur ['fq:], passionate ['pxSqnIt], spurious ['spjuqrIqs], confidence ['kOnfId(q)ns], author ['O:Tq], general ['Gen(q)r(q)l], satisfaction ["sxtIs'fxkS(q)n], mystify ['mIstIfaI], subservient [sqb'sq:vjent], colony ['kOlqnI], mild ['maIld], subtle [sAtl] genius ['Gi:nIqs], affinity [q'fInItI], popular ['pOpjulq], bandit ['bxndIt], revolt [rI'vqult], regard [rI'gRd], spectacles ['spektqklz], entertainer ["entq'teInq], rescue ['reskju:], hero ['hIqrqu], damn [dxm]
Martins missed the first question altogether, but luckily Crabbin filled the gap and answered it satisfactorily. A woman wearing a brown hat and a piece of fur round her throat said with passionate interest: "May I ask Mr. Dexter if he is engaged on a new work?"
"Oh yes ... Yes."
"May I ask the title?"
"The Third Man," Martins said and gained a spurious confidence as the result of taking that hurdle.
"Mr. Dexter, could you tell us what author has chiefly influenced you?"
Martins without thinking said, "Grey." He meant of course the author of Riders of the Purple Sage, and he was pleased to find his reply gave general satisfaction—to all save an elderly Austrian who asked, "Grey. What Grey? I do not know the name."
Martins felt he was safe now and said, "Zane Grey—I don't know any other," and was mystified at the low subservient laughter from the English colony.
Crabbin interposed quickly for the sake of the Austrians: "That is a little joke of Mr. Dexter's. He meant the poet Gray—a gentle, mild subtle genius—one can see the affinity."
"And he is called Zane Grey?"
"That was Mr. Dexter's joke. Zane Grey wrote what we call Westerns—cheap popular novelettes about bandits and cowboys."
"He is not a greater writer?"
"No, no. Far from it," Mr. Crabbin said. "In the strict sense I would not call him a writer at all." Martins told me that he felt the first stirrings of revolt at that statement. He had never regarded himself before as a writer, but Crabbin's self-confidence irritated him—even the way the light flashed back from Crabbin's spectacles seemed an added cause of vexation. Crabbin said, "He was just a popular entertainer."
"Why the hell not?" Martins said fiercely.
"Oh well, I merely meant..."
"What was Shakespeare?"
Somebody with great daring said, "A poet."
"Have you ever read Zane Grey?"
"No, I can't say ..."
"Then you don't know what you are talking about."
One of the young men tried to come to Crabbin's rescue. "And James Joyce, where would you put James Joyce, Mr. Dexter?"
"What do you mean put? I don't want to put anybody anywhere," Martins said. It had been a very full day: he had drunk too much with Cooler: he had fallen in love: a man had been murdered—and now he had the quite unjust feeling that he was being got at. Zane Grey was one of his heroes: he was damned if he was going to stand any nonsense.
"I mean would you put him among the really great?"
"If you want to know, I've never heard of him. What did he write?"
He didn't realise it (он не сознавал этого), but he was making an enormous impression (но он производил огромное впечатление). Only a great writer could have taken so arrogant, so original a line (только великий писатель мог взять такой высокомерный, такой оригинальный тон: «линию»): several people wrote Zane Grey's name on the backs of envelopes (несколько людей написали имя Зейна Грея на оборотах конвертов) and the Gräfin whispered hoarsely to Crabbin (а графия прошептала хрипло Крэббину), "How do you spell Zane (как пишется «Зейн»)?"
"To tell you the truth (сказать вам правду), I'm not quite sure (я не вполне уверен)." A number of names were simultaneously flung at Martins (некоторое число имен были одновременно брошены в Мартинса; to fling — швырять)—little sharp pointed names like Stein (маленькие, острые, отточенные имена, такие как Стайн), round pebbles like Woolf (круглые камешки, как Вулф). A young Austrian with an ardent intellectual black forelock called out "Daphne du Maurier," (молодой австриец с романтичной интеллектуальной черной прядью прокричал «Дафна дю Морье») and Mr. Crabbin winced and looked sideways at Martins (и мистер Крэббин вздрогнул и посмотрел искоса на Мартинса; to wince — вздрагивать, морщиться /напр., от боли/). He said in an undertone (он сказал вполголоса), "Be kind to them (будьте милостивы к ним)."
