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CHAPTER XVII
(глава семнадцатая)
Washing day (день стирки). — Fish and fishers (рыба и рыбаки). — On the art of angling (об искусстве ужения). — A conscientious fly-fisher (честный удильщик на муху; conscientious — добросовестный, сознательный, честный). — A fishy story (неправдоподобная: «рыбная» история).
Washing day. — Fish and fishers. — On the art of angling. — A conscientious fly-fisher. — A fishy story.
WE stayed two days at Streatley, and got our clothes washed (мы оставались в Стритли два дня и отдали нашу одежду в стирку). We had tried washing them ourselves, in the river, under George's superintendence, and it had been a failure (мы попробовали стирать ее сами, в реке, под надзором Джорджа, и это /окончилось/ неудачей; superintendence — надзор, контроль; наблюдение, управление). Indeed, it had been more than a failure, because we were worse off after we had washed our clothes than we were before (действительно, это было больше, чем неудача, потому что мы оказались в более затруднительном положении после того, как постирали одежду, чем были раньше). Before we had washed them, they had been very, very dirty, it is true (до того, как мы постирали их, вещи были очень, очень грязными, это правда); but they were just wearable (но они все же были пригодными для ношения). After we had washed them (после того, как мы постирали их) — well, the river between Reading and Henley was much cleaner (река между Рэдингом и Хенли стала намного чище), after we had washed our clothes in it, than it was before (после того, как мы постирали нашу одежду в ней, чем была раньше). All the dirt contained in the river between Reading and Henley (всю грязь, что содержалась в реке между Рэдингом и Хенли), we collected, during that wash, and worked it into our clothes (мы собрали во время стирки и втиснули/вмыли в нашу одежду).
WE stayed two days at Streatley, and got our clothes washed. We had tried washing them ourselves, in the river, under George's superintendence, and it had been a failure. Indeed, it had been more than a failure, because we were worse off after we had washed our clothes than we were before. Before we had washed them, they had been very, very dirty, it is true; but they were just wearable. After we had washed them — well, the river between Reading and Henley was much cleaner, after we had washed our clothes in it, than it was before. All the dirt contained in the river between Reading and Henley, we collected, during that wash, and worked it into our clothes.
The washerwoman at Streatley said she felt she owed it to herself to charge us just three times the usual prices for that wash (прачка в Стритли сказала, что считает себя просто обязанной: «должна себе самой /так сделать/» взять с нас в три раза больше, чем обычная цена = тройную цену за эту стирку). She said it had not been like washing, it had been more in the nature of excavating (она сказала, это походило не столько на стирку, сколько на раскопки; in the nature of — в виде, своего рода; to excavate — копать, рыть; производить раскопки).
We paid the bill without a murmur (мы заплатили по счету безропотно).
The neighbourhood of Streatley and Goring is a great fishing centre (окрестности Стритли и Горинга — крупный центр рыболовства). There is some excellent fishing to be had here (здесь можно прекрасно порыбачить). The river abounds in pike (река здесь изобилует щукой), roach (плотвой), dace (ельцом), gudgeon (пескарем), and eels (угрями), just here (как раз здесь); and you can sit and fish for them all day (и можно сидеть и ловить их весь день).
murmur [ˈmǝ:mǝ] gudgeon [ˈɡʌʤ(ǝ)n]
The washerwoman at Streatley said she felt she owed it to herself to charge us just three times the usual prices for that wash. She said it had not been like washing, it had been more in the nature of excavating.
We paid the bill without a murmur.
The neighbourhood of Streatley and Goring is a great fishing centre. There is some excellent fishing to be had here. The river abounds in pike, roach, dace, gudgeon, and eels, just here; and you can sit and fish for them all day.
Some people do (некоторые люди /так/ и делают). They never catch them (они вовсе ничего не могут поймать). I never knew anybody catch anything, up the Thames, except minnows and dead cats (я никогда не видел, чтобы кто-нибудь поймал что-нибудь на Темзе, кроме разной мелочи и дохлых кошек; minnow — гольян /рыба/; мелкая рыбешка, мелюзга), but that has nothing to do, of course, with fishing (но это, конечно, не имеет никакого отношения к рыбалке)! The local fisherman's guide doesn't say a word about catching anything (местный путеводитель рыбака ни слова не говорит о поимке чего-нибудь = какой-нибудь рыбы). All it says is the place is "a good station for fishing (все, что он говорит — это место «хорошо для рыбной ловли»; station — место/положение/, пункт);" and, from what I have seen of the district, I am quite prepared to bear out this statement (и, /судя/ по тому, что я видел в этой округе, я вполне готов поддержать это утверждение; to bear out — подтверждать, подкреплять).
There is no spot in the world where you can get more fishing, or where you can fish for a longer period (нет такого места в мире, где можно получить больше рыбной ловли = где можно предаваться рыбной ловле больше или где можно рыбачить в течение более длительного времени). Some fishermen come here and fish for a day, and others stop and fish for a month (одни рыболовы приезжают сюда и рыбачат один день, другие остаются и удят месяц). You can hang on and fish for a year, if you want to: it will be all the same (вы можете задержаться и рыбачить /целый/ год, если хотите — разницы не будет: «будет все то же самое»; to hang on — крепко держаться, упорствовать; ждать; all the same — все равно, безразлично).
district [ˈdɪstrɪkt] guide [ɡaɪd]
Some people do. They never catch them. I never knew anybody catch anything, up the Thames, except minnows and dead cats, but that has nothing to do, of course, with fishing! The local fisherman's guide doesn't say a word about catching anything. All it says is the place is "a good station for fishing;" and, from what I have seen of the district, I am quite prepared to bear out this statement.
There is no spot in the world where you can get more fishing, or where you can fish for a longer period. Some fishermen come here and fish for a day, and others stop and fish for a month. You can hang on and fish for a year, if you want to: it will be all the same.
The Angler's Guide to the Thames says that "jack and perch are also to be had about here («Путеводитель рыболова по Темзе» говорит, что «щучку и окуня тоже можно поймать здесь»; jack — молодая щука, щучка)," but there the Angler's Guide is wrong (но тут «Путеводитель рыболова» ошибается). Jack and perch may be about there (могут водиться здесь). Indeed, I know for a fact that they are (действительно, я точно знаю, что они водятся). You can see them there in shoals, when you are out for a walk along the banks (вы можете увидеть их на мелководье, когда гуляете по берегу): they come and stand half out of the water with their mouths open for biscuits (они подплывают и высовываются наполовину из воды, открывая рты /желая получить/ печенье). And, if you go for a bathe, they crowd round (а когда идете купаться, они теснятся вокруг), and get in your way, and irritate you (и мешают вам, и раздражают вас). But they are not to be "had" by a bit of worm on the end of a hook, nor anything like it — not they (но их не поймать на кусочек червяка на конце крючка или на что-нибудь подобное — ну уж нет)!
I am not a good fisherman myself (сам я неважный рыболов). I devoted a considerable amount of attention to the subject at one time (я посвящал значительную часть внимания этому делу одно время), and was getting on, as I thought, fairly well (и делал успехи в нем, как полагал, довольно неплохие); but the old hands told me that I should never be any real good at it, and advised me to give it up (но старые рыбаки сказали мне, что я никогда не стану действительно хорош в этом занятии, и посоветовали мне бросить его). They said that I was an extremely neat thrower (они сказали, что я чрезвычайно искусный метатель = замечательно закидываю удочку; neat — чистый, аккуратный; искусный, ловкий), and that I seemed to have plenty of gumption for the thing, and quite enough constitutional laziness (что, кажется, я обладаю большой сообразительностью для этого дела и у меня вдоволь врожденной лености). But they were sure I should never make anything of a fisherman (но они были уверены, что я никогда не стану рыболовом). I had not got sufficient imagination (у меня не было достаточно воображения).
extremely [ɪkˈstri:mlɪ] sufficient [sǝˈfɪʃ(ǝ)nt]
The Angler's Guide to the Thames says that "jack and perch are also to be had about here," but there the Angler's Guide is wrong. Jack and perch may be about there. Indeed, I know for a fact that they are. You can see them there in shoals, when you are out for a walk along the banks: they come and stand half out of the water with their mouths open for biscuits. And, if you go for a bathe, they crowd round, and get in your way, and irritate you. But they are not to be "had" by a bit of worm on the end of a hook, nor anything like it — not they!
I am not a good fisherman myself. I devoted a considerable amount of attention to the subject at one time, and was getting on, as I thought, fairly well; but the old hands told me that I should never be any real good at it, and advised me to give it up. They said that I was an extremely neat thrower, and that I seemed to have plenty of gumption for the thing, and quite enough constitutional laziness. But they were sure I should never make anything of a fisherman. I had not got sufficient imagination.
They said that as a poet, or a shilling shocker (сказали, что в качестве поэта, /автора/ дешевых бульварных романов), or a reporter, or anything of that kind, I might be satisfactory (репортера или чего-нибудь в этом роде я, может, буду достаточным = добьюсь успеха; satisfactory — удовлетворительный; достаточный; приятный, хороший), but that, to gain any position as a Thames angler (но чтобы получить какое-нибудь положение = сделать имя в качестве удильщика на Темзе), would require more play of fancy, more power of invention than I appeared to possess (потребовалось бы больше фантазии, больше способности к выдумке, чем я, видимо, имел; play — игра, представление; деятельность; простор; to appear — казаться, иметь вид, выглядеть).
Some people are under the impression that all that is required to make a good fisherman (некоторые ошибочно полагают, что все, что требуется, чтобы стать хорошим рыболовом) is the ability to tell lies easily and without blushing (это способность легко врать, не краснея; blush — румянец, краска стыда, смущение); but this is a mistake (но это ошибка). Mere bald fabrication is useless (всего лишь голое/неприкрытое вранье бесполезно; fabrication — выдумка; подделка, ложь); the veriest tyro can manage that (любой новичок может с этим справиться). It is in the circumstantial detail (именно в массе подробностей; circumstantial — подробный, обстоятельный), the embellishing touches of probability (в приукрашивающих штрихах правдоподобия), the general air of scrupulous — almost of pedantic — veracity (в общей атмосфере скрупулезной, почти педантичной правдивости), that the experienced angler is seen (вот в чем виден опытный рыбак).
They said that as a poet, or a shilling shocker, or a reporter, or anything of that kind, I might be satisfactory, but that, to gain any position as a Thames angler, would require more play of fancy, more power of invention than I appeared to possess.
Some people are under the impression that all that is required to make a good fisherman is the ability to tell lies easily and without blushing; but this is a mistake. Mere bald fabrication is useless; the veriest tyro can manage that. It is in the circumstantial detail, the embellishing touches of probability, the general air of scrupulous — almost of pedantic — veracity, that the experienced angler is seen.
Anybody can come in and say (любой может войти и сказать), "Oh, I caught fifteen dozen perch yesterday evening (я поймал пятнадцать дюжин окуней вчера вечером);" or "Last Monday I landed a gudgeon, weighing eighteen pounds (в прошлый понедельник я вытащил пескаря, весившего восемнадцать фунтов), and measuring three feet from the tip to the tail (и длиной три фута от головы до хвоста; to measure — измерять, иметь размер; tip — кончик, верх, верхушка)."
There is no art, no skill, required for that sort of thing (не требуется ни искусства, ни умения для вещей подобного рода). It shows pluck, but that is all (это показывает смелость, только и всего).
No; your accomplished angler would scorn to tell a lie, that way (нет; настоящий рыбак не стал бы лгать таким образом; accomplished — законченный, полный, совершенный; настоящий; to scorn — презирать, не принимать, считать неприемлемым). His method is a study in itself (его способ — наука по своей природе = целая наука).
He comes in quietly with his hat on, appropriates the most comfortable chair (он входит спокойно, не снимая шляпы: «с надетой шляпой», садится на самый удобный стул; to appropriate — присваивать; конфисковать), lights his pipe, and commences to puff in silence (зажигает свою трубку и начинает пускать клубы дыма молча). He lets the youngsters brag away for a while, and then, during a momentary lull (он позволяет молодежи хвастаться некоторое время, а потом, во время короткого перерыва; momentary — моментальный, преходящий, кратковременный; lull — временное затишье; временное успокоение; перерыв), he removes the pipe from his mouth, and remarks (он вынимает трубку изо рта и замечает; to remove — передвигать, перемещать; снимать), as he knocks the ashes out against the bars (выбивая пепел о решетку /камина/):
weighing [ˈweɪɪŋ] momentary [ˈmǝumǝnt(ǝ)rɪ]
Anybody can come in and say, "Oh, I caught fifteen dozen perch yesterday evening;" or "Last Monday I landed a gudgeon, weighing eighteen pounds, and measuring three feet from the tip to the tail."
There is no art, no skill, required for that sort of thing. It shows pluck, but that is all.
No; your accomplished angler would scorn to tell a lie, that way. His method is a study in itself.
He comes in quietly with his hat on, appropriates the most comfortable chair, lights his pipe, and commences to puff in silence. He lets the youngsters brag away for a while, and then, during a momentary lull, he removes the pipe from his mouth, and remarks, as he knocks the ashes out against the bars:
"Well, I had a haul on Tuesday evening that it's not much good my telling anybody about (у меня был такой улов во вторник вечером, что мне не следует никому /даже/ рассказывать о нем; haul — волочение, тяга; улов /рыбы/; добыча)."
"Oh! why's that (это почему)?" they ask (спрашивают они).
"Because I don't expect anybody would believe me if I did (потому что не думаю, что кто-нибудь поверит мне, если я расскажу; to expect — ждать; надеяться, полагать)," replies the old fellow calmly, and without even a tinge of bitterness in his tone (отвечает старик спокойно, и даже без тени горечи в голосе; tinge — легкая окраска; оттенок, тон; привкус), as he refills his pipe (вновь наполняя = набивая трубку), and requests the landlord to bring him three of Scotch, cold (и просит трактирщика принести ему три рюмки/порции холодного шотландского виски; landlord — домовладелец; хозяин гостиницы, пансиона и т.д.).
There is a pause after this, nobody feeling sufficiently sure of himself to contradict the old gentleman (после этого наступает пауза, никто не чувствует себя достаточно уверенно, чтобы возражать старому джентльмену). So he has to go on by himself without any encouragement (поэтому ему приходится продолжать самому, без какой-либо поддержки).
"Well, I had a haul on Tuesday evening that it's not much good my telling anybody about."
"Oh! why's that?" they ask.
"Because I don't expect anybody would believe me if I did," replies the old fellow calmly, and without even a tinge of bitterness in his tone, as he refills his pipe, and requests the landlord to bring him three of Scotch, cold.
There is a pause after this, nobody feeling sufficiently sure of himself to contradict the old gentleman. So he has to go on by himself without any encouragement.
"No," he continues thoughtfully (продолжает он задумчиво); "I shouldn't believe it myself if anybody told it to me (я бы и сам не поверил, если бы кто-нибудь рассказал мне об этом), but it's a fact, for all that (но это факт, тем не менее). I had been sitting there all the afternoon and had caught literally nothing (я просидел весь день и не поймал буквально ничего; to catch) — except a few dozen dace and a score of jack (кроме нескольких дюжин мелкой рыбешки и двух десятков щучек); and I was just about giving it up as a bad job when I suddenly felt a rather smart pull at the line (и я уже собирался бросить это /как/ безнадежное дело, когда вдруг почувствовал сильное дерганье за леску). I thought it was another little one, and I went to jerk it up (я подумал, это еще какая-нибудь мелочь, и попытался подсечь; to jerk — резко толкать, дергать/ся/). Hang me, if I could move the rod (черт меня побери, если я мог = я не смог поднять удочку; rod — прут, стержень; удочка)! It took me half-an-hour — half-an-hour, sir (мне потребовалось полчаса — полчаса, сэр = да-с, полчаса)!— to land that fish; and every moment I thought the line was going to snap (чтобы вытащить ту рыбу; и каждую минуту я думал, леска оборвется; to snap — щелкать, хлопать; захлопываться; порвать/ся/, сломать/ся/)! I reached him at last, and what do you think it was (я вытащил ее наконец, и что, вы думаете, это было)? A sturgeon (осетр)! a forty pound sturgeon (сорокафунтовый осетр)! taken on a line, sir (пойманный на леску, да-с)! Yes, you may well look surprised (вы вполне можете выглядеть удивленными = конечно, это удивительно) — I'll have another three of Scotch, landlord, please (хозяин, я возьму еще три рюмки шотландского виски, пожалуйста)."
And then he goes on to tell of the astonishment of everybody who saw it (потом он в качестве продолжения рассказывает об удивлении всех = как удивились все, кто видел осетра); and what his wife said, when he got home, and of what Joe Buggles thought about it (и что сказала его жена, когда он пришел домой, и что об этом подумал Джо Багглс).
sturgeon [ˈstǝ:ʤ(ǝ)n] astonishment [ǝˈstɔnɪʃmǝnt]
"No," he continues thoughtfully; "I shouldn't believe it myself if anybody told it to me, but it's a fact, for all that. I had been sitting there all the afternoon and had caught literally nothing — except a few dozen dace and a score of jack; and I was just about giving it up as a bad job when I suddenly felt a rather smart pull at the line. I thought it was another little one, and I went to jerk it up. Hang me, if I could move the rod! It took me half-an-hour — half-an-hour, sir! — to land that fish; and every moment I thought the line was going to snap! I reached him at last, and what do you think it was? A sturgeon! a forty pound sturgeon! taken on a line, sir! Yes, you may well look surprised — I'll have another three of Scotch, landlord, please."
And then he goes on to tell of the astonishment of everybody who saw it; and what his wife said, when he got home, and of what Joe Buggles thought about it.
I asked the landlord of an inn up the river once, if it did not injure him, sometimes (я спросил однажды хозяина трактира у реки, не задевает ли его = не противно ли ему иногда), listening to the tales that the fishermen about there told him (слушать небылицы, которые здешние рыбаки рассказывают ему /там/); and he said:
"Oh, no; not now, sir (нет, теперь нет, сэр). It did used to knock me over a bit at first (они действительно ошеломляли меня поначалу), but, lor love you! me and the missus we listens to `em all day now (но, слава Богу, мы с хозяйкой /можем/ слушать их теперь весь день; lor = lord; missus = missis; `em = them). It's what you're used to, you know (это то, к чему привык = дело привычки, знаете ли). It's what you're used to."
I knew a young man once, he was a most conscientious fellow (я знал одного молодого человека, он был очень честным малым), and, when he took to fly-fishing, he determined never to exaggerate his hauls by more than twenty-five per cent (когда начал удить на муху, он решил никогда не преувеличивать улова больше, чем на двадцать пять процентов).
"When I have caught forty fish (если я поймаю сорок /штук/ рыб)," said he, "then I will tell people that I have caught fifty, and so on (тогда скажу, что поймал пятьдесят, и так далее). But I will not lie any more than that, because it is sinful to lie (но я не стану врать больше, чем на эту величину, потому что врать — грешно)."
injure [ˈɪnʤǝ] exaggerate [ɪɡˈzæʤǝreɪt]
I asked the landlord of an inn up the river once, if it did not injure him, sometimes, listening to the tales that the fishermen about there told him; and he said:
"Oh, no; not now, sir. It did used to knock me over a bit at first, but, lor love you! me and the missus we listens to `em all day now. It's what you're used to, you know. It's what you're used to."
I knew a young man once, he was a most conscientious fellow, and, when he took to fly-fishing, he determined never to exaggerate his hauls by more than twenty-five per cent.
"When I have caught forty fish," said he, "then I will tell people that I have caught fifty, and so on. But I will not lie any more than that, because it is sinful to lie."
But the twenty-five per cent plan did not work well at all (но двадцатипятипроцентный план вообще не работал). He never was able to use it (ему никак не удавалось его применить). The greatest number of fish he ever caught in one day was three (самое большое количество рыбы, что он ловил за день — три), and you can't add twenty-five per cent to three — at least, not in fish (и нельзя прибавить двадцать пять процентов к трем — по крайней мере, в рыбах).
So he increased his percentage to thirty-three-and-a-third (поэтому он увеличил процент до тридцати трех с третью); but that, again, was awkward, when he had only caught one or two (но это опять было неудобно, если он ловил только одну /рыбу/ или две); so, to simplify matters, he made up his mind to just double the quantity (и, чтобы упростить дело, он решил попросту удваивать количество; to make up one`s mind — решить/ся/).
He stuck to this arrangement for a couple of months (он придерживался этой схемы пару месяцев; to stick to), and then he grew dissatisfied with it (потом он стал недоволен ей). Nobody believed him when he told them that he only doubled (никто не верил ему, когда он говорил, что только удваивает), and he, therefore, gained no credit that way whatever (и он, таким образом, совсем не приобретал доверия = ему все равно не верили; credit — доверие, вера; хорошая репутация, доброе имя), while his moderation put him at a disadvantage among the other anglers (в то время как его умеренность ставила его в невыгодное положение среди других удильщиков). When he had really caught three small fish, and said he had caught six (когда он на самом деле ловил три маленькие рыбешки, он говорил, что поймал шесть), it used to make him quite jealous to hear a man (и ему было весьма обидно слушать, как человек; jealous — ревнивый, завистливый; не выносящий лжи, измены), whom he knew for a fact had only caught one (который, как он точно знал, поймал лишь одну рыбу), going about telling people he had landed two dozen (ходил и рассказывал, что вытащил две дюжины; to go about — расхаживать, ходить туда и сюда; начинать, приступать).
awkward [ˈɔ:kwǝd] quantity [ˈkwɔntɪtɪ]
But the twenty-five per cent plan did not work well at all. He never was able to use it. The greatest number of fish he ever caught in one day was three, and you can't add twenty-five per cent to three — at least, not in fish.
So he increased his percentage to thirty-three-and-a-third; but that, again, was awkward, when he had only caught one or two; so, to simplify matters, he made up his mind to just double the quantity.
He stuck to this arrangement for a couple of months, and then he grew dissatisfied with it. Nobody believed him when he told them that he only doubled, and he, therefore, gained no credit that way whatever, while his moderation put him at a disadvantage among the other anglers. When he had really caught three small fish, and said he had caught six, it used to make him quite jealous to hear a man, whom he knew for a fact had only caught one, going about telling people he had landed two dozen.
So, eventually, he made one final arrangement with himself (поэтому в конце концов он вступил в соглашение с самим собой; to make arrangements with somebody — договариваться, уславливаться с кем-либо), which he has religiously held to ever since (которого строго придерживается с тех пор), and that was to count each fish that he caught as ten, and to assume ten to begin with (считать каждую рыбу, которую он ловит, за десять, и /всегда/ начинать с десяти; to assume — брать на себя /ответственность/; допускать, предполагать; притворяться). For example, if he did not catch any fish at all, then he said he had caught ten fish (например, если он вообще не поймал ни одной рыбы, тогда он говорил, что поймал десять) — you could never catch less than ten fish by his system (нельзя было поймать меньше, чем десять рыб, по его системе); that was the foundation of it (в этом была ее основа). Then, if by any chance he really did catch one fish, he called it twenty (если в действительности он случайно и ловил одну рыбу, то считал ее за двадцать), while two fish would count thirty, three forty, and so on (тогда как две рыбы считал за тридцать, три — за сорок и так далее).
It is a simple and easily worked plan, and there has been some talk lately of its being made use of by the angling fraternity in general (это простой и легко осуществимый план, и недавно говорили о том, чтобы использовать его всей удящей братией; to make use of — применять, употреблять, использовать; fraternity — братство, община, братия). Indeed, the Committee of the Thames Angler's Association did recommend its adoption about two years ago (комитет Ассоциации удильщиков Темзы действительно рекомендовал принять его около двух лет назад; adoption — усыновление; принятие /закона, резолюции/), but some of the older members opposed it (но некоторые из старших членов воспротивились ему). They said they would consider the idea if the number were doubled, and each fish counted as twenty (они сказали, что рассмотрят этот план, если цифра будет удвоена и каждая рыба будет считаться за двадцать).
religiously [rɪˈlɪʤǝslɪ] fraternity [frǝˈtǝ:nɪtɪ]
So, eventually, he made one final arrangement with himself, which he has religiously held to ever since, and that was to count each fish that he caught as ten, and to assume ten to begin with. For example, if he did not catch any fish at all, then he said he had caught ten fish — you could never catch less than ten fish by his system; that was the foundation of it. Then, if by any chance he really did catch one fish, he called it twenty, while two fish would count thirty, three forty, and so on.
It is a simple and easily worked plan, and there has been some talk lately of its being made use of by the angling fraternity in general. Indeed, the Committee of the Thames Angler's Association did recommend its adoption about two years ago, but some of the older members opposed it. They said they would consider the idea if the number were doubled, and each fish counted as twenty.
If ever you have an evening to spare, up the river (если когда-нибудь у вас будет свободный вечер на реке), I should advise you to drop into one of the little village inns, and take a seat in the tap-room (я советую вам заглянуть в один из маленьких деревенских трактиров и сесть в пивной). You will be nearly sure to meet one or two old rod-men, sipping their toddy there (вы почти наверняка встретите нескольких старых удильщиков, потягивающих пунш; to sip — пить маленькими глотками, потягивать, прихлебывать), and they will tell you enough fishy stories, in half an hour, to give you indigestion for a month (и они расскажу вам достаточно рыбных/неправдоподобных историй за полчаса, чтобы вызвать у вас расстройство желудка на месяц; indigestion — несварение желудка; нарушение пищеварения).
George and I — I don't know what had become of Harris (мы с Джорджем — не знаю, что случилось с Гаррисом); he had gone out and had a shave, early in the afternoon (он вышел побриться рано утром), and had then come back and spent full forty minutes in pipeclaying his shoes, we had not seen him since (затем вернулся и потратил целых сорок минут, начищая свои ботинки, и после этого мы его не видели; to spend; to pipeclay — чистить белой глиной; наводить образцовый порядок) — George and I, therefore, and the dog, left to ourselves (поэтому Джордж, я и собака, предоставленные самим себе), went for a walk to Wallingford on the second evening (пошли прогуляться в Уоллингфорд на второй вечер), and, coming home, we called in at a little river-side inn, for a rest, and other things (и, идя домой, мы заскочили в маленький трактир на берегу реки, чтобы отдохнуть и тому подобное).
We went into the parlour and sat down (мы вошли в зал и сели; parlour — гостиная, общая комната /в квартире/; приемная /в гостинице и т. п./; зал). There was an old fellow there, smoking a long clay pipe, and we naturally began chatting (там был старик, куривший длинную глиняную трубку, и мы, естественно, начали беседовать).
indigestion [,ɪndaɪˈʤesʧ(ǝ)n]
If ever you have an evening to spare, up the river, I should advise you to drop into one of the little village inns, and take a seat in the tap-room. You will be nearly sure to meet one or two old rod-men, sipping their toddy there, and they will tell you enough fishy stories, in half an hour, to give you indigestion for a month.
George and I — I don't know what had become of Harris; he had gone out and had a shave, early in the afternoon, and had then come back and spent full forty minutes in pipeclaying his shoes, we had not seen him since — George and I, therefore, and the dog, left to ourselves, went for a walk to Wallingford on the second evening, and, coming home, we called in at a little river-side inn, for a rest, and other things.
We went into the parlour and sat down. There was an old fellow there, smoking a long clay pipe, and we naturally began chatting.
He told us that it had been a fine day to-day (он сказал нам, что сегодня хороший денек), and we told him that it had been a fine day yesterday (мы сказали ему, что вчера /тоже/ был хороший денек), and then we all told each other that we thought it would be a fine day to-morrow (затем мы сказали друг другу, что, думаем, завтра /тоже/ будет погожий денек); and George said the crops seemed to be coming up nicely (Джордж сказал, хлеба, кажется, прекрасно всходят; crops — зерновые; crop — урожай, посев).
After that it came out, somehow or other, that we were strangers in the neighbourhood (потом выяснилось, так или иначе, что мы посторонние в окрестностях = нездешние; to come out — выходить; появляться, обнаруживаться), and that we were going away the next morning (и что уезжаем на следующее утро).
Then a pause ensued in the conversation, during which our eyes wandered round the room (затем в разговоре последовала пауза, во время которой наши глаза блуждали по комнате). They finally rested upon a dusty old glass-case (наконец они остановились на пыльном старом стеклянном ящике; glass-case — витрина), fixed very high up above the chimney-piece, and containing a trout (подвешенном очень высоко над каминной полкой, в котором была форель; to contain — содержать в себе, включать). It rather fascinated me, that trout (она весьма заворожила меня, эта форель); it was such a monstrous fish (такая громадная рыба). In fact, at first glance, I thought it was a cod (действительно, на первый взгляд = сначала я подумал, что это треска).
trout [traut] fascinated [ˈfæsɪneɪtɪd]
He told us that it had been a fine day to-day, and we told him that it had been a fine day yesterday, and then we all told each other that we thought it would be a fine day to-morrow; and George said the crops seemed to be coming up nicely.
After that it came out, somehow or other, that we were strangers in the neighbourhood, and that we were going away the next morning.
Then a pause ensued in the conversation, during which our eyes wandered round the room. They finally rested upon a dusty old glass-case, fixed very high up above the chimney-piece, and containing a trout. It rather fascinated me, that trout; it was such a monstrous fish. In fact, at first glance, I thought it was a cod.
"Ah!" said the old gentleman, following the direction of my gaze (следуя в направлении моего пристального взгляда), "fine fellow that, ain't he (прекрасный экземпляр, не правда ли; fine fellow — молодец, славный парень)?"
"Quite uncommon (совершенно необыкновенный)," I murmured; and George asked the old man how much he thought it weighed (пробормотал я, а Джордж спросил старика, сколько, по его мнению, весит эта рыба).
"Eighteen pounds six ounces (восемнадцать фунтов шесть унций; ounce — унция /28, 3 г/)," said our friend, rising and taking down his coat (сказал наш знакомый, вставая и снимая пиджак). "Yes," he continued (продолжал он), "it wur sixteen year ago, come the third o' next month, that I landed him (это было шестнадцать лет назад; будет третьего числа следующего месяца, как я вытащил ее). I caught him just below the bridge with a minnow (я поймал ее чуть ниже моста, на блесну). They told me he wur in the river, and I said I'd have him, and so I did (мне сказали, что она в реке, а я сказал, что поймаю ее, так и сделал). You don't see many fish that size about here now, I'm thinking (думаю, теперь здесь не увидеть много рыбы такого размера = такой рыбы больше не осталось). Good-night, gentlemen, good-night (спокойной ночи)."
And out he went, and left us alone (он вышел и оставил нас одних).
ounce [auns] caught [kɔ:t]
"Ah!" said the old gentleman, following the direction of my gaze, "fine fellow that, ain't he?"
"Quite uncommon," I murmured; and George asked the old man how much he thought it weighed.
"Eighteen pounds six ounces," said our friend, rising and taking down his coat. "Yes," he continued, "it wur sixteen year ago, come the third o' next month, that I landed him. I caught him just below the bridge with a minnow. They told me he wur in the river, and I said I'd have him, and so I did. You don't see many fish that size about here now, I'm thinking. Good-night, gentlemen, good-night."
And out he went, and left us alone.
We could not take our eyes off the fish after that (мы не могли отвести глаз от рыбы после этого). It really was a remarkably fine fish (это была удивительная, прекрасная рыба: «удивительно прекрасная рыба»). We were still looking at it, when the local carrier, who had just stopped at the inn (мы по-прежнему смотрели на нее, когда местный перевозчик, который только что остановился у трактира), came to the door of the room with a pot of beer in his hand, and he also looked at the fish (подошел к двери комнаты с кружкой пива в руке и тоже посмотрел на рыбу).
"Good-sized trout, that (большая форель, а)," said George, turning round to him (сказал Джордж, поворачиваясь к нему).
"Ah! you may well say that, sir (совершенно верно: «вы вполне можете сказать так», сэр)," replied the man; and then, after a pull at his beer, he added (ответил человек, а потом, после глотка пива/отхлебнув пива, добавил; to pull at — дергать, тянуть; затягиваться /сигаретой/, тянуть /из бутылки/), "Maybe you wasn't here, sir, when that fish was caught (может, вас здесь не было, сэр, когда эту рыбу поймали)?"
"No," we told him. We were strangers in the neighbourhood (мы здесь чужие).
We could not take our eyes off the fish after that. It really was a remarkably fine fish. We were still looking at it, when the local carrier, who had just stopped at the inn, came to the door of the room with a pot of beer in his hand, and he also looked at the fish.
"Good-sized trout, that," said George, turning round to him.
"Ah! you may well say that, sir," replied the man; and then, after a pull at his beer, he added, "Maybe you wasn't here, sir, when that fish was caught?"
"No," we told him. We were strangers in the neighbourhood.
"Ah!" said the carrier, "then, of course, how should you (тогда, конечно, откуда вам /знать/)? It was nearly five years ago that I caught that trout (почти пять лет назад я поймал эту форель)."
"Oh! was it you who caught it, then (значит, это вы ее поймали)?" said I.
"Yes, sir," replied the genial old fellow (ответил добродушный старик). "I caught him just below the lock — leastways, what was the lock then (я поймал его немного ниже шлюза — по крайней мере, у того, что было шлюзом тогда) — one Friday afternoon; and the remarkable thing about it is that I caught him with a fly (в пятницу после обеда; и удивительно — я поймал ее на муху). I'd gone out pike fishing, bless you, never thinking of a trout (я отправился ловить щук, ей-богу, и не думал о форели), and when I saw that whopper on the end of my line, blest if it didn't quite take me aback (а когда увидел эту громадину на конце лески, то, черт побери, она меня так поразила; to take aback — захватить врасплох; поразить, ошеломить). Well, you see, he weighed twenty-six pound (она весила двадцать шесть фунтов). Good-night, gentlemen, good-night."
genial [ˈʤi:nɪǝl] pound [paund]
"Ah!" said the carrier, "then, of course, how should you? It was nearly five years ago that I caught that trout."
"Oh! was it you who caught it, then?" said I.
"Yes, sir," replied the genial old fellow. "I caught him just below the lock — leastways, what was the lock then — one Friday afternoon; and the remarkable thing about it is that I caught him with a fly. I'd gone out pike fishing, bless you, never thinking of a trout, and when I saw that whopper on the end of my line, blest if it didn't quite take me aback. Well, you see, he weighed twenty-six pound. Good-night, gentlemen, good-night."
Five minutes afterwards, a third man came in (пять минут спустя третий человек вошел), and described how he had caught it early one morning, with bleak (и описал, как он поймал ее однажды рано утром на уклейку); and then he left, and a stolid, solemn-looking, middle-aged individual came in, and sat down over by the window (потом он ушел, вошел невозмутимый, серьезного вида человек средних лет и сел у окна).
None of us spoke for a while (ни один из нас не говорил ничего некоторое время); but, at length, George turned to the new-comer, and said (но наконец Джордж обратился к новоприбывшему и сказал):
"I beg your pardon, I hope you will forgive the liberty that we (прошу прощения, надеюсь, вы простите бесцеремонность, которую мы; liberty — свобода; бесцеремонность, вольность; дерзость) — perfect strangers in the neighbourhood (совсем чужие люди в этих краях) — are taking, but my friend here and myself would be so much obliged (позволяем себе, но вот мой приятель и я сам были бы очень благодарны) if you would tell us how you caught that trout up there (если бы вы рассказали нам, как поймали вон ту форель)."
"Why, who told you I caught that trout (а кто вам сказал, что я поймал эту форель)!" was the surprised query (был удивленный вопрос).
We said that nobody had told us so (мы сказали, что никто нам этого не говорил), but somehow or other we felt instinctively that it was he who had done it (но мы каким-то образом инстинктивно чувствуем, что именно он это сделал).
Five minutes afterwards, a third man came in, and described how he had caught it early one morning, with bleak; and then he left, and a stolid, solemn-looking, middle-aged individual came in, and sat down over by the window.
None of us spoke for a while; but, at length, George turned to the new-comer, and said:
"I beg your pardon, I hope you will forgive the liberty that we — perfect strangers in the neighbourhood — are taking, but my friend here and myself would be so much obliged if you would tell us how you caught that trout up there."
"Why, who told you I caught that trout!" was the surprised query.
We said that nobody had told us so, but somehow or other we felt instinctively that it was he who had done it.
"Well, it's a most remarkable thing — most remarkable (удивительная вещь — совершенно удивительная)," answered the stolid stranger, laughing (ответил невозмутимый незнакомец, смеясь); "because, as a matter of fact, you are quite right (потому что на самом деле вы совершенно правы). I did catch it (я действительно поймал ее). But fancy your guessing it like that (но подумать /только/ — как это вы так угадали). Dear me, it's really a most remarkable thing (ей-богу — в высшей степени удивительная вещь; dear me — Боже мой! вот те на!)."
And then he went on, and told us how it had taken him half an hour to land it, and how it had broken his rod (и затем он продолжил и рассказал нам, как у него ушло полчаса, чтобы вытащить ее, и как она сломала его удилище). He said he had weighed it carefully when he reached home (он сказал, что тщательно взвесил ее, когда добрался до дома), and it had turned the scale at thirty-four pounds (и весы показали тридцать четыре фунта; to turn the scale — склонить чашу весов; решить исход дела).
He went in his turn, and when he was gone, the landlord came in to us (он /тоже/, в свою очередь, удалился, и когда ушел, к нам вошел хозяин трактира). We told him the various histories we had heard about his trout (мы рассказали ему различные истории, которые услышали о его форели), and he was immensely amused, and we all laughed very heartily (это его чрезвычайно позабавило, и мы все посмеялись от души).
guessing [ˈɡesɪŋ] history [ˈhɪst(ǝ)rɪ]
"Well, it's a most remarkable thing — most remarkable," answered the stolid stranger, laughing; "because, as a matter of fact, you are quite right. I did catch it. But fancy your guessing it like that. Dear me, it's really a most remarkable thing."
And then he went on, and told us how it had taken him half an hour to land it, and how it had broken his rod. He said he had weighed it carefully when he reached home, and it had turned the scale at thirty-four pounds.
He went in his turn, and when he was gone, the landlord came in to us. We told him the various histories we had heard about his trout, and he was immensely amused, and we all laughed very heartily.
"Fancy Jim Bates and Joe Muggles and Mr. Jones and old Billy Maunders all telling you that they had caught it (подумать только — Джим Бейтс, и Джо Магглс, и мистер Джонс, и Билли Маундерс — все говорят вам, что это они ее поймали). Ha! ha! ha! Well, that is good (вот здорово)," said the honest old fellow, laughing heartily (сказал честный старик, весело смеясь). "Yes, they are the sort to give it me, to put up in my parlour (да, такие они люди, чтобы отдать ее мне, чтобы повесить ее в моем зале), if they had caught it, they are (если они /сами/ ее поймали)! ha! ha! ha!"
And then he told us the real history of the fish (тут он рассказал нам настоящую историю этой рыбы). It seemed that he had caught it himself, years ago, when he was quite a lad (оказалось, что он сам ее поймал много лет назад, когда был совсем еще мальчишкой); not by any art or skill, but by that unaccountable luck that appears to always wait upon a boy (и не /благодаря/ мастерству или умению, а благодаря той необъяснимой удаче, что, кажется, всегда поджидает мальчишку) when he plays the wag from school, and goes out fishing on a sunny afternoon (когда он сбегает из школы и отправляется порыбачить в солнечный день; to play the wag — увиливать от занятий, прогуливать уроки; wag — движение, взмах /рукой и т.п./; кивок; виляние /хвостом/), with a bit of string tied on to the end of a tree (с веревкой, привязанной к палке; tree — дерево; столб, стойка; палка, трость).
He said that bringing home that trout had saved him from a whacking (он сказал, что, принеся домой эту форель, избежал порки; to whack — сильный, звучный удар), and that even his school-master had said it was worth the rule-of-three and practice put together (и что даже его школьный учитель сказал, она /форель/ стоит тройного правила и упражнений, вместе взятых).
honest [ˈɔnɪst] unaccountable [,ʌnǝˈkauntǝbl]
"Fancy Jim Bates and Joe Muggles and Mr. Jones and old Billy Maunders all telling you that they had caught it. Ha! ha! ha! Well, that is good," said the honest old fellow, laughing heartily. "Yes, they are the sort to give it me, to put up in my parlour, if they had caught it, they are! ha! ha! ha!"
And then he told us the real history of the fish. It seemed that he had caught it himself, years ago, when he was quite a lad; not by any art or skill, but by that unaccountable luck that appears to always wait upon a boy when he plays the wag from school, and goes out fishing on a sunny afternoon, with a bit of string tied on to the end of a tree.
He said that bringing home that trout had saved him from a whacking, and that even his school-master had said it was worth the rule-of-three and practice put together.
He was called out of the room at this point (на этом месте /рассказа/ его позвали, и он вышел из комнаты), and George and I again turned our gaze upon the fish (и мы с Джорджем снова обратили взор на рыбу).
It really was a most astonishing trout (это действительно была самая = весьма удивительная форель). The more we looked at it, the more we marvelled at it (чем больше мы смотрели на нее, тем больше восхищались ей).
It excited George so much that he climbed up on the back of a chair to get a better view of it (она настолько взволновала Джорджа, что он влез на спинку стула, чтобы получше рассмотреть ее).
And then the chair slipped, and George clutched wildly at the trout-case to save himself (и тут стул выскользнул, и Джордж схватился крепко за ящик с форелью, чтобы спастись = не упасть), and down it came with a crash, George and the chair on top of it (и он упал с грохотом, а на него сверху Джордж со стулом).
"You haven't injured the fish, have you (ты ведь не испортил рыбу)?" I cried in alarm, rushing up (крикнул я испуганно, подбегая).
climb [klaɪm] alarm [ǝˈlɑ:m]
He was called out of the room at this point, and George and I again turned our gaze upon the fish.
It really was a most astonishing trout. The more we looked at it, the more we marvelled at it.
It excited George so much that he climbed up on the back of a chair to get a better view of it.
And then the chair slipped, and George clutched wildly at the trout-case to save himself, and down it came with a crash, George and the chair on top of it.
"You haven't injured the fish, have you?" I cried in alarm, rushing up.
"I hope not (надеюсь, что нет)," said George, rising cautiously and looking about (сказал Джордж, поднимаясь осторожно и оглядываясь по сторонам).
But he had (но он испортил ее). That trout lay shattered into a thousand fragments (эта форель лежала, разбитая на тысячу кусков) — I say a thousand, but they may have only been nine hundred (говорю — на тысячу, но их могло быть только девятьсот). I did not count them (я их не считал).
We thought it strange and unaccountable that a stuffed trout should break up into little pieces like that (мы сочли странным и необъяснимым, что чучело форели разбилось на такие маленькие кусочки; to stuff — набивать, наполнять, делать чучело).
And so it would have been strange and unaccountable (и это было бы /действительно/ странно и необъяснимо), if it had been a stuffed trout, but it was not (если бы это было чучело форели, но это было не так).
That trout was plaster-of-Paris (это была гипсовая форель; plaster-of-Paris — гипс).
cautiously [ˈkɔ:ʃǝslɪ] plaster [ˈplɑ:stǝ]
"I hope not," said George, rising cautiously and looking about.
But he had. That trout lay shattered into a thousand fragments — I say a thousand, but they may have only been nine hundred. I did not count them.
We thought it strange and unaccountable that a stuffed trout should break up into little pieces like that.
And so it would have been strange and unaccountable, if it had been a stuffed trout, but it was not.