LONDON, August, 1889 (Лондон, август 1889 /года/)

preface ['prefs] chief [i:f] beauty ['bju:t] record ['rek:d] weigh [we] incurable [n'kjurbl] veracity [v'raest] volume ['vljum] precious ['pres]

The chief beauty of this book lies not so much in its literary style, or in the extent and usefulness of the information it conveys, as in its simple truthfulness. Its pages form the record of events that really happened. All that has been done is to colour them; and, for this, no extra charge has been made. George and Harris and Montmorency are not Poetic ideals, but things of flesh and blood — especially George, who weighs about twelve stone. Other works may excel this in depth of thought and knowledge of human nature; other books may rival it in originality and size; but, for hopeless and incurable veracity, nothing yet discovered can surpass it. This, more than all its other charms, will, it is felt, make the volume precious in the eye of the earnest reader; and will lend additional weight to the lesson that the story teaches.

LONDON, August, 1889

CHAPTER I

(глава первая)

Three Invalids (трое инвалидов). — Sufferings of George and Harris (страдания Джорджа и Гарриса; suffering — страдание, боль, мука). — A victim to one hundred and seven fatal maladies (жертва ста семи смертельных недугов). — Useful prescriptions (полезные рецепты; prescription — предписание, рекомендация; рецепт /на получение лекарства/). — Cure for liver complaint in children (средство от болезни печени у детей; cure — лекарство, способ лечения; complaint — жалоба; болезнь, недуг). — We agree that we are overworked, and need rest (мы соглашаемся, что мы переутомились/переработали, и нуждаемся в отдыхе; over — сверх, слишком, чересчур; to work — делать, выполнять, совершать /работу, задачу, деяние и т.д./; rest — покой, отдых). — A week on the rolling deep (неделя в волнующемся море; to roll — катиться, испытывать бортовую качку; deep — глубина; открытое море)? — George suggests the river (Джордж предлагает /путешествие по/ реке). — Montmorency lodges an objection (Монморенси выдвигает возражение; to lodge an objection — заявить протест, выдвинуть возражение). — Original motion carried by majority of three to one (первоначальное предложение принято большинством три к одному; original — первоначальный, исходный; motion — движение; предложение, ходатайство; to carry — перевозить, переносить; выиграть, одержать победу; принимать /законопроект и т.д./).

Three Invalids. — Sufferings of George and Harris. — A victim to one hundred and seven fatal maladies. — Useful prescriptions. — Cure for liver complaint in children. — We agree that we are overworked, and need rest. — A week on the rolling deep? — George suggests the river. — Montmorency lodges an objection. — Original motion carried by majority of three to one.

HERE were four of us (нас было четверо: «здесь было четверо из нас») — George, and William Samuel Harris, and myself, and Montmorency (Джордж, Уильям Сэмюэль Гаррис, я /сам/ и Монморенси). We were sitting in my room, smoking, and talking about how bad we were (мы сидели в моей комнате, курили и говорили о /том/, как мы плохи) — bad from a medical point of view I mean, of course (плохи с медицинской точки зрения, я имею в виду, конечно; to mean — иметь в виду, подразумевать).

maladies ['maeldz] suggests [s'ests] majority [m'rt] view [vju:]

HERE were four of us — George, and William Samuel Harris, and myself, and Montmorency. We were sitting in my room, smoking, and talking about how bad we were — bad from a medical point of view I mean, of course.