Alice in Wonderland. Книга для чтения на английском языке

This question the Dodo could not answer without a great deal of thought |буквально – без большого количества мысли. Лучше – без того, чтобы хорошенько подумать|, and it sat for a long time with one finger pressed upon its forehead |приложив палец ко лбу| (the position in which you usually see Shakespeare, in the pictures of him), while the rest waited in silence. At last the Dodo said, “Everybody has won, and all must have prizes.”

“But who is to give the prizes?” quite a chorus of voices asked.

“Why, she, of course,” said the Dodo, pointing to Alice with one finger; and the whole party at once |сразу же| crowded round her, calling out in a confused way |наперебой|, “Prizes! Prizes!”

Alice had no idea what to do, and in despair |в отчаянии| she put her hand in her pocket, and pulled out a box of comfits |конфетами|, (luckily the salt water had not got into it), and handed them round as prizes. There was exactly one a-piece, all round.

“But she must have a prize herself, you know,” said the Mouse.

“Of course,” the Dodo replied very gravely |серьезно|. “What else have you got in your pocket?” he went on, turning to Alice.

“Only a thimble |наперсток|,” said Alice sadly.

“Hand it over here,” |Передай сюда| said the Dodo.

Then they all crowded round her once more, while the Dodo solemnly |торжественно| presented the thimble, saying “We beg your acceptance |Мы просим принять| of this elegant thimble;” and, when it had finished this short speech, they all cheered.

Alice thought the whole thing very absurd, but they all looked so grave that she did not dare to laugh; and, as she could not think of anything to say, she simply bowed |поклонилась|, and took the thimble, looking as solemn as she could.

The next thing was to eat the comfits: this caused some noise and confusion, as the large birds complained that they could not taste theirs, and the small ones choked |поперхнулись| and had to be patted |надо было похлопать| on the back. However, it was over at last, and they sat down again in a ring, and begged the Mouse to tell them something more.

“You promised to tell me your history, you know,” said Alice, “and why it is you hate – C and D |Алиса имеет в виду кошек и собак|,” she added in a whisper, half afraid that it would be offended again.

“Mine is a long and a sad tale |история|!” said the Mouse, turning to Alice, and sighing.

“It is a long tail |хвост. Игра слов a tale и a tail|, certainly,” said Alice, looking down with wonder at the Mouse’s tail; “but why do you call it sad?” And she kept on puzzling |долго удивлялась| about it while the Mouse was speaking, so that her idea of the tale was something like this:

“Fury |здесь – пушистый| said to a

mouse, That he

met in the

house,

‘Let us

both go to

law |поступим по закону|: I will

prosecute |засужу|

you.– Come,

I’ll take no

Denial |Я не приму «нет» за ответ|; We

must have a

trial: For

really this

morning I’ve

nothing

to do.’

Said the

mouse to the

cur |дворняжке|, ‘Such

a trial,

dear sir,

With

no jury |присяжных|

or judge,

would be

wasting

our

breath.’

‘I’ll be

judge, I’ll

be jury,’

Said

cunning |хитрый|

old Fury:

‘I’ll

try the

whole

cause |Я проведу все делосам|,

and

condemn |приговорю|

you

to

death.’”

“You are not attending |здесь – слушаешь|!” said the Mouse to Alice severely. “What are you thinking of?”

“I beg your pardon,” said Alice very humbly: “you had got to the fifth bend |вы уже дошли до пятого изгиба? Алиса имеет в виду изгибы хвоста, о которых якобы говорит Мышь|, I think?”

“I had not!” cried the Mouse, sharply and very angrily.

“A knot!” |Опять игра слов. I had not – я не дошла – кричит Мышь, а Алиса слышит: “I had a knot” – у меня был узел| said Alice, always ready to make herself useful, and looking anxiously about her. “Oh, do let me help to undo it |распутать его|!”

“I shall do nothing of the sort,” said the Mouse, getting up and walking away. “You insult me by talking such nonsense |оскорбляешь… чепухой|!”

“I didn’t mean it!” pleaded poor Alice. “But you’re so easily offended, you know!”