Английский язык с Джеромом К. Джеромом. Трое в лодке, не считая собаки

Speaking of oak staircases reminds me that there is a magnificent carved oak staircase in one of the houses in Kingston. It is a shop now, in the market-place, but it was evidently once the mansion of some great personage. A friend of mine, who lives at Kingston, went in there to buy a hat one day, and, in a thoughtless moment, put his hand in his pocket and paid for it then and there.

The shopman (he knows my friend) was naturally a little staggered at first; but, quickly recovering himself, and feeling that something ought to be done to encourage this sort of thing, asked our hero if he would like to see some fine old carved oak. My friend said he would, and the shopman, thereupon, took him through the shop, and up the staircase of the house. The balusters were a superb piece of workmanship, and the wall all the way up was oak-panelled, with carving that would have done credit to a palace.

From the stairs, they went into the drawing-room (с лестницы они вошли в гостиную), which was a large, bright room (которая была большой светлой комнатой; bright — яркий, ясный), decorated with a somewhat startling though cheerful paper of a blue ground (оклеенной несколько удивительными, однако веселыми обоями голубого /цвета/; to decorate — украшать, отделывать; startling — изумительный, поразительный, потрясающий, удивительный; ground — грунт, грунтовка, фон). There was nothing, however, remarkable about the apartment (там, тем не менее, не было ничего замечательного), and my friend wondered why he had been brought there (и мой приятель удивился, зачем его привели сюда; to bring). The proprietor went up to the paper, and tapped it (хозяин /лавки/ подошел к обоям и постучал по ним). It gave forth a wooden sound (они издали деревянный звук; to give forth).

"Oak (дуб)," he explained (объяснил он). "All carved oak, right up to the ceiling (везде резной дуб, вплоть до потолка), just the same as you saw on the staircase (такой же, что вы видели на лестнице)."

"But, great Caesar (но, Бог мой: «великий Цезарь»)! man," expostulated my friend (возмутился мой приятель; to expostulate — дружески пенять; противиться, протестовать); "you don't mean to say you have covered over carved oak with blue wall-paper (не хотите ли вы сказать, что оклеили резной дуб голубыми обоями; to cover a wall with paper — оклеивать стену обоями)?"

"Yes," was the reply (был ответ): "it was expensive work (это обошлось недешево: «было дорогой работой»). Had to match-board it all over first, of course (пришлось обшить все досками сначала, конечно). But the room looks cheerful now (но комната выглядит теперь веселой). It was awful gloomy before (она была ужасно мрачной раньше)."

apartment [ǝˈpɑ:tmǝnt] proprietor [prǝˈpraɪǝtǝ] ceiling [ˈsi:lɪŋ]

From the stairs, they went into the drawing-room, which was a large, bright room, decorated with a somewhat startling though cheerful paper of a blue ground. There was nothing, however, remarkable about the apartment, and my friend wondered why he had been brought there. The proprietor went up to the paper, and tapped it. It gave forth a wooden sound.

"Oak," he explained. "All carved oak, right up to the ceiling, just the same as you saw on the staircase."

"But, great Caesar! man," expostulated my friend; "you don't mean to say you have covered over carved oak with blue wall-paper?"

"Yes," was the reply: "it was expensive work. Had to match-board it all over first, of course. But the room looks cheerful now. It was awful gloomy before."