Английский язык с Ф. Скоттом Фитцджеральдом. Алмаз величиной в отель «Риц» / Francis Scott Fitzgerald. The Diamond As Big As The Ritz

John rounded a soft corner where the massed rosebushes filled the air with heavy scent, and struck off across a park toward a patch of moss under some trees. He had never lain upon moss, and he wanted to see whether it was really soft enough to justify the use of its name as an adjective. Then he saw a girl coming toward him over the grass. She was the most beautiful person he had ever seen.

She was dressed in a white little gown that came just below her knees, and a wreath of mignonettes clasped with blue slices of sapphire bound up her hair. Her pink bare feet scattered the dew before them as she came. She was younger than John — not more than sixteen.

"Hello," she cried softly, "I'm Kismine (здравствуй, — тихонько окликнула она его — я Кисмин; softly — мягко, нежно; тихо, спокойно; тихим голосом)."

She was much more than that to John already (но для Джона она была уже гораздо больше, чем это = чем просто Кисмин). He advanced toward her, scarcely moving as he drew near (он пошел ей навстречу, едва передвигая ноги: «двигаясь», когда был уже близко: «приближался»; to draw — тащить; медленно идти; to draw near — подходить, приближаться) lest he should tread on her bare toes (чтобы не = боясь наступить на ее босые пальчики).

"You haven't met me (ты меня еще не видел; to meet — встречать; встречаться, видеться)," said her soft voice (сказал ее нежный голос). Her blue eyes added, "Oh, but you've missed a great deal!" (ее синие/голубые глаза добавили: "И как же много ты потерял!"; deal — /некоторое/ количество)… "You met my sister, Jasmine, last night (прошлой ночью = вчера вечером ты видел мою сестру Жасмин). I was sick with lettuce poisoning (я вчера отравилась латуком; sick — больной; poisoning — отравление)," went on her soft voice (продолжал ее нежный голос), and her eyes continued (продолжили) "and when I'm sick I'm sweet — and when I'm well (а когда я больна, я очень мила, и когда здорова /— тоже/)."

already [Ll'redI], scarcely ['skFqslI], lettuce ['letIs]

"Hello," she cried softly, "I'm Kismine."

She was much more than that to John already. He advanced toward her, scarcely moving as he drew near lest he should tread on her bare toes.

"You haven't met me," said her soft voice. Her blue eyes added, "Oh, but you've missed a great deal!". . "You met my sister, Jasmine, last night. I was sick with lettuce poisoning," went on her soft voice, and her eyes continued, "and when I'm sick I'm sweet — and when I'm well."

"You have made an enormous impression on me (ты произвела на меня огромное впечатление)," said John's eyes, "and I'm not so slow myself (и я сам не такой уж бестолковый /вижу, какая ты/; slow — медленный; тупой, несообразительный)" — "How do you do?" said his voice (здравствуй, — сказал его голос). "I hope you're better this morning (надеюсь, сегодня ты уже здорова; better — лучше)." — "You darling," added his eyes tremulously (ты /просто/ прелесть, — трепетно добавили его глаза).

John observed that they had been walking along the path (заметил, что они идут по тропинке). On her suggestion they sat down together upon the moss (по ее предложению они вместе = оба уселись на мох), the softness of which he failed to determine (на мягкость которого он не обратил внимания: «мягкость которого ему не удалось определить»; to fail — не исполнить, не сделать; подвести).

He was critical about women (он был придирчив к женщинам). A single defect (/одного/ единственного недостатка) — a thick ankle (толстой щиколотки), a hoarse voice (хрипловатого голоса), a glass eye (стеклянного = неподвижного взгляда) — was enough to make him utterly indifferent (было достаточно, чтобы сделать его совершенно равнодушным). And here for the first time in his life he was beside a girl (и вот впервые за свою жизнь он находился рядом с девушкой) who seemed to him the incarnation of physical perfection (которая казалась ему воплощением физического совершенства).

tremulously ['tremjVlqslI], women ['wImIn], hoarse [hLs]

"You have made an enormous impression on me," said John's eyes, "and I'm not so slow myself" — "How do you do?" said his voice. "I hope you're better this morning." — "You darling," added his eyes tremulously.

John observed that they had been walking along the path. On her suggestion they sat down together upon the moss, the softness of which he failed to determine.

He was critical about women. A single defect — a thick ankle, a hoarse voice, a glass eye — was enough to make him utterly indifferent. And here for the first time in his life he was beside a girl who seemed to him the incarnation of physical perfection.