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

He heard a faint whir of air as the lift whizzed up again, and then, a moment later, as it descended. It was probable that Percy was hurrying to his father's assistance, and it occurred to John that this was his opportunity to join Kismine and plan an immediate escape. He waited until the lift had been silent for several minutes; shivering a little with the night cool that whipped in through his wet pajamas, he returned to his room and dressed himself quickly. Then he mounted a long flight of stairs and turned down the corridor carpeted with Russian sable which led to Kismine's suite.

The door of her sitting-room was open and the lamps were lighted. Kismine, in an angora kimono, stood near the window of the room in a listening attitude, and as John entered noiselessly, she turned toward him.

"Oh, it's you!" she whispered, crossing the room to him (а, это ты, — прошептала она, идя к нему через комнату). "Did you hear them (ты их слышал)?"

"I heard your father's slaves in my (я слышал рабов твоего отца в моей…) — "

"No," she interrupted excitedly (возбужденно прервала она его). "Aeroplanes!" "Aeroplanes? Perhaps that was the sound that woke me (возможно, это был тот звук, который разбудил меня; to wake)."

"There're at least a dozen (их по меньшей мере дюжина). I saw one a few moments ago dead against the moon (я только что видела один /аэроплан/ прямо против = на фоне луны). The guard back by the cliff fired his rifle (часовой там около утеса выстрелил из винтовки) and that's what roused father (и это разбудило отца). We're going to open on them right away (мы сейчас откроем по ним /огонь/)."

"Are they here on purpose (они прилетели специально; purpose — намерение, цель; замысел)?"

"Yes — it's that Italian who got away (конечно, это /все/ тот итальянец, который сбежал…) —"

rifle [raIfl], rouse [raVz], purpose ['pWpqs]

"Oh, it's you!" she whispered, crossing the room to him. "Did you hear them?"

"I heard your father's slaves in my —"

"No," she interrupted excitedly. "Aeroplanes!" "Aeroplanes? Perhaps that was the sound that woke me."

"There're at least a dozen. I saw one a few moments ago dead against the moon. The guard back by the cliff fired his rifle and that's what roused father. We're going to open on them right away."

"Are they here on purpose?"

"Yes — it's that Italian who got away —"

Simultaneously with her last word (одновременно с ее последним словом), a succession of sharp cracks tumbled in through the open window (ряд резких /орудийных/ хлопков ввалился = ворвался /в комнату/ через открытое окно). Kismine uttered a little cry (Кисмин вскрикнула: «издала маленький крик»; to utter — издавать звук), took a penny with fumbling fingers from a box on her dresser (выхватила неловкими пальцами монетку из коробочки на туалетном столе; to fumble — нащупывать; теребить /что-л./; возиться, неумело обращаться /с чем-л./), and ran to one of the electric lights (и бросилась к одной из электрических ламп). In an instant the entire ch^ateau was in darkness (в одно мгновение весь замок погрузился во тьму) — she had blown out the fuse (она пережгла пробки; fuse — плавка; плавкий предохранитель, пробка; to blow out a fuse — сделать короткое замыкание; пережечь предохранитель).

"Come on!" she cried to him. "We'll go up to the roof garden, and watch it from there (поднимемся в сад на крышу, будем смотреть оттуда)!"

Drawing a cape about her (закутавшись в плащ), she took his hand, and they found their way out the door (она взяла Джона за руку, и они /ощупью/ выбрались за дверь). It was only a step to the tower lift (до башенного лифта был всего один шаг), and as she pressed the button that shot them upward (и, когда она нажала кнопку и они взлетели кверху; to shoot — выстрелить) he put his arms around her in the darkness and kissed her mouth (обвил ее руками и поцеловал в губы). Romance had come to John Unger at last (наконец-то для Джона Ангера настал романтический момент). A minute later they had stepped out upon the star-white platform (минуту спустя они ступили на белую = серебристую от света звезд площадку).

succession [sqk'seSqn], blown [blqVn], romance [rq'mxns, 'rqV-]

Simultaneously with her last word, a succession of sharp cracks tumbled in through the open window. Kismine uttered a little cry, took a penny with fumbling fingers from a box on her dresser, and ran to one of the electric lights. In an instant the entire ch^ateau was in darkness — she had blown out the fuse.

"Come on!" she cried to him. "We'll go up to the roof garden, and watch it from there!"