Читаем Английский язык с Конан Дойлем. Этюд в багровых тонах (ASCII-IPA) полностью

" ‘Mr. Drebber has been with us nearly three weeks. He and his secretary, Mr. Stangerson, had been travelling on the Continent. I noticed a "Copenhagen" label upon each of their trunks, showing that that had been their last stopping place. Stangerson was a quiet reserved man, but his employer, I am sorry to say, was far otherwise. He was coarse in his habits and brutish in his ways. The very night of his arrival he became very much the worse for drink, and, indeed, after twelve o'clock in the day he could hardly ever be said to be sober. His manners towards the maid-servants were disgustingly free and familiar. Worst of all, he speedily assumed the same attitude towards my daughter, Alice, and spoke to her more than once in a way which, fortunately, she is too innocent to understand. On one occasion he actually seized her in his arms and embraced her — an outrage which caused his own secretary to reproach him for his unmanly conduct.’


" ‘But why did you stand all this (но почему вы все это терпели; to stand — стоять; выносить, терпеть),’ I asked. ‘I suppose that you can get rid of your boarders when you wish (я полагаю, что вы можете избавиться от своих постояльцев, когда хотите).’

"Mrs. Charpentier blushed at my pertinent question (миссис Шарпентье покраснела в ответ на мой вполне уместный вопрос; pertinent — уместный; относящийся к делу). ‘Would to God that I had given him notice on the very day that he came (ради Бога, я бы = ах, если бы я указала ему на дверь в тот же день, когда он явился; would — модальный глагол, выражающий желание, предпочтение; to give notice — предупреждать заранее об увольнении, отказе от квартиры и т.д.),' she said. ‘But it was a sore temptation (но это было сильное искушение; sore — больной; болезненный; мучительный, тяжкий). They were paying a pound a day each (они платили по фунту стерлингов в день каждый)— fourteen pounds a week, and this is the slack season (четырнадцать фунтов в неделю, и это в мертвый сезон; slack — вялый, неактивный; slack season — мертвый сезон). I am a widow, and my boy in the Navy has cost me much (я вдова, и содержать моего сына на флоте дорого мне обходится: «и мой мальчик во флоте стоил мне многого»). I grudged to lose the money (мне не хотелось терять эти деньги; to grudge — жалеть, жадничать). I acted for the best (я действовала из лучших побуждений: «для лучшего»). This last was too much, however (и все же последняя его выходка была уж чересчур), and I gave him notice to leave on account of it (и по этой причине я попросила его освободить комнаты; to leave — покидать; уезжать). That was the reason of his going (это было причиной его отъезда).’

" ‘Well (и)?’


sore [sO:], Navy ['neIvI], grudge [grVdZ], money ['mVnI]


"`But why did you stand all this,' I asked. `I suppose that you can get rid of your boarders when you wish.'

"Mrs. Charpentier blushed at my pertinent question. ‘Would to God that I had given him notice on the very day that he came,’ she said. ‘But it was a sore temptation. They were paying a pound a day each — fourteen pounds a week, and this is the slack season. I am a widow, and my boy in the Navy has cost me much. I grudged to lose the money. I acted for the best. This last was too much, however, and I gave him notice to leave on account of it. That was the reason of his going.’

" ‘Well?’


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