Английский язык с У. С. Моэмом. Мистер Всезнайка. Рассказы / W. S. Maugham. Mr. Know-All. Stories

"The man sitting on the parapet, with his back to us. He’s got a blue shirt on."

I saw an undistinguished back and a small head of grey hair, short and rather thin.

"I wish he’d turn round," I said.

"He will presently."

"Ask him to come and have a drink with us at Morgano’s."

"All right."

The instant of overwhelming beauty had passed (мгновение ошеломляющей красоты миновало; to overwhelm — преодолеть; потрясать, ошеломлять; to pass — идти, проходить; проходитьмимо, миновать) and the sun, like the top of an orange, was dipping into a wine-red sea (и солнце, подобно верхушке апельсина, погружалось в море /цвета/ красного вина). We turned round and leaning our backs against the parapet (мы повернулись и, прислонившись к парапету; to lean — наклоняться, нагибаться; прислоняться, прислонять) looked at the people who were sauntering to and fro (смотрели на людей, медленно прогуливавшихся туда-сюда). They were all talking their heads off (все они безудержно болтали; to talk one's head off — наговоритьсявсласть, вволю; head — голова) and the cheerful noise was exhilarating (и этот бодрый/радостный шум веселил).

beauty ['bju: tI], cheerful ['tSIqf(q)l], exhilarating [Ig'zIlqreItIN]

The instant of overwhelming beauty had passed and the sun, like the top of an orange, was dipping into a wine-red sea. We turned round and leaning our backs against the parapet looked at the people who were sauntering to and fro. They were all talking their heads off and the cheerful noise was exhilarating.

Then the church bell, rather cracked, but with a fine resonant note, began to ring (затем зазвонил церковный колокол, довольно-таки разбитый, но с прекрасным звучным голосом; to crack — производитьшум, треск; трескаться, даватьтрещину; note — заметка, запись; тон, нотка, звук, пение). The Piazza at Capri, with its clock tower over the footpath that leads up from the harbour (пьяцца на Капри, с часовой башней /стоящей/ над тропинкой, что ведет /наверх/ от гавани), with the church up a flight of steps (и церковью над лестничным пролетом; flight of steps — лестничныймарш; лесенка, ступеньки), is a perfect setting for an opera by Donizetti (представляет собой идеальные декорации к какой-нибудь опере Доницетти; setting — оправа; художественноеоформление, декорация), and you felt that the voluble crowd might at any moment break out into a rattling chorus (и чувствовалось, что говорливая толпа в любой момент могла разразиться шумным пением: «хором»; to feel — трогать, щупать; чувствовать, ощущать; to break out — выламывать; разразиться; to rattle — трещать, грохотать; болтать, трещать). It was charming and unreal (/все/ было очаровательным и нереальным).

resonant ['rezqnqnt], footpath ['futpQ: T], harbour ['hQ: bq], voluble ['vOljub(q)l], chorus ['kO: rqs]

Then the church bell, rather cracked, but with a fine resonant note, began to ring. The Piazza at Capri, with its clock tower over the footpath that leads up from the harbour, with the church up a flight of steps, is a perfect setting for an opera by Donizetti, and you felt that the voluble crowd might at any moment break out into a rattling chorus. It was charming and unreal.