Английский язык с У. С. Моэмом. На окраине империи. Рассказы

protestation ["prOtI'steIS(q)n], certainty ['sWtntI], wretched ['retSId]

When at the end of this last evening the lovers separated it was with many protestations of devotion. Isabel, all tears, was consoled a little by her certainty of Edward's passionate love. It was a strange feeling that she had. It made her wretched to part from him and yet she was happy because he adored her.

This was more than two years ago.

He had written to her by every mail since then (с тех пор он писал ей с каждой почтой), twenty-four letters in all, for the mail went but once a month (всего /он написал/ двадцать четыре письма, так как почта отправлялась только раз в месяц), and his letters had been all that a lover's letters should be (и его письма были совершенно такими, какими должны быть письма влюбленного). They were intimate and charming, humorous sometimes, especially of late, and tender (они были сокровенными и чарующими, иногда забавными, особенно в последнее время, и нежными). At first they suggested that he was homesick (сперва они явно показывали, что он тоскует по дому; to suggest — предлагать, советовать; вызывать/ассоциацию/,наводить/на мысль/), they were full of his desire to get back to Chicago and Isabel (они были полны его сильного желания вернуться в Чикаго и к Изабелле); and, a little anxiously, she wrote begging him to persevere (и, немного обеспокоенная, она писала ему, умоляя его упорно продолжать /работу/). She was afraid that he might throw up his opportunity and come racing back (она боялась, что он может бросить эту возможность и стремительно вернуться назад). She did not want her lover to lack endurance (ей не хотелось, чтобы ее возлюбленному недоставало стойкости) and she quoted to him the lines (и она процитировала ему следующие строчки; line — строка; стих, строчка стиха):

"I could not love thee,dear,so much(я не могла бы любить тебя, дорогой, так сильно),

Loved I not honour more (если б я не любила честь больше)."

humorous ['hju: m(q)rqs], desire [dI'zaIq], anxiously ['xNklqslI], persevere [pWsI'vIq], endurance [In'dju(q)rqns], quote [kwqut]

He had written to her by every mail since then, twenty-four letters in all, for the mail went but once a month, and his letters had been all that a lover's letters should be. They were intimate and charming, humorous sometimes, especially of late, and tender. At first they suggested that he was homesick, they were full of his desire to get back to Chicago and Isabel; and, a little anxiously, she wrote begging him to persevere. She was afraid that he might throw up his opportunity and come racing back. She did not want her lover to lack endurance and she quoted to him the lines:

"I could not love thee, dear, so much,

Loved I not honour more."