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

Anguish seized him and he battered at that impenetrable self of hers which sullenly resisted him. His love became bitter. He tried to melt her heart with kindness, but it remained as hard as before; he feigned indifference, but she did not notice it. Sometimes he lost his temper and abused her, and then she wept silently. Sometimes he thought she was nothing but a fraud, and that soul simply an invention of his own, and that he could not get into the sanctuary of her heart because there was no sanctuary there. His love became a prison from which he longed to escape, but he had not the strength merely to open the door — that was all it needed — and walk out into the open air. It was torture and at last he became numb and hopeless. In the end the fire burnt itself out and, when he saw her eyes rest for an instant on the slender bridge, it was no longer rage that filled his heart but impatience. For many years now they had lived together bound by the ties of habit and convenience, and it was with a smile that he looked back on his old passion. She was an old woman, for the women on the islands age quickly, and if he had no love for her any more he had tolerance. She left him alone. He was contented with his piano and his books.

His thoughts led him to a desire for words (его мысли привели его к = возбудили в нем желание говорить; word— слово; речь, разговор).

"When I look back now (когда я сейчас оглядываюсь назад) and reflect on that brief passionate love of Red and Sally (и размышляю над той недолгой страстной любовью Рыжего и Салли), I think that perhaps they should thank the ruthless fate (я думаю, что, может быть, им следует поблагодарить безжалостную судьбу) that separated them (что разлучила их) when their love seemed still to be at its height (когда их любовь, казалось, все еще была на своем пике; height— высота; вершина; высшая точка). They suffered (/да/, они страдали), but they suffered in beauty (но страдали они в красоте). They were spared the real tragedy of love (они были избавлены = избежали настоящей трагедии любви)."

"I don’t know exactly as I get you (я не знаю даже, понимаю ли я вас; exactly — точно)," said the skipper.

"The tragedy of love is not death or separation (трагедия любви — не смерть или разлука). How long do you think it would have been (как долго, вы думаете, это бы продлилось: «было») before one or other of them ceased to care (прежде чем кто-нибудь: «один или другой» из них перестал любить; to care — заботиться; питать интерес, любовь)? Oh, it is dreadfully bitter to look at a woman (о, это так горько смотреть на женщину; dreadfully — ужасно; очень) whom you have loved with all your heart and soul (которую ты /прежде/ любил всем своим сердцем и душой), so that you felt you could not bear (так, что ты чувствовал, /что/ не сможешь вынести) to let her out of your sight (/если/ выпустишь ее = если она хоть на миг исчезнет из твоего поля зрения), and realise that you would not mind (и осознавать /теперь/, что тебе было бы все равно: «ты бы не возражал») if you never saw her again (если бы ты никогда ее больше /не/ увидел; again — снова). The tragedy of love is indifference (трагедия любви — это равнодушие)."

tragedy [`trxGIdI], separation ["sepq`reIS(q)n], dreadful [`dredful]

His thoughts led him to a desire for words.