Английский с Уилки Коллинзом. Женщина из сна / Wilkie Collins. The Dream Woman

Before long, some of the objections to taking him into our employment (вскоре некоторые из возражений против того, чтобы нанимать его к нам на службу), which I had foreseen and had vainly mentioned to my wife (которые я предвидел и тщетно приводил жене; to mention – упоминать, ссылаться на), forced themselves on our attention in no very agreeable form (привлекли наше внимание в не очень приятном виде; to force on smb.’s attention – усиленно привлекать чье-л. внимание /к чему-л./; form – форма; внешний вид). Francis Raven failed (as I had feared he would) to get on smoothly with his fellow-servants (Фрэнсис Рейвен не мог – как я и боялся – поладить с другими слугами; to get on – преуспевать, делать успехи; ладить; smoothly – гладко, ровно; хорошо; smooth – гладкий, ровный; спокойный, мирный; дружелюбный). They were all French (они все были французы); and not one of them understood English (и ни один из них не понимал английского). Francis, on his side, was equally ignorant of French (Фрэнсис, со своей стороны, тоже не знал французского; equally – в равной степени; равным образом; equal – равный, одинаковый; ignorant – невежественный; несведущий, не имеющий о чем-л. представления). His reserved manners (его замкнутость; reserved – скрытный, сдержанный; to reserve – откладывать; резервировать), his melancholy temperament (печальный нрав), his solitary ways – all told against him (привычка уединяться – все говорило = настраивало против него; way – путь; образ действия; привычка, уклад). Our servants called him “the English Bear”(наши слуги прозвали его Английским Медведем). He grew widely known in the neighborhood under his nickname (он стал широко известен в округе под этим прозвищем).

 Before long, some of the objections to taking him into our employment, which I had foreseen and had vainly mentioned to my wife, forced themselves on our attention in no very agreeable form. Francis Raven failed (as I had feared he would) to get on smoothly with his fellow-servants. They were all French; and not one of them understood English. Francis, on his side, was equally ignorant of French. His reserved manners, his melancholy temperament, his solitary ways – all told against him. Our servants called him “the English Bear.” He grew widely known in the neighborhood under his nickname.