Английский язык с Ф. Скоттом Фитцджеральдом. Алмаз величиной в отель «Риц»

Shreds and tatters of chinchilla, courtesy clouds in the green moon's heaven, were passing the green moon like precious Eastern stuffs paraded for the inspection of some Tartar Khan. It seemed to John that it was day, and that he was looking at some lads sailing above him in the air, showering down tracts and patent medicine circulars, with their messages of hope for despairing, rockbound hamlets. It seemed to him that he could see them look down out of the clouds and stare — and stare at whatever there was to stare at in this place whither he was bound — What then? Were they induced to land by some insidious device there to be immured far from patent medicines and from tracts until the judgment day — or, should they fail to fall into the trap, did a quick puff of smoke and the sharp round of a splitting shell bring them drooping to earth — and "upset" Percy's mother and sisters. John shook his head and the wraith of a hollow laugh issued silently from his parted lips. What desperate transaction lay hidden here? What a moral expedient of a bizarre Croesus? What terrible and golden mystery? …

The chinchilla clouds had drifted past now (шиншилловые облака проплыли мимо; to drift — относить, гнать; сноситься, смещаться, сдвигаться /по ветру, по течению/, дрейфовать) and outside the Montana night was bright as day (ночь снаружи была светла, как день). The tapestry brick of the road was smooth to the tread of the great tires (облицовочный кирпич дороги = которым была вымощена дорога мягко льнул к протекторам огромных шин; smooth — гладкий, ровный; плавный; беспрепятственный; tread — поступь, шаги; подошва; протектор /покрышки/

) as they rounded a still, moonlit lake (когда они = юноши в машине огибали тихое, залитое луной озеро); they passed into darkness for a moment (на минуту они въехали во мрак), a pine grove, pungent and cool (/в/ сосновую рощу, остро пахнущую и прохладную; pungent — колющий; острый; резкий, сильный /о вкусе, запахе/), then they came out into a broad avenue of lawn (потом выехали на широкую лужайку между двумя рядами деревьев;

avenue — дорога или аллея, обсаженная деревьями; пространство между двумя рядами деревьев или кустарников; lawn — газон, лужайка) and John's exclamation of pleasure was simultaneous with Percy's taciturn "We're home (и возглас восторга /вырвавшийся у/ Джона раздался одновременно: «был одновременен» с лаконичным "/вот/ мы /и/ дома" /произнесенным/ Перси; pleasure — удовольствие; наслаждение, удовлетворение; taciturn — молчаливый; неразговорчивый)."

tread [tred], broad [brLd], taciturn ['txsItWn]

The chinchilla clouds had drifted past now and outside the Montana night was bright as day. The tapestry brick of the road was smooth to the tread of the great tires as they rounded a still, moonlit lake; they passed into darkness for a moment, a pine grove, pungent and cool, then they came out into a broad avenue of lawn and John's exclamation of pleasure was simultaneous with Percy's taciturn "We're home."