Английский язык с У. С. Моэмом. На окраине империи. Рассказы / W. S. Maugham: Stories

Neilson gave a gasp, for at that moment a woman came in. She was a native, a woman of somewhat commanding presence, stout without being corpulent, dark, for the natives grow darker with age, with very grey hair. She wore a black Mother Hubbard, and its thinness showed her heavy breasts. The moment had come.

She made an observation to Neilson about some household matter (она что-то сказала Нилсону насчет каких-то домашних дел; to make an observation — сделать замечание; высказаться; matter — вопрос, дело) and he answered (и он ответил /ей/). He wondered (он хотел бы знать) if his voice sounded as unnatural to her (звучал ли его голос также неестественно для нее) as it did to himself (как он звучал для него самого; todo— делать; также употребляется вместо другого глагола во избежание его повторения). She gave the man who was sitting in the chair by the window an indifferent glance (она дала = бросила

на человека, сидящего в кресле у окна, безразличный взгляд), and went out of the room (и вышла из комнаты). The moment had come and gone (момент /истины/ настал и прошел).

Neilson for a moment could not speak (Нилсон на минуту потерял дар речи: «не мог говорить»). He was strangely shaken (он был /как-то/ странно потрясен). Then he said (затем он сказал):

"I’d be very glad if you’d stay (я был бы очень рад, если бы вы остались) and have a bit of dinner with me (и немного перекусили: «отобедали» со мной). Pot luck (чем Бог послал; pot — горшок, котелок;luck— удача)."

"I don’t think I will (не думаю, что останусь)," said Red. "I must go after this fellow Gray (я должен разыскать этого парня, Грэя). I’ll give him his stuff (я отдам ему его барахло) and then I’ll get away (а потом я уплыву; togetaway— уходить, отправляться). I want to be back in Apia tomorrow (мне нужно быть снова в Апии завтра; back— назад; обратно)."

"I’ll send a boy along with you to show you the way (я пошлю мальчика вместе с вами, /чтобы он/ показал вам дорогу)."

"That’ll be fine (вот и отлично)."

observation ["Obzq(:)`veIS(q)n], wonder [`wAndq], strange [streInG]

She made an observation to Neilson about some household matter and he answered. He wondered if his voice sounded as unnatural to her as it did to himself. She gave the man who was sitting in the chair by the window an indifferent glance, and went out of the room. The moment had come and gone.

Neilson for a moment could not speak. He was strangely shaken. Then he said:

"I’d be very glad if you’d stay and have a bit of dinner with me. Pot luck."

"I don’t think I will," said Red. "I must go after this fellow Gray. I’ll give him his stuff and then I’ll get away. I want to be back in Apia tomorrow."

"I’ll send a boy along with you to show you the way."

"That’ll be fine."

Red heaved himself out of his chair (Рыжий /тяжело/ поднялся из своего кресла; to heave — поднимать, перемещать/тяжести/), while the Swede called one of the boys who worked on the plantation (в то время как швед позвал одного из мальчишек, которые работали на плантации). He told him where the skipper wanted to go (он сообщил ему, куда шкипер хотел пойти), and the boy stepped along the bridge (и мальчик зашагал по мосту; along — вдоль). Red prepared to follow him (Рыжий приготовился последовать за ним).

"Don’t fall in (не упадите в /воду/)," said Neilson.

"Not on your life (ни за что)."