miraculous [mI`rxkjulqs], irresistible ["IrI`zIstqbl], neighbour [`neIbq]
He wanted Sally. He loved not only her beauty, but that dim soul which he divined behind her suffering eyes. He would intoxicate her with his passion. In the end he would make her forget. And in an ecstasy of surrender he fancied himself giving her too the happiness which he had thought never to know again, but had now so miraculously achieved.
He asked her to live with him. She refused. He had expected that and did not let it depress him, for he was sure that sooner or later she would yield. His love was irresistible. He told the old woman of his wishes, and found somewhat to his surprise that she and the neighbours, long aware of them, were strongly urging Sally to accept his offer. After all, every native was glad to keep house for a white man, and Neilson according to the standards of the island was a rich one. The trader with whom he boarded went to her and told her not to be a fool; such an opportunity would not come again, and after so long she could not still believe that Red would ever return. The girl’s resistance only increased Neilson’s desire, and what had been a very pure love now became an agonising passion. He was determined that nothing should stand in his way. He gave Sally no peace. At last, worn out by his persistence and the persuasions, by turns pleading and angry, of everyone around her, she consented.
But the day after (но на следующий день), when exultant he went to see her (когда, ликующий, он пошел навестить ее) he found that in the night she had burnt down the hut (он обнаружил, что ночью она сожгла дотла ту хижину) in which she and Red had lived together (в которой она и Рыжий жили вместе). The old crone ran towards him full of angry abuse of Sally (старая карга бежала к нему, сердито ругая Салли: «полная сердитой ругани в адрес Салли»), but he waved her aside (но он отмахнулся от нее); it did not matter (это не имело значения); they would build a bungalow on the place where the hut had stood (они построят бунгало на том месте, где стояла хижина). A European house would really be more convenient (европейский дом был бы, в самом деле, удобнее) if he wanted to bring out a piano and a vast number of books (если он хотел вывезти = привезти сюда рояль и огромное количество книг).
And so the little wooden house was built (так и был построен маленький деревянный дом) in which he had now lived for many years (в котором он уже прожил много лет), and Sally became his wife (а Салли стала его женой). But after the first few weeks of rapture (но после первых нескольких недель восторга), during which he was satisfied with what she gave him (в течение которых он был доволен: «удовлетворен» тем, что она давала ему), he had known little happiness (он познал мало счастья). She had yielded to him, through weariness (она уступила ему, устав /сопротивляться/: «от усталости»), but she had only yielded what she set no store on (но она уступила только /то/, чему /не/ придавала никакого значения). The soul which he had dimly glimpsed escaped him (та душа, которую он неясно увидел мельком, ускользнула от него). He knew that she cared nothing for him (он знал, что она совсем не любит его; to care— заботиться; питать интерес, любовь;nothing— ничего; нисколько). She still loved Red (она все еще любила Рыжего), and all the time she was waiting for his return (и все время ждала его возвращения). At a sign from him (и если бы он только объявился: «при каком-нибудь знаке от него»), Neilson knew that (Нилсон знал это), notwithstanding his love (/то/ несмотря на его любовь), his tenderness (его нежность), his sympathy (его сочувствие), his generosity (его щедрость), she would leave him without a moment’s hesitation (она бы ушла от него без малейшего колебания; to leave — покидать; оставлять; moment — момент; мгновение). She would never give a thought to his distress (она бы никогда /даже и не/ подумала о его = причиненном ему горе).
escape [Is`keIp], notwithstanding ["nOtwIT`stxndIN], generosity ["Genq`rOsItI]
But the day after, when exultant he went to see her he found that in the night she had burnt down the hut in which she and Red had lived together. The old crone ran towards him full of angry abuse of Sally, but he waved her aside; it did not matter; they would build a bungalow on the place where the hut had stood. A European house would really be more convenient if he wanted to bring out a piano and a vast number of books.
And so the little wooden house was built in which he had now lived for many years, and Sally became his wife. But after the first few weeks of rapture, during which he was satisfied with what she gave him, he had known little happiness. She had yielded to him, through weariness, but she had only yielded what she set no store on. The soul which he had dimly glimpsed escaped him. He knew that she cared nothing for him. She still loved Red, and all the time she was waiting for his return. At a sign from him, Neilson knew that, notwithstanding his love, his tenderness, his sympathy, his generosity, she would leave him without a moment’s hesitation. She would never give a thought to his distress.
Anguish seized him (ему стало больно: «боль охватила его») and he battered at that impenetrable self of hers (и он /старался/ пробить брешь в этом ее неприступном «я»; to batter — сильно бить, колотить; громить) which sullenly resisted him (которое угрюмо сопротивлялось ему). His love became bitter (его любовь стала мучительной: «горькой»). He tried to melt her heart with kindness (он пытался растопить ее сердце /своей/ добротой), but it remained as hard as before (но оно оставалось таким же черствым, как и раньше); he feigned indifference, but she did not notice it (он притворялся равнодушным: «симулировал безразличие», но она не замечала этого). Sometimes he lost his temper and abused her (временами он выходил из себя: «терял свое самообладание» и ругал/оскорблял ее), and then she wept silently (и тогда она молча плакала; to weep). Sometimes he thought she was nothing but a fraud (иногда он думал, /что/ она ничего кроме = только обман; fraud — обман; мошенничество, жульничество; подделка), and that soul simply an invention of his own (а та /самая/ душа — просто его собственная выдумка), and that he could not get into the sanctuary of her heart (и что он не мог проникнуть в святилище ее сердца) because there was no sanctuary there (потому что там /и не/ было никакого святилища). His love became a prison from which he longed to escape (его любовь стала тюрьмой, из которой он жаждал сбежать), but he had not the strength merely to open the door (но у него не было сил /даже/ просто открыть дверь) — that was all it needed (это все, /что/ для этого требовалось) — and walk out into the open air (и выйти на свободу: «на открытый воздух»). It was torture and at last he became numb and hopeless (это было пыткой и, наконец, он оцепенел и отчаялся; to become — становиться; numb — онемелый, оцепенелый; hopeless — безнадежный; отчаявшийся). In the end the fire burnt itself out (в конечном счете, огонь /его страсти/ догорел сам по себе) and, when he saw her eyes rest for an instant on the slender bridge (и, когда он увидел, /что/ ее глаза остановились на мгновение на тонком мосту), it was no longer rage that filled his heart but impatience (больше не = уже не ярость наполнила его сердце, а раздражение). For many years now they had lived together (много лет уже они прожили вместе) bound by the ties of habit and convenience (связанные узами привычки и удобства), and it was with a smile that he looked back on his old passion (и с улыбкой /теперь/ он вспоминал: «оглядывался» на свою давнюю страсть). She was an old woman (она была /уже/ старой женщиной), for the women on the islands age quickly (ибо женщины на этих островах стареют быстро), and if he had no love for her any more (и если он и не имел = не чувствовал к ней больше любви) he had tolerance (то имел = относился с терпимостью). She left him alone (она не трогала его; to leave alone— оставить в покое). He was contented with his piano and his books (/а/ он довольствовался своим роялем и книгами).
feign [feIn], sanctuary [`sxNkCuqrI], numb [nAm]
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.
"When I look back now and reflect on that brief passionate love of Red and Sally, I think that perhaps they should thank the ruthless fate that separated them when their love seemed still to be at its height. They suffered, but they suffered in beauty. They were spared the real tragedy of love."
