Сборник лучших произведений американской классической литературы. Уровень 4

This, of course, called for a severe spanking, but Mr. Button found that he could not do it.

Nevertheless, he persisted in his attitude. He brought home lead soldiers, he brought toy trains, he brought large pleasant animals made of cotton, and, to perfect the illusion, which he was creating-for himself at least-he passionately demanded of the clerk in the toy store whether “the paint would come of the pink duck if the baby put it in his mouth.” But Benjamin refused to be interested. He would steal down the back stairs and return to the nursery with a volume of the Encyclopedia Britannica[79], which he would read through an afternoon, while his cotton cows were left neglected on the floor. Mr. Button could do nothing against such stubbornness.

The sensation was, at first, huge in Baltimore. But the outbreak of the Civil War drew the city's attention to other things. A few people who tried to be polite about the child finally declared that the baby resembled his grandfather. Mr. and Mrs. Roger Button were not pleased, and Benjamin's grandfather was furiously insulted.

Benjamin, once he left the hospital, took life as he found it. Several small boys were brought to see him, and he spent all afternoon trying to work up an interest in tops and marbles- he even managed, quite accidentally, to break a kitchen window with a stone from a sling shot, which secretly delighted his father.

Thereafter Benjamin decided to break something every day, but he did these things only because they were expected of him, and because he was by nature obliging. When his grandfather's initial antagonism wore off, Benjamin and that gentleman took enormous pleasure in one another's company. They would sit for hours, these two, so different in age and experience, and, like old friends, discuss with tireless monotony the slow events of the day. Benjamin felt more at ease in his grandfather's presence than in his parents'-they seemed always somewhat afraid of him and, despite their dictatorial authority, frequently addressed him as “Mr.”

He was as puzzled as anyone else at the advanced age of his mind and body at birth. He read up on it in the medical journal, but found that no such case had been previously recorded.

When he was five, he was sent to kindergarten, where he was taught the art of pasting green paper on orange paper, of weaving coloured maps and manufacturing eternal cardboard necklaces. He often fell asleep in the middle of these tasks, a habit, which both irritated and frightened his young teacher. To his relief she complained to his parents, and he was removed from the school. The Roger Buttons told their friends that they felt he was too young.

By the time he was twelve years old his parents had grown used to him. Moreover, they no longer felt that he was different from any other child-except when some curious anomaly reminded them of the fact. But one day a few weeks after his twelfth birthday, looking in the mirror, Benjamin made, or thought he made, an astonishing discovery. Did his eyes deceive him, or had his hair turned from white to iron-gray under its dye? Was the network of wrinkles on his face fade? Was his skin healthier and firmer? He could not tell. He knew that his physical condition had improved since the early days of his life.

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Примечания

1

Whenever you feel like criticizing any one – Если тебе вдруг захочется осудить кого-то

2

secret griefs – горести

3

riotous excursions with privileged glimpses into the human heart – увлекательные вылазки с привилегией заглядывать в человеческие души

4

which I have an unaffected scorn – всё, что я искренне презирал и презираю

5

promises of life – посулы жизни

6

as if he were related to – словно он был частью

7

Carraways – Каррауэи

8

New Haven – имеется в виду Йельский университет (который находится в городе Нью-Хейвен)

9

bond business – кредитное дело

10

in the spring of twenty-two – весной 1922 года

11

Dodge – «додж», марка автомобиля

12

West Egg – Уэст-Эгг

13

Buchanan – Бьюкенен

14

Daisy – Дэзи

15

second cousin – троюродная сестра

16

was a matter for reproach – вызывала нарекания

17

a rather hard mouth – твёрдо очерченный рот

18

enormous leverage – сокрушительная сила

19

Senior Society – студенческое общество

20

I'm a bond man. – Я занимаюсь кредитными операциями.

21

This annoyed me. – Это меня задело.

22

with an erect carriage – с очень прямой спиной

23

Tom's got some woman in New York. – У Тома есть женщина в Нью-Йорке.

24

mistress – любовница

25

Repairs. GEORGE B. WILSON. Cars Bought and Sold – Джордж Уилсон. Автомобили. Покупка, продажа и ремонт.

26

She was in the middle thirties. – Она была лет тридцати пяти.

27

faintly stout – с наклонностью к полноте

28

It does her good to get away. – Она и бывает рада проветриться.

29

Myrtle – Миртл

30

Kaiser Wilhelm – кайзер Вильгельм

31

He wasn't fit to lick my shoe. – Он мне в подмётки не годился.

32

Rolls-Royce – «Роллс-ройс»

33

one of the few guests who had actually been invited – один из немногих действительно приглашённых гостей

34

Long Island – Лонг-Айленд

35

the honor would be entirely Jay Gatsby's – Джей Гэтсби почтёт для себя величайшей честью

36

I don't think it's so much that. – Не думаю, что дело в этом.

37

old sport – старина

38

come across – встретить

39

He was an Oxford man. – Он учился в Оксфорде.

40

incurably dishonest – неисправимо бесчестна

41

bootlegger – бутлегер (подпольный торговец спиртным во время сухого закона в США)

42

I came into a good deal of money. – Мне досталось большое состояние.

43

was promoted to be a major – был произведён в майоры

44

let him come over – позволить ему зайти

45

I've been in several things. – Я много чем занимался.

46

Dan Cody – Дэн Коди

47

James Gatz – Джеймс Гетц

48

I hadn't been there two minutes. – Я не просидел и пары минут.

49

That so? – Неужели?

50

I remember being surprised – Я помню, как меня удивил.

51

I had never seen him dance – Я никогда не видел его раньше танцующим.

52

I'll make a point of finding out. – Я постараюсь это выяснить.

53

of course – конечно

54

Trimalchio – Тримальхион, герой сатирического романа Петрония «Сатирикон», вольноотпущенник и нувориш, задающий роскошные пиры

55

would choose this occasion for a scene – собираются воспользоваться случаем, чтобы устроить сцену

56

Like hell he is! – Чёрта с два!

57

Mr. Nobody from Nowhere – мистер Невесть Кто, Невесть Откуда

58

Angry as I was – как я ни был зол.

59

You've been seeing this fellow – Ты встречалась с этим типом.

60

What about it? – И что из этого?

61

Michaelis – Михаэлис

62

I've got my wife locked in up there. – Там наверху я запер жену.

63

had never seemed capable of such a statement – не казался способным на такое

64

the business was over – всё было кончено

65

They're a rotten crowd. – Ничтожества, вот кто они.

66

You're worth the whole damn bunch put together. – Вы один стоите их всех, вместе взятых.

67

were afterward traced – удалось позже проследить

68

on the strength of what he said – основываясь на словах

69

holocaust – искупительная жертва

70

to get somebody for him – найти ему кого-нибудь

71

They picked him up. – Его поймали.

72

Blessed are the dead that the rain falls on. – Блаженны мёртвые, на которых падает дождь.

73

He hoped it would be a boy – Он надеялся, это будет мальчик

74

What's the matter? Triplets? – В чем дело? Тройня?

75

trembling from head to foot – дрожа от головы до ног

76

his sparse hair was almost white – его редкие волосы были почти белыми

77

he might cut off that long and awful beard – он мог бы отрезать ту длинную и ужасную бороду

78

with a guilty expression on his face – с виноватым выражением лица

79

He would steal down the back stairs and return to the nursery with a volume of the Encyclopedia Britannica – Он прокрадывался вниз по чёрной лестнице в детскую комнату с томиком энциклопедии «Британника»