Эмили Бронте – Грозовой перевал: метод параллельного погружения (страница 23)

CHAPTER IV

What vain weather-cocks we are! I, who had determined to hold myself independent of all social intercourse, and thanked my stars that, at length, I had lighted on a spot where it was next to impracticable—I, weak wretch, after maintaining till dusk a struggle with low spirits and solitude, was finally compelled to strike my colours; and under pretence of gaining information concerning the necessities of my establishment, I desired Mrs. Dean, when she brought in supper, to sit down while I ate it; hoping sincerely she would prove a regular gossip, and either rouse me to animation or lull me to sleep by her talk.

“You have lived here a considerable time,” (– Вы живёте здесь уже довольно долго, —) I commenced; (начал я;) “did you not say sixteen years?” (– не говорили ли вы – шестнадцать лет?)

“Eighteen, sir: I came when the mistress was married, (– Восемнадцать, сэр: я пришла, когда госпожа вышла замуж,) to wait on her; (чтобы прислуживать ей;) after she died, (после её смерти,) the master retained me for his housekeeper.” (хозяин оставил меня в качестве экономки; to retain – удержать, оставить; housekeeper – экономка, управляющая хозяйством.)

“Indeed.” (– Вот как.)

“You have lived here a considerable time,” I commenced; “did you not say sixteen years?”

“Eighteen, sir: I came when the mistress was married, to wait on her; after she died, the master retained me for his housekeeper.”

“Indeed.”

There ensued a pause. (Наступила пауза.) She was not a gossip, I feared; (Она, я боялся, не была болтушкой;) unless about her own affairs, (разве что о своих собственных делах,) and those could hardly interest me. (а они вряд ли могли меня заинтересовать.) However, having studied for an interval, (Однако, помедлив некоторое время,) with a fist on either knee, (положив кулак на каждое колено,) and a cloud of meditation over her ruddy countenance, (и с облаком раздумий на своём румяном лице; countenance – лицо, выражение лица,) she ejaculated— (она воскликнула —; to ejaculate – воскликнуть, резко произнести) “Ah, times are greatly changed since then!” (– Ах, времена с тех пор сильно изменились!)

There ensued a pause. She was not a gossip, I feared; unless about her own affairs, and those could hardly interest me. However, having studied for an interval, with a fist on either knee, and a cloud of meditation over her ruddy countenance, she ejaculated—“Ah, times are greatly changed since then!”

“Yes,” I remarked, (– Да, – заметил я,) “you’ve seen a good many alterations, I suppose?” (– вы, полагаю, видели много перемен?)

“I have: and troubles too,” she said. (– Видела, – сказала она, – и бед тоже.)

“Yes,” I remarked, “you’ve seen a good many alterations, I suppose?”

“I have: and troubles too,” she said.

“Oh, I’ll turn the talk on my landlord’s family!” I thought to myself. (– Ах, я переведу разговор на семью моего домовладельца! – подумал я про себя.) “A good subject to start! (– Хорошая тема для начала!) And that pretty girl-widow, I should like to know her history: (И эта милая девушка-вдова, я хотел бы узнать её историю:) whether she be a native of the country, (является ли она уроженкой этих мест,) or, as is more probable, an exotic that the surly indigenae will not recognise for kin.” (или же, что вероятнее, чужачкой, которую угрюмые местные жители не признают за родню; exotic – чужестранка, чужак; surly – угрюмый, неприветливый; indigenae – туземцы, местные жители.) With this intention I asked Mrs. Dean why Heathcliff let Thrushcross Grange, (С этой целью я спросил миссис Дин, почему Хитклифф сдаёт Трасткрэсс Грандж,) and preferred living in a situation and residence so much inferior. (и предпочитает жить в месте и доме столь низшего уровня, худшего качества.) “Is he not rich enough to keep the estate in good order?” I inquired. (– Разве он не достаточно богат, чтобы содержать имение в порядке? – спросил я.)

“Oh, I’ll turn the talk on my landlord’s family!” I thought to myself. “A good subject to start! And that pretty girl-widow, I should like to know her history: whether she be a native of the country, or, as is more probable, an exotic that the surly indigenae will not recognise for kin.” With this intention I asked Mrs. Dean why Heathcliff let Thrushcross Grange, and preferred living in a situation and residence so much inferior. “Is he not rich enough to keep the estate in good order?” I inquired.

“Rich, sir!” she returned. (– Богат, сэр! – ответила она.) “He has nobody knows what money, (У него деньги – никто и не знает сколько,) and every year it increases. (и каждый год они приумножаются.) Yes, yes, he’s rich enough to live in a finer house than this: (Да, да, он достаточно богат, чтобы жить в доме получше этого;) but he’s very near—close-handed; (но он очень скуп – прижимистый; near, close-handed – скупой, прижимистый.) and, if he had meant to flit to Thrushcross Grange, (и если бы он намеревался переселиться в Трасткрэсс Грандж,) as soon as he heard of a good tenant (то, едва он услышал о хорошем жильце,) he could not have borne to miss the chance of getting a few hundreds more. (он не смог бы вынести мысли упустить возможность получить ещё пару сотен фунтов; to bear – выносить, терпеть.) It is strange people should be so greedy, when they are alone in the world!” (Странно, что люди бывают такими жадными, когда они одиноки в мире!; greedy – жадный, алчный.)

“Rich, sir!” she returned. “He has nobody knows what money, and every year it increases. Yes, yes, he’s rich enough to live in a finer house than this: but he’s very near—close-handed; and, if he had meant to flit to Thrushcross Grange, as soon as he heard of a good tenant he could not have borne to miss the chance of getting a few hundreds more. It is strange people should be so greedy, when they are alone in the world!”

“He had a son, it seems?” (– У него, кажется, был сын?)

“Yes, he had one—he is dead.” (– Да, был один – он умер.)

“And that young lady, Mrs. Heathcliff, is his widow?” (– А эта молодая леди, миссис Хитклифф, его вдова?)

“Yes.” (– Да.)

“Where did she come from originally?” (– Откуда она родом изначально?)

“He had a son, it seems?”

“Yes, he had one—he is dead.”

“And that young lady, Mrs. Heathcliff, is his widow?”

“Yes.”

“Where did she come from originally?”

“Why, sir, she is my late master’s daughter: (– Как же, сэр, она дочь моего покойного хозяина;) Catherine Linton was her maiden name. (её девичья фамилия была Кэтрин Линтон; maiden name – девичья фамилия.) I nursed her, poor thing! (Я вырастила её, бедняжку!) I did wish Mr. Heathcliff would remove here, (Я очень хотела, чтобы мистер Хитклифф перебрался сюда,) and then we might have been together again.” (и тогда мы могли бы снова быть вместе.)

“Why, sir, she is my late master’s daughter: Catherine Linton was her maiden name. I nursed her, poor thing! I did wish Mr. Heathcliff would remove here, and then we might have been together again.”

“What! Catherine Linton?” I exclaimed, astonished. (– Что! Кэтрин Линтон? – воскликнул я, поражённый.) But a minute’s reflection convinced me it was not my ghostly Catherine. (Но минута размышлений убедила меня, что это не моя призрачная Кэтрин; ghostly – призрачный.) “Then,” I continued, “my predecessor’s name was Linton?” (– Тогда, – продолжил я, – моего предшественника звали Линтон?)

“It was.” (– Да.)

“What! Catherine Linton?” I exclaimed, astonished. But a minute’s reflection convinced me it was not my ghostly Catherine. “Then,” I continued, “my predecessor’s name was Linton?”

“It was.”

“And who is that Earnshaw: Hareton Earnshaw, who lives with Mr. Heathcliff? (– А кто этот Эрншо: Хэртон Эрншо, который живёт с мистером Хитклиффом?) Are they relations?” (Они родственники?)

“No; he is the late Mrs. Linton’s nephew.” (– Нет; он племянник покойной миссис Линтон; nephew – племянник.)

“The young lady’s cousin, then?” (– Значит, кузен молодой леди?)

“And who is that Earnshaw: Hareton Earnshaw, who lives with Mr. Heathcliff? Are they relations?”

“No; he is the late Mrs. Linton’s nephew.”

“The young lady’s cousin, then?”

“Yes; and her husband was her cousin also: (– Да; и её муж тоже был её кузеном;) one on the mother’s, (один со стороны матери,) the other on the father’s side: (другой – со стороны отца;) Heathcliff married Mr. Linton’s sister.” (Хитклифф женился на сестре мистера Линтона.)

“I see the house at Wuthering Heights has ‘Earnshaw’ carved over the front door. (– Я вижу, на доме в Грозовом Перевале выбито над входной дверью «Эрншо».) Are they an old family?” (Это старая семья?)

“Yes; and her husband was her cousin also: one on the mother’s, the other on the father’s side: Heathcliff married Mr. Linton’s sister.”

“I see the house at Wuthering Heights has ‘Earnshaw’ carved over the front door. Are they an old family?”

“Very old, sir; (– Очень старая, сэр;) and Hareton is the last of them, (и Хэртон – последний из них,) as our Miss Cathy is of us— (так же, как наша мисс Кэти – последняя из нас,) I mean, of the Lintons. (то есть, из Линтонов.) Have you been to Wuthering Heights? (Вы были в Грозовом Перевале?) I beg pardon for asking; (Прошу прощения за вопрос;) but I should like to hear how she is!” (но мне бы хотелось услышать, как она там!)