E’en then would be some stooping (даже тогда было бы некоторое /унизительное/ снисхождение; e’en = even); and I choose (а я предпочитаю; to choose [ʧu:z] – выбирать; предпочитать)
Never to stoop (никогда не унижаться/не снисходить). Oh, sir, she smiled, no doubt (о, /мой/ господин, она улыбалась, будьте покойны: «без сомнения»; doubt [daʋt] – сомнение: no doubt about it – в этом можно не сомневаться),
Whene’er I passed her (каждый раз, когда я проходил мимо нее); but who passed without (но кто проходил без)
Much the same smile (совершенно той же самой улыбки = не будучи награжден точно такой же улыбкой)? This grew (это усиливалось: «росло»; to grow – расти); I gave commands (я дал указания/сделал распоряжения; command [kə'mɑ:nd] – команда, приказ);
Then all smiles stopped together (тогда все улыбки прекратились раз и навсегда: «вместе = одновременно»). There she stands (вот она стоит)
As if alive (словно живая). Will’t please you rise (не будет ли вам угодно встать)? We’ll meet (мы встретимся)
The company below, then (затем с обществом = с собравшимися внизу). I repeat (я повторяю),
The Count your master’s known munificence (/широко/ известная щедрость графа, вашего сеньора; count [kaʋnt] – граф; master ['mɑ:stə] – хозяин, владелец; господин; munificence [mju:'nɪfɪs(ə)ns] – необыкновенная щедрость)
Is ample warrant (является достаточным основанием/веской гарантией; ample [æmpl] – богатый, изобильный, обильный; просторный; обширный; достаточный; warrant ['wɒr(ə)nt] – правомочие; полномочие; основание) that no just pretense (что никакое справедливое притязание; pretense [prɪ'tens] – претензия; требование; притязания)
Of mine (мое = с моей стороны) for dowry (на приданое; dowry ['daʋrɪ] – приданое) will be disallowed (не будет сочтено несостоятельным/отклонено; to disallow [,dɪsə'laʋ] – не признавать, отвергать);
Though his fair daughter’s self (хотя его прекрасной дочери личность = хотя его красавица-дочь сама по себе; self – собственная личность, свое «я»), as I avowed (как я заверил; to avow [ə'vaʋ] – признавать, заявлять; /юр./ признавать факт)
At starting (в /самом/ начале = изначально), is my object (есть моя цель; object ['ɒbʤɪkt] – объект, предмет; цель). Nay, we’ll go (да нет же, мы пойдем; nay [neɪ] – /книжн./ нет; даже; более того; мало того)
Together down, sir (вместе вниз = спустимся, /мой/ господин). Notice Neptune, though (заметьте, впрочем, Нептуна; to notice ['nəʋtɪs] – замечать, обращать внимание; Neptune ['neptju:n] – Нептун; though [ðəʋ] – хотя, несмотря на; тем не менее; однако; все-таки),
Taming a sea-horse (усмиряющего морского коня; to tame – приручать;, укрощать), thought a rarity (/который/ считается раритетом; rarity ['reərətɪ] – редкость; раритет; диковина; rare [reə] – редкий),
Which Claus of Innsbruck cast in bronze for me (которого Клаус из Иннсбрука[20] отлил для меня в бронзе; to cast [kɑ:st] – бросать, кидать, швырять; лить, отливать: to cast steel – разливать сталь; bronze [brɒnz] – бронза)!
That’s my last Duchess painted on the wall,
Looking as if she were alive. I call
That piece a wonder, now; Frà Pandolf’s hands
Worked busily a day, and there she stands.
Will’t please you sit and look at her? I said
“Frà Pandolf” by design, for never read
Strangers like you that pictured countenance,
The depth and passion of its earnest glance,
But to myself they turned (since none puts by
The curtain I have drawn for you, but I)
And seemed as they would ask me, if they durst,
How such a glance came there; so, not the first
Are you to turn and ask thus. Sir, ’twas not
Her husband’s presence only, called that spot
Of joy into the Duchess’ cheek; perhaps
Frà Pandolf chanced to say, “Her mantle laps
Over my lady’s wrist too much,” or “Paint
Must never hope to reproduce the faint
Half-flush that dies along her throat.” Such stuff
Was courtesy, she thought, and cause enough
For calling up that spot of joy. She had
A heart – how shall I say? – too soon made glad,
Too easily impressed; she liked whate’er
She looked on, and her looks went everywhere.
Sir, ’twas all one! My favour at her breast,
The dropping of the daylight in the West,
The bough of cherries some officious fool
Broke in the orchard for her, the white mule
She rode with round the terrace – all and each
Would draw from her alike the approving speech,
Or blush, at least. She thanked men – good! but thanked
Somehow – I know not how – as if she ranked
My gift of a nine-hundred-years-old name
With anybody’s gift. Who’d stoop to blame
This sort of trifling? Even had you skill
In speech – which I have not – to make your will
Quite clear to such an one, and say, ‘Just this
Or that in you disgusts me; here you miss,
Or there exceed the mark’ – and if she let
Herself be lessoned so, nor plainly set
Her wits to yours, forsooth, and made excuse —
E’en then would be some stooping; and I choose
Never to stoop. Oh, sir, she smiled, no doubt,
Whene’er I passed her; but who passed without
Much the same smile? This grew; I gave commands;
Then all smiles stopped together. There she stands
As if alive. Will’t please you rise? We’ll meet
The company below, then. I repeat,
The Count your master’s known munificence
Is ample warrant that no just pretense 
