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

A few days later, meeting him again, she noticed that something troubled him. They had been much together since Edward left Chicago; they were both devoted to him and each in his desire to talk of the absent one found a willing listener; the consequence was that Isabel knew every expression of Bateman's face, and his denials now were useless against her keen instinct. Something told her that his harassed look had to do with Edward and she did not rest till she had made him confess.

"The fact is (дело в том)," he said at last (сказал он наконец), "I heard in a round-about way that Edward was no longer working for Braunschmidt and Co. (что окольным путем я узнал, что Эдвард больше не работает на /фирму/ Брауншмидт и Ко; roundabout— вокруг, кругом; кружным путем, в обход), and yesterday I took the opportunity to ask Mr. Braunschmidt himself (а вчера я воспользовался случаем спросить у самого мистера Брауншмидта)."

"Well (ну и)?"

"Edward left his employment with them nearly a year ago (Эдвард оставил службу у них около года назад; to leave— уходить, уезжать; оставлять)."

"How strange he should have said nothing about it (как странно, что он ничего не сказал об этом)."

Bateman hesitated, but he had gone so far now (Бейтман колебался, но сейчас он уже зашел настолько далеко) that he was obliged to tell the rest (что он был вынужден рассказать все остальное). It made him feel dreadfully embarrassed (от этого он чувствовал себя ужасно неловко).

"He was fired (он был уволен; to fire— зажигать; амер. разг. увольнять, выгонять с работы)."

"In heaven's name what for (ради всего святого, за что; heaven— небеса, небо)?"

"It appears they warned him once or twice (похоже, что они предупреждали его раз или два; to appear— появляться, показываться; казаться, производить впечатление), and at last they told him to get out (и, наконец, они велели ему убираться). They say he was lazy and incompetent (говорят, он был ленив и некомпетентен)."

"Edward?"

They were silent for a while (некоторое время они молчали), and then he saw that Isabel was crying (а затем он увидел, что Изабелла плачет). Instinctively he seized her hand (инстинктивно он схватил = сжал ее руку).

opportunity ["Opq'tju: nItI], employment [Im'plOImqnt], dreadfully ['dredfulI], lazy ['leIzI], incompetent [In'kOmpIt(q)nt]

"The fact is," he said at last, "I heard in a round-about way that Edward was no longer working for Braunschmidt and Co., and yesterday I took the opportunity to ask Mr. Braunschmidt himself."

"Well?"

"Edward left his employment with them nearly a year ago."

"How strange he should have said nothing about it."

Bateman hesitated, but he had gone so far now that he was obliged to tell the rest. It made him feel dreadfully embarrassed.

"He was fired."

"In heaven's name what for?"

"It appears they warned him once or twice, and at last they told him to get out. They say he was lazy and incompetent."

"Edward?"

They were silent for a while, and then he saw that Isabel was crying. Instinctively he seized her hand.

"Oh, my dear, don't, don't (о, дорогая моя, не надо, не надо)," he said. "I can't bear to see it (мне тяжело это видеть; to bear— терпеть, выносить, мириться /с чем-либо/)."