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

"I think I should tell you that Edward Barnard is my greatest friend (я думаю, мне следует сказать вам, что Эдвард Барнард мой самый лучший друг). I was very much surprised when I heard he'd left Braunschmidt & Co (и я был очень удивлен, когда узнал, что он ушел из Брауншмидт и Ко)."

particular [pq'tIkjulq], shrewd [Sru: d], suspicious [sq'spISqs], trouble ['trAb(q)l]

"But I thought he came here with a particular recommendation from Mr. Braunschmidt. I know Mr. Braunschmidt very well."

The fat man looked at Bateman with shrewd, suspicious eyes. He called to one of the boys in the warehouse.

"Say, Henry, where's Barnard now, d'you know?"

"He's working at Cameron's, I think," came the answer from someone who did not trouble to move.

The fat man nodded.

"If you turn to your left when you get out of here you'll come to Cameron's in about three minutes."

Bateman hesitated.

"I think I should tell you that Edward Barnard is my greatest friend. I was very much surprised when I heard he'd left Braunschmidt & Co."

The fat man's eyes contracted till they seemed like pin-points (глаза толстяка стали сужаться, пока не стали похожи на булавочные головки: «пока они не показались похожими на острие булавки»), and their scrutiny made Bateman so uncomfortable (и их внимательный, изучающий /взгляд/ стеснил Бейтмана настолько; uncomfortable — неудобный; испытывающий неловкость, стеснение) that he felt himself blushing (что он почувствовал, как покраснел).

"I guess Braunschmidt & Co. and Edward Barnard didn't see eye to eye on certain matters (я полагаю, что фирма «Брауншмидт и Ко» и Эдвард Барнард не сошлись во взглядах на определенные вопросы)," he replied (ответил он).

Bateman did not quite like the fellow's manner (Бейтману не вполне понравилось поведение этого человека), so he got up, not without dignity (поэтому он с достоинством: «не без достоинства» встал), and with an apology for troubling him bade him good-day (и с извинением, что потревожил его, попрощался с ним; to bid — предлагать цену/на аукционе/;объявлять, заявлять). He left the place with a singular feeling (он ушел из этого места со странным чувством) that the man he had just interviewed had much to tell him (что человек, с которым он только что говорил, мог многое ему рассказать), but no intention of telling it (но не имел желания /рассказать это/; intention — намерение, умысел).

scrutiny ['skru: tInI], dignity ['dIgnItI], apology [q'pOlqdZI], singular ['sINgjulq]

The fat man's eyes contracted till they seemed like pin-points, and their scrutiny made Bateman so uncomfortable that he felt himself blushing.

"I guess Braunschmidt & Co. and Edward Barnard didn't see eye to eye on certain matters," he replied.

Bateman did not quite like the fellow's manner, so he got up, not without dignity, and with an apology for troubling him bade him good-day. He left the place with a singular feeling that the man he had just interviewed had much to tell him, but no intention of telling it.