Francis Scott Fitzgerald «The diamond as big as the Ritz» — Ch. VII (3/9)
t.me/english_frankФрэнсис Скотт Фицджеральд «Алмаз величиной в отель "Риц"» — Глава VII
John was enchanted by the wonders of the château and the valley (был очарован чудесами замка и долины). Braddock Washington, so Percy told him, had caused to be kidnapped a landscape gardener (Брэддок Вашингтон, как рассказал ему Перси, приказал похитить садовника-декоратора; landscape — ландшафт), an architect (архитектора), a designer of state settings (художника-декоратора; setting — окружающая обстановка, окружение; декорации, художественное оформление), and a French decadent poet left over from the last century (и французского поэта-декадента, оставшегося /в наследство/ от прошлого века). He had put his entire force of negroes at their disposal (предоставил всех: «всю силу» своих негров в их распоряжение;), guaranteed to supply them with any materials that the world could offer (обязался обеспечить любыми материалами, какие только есть на земле: «какие мир мог предложить/дать»), and left them to work out some ideas of their own (оставил их = предоставил им разрабатывать свои собственные идеи). But one by one they had shown their uselessness (но один за другим они показали = обнаружили свою никчемность).
John was enchanted by the wonders of the château and the valley. Braddock Washington, so Percy told him, had caused to be kidnapped a landscape gardener, an architect, a designer of state settings, and a French decadent poet left over from the last century. He had put his entire force of negroes at their disposal, guaranteed to supply them with any materials that the world could offer, and left them to work out some ideas of their own. But one by one they had shown their uselessness.
The decadent poet had at once begun bewailing his separation from the boulevards in spring (сразу принялся оплакивать свою разлуку с весенними бульварами) — he made some vague remarks about spices, apes, and ivories (делал = произносил какие-то туманные замечания = намеки про пряности/благовония, обезьян и слоновую кость), but said nothing that was of any practical value (но не сказал ничего, что имело бы какую-нибудь практическую ценность/пользу). The stage designer on his part wanted to make the whole valley a series of tricks and sensational effects (театральный декоратор, со своей стороны, хотел превратить всю долину в серию трюков и сенсационных эффектов; stage — сцена) — a state of things that the Washingtons would soon have grown tired of (то, от чего Вашингтоны скоро бы устали; state of things — положение вещей/дел; tired — усталый, утомленный; потерявший интерес, пресытившийся). And as for the architect and the landscape gardener (что же касается архитектора и садовника), they thought only in terms of convention (то они мыслили только шаблонами: «с точки зрения традиции/условностей»). They must make this like this and that like that (это они должны делать так, а то — эдак; like this, like that — вот так /говорят, когда показывают, как что-то делать/).
The decadent poet had at once begun bewailing his separation from the boulevards in spring — he made some vague remarks about spices, apes, and ivories, but said nothing that was of any practical value. The stage designer on his part wanted to make the whole valley a series of tricks and sensational effects — a state of things that the Washingtons would soon have grown tired of. And as for the architect and the landscape gardener, they thought only in terms of convention. They must make this like this and that like that.
But they had, at least, solved the problem of what was to be done with them (но они по крайней мере /сами/ разрешили проблему, как с ними поступить) — they all went mad early one morning after spending the night in a single room (однажды рано утром они все сошли с ума после того, как провели всю ночь в одной комнате) trying to agree upon the location of a fountain (пытаясь прийти к согласию по поводу места для фонтана), and were now confined comfortably in an insane asylum at Westport, Connecticut (и теперь весьма кстати находились под надзором в лечебнице для умалишенных в Уэстпорте, штат Коннектикут; to confine — ограничивать; заключать в тюрьму; заточать, держать взаперти).
"But," inquired John curiously, "who did plan all your wonderful reception rooms and halls (но, — с любопытством спросил Джон, — кто /же тогда/ спланировал все ваши чудесные гостиные), and approaches and bathrooms — — (подъезды и ванные комнаты)?"
But they had, at least, solved the problem of what was to be done with them — they all went mad early one morning after spending the night in a single room trying to agree upon the location of a fountain, and were now confined comfortably in an insane asylum at Westport, Connecticut.
"But," inquired John curiously, "who did plan all your wonderful reception rooms and halls, and approaches and bathrooms — —?"
"Well," answered Percy, "I blush to tell you, but it was a moving-picture fella (видишь ли, — ответил Перси, — стыдно сказать, но это был = сделал один киношный тип; to blush — краснеть от смущения, стыда). He was the only man we found (был единственным человеком из всех, кого мы нашли) who was used to playing with an unlimited amount of money (который привык распоряжаться неограниченными суммами денег; to play — играть), though he did tuck his napkin in his collar and couldn't read or write (хотя и засовывал салфетку за воротник и не умел читать и писать)."
As August drew to a close John began to regret (по мере того как август близился к концу, Джон начал горевать: «сожалеть, испытывать сожаление») that he must soon go back to school (что скоро он должен возвращаться в школу). He and Kismine had decided to elope the following June (они с Кисмин решили сбежать в июне следующего года: «в следующем июне»; to elope — сбежать /особенно с возлюбленным, чтобы тайком пожениться/).
"Well," answered Percy, "I blush to tell you, but it was a moving-picture fella. He was the only man we found who was used to playing with an unlimited amount of money, though he did tuck his napkin in his collar and couldn't read or write."
As August drew to a close John began to regret that he must soon go back to school. He and Kismine had decided to elope the following June.