Jerome K. Jerome «Three men in a boat» — Ch. XVI (10/11)
@english_frankДжером К. Джером «Трое в лодке, не считая собаки» — Глава XVI
We could not take our eyes off the fish after that (мы не могли отвести глаз от рыбы после этого). It really was a remarkably fine fish (это была удивительная, прекрасная рыба: «удивительно прекрасная рыба»). We were still looking at it, when the local carrier, who had just stopped at the inn (мы по-прежнему смотрели на нее, когда местный перевозчик, который только что остановился у трактира), came to the door of the room with a pot of beer in his hand, and he also looked at the fish (подошел к двери комнаты с кружкой пива в руке и тоже посмотрел на рыбу).
"Good-sized trout, that (большая форель, а)," said George, turning round to him (сказал Джордж, поворачиваясь к нему).
"Ah! you may well say that, sir (совершенно верно: «вы вполне можете сказать так», сэр)," replied the man; and then, after a pull at his beer, he added (ответил человек, а потом, после глотка пива/отхлебнув пива, добавил; to pull at — дергать, тянуть; затягиваться /сигаретой/, тянуть /из бутылки/), "Maybe you wasn't here, sir, when that fish was caught (может, вас здесь не было, сэр, когда эту рыбу поймали)?"
"No," we told him. We were strangers in the neighbourhood (мы здесь чужие).
We could not take our eyes off the fish after that. It really was a remarkably fine fish. We were still looking at it, when the local carrier, who had just stopped at the inn, came to the door of the room with a pot of beer in his hand, and he also looked at the fish.
"Good-sized trout, that," said George, turning round to him.
"Ah! you may well say that, sir," replied the man; and then, after a pull at his beer, he added, "Maybe you wasn't here, sir, when that fish was caught?"
"No," we told him. We were strangers in the neighbourhood.
"Ah!" said the carrier, "then, of course, how should you (тогда, конечно, откуда вам /знать/)? It was nearly five years ago that I caught that trout (почти пять лет назад я поймал эту форель)."
"Oh! was it you who caught it, then (значит, это вы ее поймали)?" said I.
"Yes, sir," replied the genial old fellow (ответил добродушный старик). "I caught him just below the lock — leastways, what was the lock then (я поймал его немного ниже шлюза — по крайней мере, у того, что было шлюзом тогда) — one Friday afternoon; and the remarkable thing about it is that I caught him with a fly (в пятницу после обеда; и удивительно — я поймал ее на муху). I'd gone out pike fishing, bless you, never thinking of a trout (я отправился ловить щук, ей-богу, и не думал о форели), and when I saw that whopper on the end of my line, blest if it didn't quite take me aback (а когда увидел эту громадину на конце лески, то, черт побери, она меня так поразила; to take aback — захватить врасплох; поразить, ошеломить). Well, you see, he weighed twenty-six pound (она весила двадцать шесть фунтов). Good-night, gentlemen, good-night."
"Ah!" said the carrier, "then, of course, how should you? It was nearly five years ago that I caught that trout."
"Oh! was it you who caught it, then?" said I.
"Yes, sir," replied the genial old fellow. "I caught him just below the lock — leastways, what was the lock then — one Friday afternoon; and the remarkable thing about it is that I caught him with a fly. I'd gone out pike fishing, bless you, never thinking of a trout, and when I saw that whopper on the end of my line, blest if it didn't quite take me aback. Well, you see, he weighed twenty-six pound. Good-night, gentlemen, good-night."
Five minutes afterwards, a third man came in (пять минут спустя третий человек вошел), and described how he had caught it early one morning, with bleak (и описал, как он поймал ее однажды рано утром на уклейку); and then he left, and a stolid, solemn-looking, middle-aged individual came in, and sat down over by the window (потом он ушел, вошел невозмутимый, серьезного вида человек средних лет и сел у окна).
None of us spoke for a while (ни один из нас не говорил ничего некоторое время); but, at length, George turned to the new-comer, and said (но наконец Джордж обратился к новоприбывшему и сказал):
"I beg your pardon, I hope you will forgive the liberty that we (прошу прощения, надеюсь, вы простите бесцеремонность, которую мы; liberty — свобода; бесцеремонность, вольность; дерзость) — perfect strangers in the neighbourhood (совсем чужие люди в этих краях) — are taking, but my friend here and myself would be so much obliged (позволяем себе, но вот мой приятель и я сам были бы очень благодарны) if you would tell us how you caught that trout up there (если бы вы рассказали нам, как поймали вон ту форель)."
"Why, who told you I caught that trout (а кто вам сказал, что я поймал эту форель)!" was the surprised query (был удивленный вопрос).
We said that nobody had told us so (мы сказали, что никто нам этого не говорил), but somehow or other we felt instinctively that it was he who had done it (но мы каким-то образом инстинктивно чувствуем, что именно он это сделал).
Five minutes afterwards, a third man came in, and described how he had caught it early one morning, with bleak; and then he left, and a stolid, solemn-looking, middle-aged individual came in, and sat down over by the window.
None of us spoke for a while; but, at length, George turned to the new-comer, and said:
"I beg your pardon, I hope you will forgive the liberty that we — perfect strangers in the neighbourhood — are taking, but my friend here and myself would be so much obliged if you would tell us how you caught that trout up there."
"Why, who told you I caught that trout!" was the surprised query.
We said that nobody had told us so, but somehow or other we felt instinctively that it was he who had done it.