Иностранный язык: учимся у классиков - Лучшие произведения Джерома К. Джерома / The Best of Jerome K. Jerome

Chapter XII

Henry VIII. and Anne Boleyn. – Disadvantages of living in same house with pair of lovers. – A trying time for the English nation. – A night search for the picturesque. – Homeless and houseless. – Harris prepares to die. – An angel comes along. – Effect of sudden joy on Harris. – A little supper. – Lunch. – High price for mustard. – A fearful battle. – Maidenhead. – Sailing. – Three fishers. – We are cursed.

I was sitting on the bank, conjuring up this scene to myself, when George remarked that when I was quite rested, perhaps I would not mind helping to wash up; and, thus recalled from the days of the glorious past to the prosaic present, with all its misery and sin, I slid down into the boat and cleaned out the frying-pan with a stick of wood and a tuft of grass, polishing it up finally with George’s wet shirt.

Примечания

1

stone = 14 pounds = 6,35 kg

2

St. Vitus’s Dance – a nervous disorder characterized by uncoordinated shaking movements

3

Bright’s disease – kidney diseases (acute or chronic nephritis)

4

housemaid’s knee – Bursitis, swelling and inflammation over the front of the knee. Commonly seen in patients who kneel for extended periods

5

the chargesheet – a document into which a police officer enters details of the charge against a prisoner

6

Referee – a weekly sporting paper

7

queer – giddy, faint

8

ad lib – from Latin ad libitum, meaning “freely, as one wishes”

9

Ditto – the same, likewise (Italian)

10

Worcester – sauce, very spicy one, made of soya beans

11

leggo – let go

12

blarmed – cursed

13

sixpen’orth – sixpenceworth

14

ha’pence – half-pence

15

shilling shockers – cheap books of thrillers

16

Cussedness – stubborn unruliness or deliberate resistance to discipline; perversity

17

put upon – to take advantage of, to maltreat

18

slapup – great, smashing (slang)

19

mouch – wandering about

20

Gladstone – a large travelling bag made of stiff leather named after W. E. Gladstone, British statesman (1809–1898)

21

slavey – a servantgirl of all work

22

Wasermarrer? – What’s the matter?

23

Bar – evidently, barometer

24

Boots – a hotel servant who cleans boots

25

Great Coram Street murder – the murder of Harriet Buswell in 1872 that caused a great sensation in the newspapers

26

Stanley – Henry Morton Stanley, (1841–1904), a journalist and famous traveller, explorer of Africa

27

King Edwy – Eadwig (Edwy) (c. 941–959), King of England from 955 until his death four years later

28

sack and mead – wine and a beverage made of honey (archaic)

29

Elgiva – AElgifu, the wife of King Edwy

30

brutal Odo and St. Dunstan – Eadwig’s short reign was marked by conflicts with the Church under the leadership of Saint Dunstan and Archbishop Odo

31

Gadzooks, gramercy – Gadzooks is an exclamation; a euphemistic shortening of “God’s hooks” (the nails on the cross). Gramercy – from Old French grand merci (thank you very much), expressing surprise or gratitude.

32

Sandford and Merton – “The History of Sandford and Merton” is a didactic children’s tale (by Thomas Day, 1783–1789). There are two main characters there – goodwilled Sanford and unpleasant Merton, who gets upright due to moral instructions.

33

dogdays – the hottest days of summer

34

under laughinggas – a method of anesthesiology at that time

35

old blue – 18th century English porcelain, mostly painted blue

36

Sarah Janes – typical housemaids

37

Yuise – “you is”, an illiterate form of address

38

Pinafore – a light opera by Gilbert and Sullivan (1878)

39

Trial by Jury – also a light opera by the same authors (1875)

40

morceaux (sing. morceau) – short literary or musical compositions (French)

41

Bradshaw – George Bradshaw (1801–1853) wrote the “Railway Guide”, while John Bradshaw (1602–1659) was the head of the council that condemned King Charles I to death.

42

Cassivelaunus – British chieftain, leader of the Catuvellauni tribe that resisted Caesar’s invasion of Britain (54 bc)

43

willo’thewisps – phosphorescent lights floating at night on marshy ground

44

’Arrys and ’Arriets – evidently, “Harrys and Harriets”, pronounced in the way folk did

45

Lor’ – Lord

46

ain’t – isn’t

47

’ere ain’t – here isn’t (illiterate English)

48

’ware wheat – ware = beware; wheat = corn

49

Angels and ministers of grace defend us – from “Hamlet” by William Shakespeare (Act 1, Scene 4)

50

King John – (nick-name John Lackland, 1167–1216). John faced a rebellion by many of his barons who were not satisfied with his ruling. The following story in the book refers to how King John had to sign the Magna Carta (the document limiting his powers) in 1215

51

billmen – foot soldiers armed with billhooks (originally developed from a farming tool, and consisting of an axe and hook on a long pole)

52

yester eve – yesterday evening

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