олевства) than be given such a secret (чем быть посвященным в тайну /этого изобретения/).
valuable ['vxljVqb(q)l], knowledge ['nOlIG], waste [weIst]
I told the King that I knew how to make this powder and that it didn't cost much money. I could also make the drawings from which his workmen could make the tubes. I offered all this valuable knowledge to the King of Brobdingnag in return for the kindness he had shown me.
The King was struck with amazement and horror at the very idea. How could I stand there describing scenes of blood, death and waste, as though I were doing him a favour! (These were his very words.) He would prefer to lose half his kingdom than be given such a secret.
This is the same King (/и/ это тот самый король) who is considered by his own people to be learned and wise (который считается своим народом = которого народ считает ученым и мудрым). He is admired and loved in Brobdingnag (в Бробдингнаге к нему относятся с восхищением и любовью; to admire — восхищаться, восторгаться; любоваться). Yet, as will be clear to the reader (и при этом, как должно быть ясно/понятно читателю; will здесь выражает предположение, вероятность), this same man is so shortsighted in his understanding of the world (этот же человек так близорук/непредусмотрителен в своем понимании = видении мира), he couldn't grasp the chance I was offering him (/что/ не смог воспользоваться благоприятной возможностью, какую я ему предлагал; to grasp — схватывать, хватать; хвататься, ухватиться /за возможность, предложение/; понять; осознать).
It would have made him the master of the lives and fortunes of all his people (это сделало бы его = он стал бы властителем жизней и судеб/имущества всех своих подданных; fortune — судьба, фортуна; богатство, состояние). But his education is unfortunately so poor (но, к сожалению, его образование настолько плохое; poor — бедный; плохой; слабый; скудный) that he couldn't see that at all (что он совершенно не смог этого понять).
consider [kqn'sIdq], shortsighted ["SLt'saItId], fortune ['fLC(q)n]
This is the same King who is considered by his own people to be learned and wise. He is admired and loved in Brobdingnag. Yet, as will be clear to the reader, this same man is so shortsighted in his understanding of the world, he couldn't grasp the chance I was offering him.
It would have made him the master of the lives and fortunes of all his people. But his education is unfortunately so poor that he couldn't see that at all.
The King wasn't impressed either on hearing of the number of books (равным образом на короля совершенно не произвело впечатления количество книг: «король также не был поражен, услышав о количестве книг»; impress — делать отпечаток; оставлять след /в сознании/; производить впечатление, поражать) that are written in my country on the art of politics (об искусстве политики, написанных в моей стране). I told him about this one day (я рассказал ему об этом однажды). But he was of the opinion (но он высказал мнение) that all these writings were a waste of time (что все эти писания — пустая трата времени). If a person could make two ears of corn or two blades of grass grow (если какой-нибудь человек сможет вырастить два колоса или два стебля травы; ear /оf corn/ — колос; corn — зерно, зерновые хлеба) where only one had grown before (/там/, где раньше рос только один), said the King, he would be doing his country a better service (/то/ он окажет своей стране большую: «лучшую» услугу) than that of all the politicians put together (чем все политики, взятые: «собранные» вместе; to put together — складывать; помещать вместе; собирать). The learning of these people is not very great (знания этого народа не очень велики; learning — изучение, учение; ученость, /по/знания). Their laws are also very simple (их законы также весьма просты). In fact there are so few people who break the laws of the land (в сущности, людей, нарушающих законы страны так мало), their lawyers don't have much practice in the use of them (/что/ их юристы имеют мало практики в их применении).
ear [Iq], politician ["pOlI'tIS(q)n], practice ['prxktIs]
The King wasn't impressed either on hearing of the number of books that are written in my country on the art of politics. I told him about this one day. But he was of the opinion that all these writings were a waste of time. If a person could make two ears of corn or two blades of grass grow where only one had grown before, said the King, he would be doing his country a better service than that of all the politicians put together. The learning of these people is not very great. Their laws are also very simple. In fact there are so few people who break the laws of the land, their lawyers don't have much practice in the use of them.
They do, however, have the art of printing (искусство книгопечатания у них, однако, существует). But their libraries are not very large (но библиотеки их не очень велики). I was allowed (мне было дозволено) to borrow as many books as I wished from the King's library (брать из королевской библиотеки столько книг, сколько я пожелаю). Although it was the largest library in the country (/и/ хотя это была самая большая библиотека в государстве), it didn't contain more than one thousand books (она заключала в себе не более тысячи книг).
Any book I wished to read (книга, которую я желал читать) was put leaning up against the wall of the library (приставлялась к стене библиотеки; to lean /up/ — наклоняться, нагибаться; прислоняться). The Queen's carpenter made me a set of steps, like a ladder (столяр королевы смастерил для меня лестницу, наподобие стремянки; set — комплект, набор; set оf steps — ряд ступеней; лестница; ladder — лестница /приставная/; стремянка), that I could use for reading (которой я мог пользоваться = чтобы я пользовался ею для чтения). I would climb up to the top step (я я взбирался на /самую/ верхнюю ступень) and begin reading the top line (и начинал читать верхнюю строку). Then I would walk about ten steps to the right (затем я /постепенно/ проходил около десяти шагов вправо), following the line (следуя за строкой = вдоль строки). I would climb down a step to read the next line (/потом/ я спускался на одну ступеньку вниз, чтобы читать следующую строку), continuing until I reached the bottom of the page (продолжая /действовать таким образом/, пока не добирался до низа/конца страницы). Then I would climb all the way up again (после этого поднимался снова на самый верх: «весь путь вверх») to start on the next page (чтобы начать следующую страницу). I was able to turn the pages myself (я мог переворачивать страницы сам). They were not much thicker than cardboard (они были ненамного толще /нашего/ картона).
library ['laIbr(q)rI], contain [kqn'teIn], cardboard ['kRdbLd]
They do, however, have the art of printing. But their libraries are not very large. I was allowed to borrow as many books as I wished from the King's library. Although it was the largest library in the country, it didn't contain more than one thousand books.
Any book I wished to read was put leaning up against the wall of the library. The Queen's carpenter made me a set of steps, like a ladder, that I could use for reading. I would climb up to the top step and begin reading the top line. Then I would walk about ten steps to the right, following the line. I would climb down a step to read the next line, continuing until I reached the bottom of the page. Then I would climb all the way up again to start on the next page. I was able to turn the pages myself. They were not much thicker than cardboard.
In this way I was able to read something of the history of the country (таким способом я смог прочесть кое-что об истории страны). I had begun to wonder after my conversations with the King (после моих разговоров с королем я начал задаваться вопросом) why he kept an army at all (почему он вообще держит армию). Reading their history (почитав их историю), I could see that these people were not so different (я понял, что этот народ не так /уж/ отличается) from the peoples of other countries (от народов других стран). At different points in time (в различные моменты времени = истории) the noble lords had wanted more power (дворяне хотели /получить/ больше власти), the people had wanted their freedom (народ желал свободы) and the King had wanted to keep all the power himself (а король хотел держать всю власть сам = в своих руках). War had broken out among them (/тогда/ меж ними вспыхивала война; to break out — выламывать; вырваться; вспыхивать /о пожаре, войне/; разразиться).
history ['hIst(q)rI], wonder ['wAndq], power ['paVq]
In this way I was able to read something of the history of the country. I had begun to wonder after my conversations with the King why he kept an army at all. Reading their history, I could see that these people were not so different from the peoples of other countries. At different points in time the noble lords had wanted more power, the people had wanted their freedom and the King had wanted to keep all the power himself. War had broken out among them.
There had not been any trouble of that kind (неприятностей такого рода не было; trouble — беспокойство; волнение; неприятность; волнения, беспорядки) since the time of the present King's grandfather (со времени /правления/ деда нынешнего короля). But an army was still kept all the same (но несмотря на это армия до сих пор сохранялась; all the same — несмотря на это, тем не менее, все-таки). I have never seen anything more magnificent (я никогда не видел ничего более величественного) than the sight of this army (чем зрелище этой армии), mounted on horseback (с солдатами, сидящими верхом на лошадях; to mount — подниматься, восходить; садиться /на лошадь и т. п./; mounted — приподнятый; сидящий на лошади; конный