“Perhaps (может быть),” said Jane politely (сказала Джейн вежливо), “you’d show us the way (вы бы показали нам дорогу).” She was a little uncertain of the Lion (она была немного неуверена в льве), but he seemed kindly enough (но он казался достаточно доброжелательным). “And after all (и в конце концов: «после всего»),” she thought (она подумала), “everything is topsyturvy tonight (все вверх тормашками сегодня вечером; topsyturvy — неразбериха, кутерьма; вверх дном, шиворот-навыворот).”
“Dee-lighted! (с удовольствием; delight — довольствие, наслаждение)” said the Lion in rather a mincing voice (сказал лев довольно жеманным голосом: ; to mince — крошить, рубить /мясо/; держаться жеманно), and he offered her his arm (и он предложил ей свою лапу). She took it (она взяла ее), but to be on the safe side (но чтобы быть спокойнее: «на безопасной стороне») she kept Michael beside her (она держала Майкла возле себя). He was such a round, fat little boy (он был такой круглый, толстый маленький мальчик), and after all (и в конце концов), she thought (она подумала), lions are lions (львы есть львы) —
“Does my mane look nice (моя грива выглядит красиво)?” asked the Lion (спросил лев) as they moved off (когда они отошли). “I had it curled for the occasion (я сделал завивку по случаю; curl — локон, завиток).”
Jane looked at it (Джейн посмотрела на нее). She could see (она увидела) that it had been carefully oiled (что она была заботливо промаслена) and combed into ringlets (и причесана в колечки/локоны).
“Very (очень),” she said. “But — isn’t it rather odd for a lion to care about such things (но — не странно ли это для льва — заботится о таких вещах)? I thought (я думала) — ”
Lion ['laIqn] topsyturvy ['tOpsI'tq:vI] tonight [tq'naIt]
“Look where you’re going, can’t you?” he shouted, as something bumped into Jane. She turned quickly and gave a little frightened start as she beheld an enormous Lion. The eyes of the Lion brightened as he saw her.
“Oh, I say — ” he began. “I didn’t know it was you! This place is so crowded tonight and I’m in such a hurry to see the humans fed I’m afraid I didn’t look where I was going. Coming along? You oughtn’t to miss it, you know — ”
“Perhaps,” said Jane politely, “you’d show us the way.” She was a little uncertain of the Lion, but he seemed kindly enough. “And after all,” she thought, “everything is topsyturvy tonight.”
“Dee-lighted!” said the Lion in rather a mincing voice, and he offered her his arm. She took it, but to be on the safe side she kept Michael beside her. He was such a round, fat little boy, and after all, she thought, lions are lions —
“Does my mane look nice?” asked the Lion as they moved off. “I had it curled for the occasion.”
Jane looked at it. She could see that it had been carefully oiled and combed into ringlets.
“Very,” she said. “But — isn’t it rather odd for a lion to care about such things? I thought — ”
“What (что)! My dear young lady (моя дорогая юная леди), the Lion, as you know (лев, как вы знаете), is the King of the Beasts (царь зверей). He has to remember his position (он должен помнить о своем положении). And I (а я), personally (лично), am not likely to forget it (конечно же, не забываю этого; likely — вероятный, возможный; notlikely — конечно, нет /обычно в ответ на вопрос/). I believe a lion should always look his best (я полагаю, что лев должен всегда выглядеть наилучшим образом: «выглядеть свое лучшее») no matter where he is (не важно = независимо /от того/, где он находится). This way (вот сюда).”
And with a graceful wave of his forepaw he pointed towards the Big Cat House (и с грациозным взмахом своей передней лапы он указал в направлении дома большой кошки) and ushered them in at the entrance (и проводил их ко входу; usher — швейцар; консьерж; привратник; tousher — провожать, сопровождать; вводить /in/).
Jane and Michael caught their breaths at the sight that met their eyes (Джейн и Майкл затаили дыхание от зрелища, которое предстало перед их глазами: «встретило их глаза»). The great hall was thronged with animals (большой холл был переполнен животными; throng — толпа, толчея). Some were leaning over the long bar (некоторые склонились над длинным парапетом) that separated them from the cages (который отделял их от клеток), some were standing on the seats (некоторые стояли на сидениях) that rose in tiers opposite (которые поднимались рядами напротив; tier — ряд; ярус). There were panthers and leopards (здесь были пантеры и леопарды), wolves (волки), tigers and antelopes (тигры и антилопы); monkeys and hedgehogs (обезьяны и ежи; hedgehog — еж; /амер./ дикобраз), wombats (вомбаты), mountain goats and giraffes (горные козлы и жирафы); and an enormous group composed entirely of kittiwakes and vultures (и огромная группа, состоящая полностью из моевок и грифов).
“Splendid, isn’t it (великолепно, не правда ли)?” said the Lion proudly (сказал Лев гордо). “Just like the dear old jungle days (прямо как в старые добрые времена джунглей). But come along (но поторопимся) — we must get good places (мы должны занять хорошие места).”
And he pushed his way through the crowd crying (и он проталкивал себе дорогу сквозь толпу, крича), “Gangway (дорогу: «проход»), gangway (дорогу)!” and dragging Jane and Michael after him (и волоча Джейн и Майкла за собой). Presently (некоторое время спустя), through a little clearing in the middle of the hall (сквозь небольшое свободное место в середине холла), they were able to get a glimpse of the cages (они смогли уловить вид клеток: «получить проблеск клеток»).
forepaw [fO:pO:] gangway ['gæŋweI] ushered ['A∫qd]
“What! My dear young lady, the Lion, as you know, is the King of the Beasts. He has to remember his position. And I, personally, am not likely to forget it. I believe a lion should always look his best no matter where he is. This way.”
And with a graceful wave of his forepaw he pointed towards the Big Cat House and ushered them in at the entrance.
Jane and Michael caught their breaths at the sight that met their eyes. The great hall was thronged with animals. Some were leaning over the long bar that separated them from the cages, some were standing on the seats that rose in tiers opposite. There were panthers and leopards, wolves, tigers and antelopes; monkeys and hedgehogs, wombats, mountain goats and giraffes; and an enormous group composed entirely of kittiwakes and vultures.
“Splendid, isn’t it?” said the Lion proudly. “Just like the dear old jungle days. But come along — we must get good places.”
And he pushed his way through the crowd crying, “Gangway, gangway!” and dragging Jane and Michael after him. Presently, through a little clearing in the middle of the hall, they were able to get a glimpse of the cages.
“Why (да/ну и ну),” said Michael, opening his mouth very wide (открыв свой рот очень широко), “they’re full of human beings (они полны людей: «человеческих существ»)!”
And they were (и они были /полны/).
In one cage two large, middle-aged gentlemen in top hats and striped trousers were prowling up and down (в одной клетке два больших, среднего возраста джентльмена в цилиндрах и полосатых брюках рыскали туда-сюда: «вверх и вниз»; toprowl — красться, бродить, скитаться /в поисках чего-либо/), anxiously gazing through the bars (беспокойно глядя через прутья решетки) as though they were waiting for something (как будто они ждали чего-то).
Children of all shapes and sizes (дети всех форм и размеров), from babies in long clothes upwards (/начиная/ от малышей в длинных одеждах и вверх = и до детей более старшего возраста), were scrambling about in another cage (карабкались по другой клетке/возились в другой клетке; toscramble — продираться, протискиваться; карабкаться; ползти, цепляться). The animals outside regarded these with great interest (животные снаружи наблюдали за ними с большим интересом) and some of them tried to make the babies laugh (и некоторые из них пытались рассмешить малышей) by thrusting their paws or their tails in through the bars (протискивая свои лапы или хвосты сквозь прутья решетки). A giraffe stretched his long neck out over the heads of the other animals (жираф протянул свою длинную шею над головами других животных) and let a little boy in a sailor-suit tickle its nose (и позволил маленькому мальчику в костюме моряка пощекотать свой нос).
In a third cage three elderly ladies in raincoats and galoshes were imprisoned (в третьей клетке три пожилые леди в плащах и галошах были лишены свободы; toimprison — заключать в тюрьму; prison — тюрьма). One of them was knitting (одна из них вязала), but the other two were standing near the bars (а другие две стояли рядом с прутьями) shouting at the animals and poking at them with their umbrellas (крича на животных и тыкая в них своими зонтиками; to poke).
“Nasty brutes (мерзкие животные) Go away (убирайтесь). I want my tea (мне нужен мой чай)!” screamed one of them (пронзительно кричала одна из них).
“Isn’t she funny (не забавна ли она)?” said several of the animals (проговорили несколько животных), and they laughed loudly at her (и они посмеялись громко над ней).
“Jane — look (посмотри)!” said Michael, pointing to the cage at the end of the row (указывая на клетку в конце ряда). “Isn’t that — (не это ли — )”
“Admiral Boom (Адмирал Бум)!” said Jane, looking very surprised (выглядя очень удивленной).
prowling ['praulIŋ] giraffe [Gi'rQ:f] row [rqw]
“Why,” said Michael, opening his mouth very wide, “they’re full of human beings!”
And they were.
In one cage two large, middle-aged gentlemen in top hats and striped trousers were prowling up and down, anxiously gazing through the bars as though they were waiting for something.