Читать «Английский язык с С. Кингом "Верхом на пуле"» онлайн - страница 80

newsstand ['njHzstxnd], certainty ['sWtntI], therefore ['DFqfL]

With visiting hours over, I was the only one waiting for a car. There was a litter basket off to the left, by the door to the newsstand, which was closed and dark. I tore the button off my shirt and threw it in the basket. Then I rubbed my hand on my pants. I was still rubbing it when one of the elevator doors opened. I got in and pushed for four. The car began to rise. Above the floor buttons was a poster announcing a blood drive for the following week. As I read it, an idea came to me... except it wasn't so much an idea as a certainty. My mother was dying now, at this very second, while I rode up to her floor in this slow industrial elevator. I had made the choice; it therefore fell to me to find her. It made perfect sense.

The elevator door opened on another poster (дверь лифта открылась на другой плакат). This one showed a cartoon finger pressed to big red cartoon lips (этот показывал/изображал = на этом был изображен нарисованный палец, прижатый к большим красным нарисованным губам; cartoon — рисунок /обычно комического или сатирического содержания/). Beneath it was a line reading our patients appreciate your quiet (под ним была строчка, гласящая: “наши пациенты будут вам благодарны за соблюдение тишины; to appreciate — оценивать, /высоко/ ценить; быть признательным, благодарным; quiet — тишина, безмолвие)! Beyond the elevator lobby was a corridor going right and left (за площадкой с лифтами был = начинался коридор, идущий направо и налево; lobby — вестибюль; холл). The odd-numbered rooms were to the left (комнаты с нечетными номерами были слева; odd — нечетный). I walked down that way, my sneakers seeming to gain weight with every step (я пошел туда, и мои кеды, казалось, набирали вес/становились тяжелее с каждым шагом). I slowed in the four-seventies (я пошел медленнее на четыреста семидесятых /номерах/), then stopped entirely between 481 and 483 (и остановился полностью между 481 и 483). I couldn't do this (я не мог этого сделать). Sweat as cold and sticky as half-frozen syrup crept out of my hair in little trickles (пот, холодный и липкий, как наполовину замороженный сироп, катился с моих волос маленькими струйками; to creep — ползать). My stomach was knotted up like a fist inside a slick glove (мой желудок был сжат: «был стянут узлом», как /сжимается/ кулак внутри скользкой перчатки). No, I couldn't do it (нет, я не мог этого сделать). Best to turn around and skedaddle like the cowardly chickenshit I was (лучше развернуться и удрать как трусливое цыплячье дерьмо, чем я и был). I'd hitchhike out to Harlow and call Mrs. McCurdy in the morning (я доеду автостопом до Харлоу и позвоню госпоже МакКурди утром). Things would be easier to face in the morning (фактам легче смотреть в лицо утром).

appreciate [q'prJSIeIt], weight [weIt], cowardly ['kauqdlI]

The elevator door opened on another poster. This one showed a cartoon finger pressed to big red cartoon lips. Beneath it was a line reading our patients appreciate your quiet! Beyond the elevator lobby was a corridor going right and left. The odd-numbered rooms were to the left. I walked down that way, my sneakers seeming to gain weight with every step. I slowed in the four-seventies, then stopped entirely between 481 and 483. I couldn't do this. Sweat as cold and sticky as half-frozen syrup crept out of my hair in little trickles. My stomach was knotted up like a fist inside a slick glove. No, I couldn't do it. Best to turn around and skedaddle like the cowardly chickenshit I was. I'd hitchhike out to Harlow and call Mrs. McCurdy in the morning. Things would be easier to face in the morning.