The washed-out rag of an American girl.

 

 

1 Michael Corleone was amusing Kay Adams (развлекал) by telling her little stories

about some of the more colorful wedding guests (о наиболее колоритных). He was, in

turn (в свою очередь), amused by her finding (что она находила) these people exotic,

and, as always, charmed by her intense interest (очарован ее живым интересом) in

anything new and foreign to her experience. Finally her attention was caught (ее

внимание было привлечено) by a small group of men gathered around a wooden

barrel (собравшихся вокруг деревянной бочки) of homemade wine. The men were

Amerigo Bonasera, Nazorine the Baker, Anthony Coppola and Luca Brasi. With her

usual alert intelligence (со свойственной ей живой, острой наблюдательностью; alert

[∂'l∂:t] – бдительный, настороженный) she remarked (заметила, высказала

наблюдение) on the fact that these four men did not seem particularly happy (не

кажутся особенно счастливыми). Michael smiled. "No, they're not," he said. "They're

waiting to see my father in private (наедине). They have favors to ask (хотят просить

об одолжении, помощи)." And indeed it was easy to see that all four men constantly

followed the Don with their eyes.

2 As Don Corleone stood greeting guests, a black Chevrolet sedan came to a stop on

the far side of the paved mall (мощеной аллеи). Two men in the front seat pulled

notebooks from their jackets and, with no attempt at concealment (не таясь: «без

попытки укрывания, утаивания»; to conceal − утаивать), jotted down (начали

записывать; jot – йота, ничтожное количество; to jot – кратко записать, бегло

набросать) license numbers of the other cars parked around the mall. Sonny turned to

his father and said, "Those guys over there must be cops (те парни вон там, должно

быть, полицейские)."

Don Corleone shrugged. "I don't own the street (не владею улицей = улица – не моя

собственность). They can do what they please."

3 Sonny's heavy Cupid face grew red with anger (стало красным от гнева). "Those

lousy bastards (вшивые выродки), they don't respect anything." He left the steps of the

house and walked across the mall to where the black sedan was parked. He thrust his

face angrily close to the face of the driver, who did not flinch (не отклонился, не

дрогнул; to flinch – вздрагивать /от боли, испуга/; уклоняться, отступать) but flapped

 

Мультиязыковой проект Ильи Франка www.franklang.ru

open (открыл: «распахнул»; to flap – хлопать, шлепать) his wallet (бумажник ['wolıt])

to show a green identification card (удостоверение). Sonny stepped back without

saying a word. He spat (плюнул; to spit) so that the spittle hit the back door (что слюна

попала на заднюю дверь) of the sedan and walked away. He was hoping the driver

would get out of the sedan and come after him, on the mall, but nothing happened.

When he reached the steps (дошел до ступеней: «достиг» ступеней) he said to his

father, "Those guys are FBI men (FBI – Federal Bureau of Investigation /ФБР –

Федеральное бюро расследований/). They're taking down all the license numbers.

Snotty (сопливые; snot – сопли /груб./) bastards."

4 Don Corleone knew who they were. His closest and most intimate friends had been

advised (его наиболее близким друзьям было посоветовано) to attend (посетить,

присутствовать на [∂'tend]) the wedding in automobiles not their own. And though he

disapproved (не одобрял) of his son's foolish display of anger (глупое выражение,

демонстрацию гнева), the tantrum (вспышка раздражения [‘tжntr∂m]) served a

purpose (/по/служило цели ['p∂:p∂s]). It would convince the interlopers (убедит

непрошенных гостей; interloper – человек, вмешивающийся в чужие дела) that their

presence was unexpected (что их присутствие было неожиданным = что их не

ждали) and unprepared for (и к этому не были готовы). So Don Corleone himself was

not angry. He had long ago learned that society imposes insults (наносит обиды:

«накладывает оскорбления») that must be borne (которые нужно уметь стерпеть,

снести: «которые должны быть носимы»), comforted (утешаясь) by the knowledge

that in this world there comes a time when the most humble of men, if he keeps his

eyes open, can take his revenge on the most powerful (может отомстить самому

могущественному). It was this knowledge that prevented (предохранило,

предупредило) the Don from losing the humility (от утраты смирения) all his friends

admired in him (которым восхищались все его друзья [∂d'maı∂]).

5 But now in the garden behind the house, a four-piece band (квартет, оркестр из

четырех музыкантов) began to play. All the guests had arrived. Don Corleone put the

intruders out of his mind (выбросил из головы: «ума, памяти» мысли о незваных

гостях) and led his two sons to the wedding feast (на свадебный пир).