Лавка древностей / The Old Curiosity Shop

25

Mrs. Jarley ordered the room to be cleared of all but herself and the child, and, sitting herself down in an arm-chair in the centre, gave Nell with a willow wand[71] to point out the characters, and began to instruct her in her duty.

“That,” said Mrs. Jarley in her exhibition tone, as Nell touched a figure at the beginning of the platform, “is an unfortunate Maid of Honour[72] in the Time of Queen Elizabeth, who died from pricking her finger in consequence of working upon a Sunday. Observe the blood which is trickling from her finger; also the gold-eyed needle[73], with which she is at work.”

All this Nell repeated twice or thrice: pointing to the finger and the needle at the right times, and then passed on to the next.

“That, ladies and gentlemen,” said Mrs. Jarley, “is Jasper Packlemerton[74], who courted and married fourteen wives, and destroyed them all, by tickling the soles of their feet when they were sleeping in the consciousness of innocence and virtue. When he was brought to the scaffold and asked if he was sorry for what he had done, he replied yes, he was sorry for having let them off so easy[75]. Let this be a warning to all young ladies to be particular in the character of the gentlemen of their choice. Observe that his fingers are curled as if in the act of tickling, and that his face is represented with a wink.”

When Nell knew all about Mr. Packlemerton, and could say it without faltering, Mrs. Jarley passed on to the fat man, and then to the thin man, the tall man, the short man, the old lady who died of dancing at a hundred and thirty-two, the wild boy of the woods, the woman who poisoned fourteen families with pickled walnuts, and other historical characters and interesting but individuals.

Nell was very apt to remember them, and in a couple of hours she was in full possession of the history of the whole establishment, and perfectly competent to the enlightenment of visitors.

26

Mrs. Jarley had an inventive genius for attracting visitors to the exhibition. Little Nell was not forgotten. Although her duties were sufficiently laborious, Nell found the lady of the caravan a very kind person. Her grandfather too was well-treated and useful, but she had recollection of Quilp, and feared that he might return and one day suddenly encounter them.

Quilp indeed was a perpetual nightmare to the child, who was constantly haunted by a vision of his ugly face and stunted figure. She slept in the room where the wax-work figures were. Sometimes she recalled the old house and the window at which she used to sit alone; and then she thought of poor Kit and all his kindness, until the tears came into her eyes, and she wept and smiled together.

Often and anxiously at this silent hour, her thoughts reverted to her grandfather, and she wondered how much he remembered of their former life. He was very patient and willing, happy to execute any little task, and glad to be of use; but he was in the same listless state, with no prospect of improvement. He was a harmless old man, susceptible of tender love and regard for her, and of pleasant and painful impressions.

One evening, Nell and her grandfather went out to walk. They strolled a long distance. They took a footpath which struck through some pleasant fields, finally they reached the track, and stopped to rest.

The sky was dark and lowering, the wind began to moan in hollow murmurs. Large drops of rain soon began to fall. The old man and the child hurried along the high road, hoping to find some house in which they could seek a refuge from the storm. Soon they saw a solitary house. A man was standing at the door, he called lustily to them to enter.

“You had better stand by the fire here, and dry yourselves a bit! This is a public-house, The Valiant Soldier[76].”

“Is this house called the Valiant Soldier, sir?” asked Nell.

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1

in china – из фарфора

2

Nelly – Нелли

3

Kit – Кит

4

Kit was at his heels – в сопровождении Кита

5

why then – да, признаться

6

of standing sideways – стоя боком к собеседнику

7

to light him out – посветить ему

8

well made – стройный

9

Dick Swiveller – Дик Свивеллер

10

in an undertone – вполголоса

11

Fred – Фред

12

body-coat – полуфрак

13

gave him the aspect of – придавала ему сходство

14

upon his temples – на висках

15

Meaning me? – Это вы мне?

16

Daniel Quilp – Дэниел Квилп

17

into his breast – за пазуху

18

needle-work – рукоделье

19

Tower Hill – Тауэр-Хилл (небольшая возвышенная местность в Лондоне к северо-западу от Тауэра)

20

round jackets – кургузые пиджаки

21

rat-infested – кишащий крысами

22

ill weeds are sure to thrive – худой траве всё впрок

23

so much the better – тем лучше

24

I’ll take both of you – я вам обоим всыплю

25

according to order – согласно приказу

26

El Dorado – Эльдорадо

27

falling upon – набрасываясь на

28

Nubbles – Набблс

29

there is no help – ничего не поделаешь

30

utter stupefaction – полное оцепенение

31

Brass – Брасс

32

surtout – сюртук

33

bluish-grey stockings – сизо-голубые чулки

34

legal adviser – учёный советчик

35

we are too near to stop – нам ещё рано останавливаться

36

wicket-gate – калитка

37

showmen exhibitors – бродячие комедианты

38

Punch – Панч (персонаж английского народного театра кукол, гуляка, плут, весельчак и драчун)

39

off the stage – вне сцены

40

Tommy Codlin – Томми Кодлин

41

Judy – Джуди (персонаж английского народного театра кукол, жена Панча)

42

to take up – остановиться (в гостинице)

43

and had hoped for none so good – на лучшее и не надеялись

44

sewed the piece of gold into her dress – зашила золотой себе в платье

45

Harris – Гаррис

46

Trotters – Коротыш

47

Short Trotters – Шиш-Коротыш

48

occasions of ceremony – торжественные случаи

49

trudged heavily on – медленно тащился по дороге

50

shouting at their heels – с криками бежавшими по пятам

51

The Jolly Sandboys – «Три Весельчака»

52

roadside inn – придорожный трактир

53

took the cover off – снял крышку с котла

54

isn’t in his right mind – не в своём уме

55

in the habit of prowling about – привыкла бродить по дорогам

56

I’m not a going to stand that – я этого не потерплю

57

he overdoes it – он переигрывает

58

on tip-toe – на цыпочках

59

race-course – ипподром

60

Christopher – Кристофер

61

Garland – Гарленд

62

it baffles description – это не поддаётся описанию

63

companions in adversity – товарищи по несчастью

64

summer-house – беседка

65

struck across a common – круто сворачивала через выгон

66

carter’s frock – извозчичья блуза

67

cold pie – паштет

68

JARLEY’S WAX-WORK – Паноптикум Джарли

69

full size of life – в натуральную величину

70

delight of the Nobility and Gentry – радость аристократии и дворянства

71

willow wand – ивовый прут

72

Maid of Honour – фрейлина

73

gold-eyed needle – иголку с золотым ушком

74

Jasper Packlemerton – Джаспер Пэклмертон

75

for having let them off so easy – что они так дёшево отделались

76

The Valiant Soldier – «Храбрый Вояка»