Английский с Джеромом К. Джеромом. Сюрприз мистера Милберри и другие истории / Jerome К. Jerome. The Surprise of Mr. Milberry - стр. 18
mantelpiece ['mæntlpi:s], half [hɑ:f], threw [θru:], frightened ['fraɪtnd]
He turned as white as the sheet on the bed, and clutched the mantelpiece. “Good God! don't suggest such a thing,” he says; “I never thought of that. Open it quickly.”
“I'd rather you came and opened it yourself, sir,” I says. I was beginning not to half like the business.
“I can't,” he says, “after that suggestion of yours – you've put me all in a tremble. Open it quick, man; tell me it's all right.”
Well, my own curiosity helped me. I cut the cord, threw open the lid, and looked in. He kept his eyes turned away, as if he were frightened to look for himself.
“Is it all right (все благополучно)?” he says. “Is it alive (он жив; alive – живой, в живых)?”
“It's about as alive (он примерно так жив),” I says, “as anybody'll ever want it to be, I should say (как любой будет всегда хотеть = как дай бог всякому, я думаю; I should say – я думаю, я полагаю).”
“Is it breathing all right (он дышит как следует)?” he says.
“If you can't hear it breathing (если вы не можете услышать, как он дышит),” I says, “I'm afraid you're deaf (боюсь, вы глухи; afraid – испуганный, напуганный; боящийся).”
You might have heard its breathing outside in the street (можно было услышать его дыхание /даже/ на улице; outside – снаружи; вне дома, на улице). He listened, and even he was satisfied (он прислушался, и даже он был доволен; to listen – слушать; выслушивать; satisfied – довольный, удовлетворенный; to satisfy – удовлетворять; радовать; убеждать, доказывать).
“Thank Heaven!” he says (слава богу: «спасибо небу»! – говорит он), and down he plumped in the easy-chair by the fireplace (и опустился в мягкое кресло у камина; easy-chair – мягкое, удобное кресло; easy – легкий; удобный, приятный; chair – стул; кресло; fireplace – камин, очаг; fire – огонь; печь, камин; place – место).
ever ['evǝ], breathing ['bri:ðɪŋ], deaf [def], listened ['lɪs(ǝ)nd], Heaven ['hev(ǝ)n]
“Is it all right?” he says. “Is it alive?”
“It's about as alive,” I says, “as anybody'll ever want it to be, I should say.”
“Is it breathing all right?” he says.
“If you can't hear it breathing,” I says, “I'm afraid you're deaf.”
You might have heard its breathing outside in the street. He listened, and even he was satisfied.