), and, since his death, my brother, prompted by Rose (и после его смерти мой брат, побуждаемый Роуз), had accepted the family tradition which taught (принял семейную традицию, которая учила;
to teach) that a wide berth was to be given to that country (что нужно держаться от той страны подальше;
to give a wide berth – избегать, обходить стороной; berth – койка /
на пароходе/
; якорное место). But the moment Ruritania had come into my head (но с того момента, как я подумал о Руритании: «как Руритания пришла мне в голову») I was eaten up with a curiosity to see it (меня снедало любопытство /поскорее/ увидеть ее;
to eat – есть, поедать). After all, red hair and long noses are not confined to the House of Elphberg (в конце концов, рыжие волосы и длинные носы присущи не /только/ роду Эльфбергов;
to confine – ограничивать/
ся/
; house – дом, жилище; /
древний/
род, династия), and the old story seemed a preposterously insufficient reason (и та старая история казалась совершенно недостаточной причиной;
preposterously – нелепо, абсурдно) for debarring myself from acquaintance with a highly interesting and important kingdom (чтобы отказывать себе в знакомстве с весьма интересным и важным королевством;
to debar – воспрещать, не допускать; отказывать; highly – очень, чрезвычайно; высоко; high – высокий), one which had played no small part in European history (которое сыграло немалую роль в истории Европы), and might do the like again (и могло не раз еще ее сыграть;
to do – делать, выполнять; употребляется во избежание повторения глагола; like – что-л. подобное, похожее; again – снова, опять; еще раз) under the sway of a young and vigorous ruler (под властью молодого и энергичного правителя;
sway – качание, колебание; власть, правление), such as the new King was rumoured to be (каким был, по слухам, новый король;
to rumour – распространять слухи). My determination was clinched by reading in The Times (мое решение окончательно укрепилось /после того, как я/ прочел в «Таймз»;
determination – решимость; решение; to clinch – забивать гвоздь, заклепывать; окончательно решать) that Rudolf the Fifth was to be crowned at Strelsau (что Рудольф Пятый будет коронован в Стрелсо) in the course of the next three weeks (в течение последующих трех недель;
course – курс, направление; ход, течение), and that great magnificence was to mark the occasion (и что это событие будет отмечено с большим размахом: «великое празднество должно состояться /по/ этому случаю»;
magnificence – великолепие, пышность; to mark – ставить знак, метку; отмечать, ознаменовывать).
It may seem strange that I had never visited that country yet; but my father (in spite of a sneaking fondness for the Elphbergs, which led him to give me, his second son, the famous Elphberg name of Rudolf) had always been averse from my going, and, since his death, my brother, prompted by Rose, had accepted the family tradition which taught that a wide berth was to be given to that country. But the moment Ruritania had come into my head I was eaten up with a curiosity to see it. After all, red hair and long noses are not confined to the House of Elphberg, and the old story seemed a preposterously insufficient reason for debarring myself from acquaintance with a highly interesting and important kingdom, one which had played no small part in European history, and might do the like again under the sway of a young and vigorous ruler, such as the new King was rumoured to be. My determination was clinched by reading in The Times that Rudolf the Fifth was to be crowned at Strelsau in the course of the next three weeks, and that great magnificence was to mark the occasion.