The Bottle Imp. Part II
New words:
- cheap — дешевый
- get worse — ухудшаться
- pigeon — голубь
- price — цена
- expensive — дорогой
- go down — уменьшаться
- deceive — обманывать
- swear — клясться
- show out — выпроводить
- shake — трястись
«Well, I notice two things,» said Keawe. «The first one that you keep sighing all the time and the second that you sell this bottle very cheap.»
«I have told you already why I sigh,» said the man. «It is because my health is getting worse; and I don’t want to die and go to the devil. And I sell so cheap because there is one thing about the bottle — it cannot be sold at all, unless sold at a loss. If you sell it for the money you paid for it, back it comes to you again like a homing pigeon.
<…> it cannot be sold at all, unless sold at a loss. — <…> ее можно продать только с убыткомLong ago, when the devil brought it first upon earth, it was very expensive, and was sold first for many millions of dollars. But it cannot be sold at all, unless sold at a loss, so the price has gone down in these centuries, and it is now very low. I bought it myself from one of my great neighbours on this hill, and the price I paid was only ninety dollars. I could sell it not more than for eighty-nine dollars and ninety-nine cents, or back the thing comes to me.
«How can I know that this is all true?» asked Keawe.
«You can try at once,» answered the man. «Give me your fifty dollars, take the bottle, and wish your fifty dollars back into your pocket. If that does not happen, I promise I will give you your money back.»
«You are not deceiving me?» said Keawe.
The man swore to tell the truth.
«Well, I will risk that much,» said Keawe, «for that can do no harm.» And he paid over his money to the man, and the man gave him the bottle.
«Imp of the bottle,» said Keawe, «I want my fifty dollars back.» And the money was in his pocket at once.
«This is a wonderful bottle,» said Keawe.
«And now, good morning to you, my fine fellow, and the devil go with you for me!» said the man.
«No, take it!» cried Keawe, «I don’t want any more of this fun. Here, take your bottle back.»
«You have bought it for less than I paid for it,» answered the man. «It is yours now; and I don’t want to see you now.» And he rang for his servant to show Keawe out of the house.
Now Keawe was in the street, with the bottle under his arm, and he began to think. «That looks like the truth,» said Keawe. «Now I will try another way.»
He threw the bottle in the gutter and walked away. Twice he looked back, and saw the milky, round-bellied bottle where he threw it. He turned a corner; and then suddenly something knocked upon his elbow, and the bottle was in the pocket of his coat.
«And that looks like the truth,» said Keawe. And all at once he began to shake, for he was afraid of that bottle.
I really like this story.The reading helps me learn Englisn.Thank you very much!
Thank you, my dear reader!
thank you for such stories