rule [ru:l], proposal [prə'pəʊz(ə)l], heart [hɑ:t], above [ə'bʌv], persistent [pə'sɪstənt], jealousy ['ʤeləsɪ]
Damon, as a rule, does not take Pythias with him when making a proposal; and in the heart of each man his own affairs had a claim far above any requirements of friendship. So, throughout the day, they kept seeing each other out. The position was doubtless somewhat embarrassing to Sarah, and though the satisfaction of her vanity that she should be thus adored was very pleasing, yet there were moments when she was annoyed with both men for being so persistent. Her only consolation at such moments was that she saw, through the elaborate smiles of the other girls when in passing they noticed her door thus doubly guarded, the jealousy which filled their hearts.
Sarah's mother was a person of commonplace and sordid ideas (мать Сары была особой с заурядными и корыстными мыслями /и планами/; person – человек; личность, особа; commonplace – банальный, избитый, заурядный; common – обычный, простой; place – место; sordid – отвратительный; низкий, подлый; корыстный), and, seeing all along the state of affairs (она отлично понимала положение дел; all along – во всю длину; на всем протяжении; to see – видеть; понимать), her one intention, persistently expressed to her daughter in the plainest of words (и ее единственным замыслом, настойчиво / постоянно высказываемым дочери самым прямым образом: «самыми понятными из слов»; intention – намерение, стремление, цель; to express – выражать; высказывать; plain – ясный, понятный), was to so arrange matters that Sarah should get all that was possible out of both men (было так устроить дела, чтобы Сара получила все, что возможно, от обоих поклонников; to arrange – приводить в порядок; устраивать). With this purpose she had cunningly kept herself as far as possible in the background in the matter of her daughter's wooings (с этой целью она ловко держала себя как можно дальше на заднем плане в деле ухаживаний за ее дочерью = ловко держалась в тени в этом деле; cunning – хитрый, лукавый; to woo – ухаживать; добиваться руки /девушки/), and watched in silence (и наблюдала молча: «в молчании»; silence – тишина; молчание). At first Sarah had been indignant with her for her sordid views (сначала Сара была возмущена ее корыстными планами; indignant – негодующий, возмущенный; view – вид; взгляд, мнение; намерение); but, as usual, her weak nature gave way before persistence (но, как обычно, ее слабовольная натура сдалась: «дала дорогу» перед настойчивостью; weak – слабый; безвольный, нерешительный; nature – природа; характер, нрав), and she had now got to the stage of passive acceptance (и теперь она дошла до стадии пассивного принятия = теперь покорно принимала планы матери; stage – сцена; этап, стадия). She was not surprised when her mother whispered to her in the little yard behind the house (она не была удивлена, когда мать прошептала ей на маленьком дворике за домом; to surprise – удивлять):
mother ['mʌðə], intention [ɪn'tenʃ(ə)n], daughter ['dɔ:tə], purpose ['pɜ:pəs], usual ['ju:ʒʊəl], nature ['neɪtʃə]
Sarah's mother was a person of commonplace and sordid ideas, and, seeing all along the state of affairs, her one intention, persistently expressed to her daughter in the plainest of words, was to so arrange matters that Sarah should get all that was possible out of both men. With this purpose she had cunningly kept herself as far as possible in the background in the matter of her daughter's wooings, and watched in silence. At first Sarah had been indignant with her for her sordid views; but, as usual, her weak nature gave way before persistence, and she had now got to the stage of passive acceptance. She was not surprised when her mother whispered to her in the little yard behind the house:
“Go up the hill-side for a while (пойди погуляй пока по склону холма; for a while – на некоторое время; while – время, промежуток времени); I want to talk to these two (я хочу поговорить с этими двумя). They're both red-hot for ye, and now's the time to get things fixed (они оба без ума от тебя, и теперь пришло время уладить дело; they're = they are; red-hot – раскаленный докрасна; горячий, пылкий; ye – /диал./ ты; now's = now is; thing – вещь; things – дела, обстоятельства; to fix – укреплять; /разг./ устраивать, улаживать)!” Sarah began a feeble remonstrance, but her mother cut her short (Сара начала слабое возражение = слабо возражать, но мать прервала ее; to cut short – обрезать; прерывать; to cut – резать; short – коротко).
“I tell ye, girl, that my mind is made up (говорю тебе, девочка, я все решила)! Both these men want ye, and only one can have ye (оба этих человека хотят /взять/ тебя /в жены/, и только один сможет тебя взять), but before ye choose it'll be so arranged (но прежде, чем ты выберешь, дело будет устроено так; it'll = it will) that ye'll have all that both have got (что ты получишь все, что есть у обоих)!