Добавил:
ivanov666
Опубликованный материал нарушает ваши авторские права? Сообщите нам.
Вуз:
Предмет:
Файл:Жизнь Роберта Льюиса Стивенсона. Учебное пособие – книга для чтения на английском языке
.pdf
R
OBERT LOUIS STEVENSON
. HIS L
IFE
stone1 to build piers. After the days work was done,
there was some fun in a seaside town in the summer.
Tonight I went to see a band of players, he wrote
to his mother. But he soon grew tired of Anstruther
and tired of trying to like engineering. He wrote to
his mother again,
I am utterly sick of this grey, grim, sea-beaten
hole. I have a little cold in my head, which makes my
eyes sore; and you cant tell how utterly sick I am, and
how I wish to get back among trees and flowers.
It was July, and he knew his family was enjoying
Swanston Cottage. He was not allowed to leave, though,
until he had gone on to Wick to see more harbour works.
Wick is way up on the northern tip of Scotland,
another harbour for herring fishers. There the masons
and divers were building a breakwater. As Louis stood
watching them, his imagination went to work and he
had an inspiration. To go down in a divers suit! Fancy
the adventure of walking around on the bottom of the
North Sea.
He had to do a lot of talking, but Stevenson was
clever with words. The men gave in and let him.
2
He
put on layers and layers of woolen underwear and
climbed into the diving-suit. The shoes were solid lead,
so heavy he could hardly move. Someone lifted the
helmet and set it down on top of his head and screwed
it into place. He was shut inside, looking at his friends
through a heavy glass window. He felt panicky for a
minute, but no one could hear a word he said. Men
pushed and helped him to the ladder, and he had to go
over the side. He went down into the sea in his lead
1
the Fife-ness stone камень, добываемый у устья реки
Ôàéô
2
The men gave in and let him. Мужчины уступили и
разрешили ему.
41
C. O. Peare
shoes. Another diver went with him to guide him.
Heres how Stevenson described it:
Some twenty rounds below the platform, twilight
fell. Looking up, I saw a low green heaven; looking
around except for the weedy spokes and the ladder,
nothing but a green twilight, very restful and beautiful.
Thirty rounds lower, I stepped off... A dumb helmeted
figure took me by the hand... As I began to go forward
with the hand of my companion, à world of tumbled
stones was seen: overhead, a flat roof of green: a little
in front, the sea-wall. And presently in our upward
progress, Bob showed me to jump upon a stone; I looked
to see if he said it seriously, and he only signed to me
again. Now the block stood six feet high; with the
breast and back weights, and the twenty pounds upon
each foot, and the load of the helmet, the thing was
out of reason.
1
I laughed aloud in my tomb. Up I went
like a bird, my companion was at my side. As high as
to the stone, and then higher I continued my flight.
Even when the strong arm of Bob had touched my
shoulders, my heels continued their ascent; so that I
blew out sideways like an autumn leaf, and must be
pulled in, hand over hand, and put upon my feet again.
They found their way back to the ladder and began
to climb up.
Out of the green, I got at once into a glory of rosy
light!
Now that had been an experience! That was worth
writing about.
2
It was one of the best things I got from my
education as an engineer, he declared.
As for Wick itself, it wasnt Swanston Cottage either.
On a grey day the houses were grey, the sky was grey,
1
the thing was out of reason это было неблагоразумным
2
That was worth writing about. Об этом стоило написать.
42
R
OBERT LOUIS STEVENSON
. HIS L
IFE
the sea was grey, the shore was grey. The sea air was
sharp and cold, especially when it rained. He had to
work there. He had to go out in a small boat with the
other workmen, rain or not, from ten to two and from
three to seven. Sometimes the waves were high. He
took his dog out once, and the dog got terribly seasick.
At night he was so tired he couldnt write or even stay
awake.
He was there until the middle of October.
Assignments
I. Answer the following questions. When required,
introduce the answers by using:
If Im not mistaken; Im not quite certain, but it seems
to me that...; Frankly speaking I dont remember; Im
afraid I dont know exactly.
1. Where did Mr Stevenson rent a summer home
for his family?
2. What kind of place was the Pentlands?
3. Why did the shepherd John Tod get angry with
Louis?
4. What was Louis interested in when he studied
at the University?
5. What classes did he have to attend?
6. What did Mr Stevenson want Louis to become?
7. Why did he send Louis to the Scottish coast?
8. What did Louis have to study at Anstruther?
9. What did he write to his mother about?
10. When was he allowed to leave?
11. What did he have to do at Wick?
12. What adventure did he have there?
As far as I remember;
II. Give a portrait of Louis when he was seventeen
years old. Speak about his appearance and manner of
dressing.
43
C. O. Peare
III. Reproduce in detail the passages which describe
Louis life and work in Anstruther and Wick.
IV. Retell the contents of the letter Louis wrote to
his mother when he lived at Anstruther.
V. Describe Louis adventure of walking around on
the bottom of the North Sea. Speak about a divers
suit he put on. Analyse his feelings beginning with the
moment he put on a divers suit.
Chapter VI
A M
ADCAP
Come up here, O dusty feet!
Íårå is fairy bread to eat.
Íårå in my retiring room,
Children you may dine
On the golden smell of broom
And the shade of pine;
And when you have eaten well,
Fairy stories hear and tell.
(Fairy-Bread)
The out-of-doors was good for Smouts health, even
though he didnt always like the places his father sent
him to. His education was gradually improving as well.
His writing was improving most of all, because he
practised it all the time. He liked words more and more,
and putting words together to make vivid pictures. One
of his poems begins: For love of lovely words...
44
R
OBERT LOUIS STEVENSON
. HIS L
IFE
Whenever he saw something of his own in print,
he was so happy it was almost more than he could
bear. He wrote a four-page booklet called
Bazaar
1
.
It was printed to be sold at a charity bazaar
The Charity
in Edinburgh. There were a lot of copies left over. So,
whenever visitors came to the house in Heriot Row,
Louis presented them with a copy.
Were you at the bazaar? he asked a lady friend of
his mothers one day.
No, she told him, she had missed the bazaar.
Thats too bad, replied the young author, because
you missed buying my booklet. The ladys eyes twinkled.
Perhaps I could still buy one, she said.
No, he replied. The sale is over. But I can give
you a copy!
With a deep bow he gave her a copy of
Bazaar and showed her the authors name, RLS.
The Charity
2
Some people who met him thought Stevenson was
a spoiled young man. Others who met him realized he
was a genius. One of these was Mrs Fleeming Jenkin.
When she began to talk to Louis, she almost forgot
that she had come to see Mrs Stevenson. She listened
to his Scottish accent and his brilliant talk. She
watched him, too, because she noticed his big eyes
and his smile.
I have made the acquaintance of a poet, she told
her husband as soon as she reached home. And hes
coming here to visit with us tomorrow.
From then on RLS and Dr and Mrs Fleeming Jenkin
were friends. Dr Jenkin was a professor of engineering,
but he was also interested in art, especially the theatre.
He understood Stevenson.
1
The Charity Bazaar
2
RLS ÐËÑ
имени и фамилии)
(псевдоним писателя: начальные буквы
«Благотворительный базар»
45
C. O. Peare
By the time Stevenson was eighteen, he was thinking
seriously about his pen-name. His whole name was
Robert Louis Balfour Stevenson. That was too long.
He decided to drop the Balfour. He also informed his
family that he wished to be called Robert Louis instead
of Louis.
His second winter at the University he did more of
just what he pleased. He cut classes
1
and read his
favourite authors instead of his lessons.
The high spot of his second college year was the
Speculative Society
2
.
The Spec
was a famous club that
met at the University. Its members talked and discussed.
Usually, one member wrote a paper on his favourite
subject and read it to the meeting. After that there
was a discussion. Sir Walter Scott had been a member
of the Speculative Society
and so had many other famous
Scotsmen. How Stevenson enjoyed the meetings and
the discussions!
Once more, in summer, he tried to work at
engineering. He went with his father aboard a steamer of
the Northern Lights Commissioners to cruise among the
northern islands of Scotland. Then he took Dr Jenkins
course in engineering.
But Robert Louis heart was elsewhere. It was with
his love of lovely words. And it was with Coolin,
who had died at the age of twelve. Coolin lay buried
at the foot of the garden at Swanston Cottage. The
Stevensons found him one day, lying in the road, not
far from the cottage.
What happened? they asked tearfully of everyone
they saw.
He fought with a collie twice as big, said one of
the farmers.
1
Не cut classes Он пропускал занятия.
2
Speculative Society
«Умозрительное общество»
46
R
OBERT LOUIS STEVENSON
. HIS L
IFE
Coolins master wrote something for his grave:
Òî Coolin, the gentle and friendly, who, in a green
old age, by some unhappy chance, met his death at the
place where three roads meet, where the hunters are
used to gather. This stone has been set up to his memory
by his sorrowing friends. 1869, RLS.
The summer that he was nineteen, Stevenson went
out once more with his father to cruise among
Scotlands western islands. They paid a special visit to
the island of Earraid where a new lighthouse was being
built. RLS wrote down a lot of notes about the island,
and many years later he used them to write
Kidnapped
Near the end of his last year at the University, he
made his last big effort for engineering. He wrote a paper
called, On a
Lighthouses
New Form of Intermittent Light for
2
.
Thomas Stevenson was overjoyed. The paper
was to be read at a meeting of the very important Royal
Scottish Academy of Arts.
3
The night of the meeting the
author himself was called upon to read his own paper.
But when Thomas Stevensons hopes were highest,
Robert Louis Stevensons were the lowest. RLS simply
did not want to be an engineer. He would have to face
his father about it. So, feeling depressed and worried
and a little sickish, he went for a long walk with his
father. They talked it out.
His father was shocked, but he did understand. He
knew in his heart that Robert Louis wasnt strong
enough for such heavy work.
What do you want to do for a living?
Stevenson could only say, I like literature, and I
want to write.
1
.
1
Kidnapped
2
În à New Form of Intermittent Light for Lighthouses
«Новый вид проблескового огня для маяков»
3
Royal Scottish Academy of Arts Королевское шотланд-
ское общество искусств
«Похищенный»
47
C. O. Peare
That wont do, said the older man, shaking his head.
They walked on for a while, both silent. At last
Thomas Stevenson said, I think law would be best for
you. So law it was for a while.
Robert Louis spent the whole lovely summer at
Swanston Cottage first, talking to the roaring shepherd
or sitting in the garden working on an essay about his
childhood at Colinton Manse.
The next winter wasnt too bad. Stevenson really
did a little studying for his law classes. There was
Duddingston Lock to skate on. There was Professor
Fleeming Jenkins house to visit in. Dr Jenkin and his
friends gave plays. They rehearsed for them for weeks
and weeks. Because plays were another kind of writing,
RLS discovered that he loved them. Rehearsals were
happy times. Dr Jenkin and his friends often let him
hold the book and be the prompter.
Society
was another place for gay and cheerful company.
The Speculative
Cousin Bob had been away a long time. He had
studied at Cambridge University, and he had been in
France studying art. He came back to Edinburgh, to
add to Robert Louis gaiety.
1
Bob had all kinds of
adventures to tell Robert Louis, and he had learned a
lot of things about art. Bob and Robert Louis were
both cheerful when they were together. They both loved
to talk about everything under the sun. They walked
all over Edinburgh together, talking and talking, then
laughing, then talking some more.
Now that they were both grown, and both clever,
they could think of all kinds of mischief.
Mr Libbel was the joke they enjoyed most. They
were the mysterious Mr Libbel. They took small treasures
of their own to pawn shops and left them there in the
1
to add to Robert Louis gaiety
Льюиса
48
çä.
к радости Роберта
R
OBERT LOUIS STEVENSON
. HIS L
IFE
name of Mr Libbel. They had calling cards printed
for John Libbel. They went calling when they knew
the people would not be home and left Mr Libbels
card. They went about asking for Mr Libbel.
The two were both old enough to be more serious.
Robert Louis was twenty-one and his cousin was three
years older.
What a great mystery well have in Edinburgh! they
agreed, and tried to make people believe there really was
a Mr Libbel around the town whom no one had seen.
But they were not as clever as they thought. One
day they were talking to a shopkeeper about Mr Libbel.
The man looked right at them and right through them.
Oh, I know who you are, he said. You two
Stevensons are Mr Libbel.
And that was the end of that joke.
By spring Robert Louis took the next step toward
becoming a Scottish advocate, a lawyer who presents
cases in court. Íå went to work in the office of the
law company, Skene, Edwards and Bilton. There he
made copies of deeds and leases.
I cant stand office work, he told Dr Jenkin one
evening.
Never mind,
1
said Professor Jenkin.
Were starting rehearsals for our new play. Were
doing
The Taming of the Shrew
2
this year, and weve
decided to give you a part in it.
So Stevenson went back and forth
3
between the
depressing hours at the law company to the gay hours
at Jenkins. He never really felt well or happy. He
wasnt feeling well, because his old troubles were back
1
Never mind Не обращайте внимания.
2
The Taming of the Shråw
медия, У. Шекспира, 1593 г.)
3
went back and forth ходил взад и вперед
«Укрощение строптивой»
49
(êî-
C. O. Peare
coughs and colds, and cold-weather sick periods. He
wasnt happy, because his father was unhappy about
him. The disagreement between Robert Louis and his
father was becoming serious.
That summer Stevenson took a trip to Europe with
Walter Simpson. The Simpsons were neighbours who lived
in Queen Street, just on the other side of Queen Street
Gardens from Heriot Row. Stevenson and Simpson had a
restful journey through Belgium, Germany, and France.
Stevensons health was improved by it, but the good was
lost as soon as he got back to blowy, snowy Edinburgh.
He felt miserable from colds and depressed because he
and his father quarrelled so much. When he went to a
rehearsal at Dr Jenkins, he was gayer than ever. He was
too gay because he was trying to cover up his true feelings.
Hes a madcap, one of Stevensons professors once
said of him, and he certainly was.
He could never stay at one thing for very long at a
time. When he felt ill, and probably had a temperature,
he was more of a madcap than ever.
Winter and spring finally passed, and summer came
once more. Stevenson could leave Edinburgh for the
countryside. This time Stevensons illness was more
than summertime could cure. He lost weight. He grew
nervous. He couldnt sleep well at night. His old
nightmares haunted him.
There was nothing to do but consult a doctor. The
doctor was firm.
You must go south at once, he told Stevenson.
You need sunshine and rest. And go alone so that you
can stop worrying.
Ive been ordered south,
1
RLS told his friends.
His parents obeyed the doctor. They gave Robert Louis
the money and arranged the trip.
1
Ive been ordered south Меня ссылают на юг
50
Соседние файлы в предмете [НЕСОРТИРОВАННОЕ]