Imagery in Translation

так заговорила. {Вздыхает.) Ох, грех тяжкий! Вот долго ли согрешить-то! Разговор близкий сердцу пойдет, ну и согре­шишь, рассердишься. Нет, мой друг, говори что хочешь про меня. Никому не закажешь говорить: в глаза не посмеют, так за глаза станут.

Кабанов:Да отсохни язык...

Кабанова:Полно, полно, не божись! Грех! Я уж давно вижу, что тебе жена милее матери. С тех пор, как женился, я уж от тебя прежней любви не вижу,

Кабанов:В чем же вы, маменька, это видите?

Кабанова:Да во всем, мой друг! Мать чего глазами не увидит, так у нее сердце вещун, она сердцем может чувство­вать. Аль жена тебя, что ли, отводит от меня, уж не знаю.

Кабанов:Да нет, маменька! Что вы, помилуйте!

Катерина:Для меня, маменька, все одно, что родная мать, что ты, да и Тихон тебя тоже любит.

Кабанова:Ты бы, кажется, могла и помолчать, коли тебя не спрашивают. Не заступайся, матушка, не обижу не­бось! Ведь он мне тоже сын; ты этого не забывай! Что ты выскочила в глазах-то поюлить! Чтобы видели, что ли, как ты мужа любишь? Так знаем, знаем, в глазах-то ты это всем доказываешь.

Варвара{про себя): Нашла место наставления читать.

Катерина:Ты про меня, маменька, напрасно это гово­ришь. Что при людях, что без людей, я все одна, ничего из себя не доказываю.

Кабанова:Да я об тебе и говорить не хотела; а так, к слову пришлось.

243


________ Практикум по художественному переводу______

Катерина: Да хоть и к слову, за что ж ты меня обижа­ешь?

Кабанова: Эка важная птица! Уж и обиделась сейчас. Translated by Joshua Cooper.

THUNDER

(Act One) (Enter Mrs Kabanova, Tikhon, Catherine and Barbara)

Mrs Kabanova: If you want to be obedient to Mother, you'll do what I've been telling you when you get there.

Tikhon: Mama! How could I disobey you?

Mrs Kabanova: People haven't got much respect for their elders today.

Barbara (To herself): Not be respectful to you, 1 like that!

Tikhon: Mama! I don't think I've gone one step outside of your wishes.

Mrs Kabanova: I'd believe you, my dear, if I hadn't seen with my own eyes and heard with my own ears the kind of re­spect that children have for their parents today! They might re­member the pain that mothers undergo for their children.

Tikhon: Mama! ...

Mrs Kabanova: And if a mother ever should say anything to offend your pride, I think you young people might put up with it. What do you think, then?

Tikhon: But, Mama! when haven't I put up with you?

Mrs Kabanova: Mother's old, Mother's stupid; well then, you clever young people shouldn't be too hard on us fools. 244


Imagery in Translation

Tikhon: (Aside, with a sigh): Oh, Lord! (To his mother): But, Mama! would we dare to think such a thing?

Mrs Kabanova: You know, it's love that makes parents strict with you, love that makes them scold you. All that they think of is to teach you what's right. And that's not popular, now­adays. So off go the children, spreading it about that Mother is a grumbler, that Mother won't leave them alone, that she's bother­ing the life out of them. And pray God she doesn't say something that displeases her daughter-in-law, for then round goes the word that her mother-in-law has been making her life a misery.

Tikhon: Mama! Does anyone talk about you?

Mrs Kabanova: I haven't heard it, my dear, I haven't heard it; I wouldn't tell you a lie. But If I had heard it, my dear, I wouldn't be speaking to you like this. (Sighs): Ah, the grievous sin! It doesn't take long to fall into sin. Something is said to come close to your heart, and you sin; you become angry. Ah well, my dear, you say what you like about me. You can't prevent someone speaking; if they're afraid to say something to your face they say it behind your back...

Tikhon: May my tongue dry up...

Mrs Kabanova: Stop, stop, don't bring God into it! That's a sin. I've known for a long while now that your wife is dearer to you than your Mother. I haven't seen the old love from you, since you've got married.

Tikhon: Mama! What makes you think that?

Mrs Kabanova: Why, my dear, everything. A Mother may not see a thing with her eyes, but she has second sight in her heart, she can feel through the heart. But whether it's your wife, or what, that's taking you away from me, that I don't know.

Tikhon: No, Mama, for Goodness' sake, what are you say-

ing!


________ Практикум по художественному переводу_____

Catherine:Mama, you're just the same to me as my own mother; yes, and Tikhon loves you too.

Mrs Kabanova:I think you might have kept quiet, since your opinion wasn't asked. Don't interfere, young woman, and I shan't offend you; you needn't worry! You know he's my son as well — and don't you forget it! What are you doing with all this parade of affection? Do you want us to see that you love your husband, or what? We know that, we know that; it's something you show off in front of everybody.

Barbara(to herself): What a place to choose for a lecture!

Catherine:It isn't fair to talk like that about me, Mama. Whether people are there or whether they aren't I'm always the same; I don't show off.

Mrs Kabanova:I hadn't meant to speak about you at all; the subject came up quite by chance.

Catherine:Even if it did, why should you say hurtful things about me?

Mrs Kabanova:Hoity-toity! Now she's offended.

EXERCISERS FOR COMPARISON

• Read both texts aloud to assess the comparative time and
rhythm. Do timing and rhythm coincide in both source.and target
text? If not, how do they differ?

• Analyse speech characteristics of the personages and com­
ment on their interrelations.

• Who of them takes more time speaking and why?

• How does their family position and social status influ­
ence the temporal size of their speech?

• Comment on stylistic peculiarities of the language of the
text.