The Wedding of Mademoiselle Roquefort

Baron (to majordomo): What’s for breakfast, Mortimer?

Majordomo: Your favourite cheddar cheese, Your Excellency.

Baron: It smells delicious!

Baroness: You’re a true magician, Mortimer. I cannot hope to ever lose weight if you keep on spoiling us like that! (7)

Majordomo (with a bow): Always at the service of Your Excellency. (8)

Baron: And you certainly need not lose weight, my darling. You are beautiful just the way you are. A mouse lady must be a bit plump around the hips.

Baroness: You’re such a gentleman, Maurice! You always know how to comfort me. But I don’t see Mathilda. Where in the world is our daughter? (9)

Majordomo: Mademoiselle Mathilda is in her room, Madame. I am afraid she has come down with a headache. (10)

Baroness: A headache? On her wedding day? On the happiest day of her life? I simply cannot understand that!

Baron: Perhaps she is just nervous, my dear. After all, one does not get married every day. (11)

Baroness: Nonsense! Besides, she isn’t marrying some street bum. (12) She is marrying the Marquis Camembert, the most eligible bachelor in the whole of Mouse Kingdom! (13) If this were my wedding, I would surely be jumping with joy. I certainly wouldn’t lose my appetite over it. (14)

Baron: Certainly not, dear. Just don’t forget that you’re already married.

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(7) Конструкция keepondoingsomething или просто keepdoingsomething означает «продолжать делать что-либо» или «делать что-либо не переставая». Например:

I kept running until I couldn’t run anymore. – Я продолжал бежать, пока окончательно не выбился из сил.

(8) Обратите внимание на произношение слова bow («поклон»). В нем слышится дифтонг [au], в отличие от его омографа[1 - Омографами называют слова, которые совпадают в написании, но различаются в произношении.] bow [bou], обозначающего «лук для стрельбы».

(9)Where in the world is our daughter? Слова intheworld могут превратить обычный вопрос (Where is our daughter?) в эмоциональный. Как правило, в этом случае они ставятся сразу после вопросительного слова. Сравните:

You see what is happening in the world? ? Ты видишь, что творится в мире?

How in the world am I supposed to see it? – Как, черт возьми, я должен это видеть?

В третьей главе в этом же значении употребляются слова on Earth:

But how on Earth did you manage to recognize her? – Но как, черт побери, ты смог ее узнать?

(10)She has come down with a bit of a headache. Здесь фразовый глагол comedown используется в значении «слечь», «свалиться» с какой-либо болезнью. Например:

A week later, I came down with typhoid fever. – Неделю спустя я слег с брюшным тифом.

(11)After all, one does not get married every day. Здесь слова afterall представляют собой небольшую идиому. Наряду с другими значениями, эта идиома указывает на то, что далее последует важный аргумент в пользу сказанного. Именно в этом значении ее употребляет барон Рокфор.

(12) Astreetbum is a homeless person living on the street, уличный бродяга, босяк, бомж.

(13)Themosteligiblebachelor – устойчивое словосочетание, приблизительно соответствующее русскому «самый завидный жених». (A bachelor is an unmarried man.)

(14) I certainly wouldn’t lose my appetite over it. Здесь предлог over указывает на причину чего-либо. Сравните также:

We had an argument over money. – Мы поспорили из-за денег.

She lost her head over that guy. – Она потеряла голову из-за того парня.

3.

Characters:

Mathilda Roquefort, the daughter of Baron and Baroness Roquefort

Marie, her maid

Meanwhile, in Mathilda’s room, another conversation took place.

Mathilda: What time is it, Marie?

Marie: Ten o’clock, Mademoiselle.

Mathilda: Ten o’clock… Another eight hours (15), and I shall become Madame Camembert. Don’t I hate this name! (16) Along with the marquis with his well-groomed whiskers and the terrible smell of cheap cologne! (17) I cannot bear to think of him without disgust. (18) But such was the will of His Majesty, and such is the will of my parents. Oh, Marie, I’m so unhappy! I wish I were dead! (19)

Marie: Please, don’t say that, Mademoiselle. Someone would be even more unhappy if you were dead. Look what I have brought you! Your favourite strawberry pie. Why don’t you try some?

Mathilda: Thank you, Marie, but I really don’t feel like I could eat anything. (20)

Marie: Still, I think that you should try this cake. I’m sure that you will like it.

Mathilda: I will?

Marie: Definitely. It has your favourite filling.

Mathilda: It does?

Marie: Uh-huh.

Mathilda: All right. If you insist, I will have a slice.

Marie: I will go now. But I will be around in case you should need me. (21) I will see to it that no one disturbs you. (22)

Mathilda broke the cake, fished out a slip of paper and started reading:

Mathilda (having finished reading): Marie!

Marie: I’m here, Mademoiselle.

Mathilda: I will step out for a few minutes. (23)