DiscWorld 03. Equal Rites Audio-book - 7 h 42 min Размышления с ведьминской-точки-зрения, почему ведьма не может быть волшебницей и волшебник не может быть ведьмом. А всё дело в том, что женщины слабы в георгметрии, хотя права у всех с одной стороны, а именно с противолежащей левой.   ... The old witch yanked the staff out of its shadow and waved it vaguely at Esk. "Here. It's yours. Take it. I just hope this is the right thing to do." Esk took the staff and peered at it. "It's very nice," she said uncertainly. "The carvings are pretty. What's it for?" "Sit down now. And listen properly for once. On the day you were born . . . ." ". . . and that's the shape of it." Esk looked hard at the staff, then at Granny. "I've got to be a wizard?" "Yes. No. I don't know." "That isn't really an answer, Granny," Esk said reproachfully. "Am I or aren't I?" "Women can't be wizards," said Granny bluntly. "It's agin nature. You might as well have a female blacksmith." "Actually I've watched dad at work and I don't see why -" "Look," said Granny hurriedly, "you can't have a female wizard any more than you can have a male witch, because -" "I've heard of male witches," said Esk meekly. "Warlocks!" "I think so." "I mean there's no male witches, only silly men," said Granny hotly. "If men were witches, they'd be wizards. It's all down to -"she tapped her head "- headology. How your mind works. Men's minds work different from ours, see. Their magic's all numbers and angles and edges and what the stars are doing, as if that really mattered. It's all power. It's all -" Granny paused, and dredged up her favourite word to describe all she despised in wizardry, "- jommetry." "That's all right, then," said Esk, relieved. "I'll stay here and learn witchery." "Ali," said Granny gloomily, "that's all very well for you to say. I don't think it will be as easy as that." "But you said that men can be wizards and women can be witches and it can't be the other way around." ... Granny pointed to the staff. Esk shrugged. "It's just an old stick." Granny shook her head. Esk blinked. "No?" "No." "And I can't be a witch?" "I don't know what you can be. Hold the staff." "The tinderbox is -" Esk began. Granny stood up. In the dimness of the kitchen she seemed to grow until she filled it with shifting, ragged shadows, shot with menace. Her eyes glared down at Esk. "Show me," she commanded, and her voice had ice in it. "But -"said Esk desperately, clutching the heavy staff to her and knocking her stool over in her haste to back away. "Showme." With a scream Esk spun around. Fire flared from her fingertips and arced across the room. The kindling exploded with a force that hurled the furniture around the room and a ball of fierce green light spluttered on the hearth. Changing patterns sped across it as it spun sizzling on the stones, which cracked and then flowed. The iron fireback resisted bravely for a few seconds before melting like wax; it made a final appearance as a red smear across the fireball and then vanished. A moment later the kettle went the same way. .. She patted her singed hair gingerly with a shaking hand. "I think this calls for a nice cup of, a nice cup of cold water." Esk sat looking in wonder at her hand. "That was real magic." she said at last, "And I did it."

Lesson 48

a rule - правило, норма
to rule - править, господствовать; управлять
rule, ruled, ruled, ruling

These people rule a large part of the sea with those boats and those swords.
Эти люди правят большей частью моря с этими (теми) лодками и этими шпагами.

bat - летучая мышь

batman - летучая мышь ; человек-дубина

bat - бита, дубина

My cricket form for the season has been fair,
with an average of about 20 with the bat
and 9 with the ball.

Моя крикет-подготовка (сверчковая форма) к сезону была приличной,
со средним около 20 с битой,
и 9 с мячом.
 

stay - пребывание, жительство; остановка, стоянка

It is his desire that a medical man should stay there
in constant attendance upon his son.

Это его желание, что медик (медицинский человек) останется здесь
в постоянном уходе за его сыном.

element - элемент, составляющая

There is a distinct element of danger.
Тут определённо элемент опасности.

broad - широкий; обширный; широко

The Count shrugged his broad shoulders.
Граф пожал его широкими плечами.

space - место, пространство, промежуток

On the one side of the space stood the kitchen,
on the other the woodshed.

На одной стороне пространства стояла кухня,
на другой - сарай.

cent - цент (монета 1/100), одна сотая, сотня, и т.д.
per cent - про цент, из сотни, процент

It don't matter a cent whether we're hired for the job
or whether we waltzes in on our own account.

Ни гроша не важно, были ли мы наняты на работу,
или мы влезли ("втанцевались") по своему собственному желанию.

river - река; поток, течение

The path ran between the river and a great puddle that was nearly as broad.
Дорожка бежала между рекой и большой лужей, почти такой же ширины.

edge - кромка, край; грань, остриё

She stood on her tiptoes,
with her fingers on the edge of the mantelpiece,
and craned her neck up to see it.

Она стояла на цыпочках,
её пальцы на краю каминной доски,
и вытягивала ("выжуравливала") шею, чтобы увидеть это.

ring - кольцо; круг; окружность

As they raised him, a ring tinkled down and rolled across the floor.
Когда они поднимали его, кольцо звякнуло ("звякнуло вниз") и покатилось по полу.

to ring - звонить
ring, rang, rung, ringing

"Very good, sir. You'll ring the bell if you want me."
"Очень хорошо, сэр. Позвоните в колокол, если я вам нужен."
 

bar - прутья, решетка, планка

The fat man set the weight bar on a pair of hooks above his head.
Жирный мужик поставил штангу на пару крюков над его башкой.

bar - бар, закусочная

The crowd was beginning to thin and they had the bar mostly to themselves.
Толпа начала редеть, и они были в баре почти одни ("имели бар почти для их самих").

cell - ячейка, сота, пчелиная сота; камера, келья

His cell was never meant to serve as a jail.
Эта камера никогда не предполагалась служить как тюрьма.

stop  - остановка, задержка, прекращение; конец
to stop - останавливаться, останавливать
stop, stopped, stopped, stopping

"I could stop you," he said coldly.
"Я могу остановить тебя", он сказал холодно.
 

except - исключая, кроме, за исключением

Church had never seen the captain in a dress uniform
except when the Cyclops was in port.

Церковий никогда не видел капитана в форме,
за исключением когда Циклопий был в порту.

expect - ждать, ожидать ; надеяться ; полагать
expectations - ожидания

You're very astute.
But I would expect no less from a man with your power.

Ты очень проницательный.
Но я не ожидал бы меньшего от мужика с твоими возможностями.

poor - бедный, неимущий; бедняга

Help the poor! Помоги бедняку!
Help poor! Помоги бедноте!
Help poor children! Помоги несчастным детям!

bread - хлеб
fruit - плод, фрукт; фрукты

Their last meal consisted of dark bread and various fruits and beets.
Их последняя трапеза состояла из тёмного хлеба и различных фруктов и свеклы.