It was there and it came into the possession there of Victor Amadeus II

some time after he became king in 1713, and it was one of his gifts to his

wife when he married in Chambйry after abdicating. That is a fact, sir.

Carutti, the author of Storia del Regno di Vittorio Amadeo II, himself

Vouched for it.

"Maybe they (может быть они) — Amadeo and his wife (Амадей и его

жена) — took it along with them to Turin (взяли ее с собой в Турин) when

he tried to revoke his abdication (когда он пытался отменить свое

отречение). Be that as it may (как бы то ни было), it turned up next (она

объявилась в следующий раз) in the possession of a Spaniard (во владении

некоего испанца) who had been with the army (который был с армией) that

took Naples in 1734 (которая взяла Неаполь в 1734 г) — the father of Don

Josй Monino y Redondo (отец дона Хосе Монино-и-Редондо), Count of

Floridablanca (графа Флоридабланка), who was Charles III's chief minister

(который был главным министром Карла III). There's nothing to show (нет

ничего, что показывало бы) that it didn't stay in that family (что она не

осталась в этой семье) until at least the end (до, по крайней мере конца) of

the Carlist War in '40 (Войны карлистов в 40-м). Then it appeared in Paris

(потом она появилась в Париже) at just about the time (приблизительно в

то время) that Paris was full of Carlists (когда Париж был полон

карлистов) who had had to get out of Spain (которые должны были бежать

из Испании).

revoke [rI'vqVk] minister ['mInIstq] appear [q'pIq]

"Maybe they — Amadeo and his wife — took it along with them to Turin

when he tried to revoke his abdication. Be that as it may, it turned up

next in the possession of a Spaniard who had been with the army that

took Naples in 1734 — the father of Don Josй Monino y Redondo, Count

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425

of Floridablanca, who was Charles III's chief minister. There's nothing

to show that it didn't stay in that family until at least the end of the

Carlist War in '40. Then it appeared in Paris at just about the time that

Paris was full of Carlists who had had to get out of Spain.

One of them (один из них) must have brought it with him (должно быть,

привез ее с собой), but, whoever he was (но кто бы это ни был), it's likely

(похоже) he knew nothing (он не знал ничего) about its real value (о ее

реальной стоимости). It had been (она была) — no doubt as a precaution

(без сомнения, в качестве меры предосторожности) during the Carlist

trouble in Spain (во время волнений карлистов в Испании) — painted

(покрашена) or enameled over (или покрыта сверху эмалью) to look like

nothing more (чтобы выглядеть, всего лишь как: «не более чем») than a

fairly interesting black statuette (весьма интересная черная статуэтка). And

in that disguise, sir, it was (и в этом самом маскараде, сэр, ее; disguise —

маскировка, маска), you might say (можно так сказать), kicked around

Paris (кидали по Парижу) for seventy years (семьдесят лет) by private

owners (частные владельцы) and dealers (и перекупщики) too stupid to see

(слишком глупые, чтобы понять) what it was under the skin (что это было

над самом деле под верхним слоем; skin — кожа)."

whoever [hu:'evq ] statuette ["stxtSV'et] disguise [dIs'gaIz]

One of them must have brought it with him, but, whoever he was, it's

likely he knew nothing about its real value. It had been — no doubt as a

precaution during the Carlist trouble in Spain — painted or enameled

over to look like nothing more than a fairly interesting black statuette.

And in that disguise, sir, it was, you might say, kicked around Paris for

seventy years by private owners and dealers too stupid to see what it was

under the skin."

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426

The fat man paused to smile (толстяк остановился для улыбки) and

shake his head regretfully (и с сожалением покачал головой). Then he went

on (потом он продолжил): "For seventy years, sir (семьдесят лет, сэр), this

marvelous item was (эта изумительная вещь была ; item — пункт;

отдельный предмет /в списке и т. п./), as you might say (как вы могли бы

сказать), a football in the gutters of Paris (игрушкой: «футбольным мячом»

в трущобах Парижа) — until 1911 when a Greek dealer named Charilaos

Konstantinides (до 1911 г., когда греческий делец по имени Харилаос

Константинидес) found it in an obscure shop (нашел ее в неприметном

магазине; obscure — темный, слабо освещенный, тусклый; мрачный;

незаметный, неприметный; неизвестный). It didn't take Charilaos long

(для Харилаоса не заняло много времени) to learn what it was (чтобы

узнать, что это было) and to acquire it (и приобрести ее). No thickness of

enamel (никакой толстый слой: «толщина» эмали) could conceal value (не

мог утаить ценность) from his eyes and nose (от его глаз и носа). Well, sir,

Charilaos was the man (да, сэр, Харилаос был тем человеком) who traced

most of its history (который отследил большую часть ее истории) and who

identified it (и который идентифицировал ее) as what it actually was (как

то, чем она на самом деле являлась). I got wind of it (я пронюхал об этом;

wind — ветер; запах; слух) and finally forced most of the history out of him

(и в конце концов, добился большей части истории от него), though I've

been able to add a few details since (хотя я с тех пор мог бы добавить

некоторые детали).

regretful [rI'gretf(q)l] obscure [qb'skjVq] detail ['di:teIl]

The fat man paused to smile and shake his head regretfully. Then he

went on: "For seventy years, sir, this marvelous item was, as you might

say, a football in the gutters of Paris — until 1911 when a Greek dealer

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427

named Charilaos Konstantinides found it in an obscure shop. It didn't

take Charilaos long to learn what it was and to acquire it. No thickness of

enamel could conceal value from his eyes and nose. Well, sir, Charilaos

was the man who traced most of its history and who identified it as what