The Professor / Учитель. Книга для чтения на английском языке

) Какой ужас!]”

They looked at each other, pouted, coloured, swung their heels; they were not pleased, I saw, but they were impressed, and in the way I wished them to be. Having thus taken them down a peg in their self-conceit[116 - Having thus taken them down a peg in their self-conceit – (разг.) Осадив таким образом этих самонадеянных юнцов], the next step was to raise myself in their estimation; not a very easy thing, considering that I hardly dared to speak for fear of betraying my own deficiencies.

“Écoutez, messieurs![117 - “Écoutez, messieurs! – (фр.) Слушайте, господа!]” said I, and I endeavoured to throw into my accents the compassionate tone of a superior being, who, touched by the extremity of the helplessness, which at first only excited his scorn, deigns at length to bestow aid. I then began at the very beginning of the “Vicar of Wakefield,” and read, in a slow, distinct voice, some twenty pages, they all the while sitting mute and listening with fixed attention; by the time I had done nearly an hour had elapsed.

I then rose and said:

“C’est assez pour aujourd’hui, messieurs; demain nous recommencerons, et j’espere que tout ira bien.[118 - C’est assez pour aujourd’hui, messieurs; demain, nous recommencerons, et j’espere que tout ira bien. – (фр.) На сегодня все, господа; завтра мы возобновим чтение и, надеюсь, все будет хорошо.

]”

With this oracular sentence I bowed, and in company with M. Pelet quitted the school-room.

“C’est bien! c’est tres bien!” said my principal as we entered his parlour. “Je vois que monsieur a de l’adresse; cela me plait, car, dans l’instruction, l’adresse fait tout autant que le savoir.[119 - C’est bien! c’est tres bien! Je vois que monsieur a de l’adresse; cela me plait, car, dans l’instruction, l’adresse fait tout autant que le savoir.

– (фр.) Хорошо! Очень хорошо!.. Я вижу, у мсье есть талант; мне это нравится, ибо в учительском деле талант столь же ценим, как и ученость.]”

From the parlour M. Pelet conducted me to my apartment, my “chambre[120 - chambre – (фр.) комната],” as Monsieur said with a certain air of complacency.