«Высшая мера» и другие рассказы на английском языке. Александр Пахотин

a text that said: ‘You had better sacrifice one man to save the nation.’

      So, when the commander came to the village the mayor handed over the innocent man. Later the man was put to death.

      Years passed and one day a prophet came to that village. He immediately went to the mayor and said: ‘How could you have done that? The man was sent by God to be the savior of this country. And you handed him over to killed.’

      ‘But where did I go wrong?’ pleaded the mayor. ‘The priest and I looked at the scriptures and did what they commanded.’

      ‘That’s where you went wrong,’ said the prophet. ‘You looked at the scriptures. You should have also looked into his eyes.’

      Well, I liked that story and since the day I heard it I have been retelling it very many times. And you know what? Every time I feel like I retell it for the first time.

      Словарик

      priest здесь местный священник

      kind of разг. как бы

      insight здесь смысл, прозрение

      put it down on paper здесь записать это

      traitor предатель

      give somebody up сдавать, выдавать

      innocent невиновный

      welfare здесь благополучие

      at stake здесь на кону, на карте

      led to no conclusion здесь не привело к решению

      took the matter up взял дело в свои руки

      the scriptures здесь святые писания

      sacrifice жертвовать

      hand over передавать, сдавать

      put to death приговорить к смерти, расстрелять

      prophet пророк

      immediately немедленно, сразу же

      could you have done this могли так поступить

      go wrong ошибаться

      plead умолять, просить

      should have looked следовало посмотреть

      Вопросы и задания

      Where did the storyteller hear the story?

      Can you explain the meaning of the word insight?

      Retell the legend.

      Read aloud and translate any paragraph you like.

      Did you happen to be in a similar situation?

      What did you learn from the story?

      What would you do if you were in the mayor’s place?

      The Sign*

      (1424 words)

      Mom, are you going to church on Sunday?’

      Yes, Mark, I am. You know I go to church every Sunday. Why?’

      May I come with you?’

      Of course, you may. I’ll be happy to take you along. You are a big boy already. You’ll be eight in November.’

      ‘Mom?’

      ‘Yes, honey.’

      ‘Why do you go to church?’

      ‘Well… perhaps you know why… To thank Him for what He does for me, for you, for other people… To ask Him for guidance, for advice.’

      ‘Do you talk with Him?’

      ‘In a way, yes, I do.’

      ‘Does He answer you?’

      ‘Yes, He does… in a way.’

      ‘How do you mean? Does He come to you and talk?’

      ‘Well, honey, it’s not the way you think it is. Of course, He doesn’t come to me in person and talk. Well… you see, there’s some kind of connection between Him and me, and you, and other people… But it’s not material or physical… I’d rather call it a spiritual connection… Okay, Mark. Let’s put it this way. He always answers my prayers but not directly. He usually sends me a sign… a sign that tells me he hears me.’

      ‘How’s that? What sign?

      ‘Well, the signs may be different. I may meet someone and that someone may tell me something or show me something and then I know that’s the answer to my prayer. Or it may be a dream. I may see my Granny. She talks to me like she used to when I was a little girl. She warns me about things. And sometimes she’s just standing there and smiling at me. Then I know that everything is Okay.’

      ‘Will He send me a sign too, if I go to church and talk to Him?’

      ‘Why not? He hears every prayer and knows every hidden wish and He knows why things happen. He knows the reason of anything that happens to people.’

      ‘How’s that?’

      ‘Well, honey, sometimes people feel sad or upset and don’t know why. Very often they go to church, talk to Him and He sends them an insight or a dream, or some other sign that explains the reason for their sadness.’

      ‘I see.’

      Mark talked with his mother on Tuesday. All through that week he thought of nothing but his talk with God. He knew what he would ask Him for. He had long wanted to have a brother. Sometimes he felt sad and lonely though he had quite a few friends at school. A brother was different. Many times Mark tried to imagine how he would feel if he had a brother. But he never succeeded. And he knew why. He couldn’t feel anything because he’d never had a brother. Not once had Mark asked his mom why she couldn’t give him a brother, but she always said that it was in God’s hands.

      Sunday came and Mark went to church with his mother. He prayed and talked to God in earnest.

      ‘Mom, I talked to God, but why He didn’t send me a sign?’ – he asked his mom on their way back home.

      ‘Well, honey, it’s not like that. If you go to church, it doesn’t mean you’ll get a sign right away. It’s not like in a store. Sometimes you need to go again and again. Sometimes you just have to pray more.’

      ‘But you said He hears every prayer.’

      ‘Yes, He does. But it doesn’t mean He immediately sends you His sign.’

      ‘I see, – sighed Mark.

      That night Mark decided that he would go to church every Sunday. He wanted to get a sign. He needed that sign badly. He was tired of being alone. He prayed and went to bed. He was on the verge of falling asleep, when he suddenly noticed a boy standing near his bed. The boy was about Mark’s age but looked quite unusual. He was wearing a white robe and his hair was golden and shiny. He was standing silently and looking at Mark with kind and approving eyes.