Analytical reading-Part 33

Archibald J. Cronin

From The Citadel

A

ndrew went out with the rest. Now his recklessness was gone and his head, his whole body, was throbbing like an overtaxed machine. The atmosphere of the council chamber stifled him. He could not endure the presence of the other witnesses. He dreaded especially that melancholy reproach on the face of his solicitor. He knew he had behaved like a fool, a wretched declamatory fool. Now he saw his honesty as sheer madness. Yes, it was madness to attempt to harangue the Council as he had done. He ought to have been not a doctor but a stump orator in Hyde Park. Well! Soon he would cease to be a doctor. They would simply wipe him off the list.

                He went into the cloakroom, desiring only to be alone, and sat on the edge of one of the washbasins, mechanically feeling for a cigarette. But the smoke was tasteless on his parched tongue and he crushed the cigarette beneath his heel. It was strange, despite the hard things, the true things he had said of the profession a few moments ago, how miserable he should feel to be cast out from it. He realized that he might find work with Stillman. But this was not the work he wanted. No! He wished to be with Denny & Hope, to develop his own bent, drive the spearhead of his scheme into the hide of apathy and conservatism. But all this must be done from within the profession; it could never, in England, never, never, be accomplished from outside. A great wave of bitterness swept over him. The future stretched out before him desolately. He had already that most painful sense of all, the feeling of exclusion; and allied to it the knowledge that he was finished, done for—this was the end.

                The sound of people moving in the corridor brought him wearily to his feet. As he joined them and reentered the council chamber, he told himself sternly that only one thing remained for him. He must not grovel. He prayed that he would give no sign of subservience, of weakness.

Notes and comments:

Notice the spelling of council and counsel!

a city council—градски съвет

a municipal council—общински съвет

a council chamber—заседателна зала

council board—заседание на съвет

counsel—advice, consultation, opinions = 1) съвещание, обсъждане, разискване; 2) съвет

counsel for the defence—defence counsel = защита (адвокат, адвокати)

stump orator—an orator making a speech standing on the stump of a tree = демагог

to go/be on the stump—държа високопарни, предизборни речи

to save one’s hide—спасявам си кожата

to give a boy a good hiding—пердаша, бия

hide-and-seek—криеница, жмичка

ally Þ allied (NATO ALLIED FORCES) = съюзник

alley—a narrow passage = тясна уличка, просека

a blind alley—сляпа/задънена улица

to exclude—изключвам, отхвърлям, не допускам

exclusion—изключване, изключение

to the exclusion of—с изключение на

exclusive—изключителен; (амер.) отличен, първокласен, изключителен

to include—включвам, обхващам

inclusion—включване, обхващане

inclusive, including Þ page 3 to/through 5 inclusive/including = включително

to conclude—заключавам, правя заключение

conclusion—заключение, извод, умозаключение

conclusive-convincing (an argument, a fact, etc.) = убедителен

to preclude—изключвам (възможността за), предотвратявам, отстранявам (опасността от), попречвам, възпрепятствам, спирам, спъвам

preclusion—изключване (на възможност), отстраняване, избягване (на опасност), спънка, пречка, препятствие, спиране, попречване, възпрепятстване

preclusive—който изключва/отстранява/попречва (of)

to preclude all doubts/misunderstanding—избягвам съмнения/недоразумения

to declaim—1) произнасям с патос (реч); 2) протестирам, нападам, хуля, ругая (against)

declamatory—надут

to exclaim—възкликвам, извиквам

exclamatory—възклицателен

to proclaim—провъзгласявам, обявявам (за), прокламирам, разгласявам, оповестявам, обявявам (публично), обнародвам, известявам, съобщавам (за), заявявам (that)

clamour-to complain angrily = шумно протестирам

The newspapers clamoured against this policy.

The troops were clamouring to go home.

a clamorous mob—креслива тълпа

The crowd were clamorous for his death.—Тълпата крещеше и искаше смъртта му.

to develop/follow one’s bent—развивам/следвам склонностите/влеченията си

to develop a film—проявявам филм

to develop a cough—започвам да проявявам кашлица

to man a ship/fort—попълвам състава (екипажа) на кораб, поставям хора в укрепление/крепост

to man oneself—давам си кураж, събирам смелост