extremely [Ik'stri:mlI] sufficient [s@'fIS(@)nt]

The Angler's Guide to the Thames says that "jack and perch are also to be had about here," but there the Angler's Guide is wrong. Jack and perch may be about there. Indeed, I know for a fact that they are. You can see them there in shoals, when you are out for a walk along the banks: they come and stand half out of the water with their mouths open for biscuits. And, if you go for a bathe, they crowd round, and get in your way, and irritate you. But they are not to be "had" by a bit of worm on the end of a hook, nor anything like it — not they!

I am not a good fisherman myself. I devoted a considerable amount of attention to the subject at one time, and was getting on, as I thought, fairly well; but the old hands told me that I should never be any real good at it, and advised me to give it up. They said that I was an extremely neat thrower, and that I seemed to have plenty of gumption for the thing, and quite enough constitutional laziness. But they were sure I should never make anything of a fisherman. I had not got sufficient imagination.

They said that as a poet, or a shilling shocker (сказали, что в качестве поэта, /автора/ дешевых бульварных романов), or a reporter, or anything of that kind, I might be satisfactory (репортера или чего-нибудь в этом роде я, может, буду достаточным = добьюсь успеха; satisfactory — удовлетворительный; достаточный; приятный, хороший), but that, to gain any position as a Thames angler (но чтобы получить какое-нибудь положение = сделать имя в качестве удильщика на Темзе), would require more play of fancy, more power of invention than I appeared to possess (потребовалось бы больше фантазии, больше способности к выдумке, чем я, видимо, имел; play — игра, представление; деятельность; простор; to appear — казаться, иметь вид, выглядеть).

Some people are under the impression that all that is required to make a good fisherman (некоторые ошибочно полагают, что все, что требуется, чтобы стать хорошим рыболовом) is the ability to tell lies easily and without blushing (это способность легко врать, не краснея; blush — румянец, краска стыда, смущение); but this is a mistake (но это ошибка). Mere bald fabrication is useless (всего лишь голое/неприкрытое вранье бесполезно; fabrication — выдумка; подделка, ложь); the veriest tyro can manage that (любой новичок может с этим справиться). It is in the circumstantial detail (именно в массе подробностей; circumstantial — подробный, обстоятельный), the embellishing touches of probability (в приукрашивающих штрихах правдоподобия), the general air of scrupulous — almost of pedantic — veracity (в общей атмосфере скрупулезной, почти педантичной правдивости), that the experienced angler is seen (вот в чем виден опытный рыбак).

possess [p@'zes] scrupulous ['skru:pjul@s] veracity [v@'r&sItI]

They said that as a poet, or a shilling shocker, or a reporter, or anything of that kind, I might be satisfactory, but that, to gain any position as a Thames angler, would require more play of fancy, more power of invention than I appeared to possess.

Some people are under the impression that all that is required to make a good fisherman is the ability to tell lies easily and without blushing; but this is a mistake. Mere bald fabrication is useless; the veriest tyro can manage that. It is in the circumstantial detail, the embellishing touches of probability, the general air of scrupulous — almost of pedantic — veracity, that the experienced angler is seen.

Anybody can come in and say (любой может войти и сказать), "Oh, I caught fifteen dozen perch yesterday evening (я поймал пятнадцать дюжин окуней вчера вечером);" or "Last Monday I landed a gudgeon, weighing eighteen pounds (в прошлый понедельник я вытащил пескаря, весившего восемнадцать фунтов), and measuring three feet from the tip to the tail (и длиной три фута от головы до хвоста; to measure — измерять, иметь размер; tip — кончик, верх, верхушка)."

There is no art, no skill, required for that sort of thing (не требуется ни искусства, ни умения для вещей подобного рода). It shows pluck, but that is all (это показывает смелость, только и всего).

No; your accomplished angler would scorn to tell a lie, that way (нет; настоящий рыбак не стал бы лгать таким образом; accomplished — законченный, полный, совершенный; настоящий; to scorn — презирать, не принимать, считать неприемлемым). His method is a study in itself (его способ — наука по своей природе = целая наука).

He comes in quietly with his hat on, appropriates the most comfortable chair (он входит спокойно, не снимая шляпы: «с надетой шляпой», садится на самый удобный стул; to appropriate — присваивать; конфисковать), lights his pipe, and commences to puff in silence (зажигает свою трубку и начинает пускать клубы дыма молча). He lets the youngsters brag away for a while, and then, during a momentary lull (он позволяет молодежи хвастаться некоторое время, а потом, во время короткого перерыва; momentary — моментальный, преходящий, кратковременный; lull — временное затишье; временное успокоение; перерыв), he removes the pipe from his mouth, and remarks (он вынимает трубку изо рта и замечает; to remove — передвигать, перемещать; снимать), as he knocks the ashes out against the bars (выбивая пепел о решетку /камина/):