) and political connections (и политическими связями).
repercussion ["rJpW'kASqn], decent [dJsnt], knowledge ['nOlIG]
When such a powerful person was out of sorts or ill-humored, repercussions would ring far and wide. The crises which Mme. Colbert was suffering had to do with her husband Jules and the love, respect and affection for him which had grown over the twenty years they had been together. Dear, good, decent, clever Jules, who had more knowledge in one fingertip than all the rest of them in the Foreign Office, with their striped trousers and morning coats and political connections.
But one thing Jules lacked (но в одном /качестве/ Жюль испытывал недостаток), or rather two (или скорее в двух) — he had not the ability to push himself (у него не было способности продвигать себя; to push — толкать), and he had no political friends or affiliations (и у него не было политических друзей или связей; affiliation — прием в члены, присоединение). He had achieved his position (он достиг своего положения), beginning as a poor boy (начиная как бедный паренек), by brilliance and application (одаренностью и прилежанием; brilliance — блеск, яркость). Yet whenever there was a better or higher position opening (однако, всякий раз, /когда/ открывалась лучшая или более высокая вакансия) he was rejected in favor of someone of lesser intellect but greater affiliations (его отклоняли: «отвергали» в пользу кого-то с меньшим умом, но большими связями) who then from his new position of eminence used Jules' brains (который затем со своего нового высокого положения использовал умственные способности Жюля; eminence — высота; возвышенность; высокое положение; высокий чин) to conduct his post (чтобы руководить на своем посту). As his wife (как его жена), and herself an intelligent woman au courant affairs in France (сама умная женщина, /которая была/ в курсе событий во Франции), Mme. Colbert knew that many a difficult problem (мадам Кольбер знала, что многие сложные проблемы) had been solved by her husband's brains and intuition (были решены умом и интуицией ее мужа).
affiliation [q"fIlI'eISqn], favor ['feIvq], eminence ['emInqns]
But one thing Jules lacked, or rather two — he had not the ability to push himself, and he had no political friends or affiliations. He had achieved his position, beginning as a poor boy, by brilliance and application. Yet whenever there was a better or higher position opening he was rejected in favor of someone of lesser intellect but greater affiliations who then from his new position of eminence used Jules' brains to conduct his post. As his wife, and herself an intelligent woman au courant affairs in France, Mme. Colbert knew that many a difficult problem had been solved by her husband's brains and intuition.
