learn_russian | (no subject)

I'm having trouble translating a few phrases. I would appreciate any help. The phrases in bold in particular are what I need help with. I've copied my attempts at translation here. Thanks!

1. Я помню ее всю в белизне –– голых плеч, какого–то ватерпуфа, пудры –– перед зеркалом в ее уборной в театре –– пока пели звонки под потолком и красная лампочка, мигая, звала ее идти на сцену.

I remember her all in white – bare shoulders, (in a little raincoat?), powdered – in front of a mirror in her dressing room in the theater – as the bells on the ceiling sang out and a red light bulb, blinking, called her to go on stage.

2. Она умерла, привезенная «скорой помощью» в больницу, от утраты крови. Похоронили ее, так сказать, в полицейском порядке, но одевала ее для гроба балерина Гельцер.

Having been brought to the hospital in an ambulance, she died from a loss of blood. They buried her, so to speak, (in the police fashion?), but the ballerina Geltser dressed her for the casket.

3. Что это такое все же – мое появление в мире, мое сушествование в нем и необходимость из него уйти? Подумать, в миллионах лет и пространств существует хрусталик и моей жизни.

What is all of this anyway – my appearance on earth, my existence on it and the necessity to leave it? To think, in millions of years and places there is (???)

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1. Right you are.
2. There is no such an idiom "в полицейском порядке". Maybe the meaning here was she was buried without any funeral-train, flowers and garlands.
3. There is a crystalline lens of my life. Probably the author means his life seems to be tiny to him in comparison with millions of years and spaces.

Thanks very much. I like your point # 3 especially, here is how I've adapted the translation:

To think, in all these millions of years and spaces, there is the little crystaline lens of my existence.

1 is correct, but "голых плеч, какого–то ватерпуфа, пудры" concerns "in whiteness" (в белизне), so you can translate - saw her all in white(ness) (because) of bare sh and so on. it will be exact, but i don't know if it sounds in eng

2 "in the police fashion" is correct too, but it means they buried her stand-offish manner, not like some one intimate, poorly. and does it sound - to dress for casket? cause in russian для гроба in this way means not exactly for casket but for funeral ceremony in general

3 все же means already "anyway", so it does not obligatory add "all" in "what is this", you may say "what is it anyway" or "what on earth is it anyway" (is it ok in eng?) anyway, the whole it means "what is it", but sayin with emotions
хрусталик means crystalline lens, but also it could be understood as tiny cristal
и моей жизни means "my life too" - as was sayd author means he can't realize, give a meaning how could his life exist in comparison with millions of years and spaces.

1. I'd rather say whiteness for белизна
2. В полицейском порядке means without true compassion, but because state a duty to take care of such situations, so it is simple, efficient, quick and cheap.
3. Yes, I'd probably use spaces for пространство too, not places

+1. spaces, definitely

1. I think in this context ватерпуф (waterproof) is not exactly a raincoat, but some sort of clothe used for protection during a make-up session.

Hi,
I like your translations. The only thing to add is for the 1st sentence. I think it is not necessary to translate "ватерпуф" accurately because few Russians know what it exactly means:))) Actually "ватерпуф" is so special or outdated that the author himself doesn't know what it is. That's why he put "какого-то ватерпуфа", not "ватерпуфа".

1) ватерпуф - obsolete word means water-proof coat.
3) хрусталик - main meaning of this - something pure and undercover that could be easy broken. So it can be tiny cristal or tiny bit of ice(хрусталик льда) - ice as fast disappearing thing(human's life metaphor), but not crystalline lens at all