fault [fO:lt], gesture ['dZestSq], exacting [Ig'zxktIN]
She tried to tell herself that it was not the fault of the girl, that it had been an accident and that only she herself was to blame for trying to play fairy godmother to this spoiled brat of a bad actress who had not even the grace to be grateful to her for her foolish gesture.
Mrs. Harris was a sensible person, a realist who had lived an exacting life and was not given to self-delusion. Looking now upon this singed and tragic wreck of her desires, she was well aware of her own foolish pride and vanity, not only involved in the possession of such a treasure, but in the displaying of it.
She had savored the casual way she might say to her landlady (она наслаждалась тем, как /совершенно/ обыденно она сказала бы своей домовладелице), when queried as to where she had been (когда спрошенная = на вопрос где она была): "Oh, I was only over in Paris, dearie (ах, я только была в Париже, дорогая), to look at the collection and buy me a Dior dress (взглянуть на коллекцию и купить себе платье от Диора). It's called ‘Temptytion’ (оно называется «Искушение»)." And, of course, she had visualized a hundred times the reaction of Mrs. Butterfield when she unveiled her prize (и, конечно, она представляла сотни раз реакцию миссис Баттерфилд, когда она покажет ей свою добычу; to unveil — снимать покрывало /с чего-л./; раскрывать; торжественно открывать /памятник/; veil — покров, завеса). There would be no calling in of her friend now (теперь не будет приглашения ее подруги = нет смысла приглашать подругу) — or anyone else (или кого-то еще) — for she would only croak (потому что она только будет брюзжать; to croak — каркать; брюзжать, ворчать): "Didn't I tell yer something orful would 'appen (разве я не говорила тебе, что что-то ужасное случится; awful — страшный, ужасный)? Things like that (такие вещи, как эта) ain't for the likes of us (не для таких, как мы)! What was you going to do with it, anyway (что ты собиралась с ним делать, в любом случае)?"
casual ['kxZjuql], query ['kwIqrI], unveil [An'veIl]
She had savored the casual way she might say to her landlady, when queried as to where she had been: "Oh, I was only over in Paris, dearie, to look at the collection and buy me a Dior dress. It's called ‘Temptytion’." And, of course, she had visualized a hundred times the reaction of Mrs. Butterfield when she unveiled her prize. There would be no calling in of her friend now — or anyone else — for she would only croak: "Didn't I tell yer something orful would 'appen? Things like that ain't for the likes of us! What was you going to do with it, anyway?"
What indeed had she been meaning to do with it (что, в самом деле, она думала делать с ним)? Hang it away in an old, stale closet (повесить его в старый, с затхлым запахом шкаф; stale — несвежий, черствый; спертый; затхлый) next to her aprons, overall, and one poor Sunday frock (рядом с ее передниками, плащом и скромным праздничным платьем: «воскресным платьем»), secretly to gloat over when she came home at night (чтобы тайно рассматривать его, когда она придет домой вечером; to gloat — пожирать глазами /over, upon/)? The dress had not been designed and created to languish in the dark of a cupboard (это платье не было задумано и создано для того, чтобы чахнуть в темноте платяного шкафа). It was meant to be out (оно было предназначено быть видимым: «быть вне») where there was gaiety (там, где было веселье), lights (огни), music and admiring eyes (музыка и восхищенные взгляды).
closet ['klOzIt], languish ['lxNgwIS], gaiety ['geIqtI]
What indeed had she been meaning to do with it? Hang it away in an old, stale closet next to her aprons, overall, and one poor Sunday frock, secretly to gloat over when she came home at night? The dress had not been designed and created to languish in the dark of a cupboard. It was meant to be out where there was gaiety, lights, music and admiring eyes.
Quite suddenly she could not bear to look upon it any longer (внезапно она больше не могла смотреть на него: «не могла вынести смотреть»). She was at the end of her resistance to grief (она больше не могла сопротивляться горю: «была в конце сопротивления горю»). She reinterred it in the plastic suitcase (она вновь убрала его в пластмассовый чемодан; to inter — хоронить), hurriedly blotting out the sight of it with the crumpled tissue paper (поспешно скрывая его /платья/ вид мятой оберточной бумагой) and then, flinging herself upon her bed (а затем, бросившись на свою кровать), buried her face in her pillow (зарыла свое лицо в подушку) and commenced to cry (и начала рыдать).
quite [kwaIt], crumpled [krAmpld], tissue ['tISu:]
Quite suddenly she could not bear to look upon it any longer. She was at the end of her resistance to grief. She reinterred it in the plastic suitcase, hurriedly blotting out the sight of it with the crumpled tissue paper and then, flinging herself upon her bed, buried her face in her pillow and commenced to cry.
She wept silently (она плакала тихо), inconsolably and interminably (безутешно и бесконечно), after the fashion of women whose hearts have been broken (как женщины, чье сердце было разбито; after the fashion of — наподобие/в манере). She wept for her own foolishness (она плакала из-за своей глупости), and too for her self-acknowledged guilt of the sin of pride (а также из-за своей вины в грехе гордыни, в чем она прекрасно отдавала себе отчет; to acknowledge — признавать), and the swift sure punishment that had followed upon its heels (и из-за незамедлительного наказания, что последовало по пятам = следом), but mostly she wept simply and miserably for her lost dress (но больше всего она плакала просто и несчастно из-за своего потерянного платья) and the destruction of this so dear possession (и из-за /того/, что ее любимое имущество уничтожено; destruction — разрушение).
inconsolable ["Inkqn'squlqbl], heart [hQ:t], miserably ['mIzqrqblI]
She wept silently, inconsolably and interminably, after the fashion of women whose hearts have been broken. She wept for her own foolishness, and too for her self-acknowledged guilt of the sin of pride and the swift, sure punishment that had followed upon its heels, but mostly she wept simply and miserably for her lost dress and the destruction of this so dear possession.
She might have wept thus into eternity (она бы проплакала так целую вечность: «в вечность = до вечности»), but for the insistent ringing of her doorbell (если бы не настойчивое дребезжание ее дверного звонка), which at last penetrated grief and into her consciousness (который в конце концов проник сквозь горе в ее сознание). She raised her tear-swollen face momentarily (она подняла свое опухшее от слез лицо на мгновение) and then decided to ignore it (но потом решила не обращать на него внимания: «игнорировать его»). It could be none other than Mrs. Butterfield (это не мог быть никто другой, как миссис Баттерфилд), eager to see and discuss her Paris dress (жаждущая увидеть и обсудить ее парижское платье) and hear of her adventures amongst the heathen (и услышать о ее приключениях среди язычников). What was there to show her now for the long wait (что было показывать ей теперь после долгого ожидания), the hard work (тяжелой работы), the sacrifice and the foolish determination (жертвенности и безрассудного стремления)? A burned-out rag (сгоревшую тряпку). Worse than Mrs. Butterfield's croakings of "I told you so" (хуже, чем ворчание миссис Баттерфилд «я же говорила тебе») would be the sympathy that would follow (будет сочувствие, которое затем последует), the tuttings and duckings (охи и вздохи; tutting and ducking — охи и ахи, причитания) and the warm but clumsy attempts to comfort her (и сердечные, но неловкие попытки утешить ее) and which Mrs. Harris felt she could not bear (и которые, как чувствовала миссис Харрис, она не смогла бы вынести). She wanted only to get on with her crying (она хотела просто продолжать плакать) — to be allowed to weep alone until she died (чтобы ей дали плакать в одиночестве, пока она не умрет).
eternity [i:'tq:nItI], ignore [Ig'nO:], eager ['i:gq]
She might have wept thus into eternity, but for the insistent ringing of her doorbell, which at last penetrated grief and into her consciousness. She raised her tear-swollen face momentarily and then decided to ignore it. It could be none other than Mrs. Butterfield, eager to see and discuss her Paris dress and hear of her adventures amongst the heathen. What was there to show her now for the long wait, the hard work, the sacrifice and the foolish determination? A burned-out rag. Worse than Mrs. Butterfield's croakings of "I told you so" would be the sympathy that would follow, the tuttings and duckings and the warm but clumsy attempts to comfort her and which Mrs. Harris felt she could not bear. She wanted only to get on with her crying — to be allowed to weep alone until she died.
She pulled the damp pillow about her ears (она натянула влажную /от слез/ подушку на голову: «на уши») to shut out the sound of the ringing (чтобы не впускать = не слышать звук звонка), but now (но теперь), somewhat to her alarm (несколько к ее тревоге = встревожив ее), heard it replaced by a loud knocking and thumping on the door (услышала, /что/ он сменился громким стуком и ударами в дверь), something rather more strenuous and imperative than she could connect with Mrs. Butterfield (нечто намного более сильное и настойчивое, чем она могла приписать: «связать с» миссис Баттерфилд). Perhaps there was something wrong somewhere (возможно, что-то было неверным = что-то случилось где-то), an emergency (несчастный случай), and she was needed (и она была нужна). She arose quickly (она быстро поднялась) brushed the wisps of hair out of her eyes (смахнула пряди взъерошенных волос со своих глаз) and opened the door (и открыла дверь) to reveal a B.E.A. messenger standing there (чтобы обнаружить посыльного БЕА /Британской европейской авиатранспортной компании/) goggling at her as though he had seen a ghost (смотревшего не нее широко раскрытыми глазами, как будто он увидел привидение).
strenuous ['strenjuqs], imperative [Im'perqtIv], dishevel [dI'Sevql]
She pulled the damp pillow about her ears to shut out the sound of the ringing, but now, somewhat to her alarm, heard it replaced by a loud knocking and thumping on the door, something rather more strenuous and imperative than she could connect with Mrs. Butterfield. Perhaps there was something wrong somewhere, an emergency, and she was needed. She arose quickly, brushed the wisps of disheveled hair out of her eyes and opened the door to reveal a B.E.A. messenger standing there goggling at her as though he had seen a ghost.
He croaked forth a kind of bilious (он проворчал далее несколько раздраженно) "Mrs. 'Arris, is it (миссис Харрис, не так ли)?"
" 'Oo else did you expect (кого вы еще ожидали)? Princess Margaret (принцессу Маргарет)? Bangin' and thumpin' like the 'ouse was afire ... (/это ж надо так/ стучать и колотить, будто дом был в огне)"
"Phew (фу)!" he said, mopping his brow with relief (сказал он, вытирая свой лоб с облегчением). "You didn't 'alf give me a turn, you did (как вы меня напугали; turn — вращение; нервное потрясение, шок, приступ, припадок). I thought maybe you was dead (я думал, может быть, вы умерли). You not answering the doorbell (вы не отвечали на дверной звонок), and all these flowers to deliver (и все эти цветы доставить = для доставки). I thought they might be for the corpse (я думал, они, должно быть, для мертвеца; corpse — труп)."
"Eh?" Mrs. Harris asked. "Wot flowers (какие цветы)?"
croak [krquk], dead [ded], corpse [kO:ps]
He croaked forth a kind of bilious "Mrs. 'Arris, is it?"
" 'Oo else did you expect? Princess Margaret? Bangin' and thumpin' like the 'ouse was afire ..."
