- •I wrapped my hanky round my thumb and got myself organized. George
- •I was known as Needle.
- •I stood silently among the people, watching. As you will see, I wasn't in a
- •I took a good look at this man accompanying Kathleen. It was her husband.
- •It was not for me to speak to Kathleen, but I had a sudden inspiration which
- •I must explain that I departed this life nearly five years ago. But I did not
- •Inspired to it. Indeed it's one of the things I can't do now — to speak out,
- •I taught in a private school in Kensington, for almost three months, very
- •I didn't love Skinny so I gave him back the ring.
- •I accompanied the party as a sort of secretary. Skinny vouched for me, he
- •I had broken off our engagement, lectured me about this, but still he took me
- •I'm busy in the hat-shop and being presented. You would think he hadn't
- •I must say I was myself a bit off-put by this news about the brown woman. I
- •Intelligent than a mule and sturdier than a horse. But I'm not having any
- •I was able to live on the fee I got for writing a gossip column in a local
- •I met George once more in a hotel in Bulawayo. We drank highballs and
- •I had half a mind to marry Skinny; perhaps, I thought, when his studies
- •I had already heard about the baby girl. Coal black, by repute, with
- •Impotence and need I secreted a venom which infected all my life for days on
- •I was nearly sick. One, because of my Scottish upbringing. Two, because of
- •I returned to England with Skinny's party just before the war.
- •I did not see George again till just before my death, five years ago.
- •I was waiting to write about life and it seemed to me that the good fortune lay in
- •I thought of my type of luck after I became a Catholic and was being
- •I visited Skinny twice in the two years that he was in the sanatorium. He was
- •Very close friends. We met several times each week, and after our Saturday-
- •If we had felt moved to do so.
- •I ought to get in touch with poor George. But then I think he would write
- •I did not speak of George's marriage, nor of any of his confidences in the
- •Impatience with him in former days; she said,
- •In the course of the morning he had told her of his wartime nightclub in
- •I was curious to see this version of George, but I was leaving for Scotland
- •Visited at week-ends; this old lady lived a few miles from Kathleen's aunt,
- •I should go ahead of her in the early afternoon to see to the provisions for our
- •I said no, I liked an empty house.
- •It was like a treasure hunt as I followed clue after clue through the cool silent
- •I found myself speaking to him almost as if he were a child.
- •I giggled, and looked at him. His face had grown much larger, his lips full, wide,
- •I still kept up. They referred to her as "George's Dark Lady" and of course
- •I said, "If Kathleen intends to marry you, I shall tell her that you're already
- •Vest year. Unfortunately, the byreman's hands were even brawnier and
- •If I hadn't been wearing my long-sleeved cardigan, it was said, the bruises
- •I dashed his hopes. I said, "Hallo, George!"
- •In that convivial street. I thought to myself. "He looks as if he had a mouthful
- •I might have been inspired to say more on that agreeable morning, but he
- •I doubt if George will ever see me again in the Portobello Road. He broods
- •Its few drooping tenants. They huddled together like birds in a storm; their
- •I was waiting for friends to come and pick me up on their way to Venice.
- •Importance was permitted to dawn upon strangers.
- •In the garden, strangely standing on a path between the flowers for
- •I climbed the lower slopes of the mountains while the experts in their boots
- •I was moved by the sight. The girl called Mitzi was watching me as I stood
- •In the kitchen doorway. "Coffee?'' she said.
- •I saw a black lacquered cabinet inlaid with mother-of-pearl, and just
- •I went into the polished dining-room, and Mitzi brought my coffee there.
- •It was that very day that the nuisance occurred. The double windows of my
- •It was a cold day. I sat in my room writing letters. I glanced out of the
- •I looked up a few moments later, and this time Herr Stroh was seated on a
- •I left my room and went down to complain to Frau Lublonitsch.
- •I returned to my room. Herr Stroh still sat in position, the field-glasses in
- •In his doorway blinking up at the roof of the Guest-house Lublonitsch. He
- •I didn't want to draw his attention by following the line of his gaze but I
- •In Frau Lublonitsch's splendid bedroom.
- •I turned the comer just as Herr Stroh gave up his gazing; he went indoors,
- •It while I waited for someone to come. I did not have to wait long, for two
- •Indeed were there, but invisible.
- •In the peeling pastel stucco of the little town, the unnecessary floral balconies,
- •Intrigued her.
- •Impassive neck.
- •Is she —"
- •Insurance manager. The successful kind."
- •I think twenty-two. I am twenty-two so far as Richard's concerned. I don't
- •If you want to be successful with men you have to hang on to your youth."
- •Invitation must come from Richard."
- •Valley.
- •I felt the need of his support. "
- •Including Gwen. The one called Grace was quite pretty, with a bewildered
- •I put on my dark glasses to shield my eyes from the sun and conceal my
- •It is discouraging to put on sun glasses in the middle of someone's intimate
- •I was sent to have my eyes tested. He took me into the darkened interior
- •I had seen Miss Simmonds once before, at a garden fete, where she stood on
- •I stopped looking round. I said. "Read what?" for I had been told I would
- •I recall reading the letters correctly down to the last few lines, which were
- •I broke the glasses by sitting on them during my school holidays two years
- •I washed my hair the night before and put a wave in it. Next morning at
- •I smiled and put my hand in my blazer pocket.
- •I formed an idea of his private life. "Dorothy" I speculated, "and Basil." I let
- •Is it to her?"
- •I invented for myself a recurrent scene in which brother and sister
- •I was sent for to try on my new reading glasses. I had the hat-pin with me I
- •I said, "Grandmother said to inquire after your mother."
- •I took to giving Basil a charming smile when I passed him in the street on
- •I took walks before supper round the back lanes, ambling right round the
- •Visible from the window. He laid it side by side with another sheet of paper
- •Ink and started writing on the bottom of the sheet of paper before him,
- •I shivered in my soaking wet clothes. Dorothy looked with her eye at the
- •I took them into Mr. Simmonds early that afternoon.
- •I had smeared them with cold cream first.
- •Interrupted:
- •I noted her correct phrase, "Are these they?" and it seemed just over the
- •Vicious, in the wrong.
- •I started screaming when I got home, and was given a sedative. By evening
- •It was put down to an accident. There was a strong hope that Miss
- •I said, "The bottle may have been tampered with, have you thought of
- •I was attended by our woman doctor, the widow of the town's former
- •I saw Dr. Gray leaving the Simmonds' at six o'clock one evening. She must
- •I walked on, certain that he had known my guilty suspicions all along.
- •I had come to the summer school to lecture on history and she on
- •Inmost lives. This is probably because they spend so much time hearing out
- •It and myself looked back at myself through the dark water. I looked at Dr.
- •I took them off for a moment. I rather liked her for her innocence in not
- •I had my glasses on again, and was walking on.
- •I thought, neither had I.
- •I said, "He might have stopped seeing eyes if you'd taken him at his word."
- •I could hardly believe she was shouting, who previously had been so calm.
- •I think it was then she recognised me.
- •It there and then. You see, he had to do it while it was still wet."
- •Vestments, or at least lace veil.
- •Vestments.
- •Instance, when a local Town Councillor resigned his office Raymond said,
- •In this particular, from the prejudices of that middle class to which they as
- •Introduce them to so many people." For the dark pair had, within a month,
- •In eyes, skin, teeth, which made him seem all the more eager. He called out
- •Irritated Lou, though she kept her peace.
- •Very well by Elizabeth." They had pulled up outside the house where
- •I'm not going to leave my kids in no nursery. I'm not going to send them to no
- •In that he took a tubercular turn, which was followed by a religious one. He
- •Very delicate question. She was amazed when, within three weeks, Oxford
- •In previous numbers, various references to the Black Madonna, how she had
- •It was the Saturday before that Sunday when Lou had her first sick turn.
- •In the next parish magazine. "Another case has come to light of the kindly
- •In fact, it was a very easy birth, a girl. Raymond was allowed in to see Lou
- •In the late afternoon. She was half asleep. "The nurse will take you to see the
- •In the other cots. "Far more so than the others."
- •Isn't hers, which is ridiculous."
- •Very long chance. I've never known it happen in my experience, but I've
- •Inquire after Lou. He rather regretted smashing up the cot in his first fury.
- •It white."
- •It must be back in the olden days the nigro some ansester but it is only nature.
- •I thank the almighty it has missed my kids and your hubby must think it was
Английский язык с Мюриэль Спарк (рассказы)
Книгу составила и адаптировала Ольга Ламонова
Под редакцией Ильи Франка
Метод чтения Ильи Франка
Портобелло Роуд
The Portobello Road
One day in my young youth (одним днем в моей ранней юности; young —
молодой, новый) at high summer (в разгаре лета: «высоким летом»; high —
высокий), lolling with my lovely companions upon a haystack (лениво
развалясь с моими приятными товарищами на стогу сена; to loll — сидеть
развалясь, hay — сено, stack — стог) I found a needle (я нашла иголку; needle
— игла). Already and privately (уже /давно/ и про себя; privately — лично,
про себя) for some years (несколько лет) I have been guessing (я догадывалась;
to guess — догадываться) that I was set apart from the common run (что я
выделялась из общей толпы; to set apart — выделять, разделять; common
run of men — обыкновенные люди), but this of the needle (но этот /случай/ с
иголкой) attested the fact to my whole public (засвидетельствовал факт всей
моей публике = компании; to attest — удостоверять, public — народ,
публика), George, Kathleen, and Skinny. I sucked my thumb (я сосала свой
большой палец; to suck — сосать, thumb — большой палец руки), for when I had
thrust my idle hand deep into the hay (так как, когда я засунула свою свободную
руку глубоко в сено; to thrust — толкать, совать; idle — незанятый,
свободный), the thumb was where the needle had stuck (большой палец был /тем
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местом/, куда воткнулась иголка; to stick, stuck, stuck — втыкать).
young [jAN] haystack ['heIstxk] thumb [TAm]
One day in my young youth at high summer, lolling with my lovely
companions upon a haystack I found a needle. Already and privately for
some years I have been guessing that I was set apart from the common run,
but this of the needle attested the fact to my whole public, George, Kathleen,
and Skinny. I sucked my thumb, for when I had thrust my idle hand deep into
the hay, the thumb was where the needle had stuck.
When everyone had recovered George said (когда все пришли в себя, Джордж
сказал; everyone — каждый, to recover — выздоравливать, поправляться),
"She put in her thumb and pulled out a plum." (она засунула свой большой палец
и вытащила сливу; to put in — положить в, to pull out — вытянуть из, plum —
слива). Then away we were into our merciless hacking-hecking laughter again
(затем мы забылись в нашем отрывистом безжалостном смехе опять; to be away
— быть далеко, hacking-hecking laughter — авторск. сухой отрывистый смех).
plum [plAm] merciless ['mq:sIlIs] laughter ['lQ:ftq]
When everyone had recovered George said, "She put in her thumb and
pulled out a plum." Then away we were into our merciless hacking-hecking
laughter again.
The needle had gone fairly deep into the thumby cushion (иголка зашла
довольно глубоко в подушечку большого пальца; deep — глубоко, cushion —
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2
подушка) and a small red river flowed and spread from this tiny puncture (и
маленькая красная речка потекла и растеклась из крошечной дырочки; to flow
— течь, to spread — распространяться по поверхности, tiny — крошечный,
puncture — укол, прокол). So that nothing of our joy should lag, George put in
quickly (так, чтобы ничего не помешало нашему веселью; joy — веселье,
радость; nothing — ничего, to lag — запаздывать, медлить; Джордж сказал:
«вставил» быстро; quickly — быстро),
"Mind your bloody thumb on my shirt." (Давай сюда твой кровоточащий
палец, вытри о мою рубашку: «береги свой кровавый палец на моей
рубашке»; to mind — заботиться, bloody — кровавый, чертов — игра слов;
shirt — рубашка).
puncture ['pANkCq] bloody ['blAdI] shirt [Sq:t]
The needle had gone fairly deep into the thumby cushion and a small red river
flowed and spread from this tiny puncture. So that nothing of our joy should
lag, George put in quickly,
"Mind your bloody thumb on my shirt."
Then hac-hec-hoo (затем, ура!; hac-hec-hoo — авторск.), we shrieked into
the hot Borderland afternoon (мы пронзительно кричим в жаркий
«приграничный» полдень; to shriek — пронзительно кричать, Borderland —
граница между Шотландией и Англией). Really I should not care to be so young
of heart again (в действительности, я бы не хотела быть такой молодой
сердцем снова; to care — беспокоиться, заботиться; heart — сердце). That is
my thought every time I turn over my old papers and come across the photograph
(то моя мысль каждый раз, /когда/ я перебираю: «переворачиваю» мои старые
бумаги и натыкаюсь: «прихожу через» на /эту/ фотографию; thought — мысль,
every — каждый, time — время, зд. раз; old — старый; papers — мн.ч.
документы, бумаги). Skinny, Kathleen, and myself are in the photo atop the
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haystack (Скинни, Кэтлин и я — на вершине стога сена; myself — я сам(а), atop
— наверху, сверху). Skinny had just finished analysing the inwards of my find.
(Скинни только что закончил анализировать внутренности моей находки; to
finish — заканчивать, to analyze — исследовать, inwards — мн.ч.
внутренности; to find — находить, find — находка).
heart [hQ:t] analysing ['xnqlaIzIN] find [faInd]
Then hac-hec-hoo, we shrieked into the hot Borderland afternoon. Really I
should not care to be so young of heart again. That is my thought every time I
turn over my old papers and come across the photograph. Skinny, Kathleen,
and myself are in the photo atop the haystack. Skinny had just finished
analysing the inwards of my find.
"It couldn't have been done by brains (это не могло быть намеренно, с умом:
«это не могло быть сделано мозгами»; brains — мн.ч. мозги, ум). You haven't
much brains but you're a lucky wee thing (у тебя не много ума, но ты
счастливая малышка; much — много; lucky — счастливый; wee thing —
шотл. малышка)."
Everyone agreed that the needle betokened extraordinary luck (все согласились,
что иголка предвещала удивительную удачу; to betoken (книжн.) —
означать, предвещать; luck — удача). As it was becoming a serious
conversation; George said (так как становился серьезным разговор, Джордж
сказал),
"I’ll take a photo." (Я сфотографирую: «я возьму фото»)
lucky ['lAkI] betoken [bI'tqVkqn] extraordinary [Ik'strO:d(q)n(q)rI]
"It couldn't have been done by brains. You haven't much brains but you're
a lucky wee thing."
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Everyone agreed that the needle betokened extraordinary luck. As it was
becoming a serious conversation; George said,
"I’ll take a photo.”
I wrapped my hanky round my thumb and got myself organized (я обернула свой
носовой платок вокруг своего большого пальца и стала позировать: «сделала
себя организованной»; handy (handkerchief) — разг. носовой платок). George
pointed up from his camera and shouted (Джордж указал /пальцем/ от своей
фотокамеры и закричал),
''Look, there's a mouse!" (Смотрите, там мышь!)
Kathleen screamed and I screamed although I think we knew there was no mouse
(Кэтлин закричала и я закричала, хотя, я думаю, мы знали, там не было
мыши). But this gave us an extra session of squalling hee-hoo's (но это дало нам
дополнительную порцию: «сессию» пронзительного смеха: «хиханек»).
Finally we three composed ourselves for George's picture (в конце концов мы
трое собрались для фотографии Джорджа). We look lovely and it was a great
day at the time (мы прекрасно смотримся, и это был прекрасный день в то
время), but I would not care for it all over again (но я не хотела бы этого всего
снова). From that day I was known as Needle (с того дня я была известна как
Игла).
wrapped [rxpt] squall [skwO:l] needle [ni:dl]
I wrapped my hanky round my thumb and got myself organized. George
pointed up from his camera and shouted,
''Look, there's a mouse!"
Kathleen screamed and I screamed although I think we knew there was no
mouse. But this gave us an extra session of squalling hee-hoo's. Finally we
three composed ourselves for George's picture. We look lovely and it was a
great day at the time, but I would not care for it all over again. From that day
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I was known as Needle.
One Saturday in recent years (однажды в субботу /одного из/ недавних
лет) I was mooching down the Portobello Road (я /бесцельно/ лениво шла по
Портобелло Роуд; to mooch — лентяйничать, слоняться; road — дорога),
threading among the crowds of marketers on the narrow pavement (пробираясь
сквозь толпы торговцев на узком тротуаре; to thread — продевать нитку,
проходить, a thread — нитка; narrow — узкий) when I saw a woman (когда я
увидела женщину). She had a haggard careworn wealthy look (у нее был
изможденный, измученный заботами богатый вид; care — забота, worn —
поношенный), thin but for the breasts forced-up high like a pigeon's (тонкая, но
с высокой красивой грудью: но «с грудью поднятой высоко, как у голубя»).
I had not seen her for nearly five years (я не видела ее почти пять лет; near —
близкий, рядом). How changed she was (как она изменилась)! But I recognized
Kathleen, my friend (но я узнала Кэтлин, мою подругу); her features had already
begun to sink (черты ее лица уже начали вваливаться; to sink — тонуть;
опускаться) and protrude (и выдаваться) in the way that mouths and noses do
(таким образом, какими рты и носы «делаются», т.е. вваливаются и выдаются)
in people destined always to be old for their years (у людей, которым
предназначено всегда «быть» = выглядеть старше своих лет; destiny — судьба,
предназначение). When I had last seen her, nearly five years ago, Kathleen barely
thirty, had said (когда я видела ее в последний раз, почти пять лет назад,
Кэтлин, которой едва исполнилось тридцать, сказала; barely — едва, только),
"I've lost all my looks (я подурнела: «потеряла всю свою
привлекательность»; to loose — терять, looks — мн.ч. вид, наружность),
it's in the family (это у нас семейное: «это у нас в семье»). All the women are
handsome as girls (все женщины красивы, пока молоды: «когда девочки»),
but we go off early (но наша красота рано увядает: «мы портимся рано»), we
go brown and nosey (мы /становимся/ смуглыми и носатыми)."
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haggard ['hxgqd] care-worn ['keqwO:n] pigeon ['pIGIn]
One Saturday in recent years I was mooching down the Portobello Road,
threading among the crowds of marketers on the narrow pavement when I
saw a woman. She had a haggard careworn wealthy look, thin but for the
breasts forced-up high like a pigeon's. I had not seen her for nearly five
years. How changed she was! But I recognized Kathleen, my friend; her
features had already begun to sink and protrude in the way that mouths and
noses do in people destined always to be old for their years. When I had last
seen her, nearly five years ago. Kathleen barely thirty, had said,
"I've lost all my looks, it's in the family. All the women are handsome as
girls, but we go off early, we go brown and nosey."
I stood silently among the people, watching (я стояла беззвучно среди людей,
наблюдая). As you will see (как вы увидите), I wasn't in a position to speak to
Kathleen (у меня не было возможности поговорить с Кэтлин; to be in a position
to do smth — быть в состоянии сделать что-то; to speak to — говорить) . I
saw her shoving in her avid manner from stall to stall (я видела, как она
проталкивается, в своей одержимой манере, от палатки к палатке; to shove —
толкаться; avid — жадный, алчный; stall — ларек, палатка на ярмарке). She
was always fond of antique jewellery and of bargains (ей всегда нравились
старинные драгоценности и возможность поторговаться; to be fond of smth. —
любить кого-то, что-то, jewellery — ювелирные изделия, bargain — сделка,
выгодная покупка). I wondered (удивительно; to wonder — интересоваться,
хотеть знать) that I had not seen her before in the Portobello Road (что я не
видела ее раньше на Портобелло Роуд) on my Saturday-morning ambles (во
время моих субботних утренних прогулок; amble — неторопливая
прогулка). Her long stiff-crooked fingers (ее длинные крючковатые пальцы;
stiff — твердый, жесткий crooked — кривой, изогнутый) pounced to select
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(устремлялись /к товару/ и выцепляли; to pounce — налетать, набрасываться
to select — выбирать) a jade ring (нефритовое кольцо) from amongst the jumble
(из кучи) of brooches and pendants (брошей и подвесок), onyx, moonstone, and
gold, (из оникса, лунного камня, золота; moon — луна, stone — камень) set out
on the stall (выставленных в палатке).
antique [xn'ti:k] jewellery, jewelry ['Gu:qlrI] bargain ['bQ:gIn]