Илья Франк - Английский язык с миссис Харрис, или платье от Диора

"It's the most expensive shop in the world (это самый дорогой магазин в мире). It's in Paris (он в Париже). The dresses cost four hundred fifty quid (эти платья стоят 450 фунтов стерлингов)."

fiercely ['fIqslI], vehemence ['vJImqns], catalepsy ['kxtqlepsI]

"Me Dior dress," repeated Mrs. Harris, and then said fiercely, as though by her very vehemence to force it to happen: "I'm going to 'ave me a Dior dress."

"Are you now?" murmured Mrs. Butterfield, unwilling to emerge entirely from the state of catalepsy she had been about to enter. "Something new at Marks & Sparks?"

"Marks & Sparks me eye," said Mrs. Harris. " 'Aven't you ever heard of Dior?"

"Can't say I 'ave, love," Mrs. Butterfield murmured, still half betwixt and between.

"It's the most expensive shop in the world. It's in Paris. The dresses cost four hundred fifty quid."

Mrs. Butterfield came out of it with a bang (миссис Баттерфилд моментально: «со /звуком/ бах» вышла из /гипноза/ = тут же очнулась). Her jaw dropped (ее челюсть отвисла; to drop — капать; падать), her chins folded into one another like the sections of a collapsible drinking cup (ее подбородки сложились один в другой, как секции складного стаканчика).

"Four hundred fifty what (четыреста пятьдесят чего)?" she gasped (ахнула она). " 'Ave you gone barmy, dearie (ты что, спятила, дорогая; barmy — забродивший, полный пены; придурковатый, спятивший)?"

jaw [GL], collapsible [kq'lxpsqbl], barmy ['bRmI]

Mrs. Butterfield came out of it with a bang. Her jaw dropped, her chins folded into one another like the sections of a collapsible drinking cup.

"Four hundred fifty what?" she gasped. " 'Ave you gone barmy, dearie?"

For a moment even Mrs. Harris was shocked by the figure (на мгновение даже миссис Харрис была поражена этой цифрой), but then its very outrageousness (но с другой стороны, ее чрезмерность; outrageous — возмутительный; оскорбительный; вопиющий; чрезмерный/неоправданный /о цене/), coupled with the force of the desire that had been born within her (соединенная с силой большого желания, рожденной внутри нее), restored her conviction (вернули ее убежденность). She said: "Lady Dant 'as one of them in 'er cupboard (у леди Дант есть одно такое в шкафу: 'as = has; 'er = her). She brought it up for the charity ball tonight (она привезла его для благотворительного бала сегодня вечером: to bring — приносить, привозить). I've never seen anything like it in me life before (я никогда раньше не видела что-либо подобное в своей жизни) except maybe in a dream or in a book (кроме как, может быть, во сне или на картинках: «в книге»)." Her voice lowered for a moment as she became reflective (ее голос понизился на мгновение, когда она задумалась: to become — становиться; reflective — отражающий; склонный к размышлениям, задумчивости; погруженный в размышления; задумчивый). "Why, even the Queen ain't got a dress like that (да ведь даже у королевы нет такого платья: ain't = has not /разг./)," she said, and then loudly and firmly (сказала она, а затем /добавила/ громко и твердо), "and I mean to 'ave one (а я намерена иметь одно = а у меня будет)."

outrageous [aut'reIGqs], coupled ['kApld], charity ['CxItI]

For a moment even Mrs. Harris was shocked by the figure, but then its very outrageousness, coupled with the force of the desire that had been born within her, restored her conviction. She said: "Lady Dant 'as one of them in 'er cupboard. She brought it up for the charity ball tonight. I've never seen anything like it in me life before except maybe in a dream or in a book." Her voice lowered for a moment as she became reflective. "Why, even the Queen ain't got a dress like that," she said, and then loudly and firmly, "and I mean to 'ave one."

The shock waves had now begun to subside in Mrs. Butterfield (волны потрясения начали стихать в миссис Баттерфилд) and she returned to her practical pessimism (и она вернулась к своему практическому пессимизму). "Where're you going to get the money, ducks (где ты собираешься взять такие деньги, голубушка; duck — утка)?" she queried (спросила она).

"Right 'ere (прямо здесь)," replied Mrs. Harris (ответила миссис Харрис), tapping her coupon with her pencil (постукивая по своему /лотерейному/ билету карандашом) so as to leave the fates in no doubt as to what was expected of them (так, чтобы не оставлять судьбе/жребию сомнений относительно того, что от них ожидалось).

subside [sqb'saId], doubt [daut], expect [Iks'pekt]

The shock waves had now begun to subside in Mrs. Butterfield and she returned to her practical pessimism. "Where're you going to get the money, ducks?" she queried.

"Right 'ere," replied Mrs. Harris, tapping her coupon with her pencil so as to leave the fates in no doubt as to what was expected of them.

Mrs. Butterfield accepted this (миссис Баттерфилд согласилась с этим: «приняла это») since she herself had a long list of articles she expected to acquire immediately (поскольку она сама имела длинный перечень вещей, которые она предполагала приобрести немедленно: «непосредственно») should her ticket come home (если бы ее билет выиграл: «попал в цель»). But she had another idea (но у нее было другое понятие). "Dresses like that ain't for the likes of us, dearie (такие платья не для таких, как мы)," she gloomed (нахмурилась она).

Mrs. Harris reacted passionately (миссис Харрис отреагировала горячо: «страстно»): "What do I care what is or isn't for a likes of us (меня не интересует, что подходит или не подходит таким, как мы: to care — заботиться; проявлять интерес); it's the most beautiful thing I've ever laid me eyes on (это самая красивая вещь, которую видели мои глаза; to lay — класть) and I mean to 'ave it (и я намерена иметь ее)."

article ['RtIkl], acquire [q'kwaIq], immediately [I'mJdjqtlI]

Mrs. Butterfield accepted this since she herself had a long list of articles she expected to acquire immediately should her ticket come home. But she had another idea. "Dresses like that ain't for the likes of us, dearie," she gloomed.

Mrs. Harris reacted passionately: "What do I care what is or isn't for a likes of us; it's the most beautiful thing I've ever laid me eyes on and I mean to 'ave it."

Mrs. Butterfield persisted (миссис Баттерфилд упорствовала): "What would you do with it when you got it (что ты будешь делать с ним, когда получишь его)?"

This brought Mrs. Harris up short (это застало миссис Харрис врасплох: to bring — приводить; short — неожиданно/врасплох), for she had not even thought beyond the possession of such a wonderful creation (потому что она даже и не думала /о том, что будет/после того, как она станет обладательницей такого замечательного творения: «не думала за пределы обладания…»; beyond — за, по ту сторону, за пределами). All she knew was that she craved it most fearfully (все, что она знала, было то, что она ужасно хотела его), and so to Mrs. Butterfield's question (и поэтому на вопрос миссис Баттерфилд) she could not make other reply than (она не могла дать другого ответа, кроме) " 'Ave it (иметь его)! Just 'ave it (просто иметь его)!"

persist [pq'sIst], beyond [bI'jOnd], fearfully ['fIqfulI]

Mrs. Butterfield persisted: "What would you do with it when you got it?"

This brought Mrs. Harris up short, for she had not even thought beyond the possession of such a wonderful creation. All she knew was that she craved it most fearfully, and so to Mrs. Butterfield's question she could not make other reply than " 'Ave it! Just 'ave it!"

Her pencil was resting on the first line of the pool coupon (ее карандаш задержался: «оставался неподвижным» на первой строчке лотерейного купона). She turned her attention to it and said (она обратила на него свое внимание/сосредоточилась на нем и сказала; to turn — поворачивать; обращать): "Now then, 'ere goes for it (итак, приступим)." And without another moment's hesitation (и не колеблясь больше ни минуты: «без еще одного мгновения колебания»; to hesitate — колебаться), almost as though her fingers were working outside her own volition (почти так, словно ее пальцы работали помимо ее воли; volition — волевой акт, хотение), she filled in line after line (она заполняла строку за строкой), win (выигрыш), lose (проигрыш), draw (ничья), win, win, draw, draw, draw, lose, and win, until the entire blank was completed (пока весь бланк не был заполнен). She had never done it like that before (она никогда не делала этого таким образом прежде). "There (вот)," she said.

hesitation ["hezIteISqn], volition [vqu'lISqn], entire [In'taIq]

Her pencil was resting on the first line of the pool coupon. She turned her attention to it and said: "Now then, 'ere goes for it." And without another moment's hesitation, almost as though her fingers were working outside her own volition, she filled in line after line, win, lose, draw, win, win, draw, draw, draw, lose, and win, until the entire blank was completed. She had never done it like that before. "There," she said.

"Good luck to you, love (удачи тебе, дорогая)," said Mrs. Butterfield. She was so fascinated by her friend's performance (она была так восхищена тем, как проделывает все это ее подруга; performance — исполнение, выполнение) that she paid only perfunctory attention to her own (что она уделила только поверхностное внимание своему /купону/) and soon had it completed (и вскоре заполнила его).

Still in the grip of something (все еще во власти чего-то), Mrs. Harris said hoarsely (миссис Харрис сказала охрипшим голосом): "Let's post them now, right now (давай отправим их сейчас, прямо сейчас) while me luck is running (пока удача сопутствует мне: «пока моя удача бежит = действует»)."

fascinate ['fxsIneIt], perfunctory [pq'fANktqrI], hoarsely ['hLslI]

"Good luck to you, love," said Mrs. Butterfield. She was so fascinated by her friend's performance that she paid only perfunctory attention to her own and soon had it completed.

Still in the grip of something, Mrs. Harris said hoarsely: "Let's post them now, right now while me luck is running."

They put on coats (они надели пальто), bound scarfs about their heads (укутали: «обвязали» шарфами свои головы) and went off into the rain and the dripping fog (и пошли в дождь и влажный туман) to the red pillar box gleaming faintly on the corner beneath the street lamp (к красному стоячему почтовому ящику, слабо мерцающему на углу под уличным фонарем; pillar — столб, колонна; опора, стойка). Mrs. Harris pressed the envelope to her lips for a moment, said (миссис Харрис, прижав конверт к губам на мгновение, сказала) " 'Ere's for me Dior dress (это для моего платья от Диора)," and slipped the letter through the slit (и опустила письмо в щель; to slip — скользить; тихонько бросить, опустить /что-л., что при этом соскользнет вниз/), listening for its fall (прислушиваясь к его падению). Mrs. Butterfield posted hers with less confidence (миссис Баттерфилд отправила свое с меньшей самоуверенностью). "Don't expect nuffink and you won't get disappointed (не жди ничего, и ты не будешь разочарована; nuffink = nothing /особенность просторечного произношения/). This's my motto (это мой девиз)," she said (это мой девиз, сказала она). They returned to their tea (они вернулись к своему чаю = и они пошли пить чай).

beneath [bI'nJT], through [Tru], motto ['mOtqu]

They put on coats, bound scarfs about their heads and went off into the rain and the dripping fog to the red pillar box gleaming faintly on the corner beneath the street lamp. Mrs. Harris pressed the envelope to her lips for a moment, said " 'Ere's for me Dior dress," and slipped the letter through the slit, listening for its fall. Mrs. Butterfield posted hers with less confidence. "Don't expect nuffink and you won't get disappointed. This's my motto," she said. They returned to their tea.