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

straw [strL], distinguished [dIs'tINgwISt], dutifully ['djHtIfulI]

But Mrs. Harris would not have been a true London char had she not favored the one at a guinea, for it had been thought of, designed and made for members of her profession. The hat was a kind of flat sailor affair of green straw, but what made it distinguished was the pink rose on a short but flexible stem that was affixed to the front. It was, of course, her fondness for flowers and the rose that got Mrs. Harris. They went into the shop and Mrs. Harris dutifully tried on shapes and materials considered to be within her price range, but her thoughts and her eyes kept roving to the window where the hat was displayed. Finally she could contain herself no longer and asked for it.

Mrs. Butterfield examined the price tag with horror (миссис Баттерфилд посмотрела на: «проверила» ценник с ужасом). "Coo (да ну)," she said, "a guinea (одна гинея)! It's a waste of money (это пустая трата денег), you that's been syving for so long (/для/ тебя, экономившей так долго; syving = saving)."

Mrs. Harris set it upon her head and was lost (миссис Харрис надела ее себе на голову и сдалась: «была проигравшей/уступившей»; to lose — терять; проигрывать; уступать). "I don't care (мне все равно)," she said fiercely (сказала она свирепо = горячо). "I can go a week later (я могу поехать на неделю позже)".

horror ['hOrq], waste [weIst], fiercely ['fIqslI]

Mrs. Butterfield examined the price tag with horror. "Coo," she said, "a guinea! It's a waste of money, you that's been syving for so long."

Mrs. Harris set it upon her head and was lost. "I don't care," she said fiercely. "I can go a week later."

If a camera was to fix her features and person for all time (если фотоаппарат должен был зафиксировать ее черты и личность на все времена), to be carried in her passport (чтобы быть носимыми в ее паспорте), to be shown to her friends (быть показанными ее друзьям), to be preserved in a little frame on Mrs. Butterfield's dresser (сохраняться в маленькой рамке на буфете миссис Баттерфилд), that was how she wanted it (вот как она хотела, чтобы это было), with that hat and no other (с той шляпой и никакой иной). "I'll 'ave it (я возьму ее)," she said to the sales girl (она сказала продавщице), and produced the twenty-one shillings (и достала двадцать один шиллинг; to produce — производить; представлять, предъявлять). She left the shop wearing it contentedly (она покинула магазин, довольная свой новой шляпкой «нося/имея ее надетой удовлетворенно»; to leave). After all (в конце концов), what was one guinea (чем была одна гинея) to someone who was about to invest four hundred fifty pounds in a dress (для того, кто собирался потратить четыреста пятьдесят фунтов на платье; to invest /in/ — инвестировать во что-л., вкладывать деньги, капитал; покупать что-л.).

feature ['fJCq], preserve [prI'zWv], contentedly [kqn'tentIdlI]

If a camera was to fix her features and person for all time, to be carried in her passport, to be shown to her friends, to be preserved in a little frame on Mrs. Butterfield's dresser, that was how she wanted it, with that hat and no other. "I'll 'ave it," she said to the sales girl, and produced the twenty-one shillings. She left the shop wearing it contentedly. After all, what was one guinea to someone who was about to invest four hundred fifty pounds in a dress.

The passport photographer was not busy (фотограф, делающий снимки на паспорта, не был занят) when they arrived (когда они прибыли) and soon had Mrs. Harris posed before the cold eye of his camera (и вскоре миссис Харрис позировала ему перед холодным оком его фотоаппарата) while hump-backed he inspected her from beneath the concealment of his black cloth (в то время как он, сгорбившись, рассматривал ее из-под покрова своей черной материи). He then turned on a hot battery of floodlights (затем он включил мощную батарею прожекторов; hot — горячий) which illuminated Mrs. Harris' every fold (которые осветили каждую складку миссис Харрис), line and wrinkle (линию и морщинку) etched into her shrewd and merry little face (выгравированные/запечатленные на ее проницательном и веселом маленьком лице) by the years of toil (годами тяжелого труда).

beneath [bI'nJT], concealment [kqn'sJlmqnt], floodlight ['flAdlaIt]

The passport photographer was not busy when they arrived and soon had Mrs. Harris posed before the cold eye of his camera while hump-backed he inspected her from beneath the concealment of his black cloth. He then turned on a hot battery of floodlights which illuminated Mrs. Harris' every fold, line and wrinkle etched into her shrewd and merry little face by the years of toil.

"And now, madam (а теперь, мадам)," he said, "if you would kindly remove that hat (если бы вы любезно сняли эту шляпу)…"

"Not b… likely (черта-с-два; b… = bloody — чертов /ругательство/; not likely — разг. конечно, нет /в ответ на вопрос, предложение/; likely — вероятный, возможный)," said Mrs. Harris succinctly (сказала миссис Харрис кратко). "What the 'ell do you think I've bought this 'at for (для чего, черт возьми, вы думаете, я купила эту шляпу) if not to wear it in me photograff (если не носить ее на моей фотографии)."

The photographer said (фотограф сказал): "Sorry, madam, against regulations (извините, мадам, /это/ против правил). The Passport Office won't accept any photographs with hats on (паспортный стол не примет никакие фотографии с шляпами). I can make some specials at two guineas a dozen for you later (я могу сделать несколько специальных /фотографий по две гинеи за дюжину для вас позже), with the hat on, if you like (в шляпе, если хотите)."

succinctly [sqk'sINktlI], bought [bLt], dozen [dAzn]

"And now, madam," he said, "if you would kindly remove that hat…"

"Not b… likely," said Mrs. Harris succinctly. "What the 'ell do you think I've bought this 'at for if not to wear it in me photograff."

The photographer said: "Sorry, madam, against regulations. The Passport Office won't accept any photographs with hats on. I can make some specials at two guineas a dozen for you later, with the hat on, if you like."

Mrs. Harris told the photographer a naughty thing to do with his two-guinea specials (миссис Харрис сказала фотографу пару не очень ласковых слов: «грубоватую вещь» о том, что ему сделать с его специальными снимками по две гинеи; naughty — непослушный; греховный, порочный, безнравственный; сомнительный, рискованный /слегка грубый/), but Mrs. Butterfield consoled her (но миссис Баттерфилд утешила ее). "Never mind, dearie (ничего: «не обращай внимания», дорогая)," she said, "you'll have it to wear it when you go to Paris (ты должна будешь надеть: «носить» ее, когда поедешь в Париж). You'll be right in with the fashion (ты будешь абсолютно в ногу с модой)."

naughty ['nLtI], console [kqn'squl], fashion ['fxSqn]

Mrs. Harris told the photographer a naughty thing to do with his two-guinea specials, but Mrs. Butterfield consoled her. "Never mind, dearie," she said, "you'll have it to wear it when you go to Paris. You'll be right in with the fashion."

It was on a hazy May morning (было туманное майское утро), four months later (четыре месяца спустя), or to be exact two years (или, чтобы быть точным, два года), seven months (семь месяцев), three weeks and one day (три недели и один день) following her resolve to own a Dior dress (после того, как она решила: «следуя за ее решением» купить платье от Диора), that Mrs. Harris (когда миссис Харрис), firm and fully equipped beneath the green hat with the pink rose (твердо и во всеоружии под зеленой шляпой с розовой розой), was seen off on the bus to the air station (была провожаема на автобус до аэропорта) by a tremulous and nervous Mrs. Butterfield (дрожащей и нервничавшей миссис Баттерфилд). Besides the long and arduously hoarded fortune (кроме долго и с трудом накопленного богатства), the price of the dress (денег: «стоимости» на платье), she was equipped with passport (она была экипирована = имела при себе паспорт), round-trip ticket to Paris (билет до Парижа и обратно) and sufficient funds to get there and back (и достаточное количество денег, чтобы добраться туда и обратно).

The intended schedule of her day included the selection and purchase of her dress (намеченный распорядок ее дня включал выбор и приобретение платья), lunch in Paris (ланч в Париже), a bit of sight-seeing (немного осмотра достопримечательностей) and return by the evening plane (и возвращение вечерним самолетом).

arduously ['RdjuqslI], hoard [hLd], schedule ['SedjHl]

It was on a hazy May morning, four months later, or to be exact two years, seven months, three weeks and one day following her resolve to own a Dior dress, that Mrs. Harris, firm and fully equipped beneath the green hat with the pink rose, was seen off on the bus to the air station by a tremulous and nervous Mrs. Butterfield. Besides the long and arduously hoarded fortune, the price of the dress, she was equipped with passport, round-trip ticket to Paris and sufficient funds to get there and back.

The intended schedule of her day included the selection and purchase of her dress, lunch in Paris, a bit of sight-seeing and return by the evening plane.

The clients had all been warned of the unusual event of Mrs. Harris' taking a day off (клиенты были предупреждены о необычном событии — что миссис Харрис берет выходной), with Mrs. Butterfield substituting (с замещающей /ее/ миссис Баттерфилд), and had reacted in accordance with their characters and natures (и отреагировали в соответствии с их характерами и натурами). Major Wallace was, of course, dubious (майор Уоллис, конечно, опасался; dubious — колеблющийся, сомневающийся) since he could not so much as find a clean towel or a pair of socks (так как он не мог даже найти чистое полотенце или пару носков) without the assistance of Mrs. Harris (без помощи миссис Харрис), but it was the actress (но это была актриса = но именно актриса), Miss Pamela Penrose, who kicked up the ugliest fuss (кто устроил самый страшный скандал; to kick up — швырять вверх ударом ноги; поднимать; поднимать /скандал, шум и т. п./; ugly — безобразный, уродливый; мерзкий), storming at the little char (ругаясь на маленькую уборщицу; to storm — бушевать, штормить). "But that's horrid of you (но это ужасно = очень некрасиво с вашей стороны). You can't (вы не можете). I won't hear of it (я не хочу слышать об этом). I pay you, don't I (я плачу вам, не так ли)? I've a most important producer coming for drinks here tomorrow (ко мне придет важнейший продюсер в гости: «на напитки» сюда завтра). You charwomen are all alike (вы, уборщицы, все одинаковые). Never think of anybody but yourselves (никогда не думаете ни о ком, кроме себя). I do think (я думаю), after all I've done for you (после всего, что я сделала для вас), you might show me a little consideration (вы должны оказать мне небольшое уважение = хотя бы немного считаться со мной; consideration — размышление, рассуждение; вежливость, предупредительность; почет, уважение)."

dubious ['djHbjqs], towel ['tauql], consideration [kqn"sIdq'reISqn]

The clients had all been warned of the unusual event of Mrs. Harris' taking a day off, with Mrs. Butterfield substituting, and had reacted in accordance with their characters and natures. Major Wallace was, of course, dubious since he could not so much as find a clean towel or a pair of socks without the assistance of Mrs. Harris, but it was the actress, Miss Pamela Penrose, who kicked up the ugliest fuss, storming at the little char. "But that's horrid of you. You can't. I won't hear of it. I pay you, don't I? I've a most important producer coming for drinks here tomorrow. You charwomen are all alike. Never think of anybody but yourselves. I do think, after all I've done for you, you might show me a little consideration."

For a moment, in extenuation (на минуту, в оправдание; extenuation — извинение, частичное оправдание: in extenuation of an error — как частичное оправдание ошибки, в оправдание ошибки), Mrs. Harris was tempted to reveal where she was off to and why (миссис Харрис была склонна открыть, куда она едет и почему) — and resisted (но устояла). The love affair between herself and the Dior dress (любовная интрига между ней и платьем от Диора) was private (была личной). Instead she said soothingly (вместо этого она сказала успокаивающе): "Now, now, ducks, no need for you to get shirty (ну, ну, голубушка, незачем вам сердиться; shirty — раздраженный, рассерженный). Me friend Mrs. Butterfield will look in on you (моя подруга миссис Баттерфилд заглянет к Вам) on her way home tomorrow (по пути домой завтра) and give the place a good tidying up (и сделает хорошую уборку).