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

primroses ['prImrquzIz], anemones [q'nemqnIz], somber ['sOmbq]

Then too, the people for whom she worked would sometimes present her with the leavings of their cut flowers which in their wilted state she would take home and try to nurse back to health, and once in a while, particularly in the spring, she would buy herself a little box of pansies, primroses or anemones. As long as she had flowers Mrs. Harris had no serious complaints concerning the life she led. They were her escape from the somber stone desert in which she lived. These bright flashes of color satisfied her. They were something to return to in the evening, something to wake up to in the morning.

But now as she stood before the stunning creations hanging in the closet (но теперь, когда она стояла перед сногсшибательными творениями, висящими в шкафу) she found herself face to face with a new kind of beauty (она оказалась лицом к лицу с новым видом красоты; to find — находить) — an artificial one created by the hand of man the artist (искусственным, созданным руками человека-художника), but aimed directly and cunningly at the heart of woman (но нацеленным прямо и умело/искусно в сердце женщины). In that very instant she fell victim to the artist (в тот самый момент она стала жертвой художника; to fall — падать; пасть); at that very moment there was born within her the craving to possess such a garment (в тот самый момент в ней родилось страстное желание обладать таким платьем: «одеянием»).

creation [krJ'eISqn], beauty ['bjHtI], heart [hRt]

But now as she stood before the stunning creations hanging in the closet she found herself face to face with a new kind of beauty — an artificial one created by the hand of man the artist, but aimed directly and cunningly at the heart of woman. In that very instant she fell victim to the artist; at that very moment there was born within her the craving to possess such a garment.

There was no rhyme or reason for it (для этого не было ни рифмы = связи ни мотива/причины = это было ни с того, ни с сего); she would never wear such a creation (она никогда бы не надела такое платье: «творение»); there was no place in her life for one (/для него/ не было места в ее жизни). Her reaction was purely feminine (ее реакция была чисто женской). She saw it and she wanted it dreadfully (она увидела его и ей ужасно захотелось его /иметь/). Something inside her yearned and reached for it (что-то внутри нее стремилось/жаждало и тянулось к нему) as instinctively as an infant in the crib snatches at a bright object (так же инстинктивно, как младенец в кроватке хватается за яркий предмет; crib — стойло; ясли, кормушка; детская кроватка /с боковыми решетчатыми стенками/; колыбель). How deeply this craving went (как глубоко это страстное желание зашло), how powerful it was (каким сильным оно было; power — мощь), Mrs. Harris herself did not even know at that moment (миссис Харри даже сама не знала в тот момент). She could only stand there enthralled (она только могла стоять там, восторженная; to enthrall — покорять, порабощать; очаровывать, увлекать, захватывать), rapt and enchanted (восхищенная и очарованная), gazing at the dresses (пристально разглядывая платья), leaning upon her mop (опершись на свою швабру), in her music-hall shoes (в своих нелепых/смешных туфлях: «туфлях для мюзик-холла = водевильных»), soiled overall (в грязном рабочем халате; soiled — запачкавшийся, грязный; overall — рабочий халат; спецодежда: «поверх всего»), and wispy hair down about her ears (тонкие волосы /были зачесаны/ за уши), the classic figure of the cleaning woman (классическая фигура уборщицы).

rhyme [raIm], yearn [jWn], enthralled [In'TrLld]

There was no rhyme or reason for it; she would never wear such a creation; there was no place in her life for one. Her reaction was purely feminine. She saw it and she wanted it dreadfully. Something inside her yearned and reached for it as instinctively as an infant in the crib snatches at a bright object. How deeply this craving went, how powerful it was, Mrs. Harris herself did not even know at that moment. She could only stand there enthralled, rapt and enchanted, gazing at the dresses, leaning upon her mop, in her music-hall shoes, soiled overall, and wispy hair down about her ears, the classic figure of the cleaning woman.

It was thus that Lady Dant found her (все было так, когда леди Дант обнаружила ее) when she happened to come in from her writing room (когда она случайно зашла из своего кабинета). "Oh!" she exclaimed (она воскликнула). "My dresses (мои платья)!" And then noting Mrs. Harris' attitude and the expression on her face, said (а затем, заметив состояние миссис Харрис и выражение ее лица, сказала): "Do you like them (они вам нравятся)? I haven't made up my mind yet (я еще не решила) which one I am going to wear tonight (которое я надену сегодня вечером)."

exclaim [Iks'kleIm], attitude ['xtItjHd], wear [weq]

It was thus that Lady Dant found her when she happened to come in from her writing room. "Oh!" she exclaimed. "My dresses!" And then noting Mrs. Harris' attitude and the expression on her face, said: "Do you like them? I haven't made up my mind yet which one I am going to wear tonight."

Mrs. Harris was hardly conscious that Lady Dant was speaking (миссис Харрис едва понимала/осознавала, что леди Дант обращалась к ней: «говорила»), she was still so engrossed in these living creations of silks (она по-прежнему была настолько поглощена этими яркими созданиями из шелка: living — живой; яркий) and taffetas and chiffons (и тафты, и шифона) in heart-lifting colors (поднимающих дух = жизнерадостных цветов), daring cut (смелым кроем; to dare — сметь, осмеливаться) and stiff with cunning internal construction (и обладающих хитроумной внутренней конструкцией; stiff — тугой, негибкий, неэластичный, жесткий; плотный; переполненный, битком набитый) so that they appeared to stand almost by themselves (так что казалось, они стояли сами по себе) like creatures with a life of their own (как существа со своей собственной жизнью). "Coo," she gasped finally («ах», выдохнула она наконец), "ain't they beauties (разве они не прелесть; ain't = are not). I'll bet they didn't 'arf cost a packet (держу пари, они стоили кучу денег)."

conscious ['kOnSqs], engrossed [In'grqus], creature ['krJCq]

Mrs. Harris was hardly conscious that Lady Dant was speaking, she was still so engrossed in these living creations of silks and taffetas and chiffons in heart-lifting colors, daring cut and stiff with cunning internal construction so that they appeared to stand almost by themselves like creatures with a life of their own. "Coo," she gasped finally, "ain't they beauties. I'll bet they didn't 'arf cost a packet."

Lady Dant had been unable to resist the temptation to impress Mrs. Harris (леди Дант была не способна устоять перед соблазном произвести впечатление на миссис Харрис). London chars do not impress easily (лондонские уборщицы не впечатляются легко), in fact are the least impressionable people in the world (в действительности, они наименее впечатляемые люди в мире). She had always been a little afraid of Mrs. Harris (она всегда немного побаивалась миссис Харрис), and here was her chance to score (и тут был ее шанс выиграть/отыграться; score — зарубка, бороздка, метка; черта; счет очков /в игре/). She laughed her brittle laugh and said (она засмеялась своим нервным смехом и сказала: brittle — ломкий; нервный): "Well, yes, in a way (ну, да, в известном смысле). This one here (вот это) — 'Ivoire (цвет слоновой кости /фр./)' — cost three hundred fifty pounds (стоило 350 фунтов; to cost) and the big one, the red (а это большое, красное) — it's called 'Ravishing' (оно называется «Восторг») — came to around four hundred fifty (составило около 450). I always go to Dior, don't you think (я всегда покупаю у Диора, правда; to go — идти; обращаться)? Then, of course, you know you're right (только там знаешь, что сделал правильный выбор: «/только/ тогда, конечно, знаешь, что ты прав»)."

unable ['An'eIbl], laugh [lRf], of course ["Ov'kLs]

Lady Dant had been unable to resist the temptation to impress Mrs. Harris. London chars do not impress easily, in fact are the least impressionable people in the world. She had always been a little afraid of Mrs. Harris, and here was her chance to score. She laughed her brittle laugh and said: "Well, yes, in a way. This one here — 'Ivoire' — cost three hundred fifty pounds and the big one, the red — it's called 'Ravishing' — came to around four hundred fifty. I always go to Dior, don't you think? Then, of course, you know you're right."

"Four hundred fifty quid (450 фунтов стерлингов)," echoed Mrs. Harris (повторила эхом миссис Харрис), " 'ow would anyone ever get that much money (как кто-то может достать такие большие деньги: 'ow = how)?" She was not unfamiliar with Paris styles (она была знакома: «не была незнакома» с парижскими фасонами), for she was an assiduous reader of old fashion magazines sometimes presented to her by clients (потому что она была прилежной/неутомимой читательницей старых журналов мод, которые иногда ей дарили клиенты), and she had heard of Fath (и она слышала о Фате: to hear), Chanel and Balenciaga (Шанель и Баленсьяге), Carpentier (Карпентье), Lanvin and Dior (Ланвэне и Диоре), and the last-named now rang like a bell through her beauty-starved person (и последний из упомянутых сейчас звучал колоколом во всей ее жаждущей красоты душе: «личности»; to ring — звенеть; звучать).

unfamiliar ['Anfq'mIljq], assiduous [q'sIdjuqs], through [TrH]

"Four hundred fifty quid," echoed Mrs. Harris, " 'ow would anyone ever get that much money?" She was not unfamiliar with Paris styles, for she was an assiduous reader of old fashion magazines sometimes presented to her by clients, and she had heard of Fath, Chanel and Balenciaga, Carpentier, Lanvin and Dior, and the last-named now rang like a bell through her beauty-starved person.

For it was one thing to encounter photographs of dresses (потому что одно дело — увидеть фотографии платьев: to encounter — встречать; натолкнуться), leafing through the slick pages of Vogue or Elle (перелистывая блестящие страницы /журналов/ «Vogue» или «Elle»), where, whether in color or black and white (где в цвете или черно-белые), they were impersonal and as out of her world and her reach as the moon or the stars (они были обезличенными и такими же далекими от ее мира и досягаемости, как луна или звезды). It was quite another to come face to face with the real article (совсем другое — увидеть лицом к лицу реальную вещь; article — вещь, предмет; article of clothing — предмет одежды), to feast one's eyes upon its every clever stitch (радовать глаз каждым искусным стежком), to touch it (прикоснуться к нему), smell it (почувствовать его запах), love it (любить его), and suddenly to become consumed with the fires of desire (и вдруг быть поглощенным огнем страсти).

encounter [In'kauntq], quite [kwaIt], article ['a:tIkl], desire [dI'zaIq]

For it was one thing to encounter photographs of dresses, leafing through the slick pages of Vogue or Elle, where, whether in color or black and white, they were impersonal and as out of her world and her reach as the moon or the stars. It was quite another to come face to face with the real article, to feast one's eyes upon its every clever stitch, to touch it, smell it, love it, and suddenly to become consumed with the fires of desire.

Mrs. Harris was quite unaware (миссис Харрис не вполне осознавала; aware — знающий, осведомленный, сознающий; unaware — не знающий, не подозревающий) that in her reply to Lady Dant she had already given voice to a determination to possess a dress such as this (что в своем ответе леди Дант она уже выразила решимость иметь такое платье, как это; voice — голос; to give voice to smth. — выражать, высказывать что-л.). She had not meant (она не хотела сказать: «не подразумевала»; to mean) "How would anyone get that much money (как кто-то может достать такие большие деньги)?" but "How would I get that much money (а «как я добуду такие большие деньги)?" There, of course, was no answer to this (конечно, не было ответа на этот /вопрос/), or rather only one (или, вернее, только один /ответ/). One would have to win it (надо бы их выиграть). But the chances of this were likewise as remote as the planets (но вероятность этого была, похоже, так же далека, как планеты; remote — удаленный).