George has bought some new things for this trip, and I'm rather vexed about them. The blazer is loud. I should not like George to know that I thought so, but there really is no other word for it. He brought it home and showed it to us on Thursday evening. We asked him what colour he called it, and he said he didn't know. He didn't think there was a name for the colour. The man had told him it was an Oriental design. George put it on, and asked us what we thought of it. Harris said that, as an object to hang over a flower-bed in early spring to frighten the birds away, he should respect it; but that, considered as an article of dress for any human being, except a Margate nigger, it made him ill. George got quite huffy; but, as Harris said, if he didn't want his opinion, why did he ask for it?

What troubles Harris and myself, with regard to it, is that we are afraid it will attract attention to the boat.

Girls, also, don't look half bad in a boat, if prettily dressed (девушки тоже не выглядят плохо = производят хорошее впечатление в лодке, когда красиво одеты; half — наполовину, недостаточно). Nothing is more fetching, to my thinking, than a tasteful boating costume (нет ничего более привлекательного, по моему мнению, чем /сшитый/ со вкусом лодочный костюм). But a "boating costume," it would be as well if all ladies would understand (но «лодочный костюм», было бы хорошо, если бы все дамы понимали; as well — с таким же успехом, также; лучше), ought to be a costume that can be worn in a boat (должен быть костюмом, который можно носить в лодке; to wear), and not merely under a glass-case (а не только под = за витриной). It utterly spoils an excursion if you have folk in the boat (это полностью портит всю поездку, если у вас в лодке есть люди; utterly — чрезвычайно, совершенно) who are thinking all the time a good deal more of their dress than of the trip (которые думают все время о своих платьях, а не о путешествии; a good deal — много, множество; сильно). It was my misfortune once to go for a water picnic with two ladies of this kind (моим несчастьем было однажды отправиться на речной пикник с двумя дамами этого сорта). We did have a lively time (ну и повеселились же мы: «у нас было веселое время»; lively — живой, энергичный; яркий, веселый)!

They were both beautifully got up (они обе были красиво наряжены; to get up — вставать, подниматься; нарядно, тщательно одевать) — all lace and silky stuff (все кружева и шелка; stuff — ткань, материал), and flowers, and ribbons (цветы и ленты), and dainty shoes, and light gloves (изящные туфли и светлые перчатки). But they were dressed for a photographic studio, not for a river picnic (но они были одеты для фотоателье = для фотографии, а не для речного пикника). They were the "boating costumes" of a French fashion-plate (это были «лодочные костюмы» с французской модной картинки). It was ridiculous, fooling about in them anywhere near real earth, air, and water (было смешно находиться в них где-нибудь возле настоящей земли, воздуха и воды; to fool about — играть, забавляться, болтаться без дела).

misfortune [ms'f:n] studio ['stju:du]

Girls, also, don't look half bad in a boat, if prettily dressed. Nothing is more fetching, to my thinking, than a tasteful boating costume. But a "boating costume," it would be as well if all ladies would understand, ought to be a costume that can be worn in a boat, and not merely under a glass-case. It utterly spoils an excursion if you have folk in the boat who are thinking all the time a good deal more of their dress than of the trip. It was my misfortune once to go for a water picnic with two ladies of this kind. We did have a lively time!