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Then I turned and fled, and as I sped I heard him calling to me:

"Oh, come and see the skulls; come back and see the skulls!"

Harris, however, revels in tombs, and graves, and epitaphs, and monumental inscriptions, and the thought of not seeing Mrs. Thomas's grave made him crazy. He said he had looked forward to seeing Mrs. Thomas's grave from the first moment that the trip was proposed — said he wouldn't have joined if it hadn't been for the idea of seeing Mrs. Thomas's tomb.

I reminded him of George, and how we had to get the boat up to Shepperton by five o'clock to meet him, and then he went for George. Why was George to fool about all day, and leave us to lug this lumbering old top-heavy barge up and down the river by ourselves to meet him? Why couldn't George come and do some work? Why couldn't he have got the day off, and come down with us? Bank be blowed! What good was he at the bank?


"I never see him doing any work there (никогда не видел, чтобы он делал какую-нибудь работу там)," continued Harris (продолжал Гаррис), "whenever I go in (когда бы я ни заходил). He sits behind a bit of glass all day (он сидит за стеклом весь день), trying to look as if he was doing something (пытаясь выглядеть = сделать вид, будто что-то делает). What's the good of a man behind a bit of glass (какая польза от человека за стеклом)? I have to work for my living (я должен зарабатывать на жизнь). Why can't he work (почему он не может работать)? What use is he there, and what's the good of their banks (какой от него там толк, и какая польза от их банков)? They take your money, and then, when you draw a cheque (они берут ваши деньги, а потом, когда вы выписываете чек), they send it back smeared all over with `No effects,' `Refer to drawer (они отсылают его назад, весь исписанный /надписями/ «нет средств», «обратитесь к чекодателю»; to smear — мазать толстым слоем; марать).' What's the good of that? That's the sort of trick they served me twice last week (этот фокус они проделали со мной дважды на прошлой неделе; to serve — обслуживать; поступать с, обходиться). I'm not going to stand it much longer (я не собираюсь больше это терпеть). I shall withdraw my account (я закрою свой счет; to withdraw — отбирать, отзывать, брать назад). If he was here, we could go and see that tomb (если бы он был здесь, мы смогли бы посмотреть эту могилу). I don't believe he's at the bank at all (я не верю, что он вообще в банке). He's larking about somewhere, that's what he's doing (он забавляется = прохлаждается где-нибудь, вот что он делает), leaving us to do all the work (а нам оставляет всю работу). I'm going to get out, and have a drink (я собираюсь пойти выпить /чего-нибудь/)."


"I never see him doing any work there," continued Harris, "whenever I go in. He sits behind a bit of glass all day, trying to look as if he was doing something. What's the good of a man behind a bit of glass? I have to work for my living. Why can't he work? What use is he there, and what's the good of their banks? They take your money, and then, when you draw a cheque, they send it back smeared all over with `No effects,' `Refer to drawer.' What's the good of that? That's the sort of trick they served me twice last week. I'm not going to stand it much longer. I shall withdraw my account. If he was here, we could go and see that tomb. I don't believe he's at the bank at all. He's larking about somewhere, that's what he's doing, leaving us to do all the work. I'm going to get out, and have a drink."


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