It contained a party of provincial `Arrys and `Arriets, out for a moonlight sail. (There was not any moon, but that was not their fault). I never saw more attractive, lovable people in all my life. I hailed them, and asked if they could tell me the way to Wallingford lock; and I explained that I had been looking for it for the last two hours.

"Wallingford lock!" they answered (ответили они). "Lor' love you, sir, that's been done away with for over a year (Господь с вами: «Господь любит вас», сэр, с ним разделались больше года назад; Lor` = Lord; to do away with — покончить с, уничтожить). There ain't no Wallingford lock now, sir (больше нет Уоллингфордского шлюза, сэр). You're close to Cleeve now (вы теперь недалеко от Клива). Blow me tight if `ere ain't a gentleman been looking for Wallingford lock, Bill (да чтоб меня разорвало, Билл, если этот джентльмен не ищет Уоллингфордский шлюз; `ere = here)!"

I had never thought of that (я об этом не думал). I wanted to fall upon all their necks and bless them (я хотел броситься им всем на шею и благословить их); but the stream was running too strong just there to allow of this (но течение было там слишком сильным, чтобы допустить это = не позволяло этого), so I had to content myself with mere cold-sounding words of gratitude (поэтому мне пришлось довольствоваться только холодными: «холодно звучащими» словами благодарности).

We thanked them over and over again (мы благодарили их снова и снова), and we said it was a lovely night, and we wished them a pleasant trip (сказали, что /сегодня/ чудесная ночь, и пожелали им приятной прогулки), and, I think, I invited them all to come and spend a week with me (и, кажется, я пригласил их всех прийти провести неделю со мной = в гости на неделю), and my cousin said her mother would be so pleased to see them (а моя кузина сказала, ее мама будет очень рада их видеть). And we sang the soldiers' chorus out of Faust, and got home in time for supper, after all (и мы запели хор солдат из Фауста и попали домой вовремя к ужину, в конце концов;).

gratitude ['raettju:d] soldier ['sul] chorus ['k:rs]

"Wallingford lock!" they answered. "Lor' love you, sir, that's been done away with for over a year. There ain't no Wallingford lock now, sir. You're close to Cleeve now. Blow me tight if `ere ain't a gentleman been looking for Wallingford lock, Bill!"

I had never thought of that. I wanted to fall upon all their necks and bless them; but the stream was running too strong just there to allow of this, so I had to content myself with mere cold-sounding words of gratitude.

We thanked them over and over again, and we said it was a lovely night, and we wished them a pleasant trip, and, I think, I invited them all to come and spend a week with me, and my cousin said her mother would be so pleased to see them. And we sang the soldiers' chorus out of Faust, and got home in time for supper, after all.

CHAPTER X

(глава десятая)