barrier ['baer] contradict [,kntr'dkt]

They say that the hills on each ride of the stream here once joined and formed a barrier across what is now the Thames, and that then the river ended there above Goring in one vast lake. I am not in a position either to contradict or affirm this statement. I simply offer it.

It is an ancient place, Streatley, dating back, like most river-side towns and villages, to British and Saxon times. Goring is not nearly so pretty a little spot to stop at as Streatley, if you have your choice; but it is passing fair enough in its way, and is nearer the railway in case you want to slip off without paying your hotel bill.

CHAPTER XVII

(глава семнадцатая)

Washing day (день стирки). — Fish and fishers (рыба и рыбаки). — On the art of angling (об искусстве ужения). — A conscientious fly-fisher (честный удильщик на муху; conscientious — добросовестный, сознательный, честный). — A fishy story (неправдоподобная: «рыбная» история).

Washing day. — Fish and fishers. — On the art of angling. — A conscientious fly-fisher. — A fishy story.

WE stayed two days at Streatley, and got our clothes washed (мы оставались в Стритли два дня и отдали нашу одежду в стирку). We had tried washing them ourselves, in the river, under George's superintendence, and it had been a failure (мы попробовали стирать ее сами, в реке, под надзором Джорджа, и это /окончилось/ неудачей; superintendence — надзор, контроль; наблюдение, управление). Indeed, it had been more than a failure, because we were worse off after we had washed our clothes than we were before (действительно, это было больше, чем неудача, потому что мы оказались в более затруднительном положении после того, как постирали одежду, чем были раньше). Before we had washed them, they had been very, very dirty, it is true (до того, как мы постирали их, вещи были очень, очень грязными, это правда); but they were just wearable (но они все же были пригодными для ношения). After we had washed them (после того, как мы постирали их) — well, the river between Reading and Henley was much cleaner (река между Рэдингом и Хенли стала намного чище), after we had washed our clothes in it, than it was before (после того, как мы постирали нашу одежду в ней, чем была раньше). All the dirt contained in the river between Reading and Henley (всю грязь, что содержалась в реке между Рэдингом и Хенли), we collected, during that wash, and worked it into our clothes (мы собрали во время стирки и втиснули/вмыли в нашу одежду).

wearable ['werbl] conscientious [,kn'ens]

WE stayed two days at Streatley, and got our clothes washed. We had tried washing them ourselves, in the river, under George's superintendence, and it had been a failure. Indeed, it had been more than a failure, because we were worse off after we had washed our clothes than we were before. Before we had washed them, they had been very, very dirty, it is true; but they were just wearable. After we had washed them — well, the river between Reading and Henley was much cleaner, after we had washed our clothes in it, than it was before. All the dirt contained in the river between Reading and Henley, we collected, during that wash, and worked it into our clothes.