Английский язык с миссис Харрис, или платье от Диора

The cab driver chose to deposit Mrs. Harris at the latter, reserved for the genuinely loaded clientele, figuring his passenger to be at the very least an English countess or milady. He charged her no more than the amount registered on the clock and forbore to tip himself more than fifty francs, mindful of the warning of the Airways man. Then crying to her gaily the only English he knew, which was " 'Ow do you do," he drove off, leaving her standing on the sidewalk before the place that had occupied her yearnings and dreams and ambitions for the past three years.

And a strange misgiving stirred (и странное опасение шевельнулось) in the thin breast beneath the tan twill coat (в худощавой груди под желтовато-коричневым саржевым пальто). It was no store at all (это был совершенно не /такой/ магазин), like Selfridge's on Oxford Street (как /магазин/ Селфриджа на Оксфорд-Стрит), or Harrod's (или Харрода), or Marks & Spencer (или «Маркс и Спенсер»), where she did her shopping (где она делала покупки) and which was the S. J. Klein of London (и который был С.Дж. Клейном Лондона), not a proper store at all (совершенно необычный магазин), with windows for display (с витринами для демонстрации /товаров/) and wax figures with pearly smiles and pink cheeks (и восковыми фигурами с жемчужными улыбками и розовыми щеками), arms outstretched in elegant attitudes (с руками, вытянутыми в элегантных позах) to show off the clothes that were for sale (чтобы показать в выгодном свете одежду, которая была в продаже). There was nothing (ничего не было), nothing at all (совсем ничего), but some windows shaded by ruffled gray curtains (только несколько окон, прикрытых: «затемненных» присборенными серыми занавесками; ruffle — рябь; to ruffle — рябить /воду/; гофрировать, собирать в сборки) and a door with an iron grille behind the glass (и дверь с металлической решеткой позади стекла). True (правда), in the keystone above the arch of the entrance (на замковом камне над аркой входа) were chiseled the words CHRISTIAN DIOR (были высечены слова КРИСТИАН ДИОР), but no other identification (но никаких других опознавательных знаков).

stir [stW], pearly ['pWlI], chisel [CIzl]

And a strange misgiving stirred in the thin breast beneath the tan twill coat. It was no store at all, like Selfridge's on Oxford Street, or Harrod's, or Marks & Spencer, where she did her shopping and which was the S. J. Klein of London, not a proper store at all, with windows for display and wax figures with pearly smiles and pink cheeks, arms outstretched in elegant attitudes to show off the clothes that were for sale. There was nothing, nothing at all, but some windows shaded by ruffled gray curtains and a door with an iron grille behind the glass. True, in the keystone above the arch of the entrance were chiseled the words CHRISTIAN DIOR, but no other identification.

When you have desired something as deeply (когда вы желали чего-то так же сильно; deeply — глубоко; очень/сильно) as Mrs. Harris had longed for her Paris dress (как миссис Харрис страстно желала свое парижское платье), and for such a time (и в течение такого времени), and when at last that deep-rooted feminine yearning (и когда наконец это глубоко укоренившееся женское чаяние) is about to taste the sweetness of fulfillment (вот-вот вкусит сладость осуществления), every moment attending its achievement becomes acute and indelibly memorable (каждый миг, сопутствующий его исполнению, становится острым = пронзительным и неизгладимо запоминающимся; indelible — незабываемый/неизгладимый).

achievement [q'CJvmqnt], indelibly [In'delIblI], memorable ['memqrqbl]

When you have desired something as deeply as Mrs. Harris had longed for her Paris dress, and for such a time, and when at last that deep-rooted feminine yearning is about to taste the sweetness of fulfillment, every moment attending its achievement becomes acute and indelibly memorable.