“‘Lots of people act well
(многие /люди/ поступают хорошо; to act — действовать, вести себя),’ answered the Miller (ответил Мельник); ‘but very few people talk well (но очень немногие /люди/ хорошо говорят), which shows (что показывает) that talking is much the more difficult thing of the two (что разговор — гораздо более сложная вещь из двух), and much the finer thing also (и гораздо более изящная вещь, к тому же; fine — ясный; утонченный, изящный)’; and he looked sternly (и он сурово посмотрел) across the table at his little son (через стол на своего маленького сына), who felt so ashamed of himself (которому было так за себя стыдно; to feel (felt), shame — стыд, позор; ashamed — пристыженный) that he hung his head down (что он склонил голову; to hang (hung, hanged) — вешать, to hang one's head down — стыдиться, повесить голову), and grew quite scarlet (и совершенно покраснел; to grow (grew, grown) — расти; делаться, становиться; scarlet — ярко-красный; раскрасневшийся), and began to cry into his tea (и начал плакать в свой чай = и слезы стали капать в /его/ чай). However, he was so young (однако он был настолько мал: «молод») that you must excuse him (что вы должны извинить/простить его).”“Is that the end of the story
(это конец всей истории)?” asked the Water-rat (спросила Водяная Крыса).“Certainly not
(конечно же нет),” answered the Linnet (ответила Коноплянка), “that is the beginning (это только начало).”
ashamed [
ə'∫eimd] scarlet ['skα:lit] excuse [ik'skju:z]
“‘Lots of people act well,’ answered the Miller; ‘but very few people talk well, which shows that talking is much the more difficult thing of the two, and much the finer thing also’; and he looked sternly across the table at his little son, who felt so ashamed of himself that he hung his head down, and grew quite scarlet, and began to cry into his tea. However, he was so young that you must excuse him.”
“Is that the end of the story?” asked the Water-rat.
“Certainly not,” answered the Linnet, “that is the beginning.”