Английский язык с П. Треверс. Мэри Поппинс / P. L. Travers: Mary Poppins

They were walking up Ludgate Hill on the way to pay a visit to Mr Banks in the City. For he had said that morning to Mrs Banks:

“My dear, if it doesn’t rain I think Jane and Michael might call for me at the Office today — that is, if you are agreeable. I have a feeling I should like to be taken to Tea and Shortbread Fingers and it’s not often I have a Treat.”

And Mrs Banks had said she would think about it.

But all day long, though Jane and Michael had watched her anxiously, she had not seemed to be thinking about it at all. From the things she said, she was thinking about the Laundry Bill and Michael’s new overcoat and where was Aunt Flossie’s address, and why did that wretched Mrs Jackson ask her to tea on the second Thursday of the month when she knew that was the very day Mrs Banks had to go to the Dentist’s?

Suddenly (внезапно), when they felt quite sure (когда они чувствовали вполне уверенно = наверняка) she would never think about Mr Banks’ treat (/что/ она вовсе не думала о пиршестве мистера Бэнкса), she said:

“Now, children (теперь, дети), don’t stand staring at me like that (не стойте, уставившись на меня вот так). Get your things on (одевайте свой вещи). You are going to the City to have tea with your Father (вы идете в город пить чай с вашим отцом). Had you forgotten (вы забыли)?”

As if they could have forgotten (как будто они могли бы забыть)! For it was not as though it were only the Tea (поскольку это было не только чаепитие: «не так, как будто это было только чаепитие») that mattered (которое имело значение). There was also the Bird Woman (была также птичница), and she herself was the best of all Treats (и она сама по себе была лучшим из пиршеств).

That is why they were walking up Ludgate Hill (вот почему они шли вверх по Ладгейт Хилл) and feeling very excited (и чувствовали себя очень взволнованными/возбужденными).

Mary Poppins walked between them (Мэри Поппинс шла между ними), wearing her new hat (в своей новой шляпе: «нося = имея надетой свою новую шляпу») and looking very distinguished (и выглядя очень безупречно). Every now and then she would look into the shop window (каждую минуту: «сейчас и потом» она смотрела в витрину) just to make sure (/чтобы/ просто удостовериться) the hat was still there (что шляпа была все еще здесь) and that the pink roses on it had not turned into common flowers like marigolds (и что розовые розы на ней не превратились в обыкновенные цветы, /такие/ как бархатцы/ноготки).

Every time she stopped to make sure (каждый раз, когда она останавливалась, чтобы убедиться), Jane and Michael would sigh (Джейн и Майкл вздыхали), but they did not dare say anything for fear (но они не смели сказать что-либо из-за страха) she would spend even longer looking at herself in the windows (что она проведет даже больше /времени/, глядя на себя в витрины), and turning this way and that to see (и поворачиваясь так и сяк, чтобы посмотреть) which attitude was the most becoming (какая осанка наиболее подобающая; to become — быть к лицу, идти /о предмете, одежде/).

suddenly ['sAdnlI] distinguished [dis'tIŋgwI∫t] fear [fIq]

Suddenly, when they felt quite sure she would never think about Mr Banks’ treat, she said:

“Now, children, don’t stand staring at me like that. Get your things on. You are going to the City to have tea with your Father. Had you forgotten?”

As if they could have forgotten! For it was not as though it were only the Tea that mattered. There was also the Bird Woman, and she herself was the best of all Treats.

That is why they were walking up Ludgate Hill and feeling very excited.

Mary Poppins walked between them, wearing her new hat and looking very distinguished. Every now and then she would look into the shop window just to make sure the hat was still there and that the pink roses on it had not turned into common flowers like marigolds.

Every time she stopped to make sure, Jane and Michael would sigh, but they did not dare say anything for fear she would spend even longer looking at herself in the windows, and turning this way and that to see which attitude was the most becoming.

But at last they came to St Paul’s Cathedral (но наконец они пришли к Собору Святого Павла), which was built a long time ago (который был построен давно: «долгое время назад»; to build — строить) by a man with a bird’s name (человеком с птичьим именем). Wren it was (это был Рен: «Крапивник»; wren — крапивник; любая небольшая певчая птичка), but he was no relation to Jenny (но он не был родственником Дженни). That is why so many birds live near Sir Christopher Wren’s Cathedral (вот почему много птиц жило рядом с Собором сэра Христофера Рена), which also belongs to St Paul (который также относится к Собору Святого Павла), and that is why the Bird Woman lives there, too (и вот почему птичница жила там тоже).