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

As soon as Miss Fannie and Miss Annie had so fixed the ladders (как скоро мисс Фанни и мисс Анни так установили лестницы) that they seemed to be standing with one end on the earth (что они казались стоящими одним концом на земле) and the other leaning on the sky (а другим прислоненным к небу), Mrs Corry picked up her skirts and the paintbrush in one hand (миссис Корри подобрала свои юбки и кисть в одну руку) and the pail of glue in the other (а ведро клея в другую). Then she set her foot on the lowest rung of one of the ladders (затем она поставила свою ногу на самую низкую ступень лестниц) and began to climb it (и начала подниматься по ней). Mary Poppins, carrying her basket (неся свою корзину), climbed the other (поднималась по другой).

clover ['klquvq] glue [glu:] basket ['bQ:skIt] climb [klaIm]

Jane and Michael saw all four of them go down Cherry Tree Lane, and then they turned a little to the left and went up the hill. When they got to the top of the hill, where there were no houses but only grass and clover, they stopped.

Miss Annie put down her pail of glue, and Miss Fannie swung the ladders from her shoulder and steadied them until both stood in an upright position.Then she held one and Miss Annie the other.

“What on earth are they going to do?” said Michael, gaping. But there was no need for Jane to reply, for he could see for himself what was happening.

As soon as Miss Fannie and Miss Annie had so fixed the ladders that they seemed to be standing with one end on the earth and the other leaning on the sky, Mrs Corry picked up her skirts and the paintbrush in one hand and the pail of glue in the other. Then she set her foot on the lowest rung of one of the ladders and began to climb it. Mary Poppins, carrying her basket, climbed the other.

Then Jane and Michael saw a most amazing sight (затем Джейн и Майкл увидели самое удивительное зрелище; to amaze — изумлять, поражать, удивлять). As soon as she arrived at the top of her ladder (как только она прибыла на верхушку лестницы = добралась до верхушки лестницы), Mrs Corry dipped her brush into the glue (миссис Корри окунула кисть в клей) and began slapping the sticky substance against the sky (и начала шлепать липкое вещество о небо). And Mary Poppins, when this had been done (когда это было сделано), took something shiny from her basket (достала что-то сияющее из своей корзины) and fixed it to the glue (и прикрепила это на клей). When she took her hand away (когда она убрала руку) they saw (они увидели) that she was sticking the Gingerbread Stars to the sky (что она приклеивает Пряничные Звезды к небу). As each one was placed in position (как только каждая была помещена на место = размещена) it began to twinkle furiously (она начинала блестеть/сверкать неистово), sending out rays of sparkling golden light (испуская лучи сверкающего золотого света; to send — посылать; to sparkle — искриться; сверкать).

“They’re ours (они — наши)!” said Michael breathlessly (сказал Майкл, затаив дыхание: «бездыханно»). “They’re our stars (они — наши звезды). She thought we were asleep (она подумала, что мы спим) and came in and took them (и вошла и взяла их)!”

But Jane was silent (но Джейн молчала: «была безмолвной»). She was watching (она наблюдала) Mrs Corry splashing the glue on the sky (как миссис Корри размазывала клей по небу) and Mary Poppins sticking on the stars (а Мэри Поппинс наклеивала звезды) and Miss Fannie and Miss Annie moving the ladders to a new position (а мисс Фанни и мисс Анни двигали лестницу в новое положение) as the spaces in the sky became filled up (как только пространства/промежутки в небе становились заполненными; tobecome — становиться).

sight [saIt] substance ['sAbst(q)ns] twinkle [twIŋkl]

Then Jane and Michael saw a most amazing sight. As soon as she arrived at the top of her ladder, Mrs Corry dipped her brush into the glue and began slapping the sticky substance against the sky. And Mary Poppins, when this had been done, took something shiny from her basket and fixed it to the glue. When she took her hand away they saw that she was sticking the Gingerbread Stars to the sky. As each one was placed in position it began to twinkle furiously, sending out rays of sparkling golden light.

“They’re ours!” said Michael breathlessly. “They’re our stars. She thought we were asleep and came in and took them!”

But Jane was silent. She was watching Mrs Corry splashing the glue on the sky and Mary Poppins sticking on the stars and Miss Fannie and Miss Annie moving the ladders to a new position as the spaces in the sky became filled up.