Английский язык с У. С. Моэмом. Мистер Всезнайка. Рассказы / W. S. Maugham. Mr. Know-All. Stories

"She’s worthy, she’s dowdy, she’s provincial. She looks twenty years older than I do and she’s quite capable of telling anyone she meets that we were at school together. She has an overwhelming sense of family affection, and because I am her only living connection she’s devoted to me. When she comes to London it never occurs to her that she should stay anywhere but here — she thinks it would hurt my feelings — and she’ll pay me visits of three or four weeks. We sit here and she knits and reads. And sometimes she insists on taking me to dine at Claridge’s and she looks like a funny old charwoman and everyone I particularly don’t want to be seen by is sitting at the next table. When we are driving home she says she loves giving me a little treat. With her own hands she makes me tea-cozies that I am forced to use when she is here and doilies and centrepieces for the dining-room table."

Mrs. Tower paused to take breath (миссис Тауэр сделала паузу, чтобы передохнуть/перевести дух; pause — остановка; пауза).

"I should have thought (я бы подумал) a woman of your tact would find a way to deal with a situation like that (что женщина вашего такта = с вашей тактичностью нашла бы способ разрешить/справиться с такой ситуацией: «с ситуацией как эта»; todealwith— бороться с чем-либо, стараться преодолеть, разрешать)."

"Ah, but don’t you see (ах, но вы не понимаете; tosee— видеть; понимать), I haven’t a chance (у меня нет никакого шанса). She’s so immeasurably kind (она так неизмеримо добра). She has a heart of gold (у нее золотое сердце: «сердце из золота»). She bores me to death (она вводит меня в смертную скуку; tobore— сверлить; надоедать, докучать), but I wouldn’t for anything let her suspect it (но я ни за что не позволила бы ей заподозрить это)."

"And when does she arrive (а когда она приезжает)?"

"To-morrow (завтра)."

But the answer was hardly out of Mrs. Tower’s mouth (и только этот ответ слетел с губ миссис Тауэр; hardly — едва) when the bell rang (как прозвенел звонок). There were sounds in the hall of a slight commotion (из холла донеслись звуки легкой суеты) and in a minute or two the butler ushered in an elderly lady (и через минуту или две дворецкий ввел почтенную даму).

"Mrs. Fowler (миссис Фоулер)," he announced (объявил он).

immeasurably [I'meZqrqblI], arrive [q'raIv], commotion [kq'mquSn]

Mrs. Tower paused to take breath.

"I should have thought a woman of your tact would find a way to deal with a situation like that."

"Ah, but don’t you see, I haven’t a chance. She’s so immeasurably kind. She has a heart of gold. She bores me to death, but I wouldn’t for anything let her suspect it."

"And when does she arrive?"

"To-morrow."

But the answer was hardly out of Mrs. Tower’s mouth when the bell rang. There were sounds in the hall of a slight commotion and in a minute or two the butler ushered in an elderly lady.

"Mrs. Fowler," he announced.

"Jane!" cried Mrs. Tower (воскликнула миссис Тауэр; to cry — кричать, вопить; воскликнуть), springing to her feet (вскакивая на ноги; to spring — прыгать; подскакивать) "I wasn’t expecting you to-day (я не ждала тебя сегодня)."