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

Mrs. Fowler came in. She wore a very stiff black silk dress with a wide skirt and a train. At the neck it was cut into a timid V and the sleeves came down to the elbows. She wore a necklace of diamonds set in silver. She carried in her hands a long pair of black gloves and a fan of black ostrich feathers. She managed (as so few people do) to look exactly what she was. You could never have thought her anything in the world but the respectable relict of a north-country manufacturer of ample means.

"You’ve really got quite a pretty neck, Jane (у тебя действительно довольно красивая шея, Джейн)," said Mrs. Tower with a kindly smile (сказала миссис Тауэр с доброжелательной улыбкой).

It was indeed astonishingly young (шея в самом деле была = выглядела изумительно молодой; to astonish — удивлять, изумлять) when you compared it with her weather-beaten face (если вы сравнивали ее = еслисравнить с ее обветренным лицом; weather-beaten — поврежденныйбурями; обветренный). It was smooth and unlined (она была гладкой и без морщин: «не морщинистой»; lined — морщинистый) and the skin was white (а кожа — белой). And I noticed then that her head was very well placed on her shoulders (и /кроме того/ я заметил, что ее голова очень хорошо размещена = сидит на ее плечах).

"Has Marion told you my news (Мэрион /уже/ рассказала вам мою новость)?" — she said (спросила она), turning to me (поворачиваясь ко мне) with that really charming smile of hers as if we were already old friends (с такой действительно очаровательной улыбкой, будто мы уже были старыми друзьями).

"I must congratulate you (должен вас поздравить)," I said.

"Wait to do that till you’ve seen my young man (подождите делать это, пока не увидите моего молодого человека/возлюбленного)."

"I think it’s too sweet to hear you talk of your young man (мне кажется/я думаю, очень приятно/мило слышать, как ты говоришь о своем возлюбленном: «молодом человеке»)," smiled Mrs. Tower.

Mrs. Fowler’s eyes certainly twinkled behind her preposterous spectacles (глаза миссис Фоулер определенно сверкнули за стеклами ее нелепых очков).

"Don’t expect anyone too old (не ожидайте кого-нибудь слишком старого). You wouldn’t like me to marry a decrepit old gentleman with one foot in the grave (вы же не хотите, чтобы я вышла за дряхлого старика: «старого джентльмена», стоящего одной ногой в могиле), would you (не так ли)?"

weather-beaten ['weDqbJtn], preposterous [prI'pOstrqs], decrepit [dI'krepIt]

"You’ve really got quite a pretty neck, Jane," said Mrs. Tower with a kindly smile.

It was indeed astonishingly young when you compared it with her weather-beaten face. It was smooth and unlined and the skin was white. And I noticed then that her head was very well placed on her shoulders.

"Has Marion told you my news?" — she said, turning to me with that really charming smile of hers as if we were already old friends.

"I must congratulate you," I said.

"Wait to do that till you’ve seen my young man."

"I think it’s too sweet to hear you talk of your young man," smiled Mrs. Tower.

Mrs. Fowler’s eyes certainly twinkled behind her preposterous spectacles.

"Don’t expect anyone too old. You wouldn’t like me to marry a decrepit old gentleman with one foot in the grave, would you?"