"Two teas, please, miss," he ordered. "Anything to eat?" And when Julia declined:
"Scone and butter for one, miss."
Julia was able now to have a good look at him. Though stocky and short he had
good features, his black hair was plastered down on his head and he had fine eyes,
but his teeth were poor and his pale skin gave him an unhealthy look. There was a
sort of impudence in his manner that Julia did not much like, but then, as she
sensibly reflected, you could hardly expect the modesty of the violet in a young
man who picked you up in the Edgware Road.
"Before we go any further let's 'ave this autograph, eh? Do it now, that's my
motto."
He took a fountain pen from his pocket (он достал авторучку из своего кармана;
pocket-book a large card (и из разбухшей записной книжки: «бумажника» —
большую карточку;
"One of our trade cards (одна из наших фирменных карточек;
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Julia thought it silly to carry the subterfuge to this length (Джулия думала, что
было глупым растягивать уловку /для знакомства с ней/ до такой длины;
signed her name on the back of the card (но она добродушно написала свое имя
на обороте карточки).
"Do you collect autographs (вы собираете автографы)?" she asked him with a
subtle smile (спросила она его с нежной улыбкой).
"Me (я)? Noa (не-а). I think it's a lot of tommy rot (я думаю, что это просто
чушь: «куча нелепостей»). My young lady does (моя девушка
/коллекционирует/;
got Charlie Chaplin and Douglas Fairbanks and I don't know what all (у нее есть
/автографы/ Чарли Чаплина и Дугласа Фербенкса и я не знаю, кого еще:
«каких всех»). Show you 'er photo if you like (покажу вам ее фото, если хотите;
From his pocket-book (из своего бумажника) he extracted a snapshot of a rather
pert-looking young woman (он извлек моментальный снимок довольно-таки
развязно выглядевшей молодой женщины) showing all her teeth in a cinema
smile (показывающей все свои зубы в киношной улыбке).
"Pretty (хорошенькая)," said Julia.
fountain ['faVntIn] bulging ['bAldZIN] snapshot ['snxpSOt]
He took a fountain pen from his pocket and from a bulging pocket-book a large
card.
"One of our trade cards," he said. "That'll do O.K."
Julia thought it silly to carry the subterfuge to this length, but she good-
humouredly signed her name on the back of the card.
"Do you collect autographs?" she asked him with a subtle smile.
"Me? Noa. I think it's a lot of tommy rot. My young lady does. She's got Charlie
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Chaplin and Douglas Fairbanks and I don't know what all. Show you 'er photo if
you like."
From his pocket-book he extracted a snapshot of a rather pert-looking young
woman showing all her teeth in a cinema smile.
"Pretty," said Julia.
"And how (и какая). We're going to the pictures tonight (мы пойдем в кино
сегодня вечером). She will be surprised when I give her your autograph (она
будет так удивлена, когда я дам ей ваш автограф). The first thing I said to
meself when I knew it was you was (первое, что я сказал себе, когда я понял,
что это были вы, так это то), I'll get Julia Lambert's autograph for Gwen or die in
the attempt (что я заполучу автограф Джулии Лэмберт для Гвен или умру при
попытке). We're going to get married in August (мы собираемся пожениться в
августе), when I 'ave my 'oliday, you know (когда у меня будет отпуск, знаете
ли;
'oneymoon (мы собираемся на остров Уайт на медовый месяц;
повеселюсь: «я буду иметь редкостное множество веселья» с ней по этому
поводу;
I tell her you an' me 'ad tea together (она не поверит мне, когда я скажу ей, /что/
вы и я пили чай вместе;
подумает, что я смеюсь над ней;