Английский с Уилки Коллинзом. Женщина из сна

In three weeks we had talked matters over (за три недели мы обсудили дела), and had arranged how I was to make a clean breast of it at home (и договорились, как я расскажу об этом дома; to arrange – приводить в порядок; устраивать, организовывать; договариваться; to make a clean breast of – чистосердечно признаться, выложить все начистоту: «сделать чистую совесть»; breast – грудь; сердце, душа, совесть). By Alicia’s advice, I was to describe her as having been one of my fellow servants (по совету Алисии я должен был представить ее как одну из служанок; to describe – описывать; характеризовать; fellow servants – слуги одного хозяина; fellow – /разг./ человек, парень; собрат, коллега; принадлежащий к той же группе /людей/) during the time I was employed under my kind master and mistress in London (/которую я встретил/ в то время, когда служил у моих славных хозяина и хозяйки в Лондоне; during – в течение, во время; to employ – нанимать; держать на службе). There was no fear now of my mother taking any harm from the shock of a great surprise (теперь не было страха, что матушке нанесет какой-либо вред потрясение от большой неожиданности).

 You have known what it is to try and remember a forgotten name – and to fail, search as you may, to find it in your mind. That was my case. I failed to find my lost face, just as you failed to find your lost name.

In three weeks we had talked matters over, and had arranged how I was to make a clean breast of it at home. By Alicia’s advice, I was to describe her as having been one of my fellow servants during the time I was employed under my kind master and mistress in London. There was no fear now of my mother taking any harm from the shock of a great surprise.