In a family album, a multitude of the old-fashioned, the dingy, the earnest and cheery features of

constant readers. Martins looked behind him, but the door had closed.

He said desperately to Mr. Crabbin (он сказал отчаянно мистеру Крэббину), "I'm sorry

(извините: «я сожалею»), but (но)..."

"Don't think any more about it (не думайте сколько-нибудь больше об этом)," Mr. Crabbin

said (мистер Крэббин сказал). "One cup of coffee (одна чашка кофе) and then let's go on to

the discussion (и затем давайте перейдем: «пойдем дальше» к дискуссии). We have a very

good gathering tonight (у нас очень хорошее собрание сегодня). They'll put you on your

mettle, Mr. Dexter (они вас воодушевят: «поставят вас на ваш темперамент», мистер

Декстер)." One of the young men placed a cup in his hand (один из молодых людей вложил

чашку в его руку; to place – помещать), the other shovelled in sugar before he could say he

preferred his coffee unsweetened (другой насыпал внутрь сахар прежде (чем) он мог сказать

(что) он предпочитал свой кофе неподслащенным). The youngest man breathed into his ear

(самый молодой человек продышал в его ухо), "Afterwards would you mind signing one of

your books, Mr. Dexter (потом вы бы (не) возражали подписать одну из ваших книг, мистер

Декстер)?" A large woman in black silk bore down upon him and said (большая женщина в

черном шелке набросилась на него и сказала; to bear down – наброситься), "I don't mind if

the Grдfin does hear me, Mr. Dexter (я не возражаю если графиня все-таки слышит меня,

мистер Декстер), but I don't like your books (но я не люблю ваши книги), I don't approve of

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them (я не одобряю их). I think a novel should tell a good story (я думаю роман должен

рассказывать хорошую историю)."

"So do I (я тоже (так думаю))," Martins said hopelessly (Мартинс сказал безнадежно).

"Now Mrs. Bannock, wait for question time (ну, миссис Бэннок, подождите времени (для)

вопросов)."

"I know I'm downright (я знаю (что) я откровенна), but I'm sure Mr. Dexter values honest

criticism (но я уверена (что) мистер Декстер ценит честную критику)."

An old lady, who he supposed was the Grдfin (старая дама которая он подозревал была

графиней), said (сказала), "I do not read many English books, Mr. Dexter (я не читаю много

английских книг, мистер Декстер), but I am told that yours (но мне говорили что ваши)..."

"Do you mind drinking up (вы не возражаете (против того чтобы) выпить (до дна))?"

Crabbin said and hustled him through into an inner room (Крэббин сказал и протолкал его

«через» во внутреннюю комнату) where a number of elderly people were sitting on a semi-

circle of chairs with an air of sad patience (где некоторое число престарелых людей сидели

на полукруге стульев с видом грустного терпения).

Martins was not able to tell me very much about the meeting (Мартинс не был способен

рассказать мне очень много о встрече): his mind was still dazed with the death (его разум

был все еще затуманен смертью): when he looked up he expected to see at any moment the

child Hдnsel (когда он смотрел вверх = поднимал глаза он ожидал увидеть в любой момент

ребенка Хэнзеля) and hear that persistent informative refrain (и услышать этот настойчивый

информативный рефрен), "Papa, Papa (папа, папа)." Apparently Crabbin opened the

proceedings (очевидно Крэббин открывал заседание), and knowing Crabbin I am sure (и зная

Крэббина я уверен) that it was a very lucid, very fair and unbiased picture of the contemporary

English novel (что это была очень ясная, очень справедливая и беспристрастная картина

современного английского романа). I have heard him give that talk so often (я слышал его

давать = как он произносит эту речь так часто), varied only by the emphasis given to the

work of the particular English visitor (изменяемую только особым упором данным работе

конкретного английского посетителя). He would have touched lightly on various problems of

technique (он касался легко разнообразных проблем техники)—the point of view (точка

зрения), the passage of time (течение времени), and then he would have declared the meeting

open for questions and discussions (и затем он объявлял собрание открытым для вопросов и

обсуждений).

prefer [prı`fə:], approve [ə`pru:v], unbiased [Λn`baıəst]

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111

He said desperately to Mr. Crabbin, "I'm sorry, but..."

"Don't think any more about it," Mr. Crabbin said. "One cup of coffee and then let's go on to the

discussion. We have a very good gathering tonight. They'll put you on your mettle, Mr. Dexter."

One of the young men placed a cup in his hand, the other shovelled in sugar before he could say

he preferred his coffee unsweetened. The youngest man breathed into his ear, "Afterwards would

you mind signing one of your books, Mr. Dexter?" A large woman in black silk bore down upon

him and said, "I don't mind if the Grдfin does hear me, Mr. Dexter, but I don't like your books, I

don't approve of them. I think a novel should tell a good story."

"So do I," Martins said hopelessly.

"Now Mrs. Bannock, wait for question time."

"I know I'm downright, but I'm sure Mr. Dexter values honest criticism."

An old lady, who he supposed was the Grдfin, said, "I do not read many English books, Mr.

Dexter, but I am told that yours ..."

"Do you mind drinking up?" Crabbin said and hustled him through into an inner room where a

number of elderly people were sitting on a semi-circle of chairs with an air of sad patience.

Martins was not able to tell me very much about the meeting: his mind was still dazed with the

death: when he looked up he expected to see at any moment the child Hдnsel and hear that

persistent informative refrain, "Papa, Papa." Apparently Crabbin opened the proceedings, and

knowing Crabbin I am sure that it was a very lucid, very fair and unbiased picture of the

contemporary English novel. I have heard him give that talk so often, varied only by the

emphasis given to the work of the particular English visitor. He would have touched lightly on