- •I wrapped my hanky round my thumb and got myself organized. George
- •I was known as Needle.
- •I stood silently among the people, watching. As you will see, I wasn't in a
- •I took a good look at this man accompanying Kathleen. It was her husband.
- •It was not for me to speak to Kathleen, but I had a sudden inspiration which
- •I must explain that I departed this life nearly five years ago. But I did not
- •Inspired to it. Indeed it's one of the things I can't do now — to speak out,
- •I taught in a private school in Kensington, for almost three months, very
- •I didn't love Skinny so I gave him back the ring.
- •I accompanied the party as a sort of secretary. Skinny vouched for me, he
- •I had broken off our engagement, lectured me about this, but still he took me
- •I'm busy in the hat-shop and being presented. You would think he hadn't
- •I must say I was myself a bit off-put by this news about the brown woman. I
- •Intelligent than a mule and sturdier than a horse. But I'm not having any
- •I was able to live on the fee I got for writing a gossip column in a local
- •I met George once more in a hotel in Bulawayo. We drank highballs and
- •I had half a mind to marry Skinny; perhaps, I thought, when his studies
- •I had already heard about the baby girl. Coal black, by repute, with
- •Impotence and need I secreted a venom which infected all my life for days on
- •I was nearly sick. One, because of my Scottish upbringing. Two, because of
- •I returned to England with Skinny's party just before the war.
- •I did not see George again till just before my death, five years ago.
- •I was waiting to write about life and it seemed to me that the good fortune lay in
- •I thought of my type of luck after I became a Catholic and was being
- •I visited Skinny twice in the two years that he was in the sanatorium. He was
- •Very close friends. We met several times each week, and after our Saturday-
- •If we had felt moved to do so.
- •I ought to get in touch with poor George. But then I think he would write
- •I did not speak of George's marriage, nor of any of his confidences in the
- •Impatience with him in former days; she said,
- •In the course of the morning he had told her of his wartime nightclub in
- •I was curious to see this version of George, but I was leaving for Scotland
- •Visited at week-ends; this old lady lived a few miles from Kathleen's aunt,
- •I should go ahead of her in the early afternoon to see to the provisions for our
- •I said no, I liked an empty house.
- •It was like a treasure hunt as I followed clue after clue through the cool silent
- •I found myself speaking to him almost as if he were a child.
- •I giggled, and looked at him. His face had grown much larger, his lips full, wide,
- •I still kept up. They referred to her as "George's Dark Lady" and of course
- •I said, "If Kathleen intends to marry you, I shall tell her that you're already
- •Vest year. Unfortunately, the byreman's hands were even brawnier and
- •If I hadn't been wearing my long-sleeved cardigan, it was said, the bruises
- •I dashed his hopes. I said, "Hallo, George!"
- •In that convivial street. I thought to myself. "He looks as if he had a mouthful
- •I might have been inspired to say more on that agreeable morning, but he
- •I doubt if George will ever see me again in the Portobello Road. He broods
- •Its few drooping tenants. They huddled together like birds in a storm; their
- •I was waiting for friends to come and pick me up on their way to Venice.
- •Importance was permitted to dawn upon strangers.
- •In the garden, strangely standing on a path between the flowers for
- •I climbed the lower slopes of the mountains while the experts in their boots
- •I was moved by the sight. The girl called Mitzi was watching me as I stood
- •In the kitchen doorway. "Coffee?'' she said.
- •I saw a black lacquered cabinet inlaid with mother-of-pearl, and just
- •I went into the polished dining-room, and Mitzi brought my coffee there.
- •It was that very day that the nuisance occurred. The double windows of my
- •It was a cold day. I sat in my room writing letters. I glanced out of the
- •I looked up a few moments later, and this time Herr Stroh was seated on a
- •I left my room and went down to complain to Frau Lublonitsch.
- •I returned to my room. Herr Stroh still sat in position, the field-glasses in
- •In his doorway blinking up at the roof of the Guest-house Lublonitsch. He
- •I didn't want to draw his attention by following the line of his gaze but I
- •In Frau Lublonitsch's splendid bedroom.
- •I turned the comer just as Herr Stroh gave up his gazing; he went indoors,
- •It while I waited for someone to come. I did not have to wait long, for two
- •Indeed were there, but invisible.
- •In the peeling pastel stucco of the little town, the unnecessary floral balconies,
- •Intrigued her.
- •Impassive neck.
- •Is she —"
- •Insurance manager. The successful kind."
- •I think twenty-two. I am twenty-two so far as Richard's concerned. I don't
- •If you want to be successful with men you have to hang on to your youth."
- •Invitation must come from Richard."
- •Valley.
- •I felt the need of his support. "
- •Including Gwen. The one called Grace was quite pretty, with a bewildered
- •I put on my dark glasses to shield my eyes from the sun and conceal my
- •It is discouraging to put on sun glasses in the middle of someone's intimate
- •I was sent to have my eyes tested. He took me into the darkened interior
- •I had seen Miss Simmonds once before, at a garden fete, where she stood on
- •I stopped looking round. I said. "Read what?" for I had been told I would
- •I recall reading the letters correctly down to the last few lines, which were
- •I broke the glasses by sitting on them during my school holidays two years
- •I washed my hair the night before and put a wave in it. Next morning at
- •I smiled and put my hand in my blazer pocket.
- •I formed an idea of his private life. "Dorothy" I speculated, "and Basil." I let
- •Is it to her?"
- •I invented for myself a recurrent scene in which brother and sister
- •I was sent for to try on my new reading glasses. I had the hat-pin with me I
- •I said, "Grandmother said to inquire after your mother."
- •I took to giving Basil a charming smile when I passed him in the street on
- •I took walks before supper round the back lanes, ambling right round the
- •Visible from the window. He laid it side by side with another sheet of paper
- •Ink and started writing on the bottom of the sheet of paper before him,
- •I shivered in my soaking wet clothes. Dorothy looked with her eye at the
- •I took them into Mr. Simmonds early that afternoon.
- •I had smeared them with cold cream first.
- •Interrupted:
- •I noted her correct phrase, "Are these they?" and it seemed just over the
- •Vicious, in the wrong.
- •I started screaming when I got home, and was given a sedative. By evening
- •It was put down to an accident. There was a strong hope that Miss
- •I said, "The bottle may have been tampered with, have you thought of
- •I was attended by our woman doctor, the widow of the town's former
- •I saw Dr. Gray leaving the Simmonds' at six o'clock one evening. She must
- •I walked on, certain that he had known my guilty suspicions all along.
- •I had come to the summer school to lecture on history and she on
- •Inmost lives. This is probably because they spend so much time hearing out
- •It and myself looked back at myself through the dark water. I looked at Dr.
- •I took them off for a moment. I rather liked her for her innocence in not
- •I had my glasses on again, and was walking on.
- •I thought, neither had I.
- •I said, "He might have stopped seeing eyes if you'd taken him at his word."
- •I could hardly believe she was shouting, who previously had been so calm.
- •I think it was then she recognised me.
- •It there and then. You see, he had to do it while it was still wet."
- •Vestments, or at least lace veil.
- •Vestments.
- •Instance, when a local Town Councillor resigned his office Raymond said,
- •In this particular, from the prejudices of that middle class to which they as
- •Introduce them to so many people." For the dark pair had, within a month,
- •In eyes, skin, teeth, which made him seem all the more eager. He called out
- •Irritated Lou, though she kept her peace.
- •Very well by Elizabeth." They had pulled up outside the house where
- •I'm not going to leave my kids in no nursery. I'm not going to send them to no
- •In that he took a tubercular turn, which was followed by a religious one. He
- •Very delicate question. She was amazed when, within three weeks, Oxford
- •In previous numbers, various references to the Black Madonna, how she had
- •It was the Saturday before that Sunday when Lou had her first sick turn.
- •In the next parish magazine. "Another case has come to light of the kindly
- •In fact, it was a very easy birth, a girl. Raymond was allowed in to see Lou
- •In the late afternoon. She was half asleep. "The nurse will take you to see the
- •In the other cots. "Far more so than the others."
- •Isn't hers, which is ridiculous."
- •Very long chance. I've never known it happen in my experience, but I've
- •Inquire after Lou. He rather regretted smashing up the cot in his first fury.
- •It white."
- •It must be back in the olden days the nigro some ansester but it is only nature.
- •I thank the almighty it has missed my kids and your hubby must think it was
Intelligent than a mule and sturdier than a horse. But I'm not having any
success with this pair, they won't look at each other."
After a while (через некоторое время; while — промежуток времени), he said
(он сказал), "Come in for a drink and meet Matilda (зайдем выпить и вы
познакомитесь с Матильдой; to come in — входить; to meet — встречать)."
She was dark brown (она была темно-коричневой), with a subservient hollow
chest (с «подчиненной» впалой грудью; hollow — пустота) and round
shoulders (и круглыми плечами), a gawky woman (деревенщина: «неотесанная
женщина»), very snappy with the houseboys (очень придирчивая: «быстрая» к
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мальчикам-слугам; house (дом) + boy (мальчик)). We said pleasant things (мы
говорили о приятном: «приятные вещи») as we drank (во время того, как мы
пили: to drink-drank-drunk — пить) on the stoep (на веранде перед домом; stoep
— юж.афр.) before dinner (перед обедом), but we found George difficult (но нам
было тяжело с Джорджем: «мы нашли Джорджа трудным»). For some reason
(по какой-то причине) he began to rail at me (он начал ругаться на меня) for
breaking off my engagement to Skinny (что я разорвала нашу: «мою» помолвку
со Скинни), saying what a dirty trick it was (говоря, какая это была подлость:
«грязная проделка»; dirty — грязный) after all those good times in the old days
(после всех тех старых добрых времен: «хороших времен в старые дни»). I
diverted attention to Matilda (я направила внимание на Матильду; to divert —
отклонять, направлять в другую сторону). I supposed, I said, she knew this part
of the country well (я полагаю, сказала я, она знает эту часть страны хорошо)?
subservient [sqb'sq:vIqnt] gawky ['gO:kI] divert [daI'vq:t]
After a while, he said, "Come in for a drink and meet Matilda."
She was dark brown, with a subservient hollow chest and round shoulders,
a gawky woman, very snappy with the houseboys. We said pleasant things as
we drank on the stoep before dinner, but we found George difficult. For some
reason he began to rail at me for breaking off my engagement to Skinny,
saying what a dirty trick it was after all those good times in the old days. I
diverted attention to Matilda. I supposed, I said, she knew this part of the
country well?
"No," said she (нет, сказала она), "I been a-shellitered my life (I’ve always had a
sheltered life = у меня всегда была обеспеченная жизнь; sheltered — укрытый,
обеспеченный). I not put out to working (I was not put out to work — мне никогда
не приходилось работать). Me nothing to go from place to place is allowed like
dirty girls does (= I didn’t go from place to place, as it is allowed for dirty girls to
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do. = «я не работала в разных местах, как это позволено и делается грязными
девушками»)." In her speech (в своей речи) she gave every syllable equal stress
(она делала равное ударение на каждом слоге: «давала каждому слогу равное
ударение»).
syllable ['sIlqb(q)l] equal ['i:kwql]
"No," said she, "I been a-shellitered my life. I not put out to working. Me
nothing to go from place to place is allowed like dirty girls does." In her speech
she gave every syllable equal stress.
George explained (Джордж объяснил), "Her father was a white magistrate in
Natal (ее отец был белым магистратом /мировым судьей/ в Натале —
провинция в ЮАР). She had a sheltered upbringing (у нее было хорошее:
«обеспеченное» воспитание), different from the other coloureds (отличное от
всех других цветных), you realize (вы понимаете)."
"Man, me no black-eyed Susan (эй, я не как эта черноглазая Сюзан; man —
человек, мужчина; black (черный) + eyed (eye-глаз))," said Matilda (сказала
Матильда), "no, no."
magistrate ['mxGIstr(e)It] sheltered ['Seltqd]
George explained, "Her father was a white magistrate in Natal. She had a
sheltered upbringing, different from the other coloureds, you realize."
"Man, me no black-eyed Susan," said Matilda, "no, no."
On the whole (в целом), George treated her as a servant (Джордж обращался
с ней как со служанкой; to treat smb as). She was about four months advanced
in pregnancy (она была на четвертом месяце беременности: «около четырех
месяцев продвинутая в беременности»), but he made her get up and fetch for
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him, many times (но он заставлял ее подниматься и приносить для него
/разные предметы/, много раз; to make smb do smth — заставить кого-либо
сделать что-либо, to get up — вставать, to fetch — сходить и принести).
Soap (мыло): that was one of the things Matilda had to fetch (это была одна из
вещей, которую должна была принести Матильда). George made his own bath
soap (Джордж делал свое собственное банное мыло), showed it proudly
(показывал его с гордостью), gave us the receipt (дал нам рецепт) which I did
not trouble to remember (который я не потрудилась запомнить; to trouble —
тревожить); I was fond of nice soaps during my lifetime (мне нравилось
хорошее мыло всю жизнь: «в течение моей жизни») and George's (и
/мыло/ Джорджа) smelt of brilliantine (пахло бриллиантином; to smell —
вонять, плохо пахнуть) and looked likely to soil one's skin (и казалось, что
оно испачкает кожу: «и выглядело похоже испачкает кожу»; to soil —
грязнить, марать).
pregnancy ['pregnqnsI] proudly ['praVdlI] receipt [rI'si:t]
brilliantine ['brIlIqnti:n]
On the whole, George treated her as a servant. She was about four months
advanced in pregnancy, but he made her get up and fetch for him, many
times. Soap: that was one of the things Matilda had to fetch. George made his
own bath soap, showed it proudly, gave us the receipt which I did not trouble
to remember; I was fond of nice soaps during my lifetime and George's smelt
of brilliantine and looked likely to soil one's skin.
"D'you brahn? (= Do you go brown)" Matilda asked me (Матильда спросила
меня).
George said (Джордж сказал), "She is asking if you go brown in the sun (она
спрашивает, загораешь ли ты на солнце; to go brown — загорать)."
"No, I go freckled (нет, я покрываюсь веснушками; freckle — веснушка)."
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"I got sister-in-law go freckles (у меня невестка покрывается веснушками; a
sister — сестра, a sister-in-law — невестка, in law — родственники со
стороны жены или мужа)."
She never spoke another word (она больше не сказала ни слова: «она никогда
сказала другое слово») to Skinny nor to me (ни Скинни, ни мне), and we never
saw her again (и мы больше ее не видели: «никогда видели ее снова»).
brown [braVn] freckled ['frek(q)ld]
"D'you brahn?" Matilda asked me.
George said, "She is asking if you go brown in the sun."
"No, I go freckled."
"I got sister-in-law go freckles."
She never spoke another word to Skinny nor to me, and we never saw her
again.
Some months later (несколько месяцев спустя: «позже») I said to Skinny (я
сказала Скинни),
"I'm fed up (я сыта по горло; to be fed up with, to feed — кормить,
откармливать) with being a camp-follower (мне надоело следовать с
экспедицией: «тем что я проститутка, переезжающая вместе с воинской
частью»; camp — лагерь; to follow — следовать)."
He was not surprised (он не был удивлен) that I was leaving his unit (что я
покидала /его/ партию), but he hated (но ему не понравился; to hate —
ненавидеть) my way of expressing it (мой способ выражения /этой мысли/). He
gave me a Presbyterian look (он посмотрел на меня, как пресвитерианин: «он
дал мне пресвитерианский взгляд»).
"Don't talk like that (не говори так; to talk — говорить). Are you going
back to England or staying (ты собираешься обратно в Англию или остаешься
/здесь/; to go back — возвращаться, to stay — оставаться)?"
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"Staying, for a while." (Остаюсь, на некоторое время)
"Well, don't wander too far off." (Ну, не забирайся слишком далеко)
camp-follower ['kxmp"fOlqVq] Presbyterian ["prezbI'tI(q)rIqn]
wander ['wOndq]
Some months later I said to Skinny,
"I'm fed up with being a camp-follower."
He was not surprised that I was leaving his unit, but he hated my way of
expressing it. He gave me a Presbyterian look.
"Don't talk like that. Are you going back to England or staying?"
"Staying, for a while."
"Well, don't wander too far off."
I was able to live on the fee (у меня была возможность жить на гонорар; to
be able — мочь, иметь возможность делать что-либо; to live — жить) I got
for writing a gossip column (который я получала за написание отдела светской
хроники: «колонки со слухами»; gossip — болтовня, слухи) in a local weekly
(в местной еженедельной газете; a week — неделя), which wasn't my idea of
writing about life, of course (что не было моей идеей писания о жизни, конечно).
I made friends (у меня появились друзья: « я сделала друзей»; to make friends —
заводить друзей), more than I could cope with (больше, чем я могла справиться
= их было больше, чем мне было по силам: to cope with — справляться с чем-
либо), after I left Skinny's exclusive little band of archaeologists (после того, как я
покинула Скинни и его эксклюзивный небольшой отряд археологов; to leave
— оставлять). I had the attractions of being newly out from England (меня
привлекали все соблазны, которые могут привлечь человека, недавно
покинувшего Англию: «у меня было все очарование того, что я находилась
недавно из пределами Англии») and of wanting to see life (и желающего
увидеть жизнь). Of the countless young men (из бесчисленных молодых
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людей; to count — считать) and go-ahead families (и энергичных семейств)
who purred me along the Rhodesian roads (которые подвозили меня по дорогам
Родезии: «которые урчали мотором меня вдоль родезианских дорог»), hundred
after hundred miles (сотни и сотни миль: «сотни после сотни миль») , I only kept
up with one family (я поддерживала отношения только с одной семьей) when I
returned to my native land (когда я вернулась на свою: «мою» родную землю). I
think that was because (я думаю потому, что) they were the most representative
(они были наиболее характерными представителями) , they stood for all the rest
(они олицетворяли /для меня/ всех остальных; to stand — стоять, to stand for
smth — символизировать): people in those parts (люди в тех краях; part —
часть) are very typical of each other (очень походят друг на друга), as one
group of standing stones (как одна группа стоящих камней) in that wilderness (в
той девственной природе; wild — дикий, wilderness — дикая местность) is like
the next (похожа на следующую; next — следующий).
gossip column ['gOsIp"kOlqm] purr [pq:] representative ["reprI'zentqtIv]
wilderness ['wIldqnIs]