I was nearly sick. One, because of my Scottish upbringing. Two, because of

my horror of corny-phrases like "I needed the woman." which George

repeated twice again.

"And Matilda got tough," said George, "after you and Skinny came to visit us.

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She had some friends at the Mission, and she packed up and went to them."

"You should have let her go," I said.

"I went after her," George said. "She insisted on being married, so I married

her."

"That's not a proper secret, then («это не правильный»=это вообще не секрет,

тогда; proper — правильный, настоящий)," I said. "The news of a mixed

marriage soon gets about (новость о смешанном браке быстро становится

известной: «распространяется»; news /ед.число/ — новость; marriage —

брак; to mix — смешивать)."

"I took care of that (я позаботился об этом; to take care)," George said. "Crazy

as I was (хотя я и был сумасшедшим; crazy — безумный), I took her to the

Congo (я отвез ее в Конго) and married her there (и женился на ней там). She

promised to keep quiet about it (она обещала молчать об этом; to promise —

обещать; to keep — держать; quiet — тихий, спокойный)."

"Well, you can't clear off (ну, ты не можешь уехать; to clear — чистить) and

leave her now (и оставить ее сейчас; to leave — оставлять, покидать; now —

сейчас), surely (конечно)," I said.

proper ['prPpq] mixed [mIkst] crazy ['kreIzI]

"That's not a proper secret, then," I said. "The news of a mixed marriage

soon gets about."

"I took care of that," George said. "Crazy as I was, I took her to the Congo

and married her there. She promised to keep quiet about it."

"Well, you can't clear off and leave her now, surely," I said.

"I'm going to get out of this place (я собираюсь убраться отсюда: «из этого

места»; to be going to do smth). I can't stand the woman (я не могу выносить

эту женщину) and I can't stand the country (и я не могу выносить эту страну).

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I didn't realize (я не понимал; to realize — понимать, осознавать) what it would

be like (во что это выльется: «на что это будет похоже»). Two years of the

country (два года в стране: «страны») and three months of my wife (и три

месяца с моей женой: «моей жены») has been enough (оказалось

достаточно)."

"Will you get a divorce (ты разведешься: «ты получишь развод»; divorce —

развод, to get a divorce = to divorce)?"

"No, Matilda's Catholic (нет, Матильда католичка). She won't divorce (она не

даст мне развод)."

George was fairly getting through the highballs (Джордж уже почти набрался:

«покончил с коктейлями»; to get through — доходить, доставлять), and I

wasn't far behind him (и я тоже: «я была не далеко за ним»).

divorce [dI'vO:s] Catholic ['kxT(q)lIk] through [Tru:]

"I'm going to get out of this place. I can't stand the woman and I can't stand

the country. I didn't realize what it would be like. Two years of the country

and three months of my wife has been enough."

"Will you get a divorce?"

"No, Matilda's Catholic. She won't divorce."

George was fairly getting through the highballs, and I wasn't far behind him.

His brown eyes (его карие глаза) floated shiny and liquid (сверкнули слезами:

«наполнились блестящими и жидкими»; to float — плавать на поверхности,

затоплять; to shine — блестеть; liquid — жидкий) as he told me (когда он

сказал мне) how he had written (как написал; to write-wrote-written) to tell his

uncle of his plight (чтобы сообщить: «сказать» своему: «его» дяде о своем

незавидном положении), "Except, of course (за исключением, конечно), I didn't

say we were married (я не сказал, что мы поженились), that would have been too

much for him (это было бы слишком для него). He's a prejudiced hardened old

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Colonial (он непоколебимый старый: «пристрастный закоренелый» колонист

с предрассудками; prejudice — предрассудок, предубеждение; hard —

твердый, стойкий; to harden — затвердевать). I only said (я только сказал)

I'd had a child by a coloured woman (что у меня будет ребенок от цветной

женщины) and was expecting another (и скоро она опять родит: «и ожидается

другой»), and he perfectly understood (и он все понял; perfectly — совершенно,

полностью; to understand — понимать).

floated ['flqVtId] liquid ['lIkwId] plight [plaIt] prejudice ['preGqdIs]

His brown eyes floated shiny and liquid as he told me how he had written to

tell his uncle of his plight, "Except, of course, I didn't say we were married, that

would have been too much for him. He's a prejudiced hardened old Colonial. I

only said I'd had a child by a coloured woman and was expecting another,

and he perfectly understood.

He came at once by plane (он немедленно прилетел на самолете; a plane —

самолет; to come by plane) a few weeks ago (несколько недель назад). He's

made a settlement on her (он договорился: «он заключил с ней сделку», что

обеспечит ее; a settlement — соглашение, расчет; to make a settlement on smb),

providing she keeps her mouth shut (при условии, что она никому не

расскажет: «она держит рот закрытым»; to provide — обеспечивать; to keep

—держать; mouth — рот; shut — закрытый) about her association with me (о

ее связи со мной)."

"Will she do that (она никому не расскажет: «она это сделает»)?"

"Oh, yes, or she won't get the money (о, да, или она не получит деньги)."

settlement ['setlmqnt] association [q"sqVsI'eIS(q)n, q"sqVSI'eIS(q)n]

money ['mAnI]

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He came at once by plane a few weeks ago. He's made a settlement on her,

providing she keeps her mouth shut about her association with me."

"Will she do that?"

"Oh. yes, or she won't get the money."

"But as your wife (но как твоя жена) she has a claim on you (она имеет права на

тебя; claim — претензии, права), in any case (в любом случае)."

"If she claimed as my wife (если она заявит свои права как моя жена; to claim

— требовать, претендовать) she'd get far less (она получит гораздо

меньше; little-less-the least). Matilda knows (Матильда знает) what she's doing

(что она делает), greedy bitch she is (жадная сука — вот кто она; greed —

жадность; bitch — сука). She'll keep her mouth shut (она будет держать рот

закрытым)."

"Only (только), you won't be able to marry again (ты не сможешь жениться

снова), will you (не так ли)?"

"Not unless she dies (да, пока она жива: «нет до тех пор, пока она умрет»; to

die — умирать)," he said. "And she's as strong as a trek ox (а она сильна, как

бык; trek ox — вол, запряженный в повозку)."

claim [kleIm] greedy ['gri:dI] mouth [maVT]

"But as your wife she has a claim on you, in any case."

"If she claimed as my wife she'd get far less. Matilda knows what she's

doing, greedy bitch she is. She'll keep her mouth shut."

"Only, you won't be able to marry again, will you?"

"Not unless she dies," he said. "And she's as strong as a trek ox."

"Well, I'm sorry, George (что ж, мне очень жаль, Джордж)," I said.

"Good of you to say so (мило с твоей стороны говорить так; good — добрый,

хороший)," he said. "But I can see by your chin (но я вижу: «могу видеть» по

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твоему подбородку) that you disapprove of me (что ты меня не одобряешь;

(dis)approve — (не) одобрять). Even my old uncle understood (даже мой старый

дядя понял /меня/)."

"Oh, George, I quite understand (о, Джордж, я тоже поняла; quite — вполне).

You were lonely (ты был одинок). I suppose (я полагаю)."

'You didn't even ask me to your twenty-first (ты даже не позвала меня на свой

двадцать первый день рождения). If you and Skinny had been nicer to me (если

бы ты и Скинни были добрее ко мне; nice — хороший, приятный), I would

never have lost my head (я бы никогда не потерял головы; to loose — терять)

and married the woman (и не женился бы на той женщине), never (никогда)."

"You didn't ask me to your wedding (ты не позвал меня на свою свадьбу;

wedding — свадьба)," I said.

disapprove [dIsq'pru:v] lonely ['lqVnlI] wedding ['wedIN]

"Well, I'm sorry, George," I said.

"Good of you to say so," he said. "But I can see by your chin that you

disapprove of me. Even my old uncle understood."

"Oh, George, I quite understand. You were lonely. I suppose."

'You didn't even ask me to your twenty-first. If you and Skinny had been

nicer to me, I would never have lost my head and married the woman, never."

"You didn't ask me to your wedding," I said.

"You're a catty bissom (ну ты и язва). Needle, not like what you were (Игла,

совсем не такая ты была) in the old times (в старые времена) when you used to

tell us (когда ты рассказывала нам) your wee stories (свои историйки:

«крошечные истории»)."

"I'll have to be getting along (я должна уже идти)," I said.

"Mind you keep the secret (запомни «ты хранишь» = это секрет)," George said.

"Can't I tell Skinny (могу ли я: «не могу» сказать Скинни)? He would be very

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sorry for you (он искренне посочувствует тебе), George."

"You mustn't tell anyone (ты не должна говорить никому). Keep it a secret

(сохрани это в секрете). Promise (обещай)."

wee [wi:] secret ['si:krIt] promise ['prOmIs]

"You're a catty bissom. Needle, not like what you were in the old times when

you used to tell us your wee stories."

"I'll have to be getting along," I said.

"Mind you keep the secret," George said.

"Can't I tell Skinny? He would be very sorry for you: George."

"You mustn't tell anyone. Keep it a secret. Promise."

"Promise (обещаю)," I said. I understood (я поняла) that he wished (что он

хочет) to enforce (усилить) some sort of bond (некую связь) between us

(между нами) with this secret («с этим» = этим секретом), and I thought (и я

подумала): "Oh well (ну хорошо). I suppose he's lonely (думаю, что он

одинок). Keeping his secret (хранение его секрета) won't do any harm (не

причинит вреда; harm — вред, ущерб)."

I returned to England (я вернулась в Англию) with Skinny's party (с группой

Скинни) just before the war (как раз перед войной).

I did not see George again (я больше не видела Джорджа /снова/) till just

before my death (до: «как раз перед» моей смерти), five years ago (пять лет

назад).

enforce [In'fO:s] war [wO:] death [deT]

"Promise," I said. I understood that he wished to enforce some sort of bond

between us with this secret, and I thought. "Oh well. I suppose he's lonely.

Keeping his secret won't do any harm."

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