- •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
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.
After the war (после войны) Skinny returned to his studies (Скинни вернулся
к учебе; to return — возвращаться, study — учеба). He had two more exams
(он сдал: «имел» еще два экзамена), over a period of eighteen months (за
/период в/ восемнадцать месяцев), and I thought I might marry him (и я думала,
что могу выйти за него замуж) when the exams were over (когда он сдаст все
экзамены).
"You might do worse than Skinny (ты могла выйти за кого-то хуже, чем
Скинни: «могла сделать хуже, чем Скинни»)," Kathleen used to say to me
(Кэтлин обычно говорила мне) on our Saturday morning excursions (во время
наших субботних утренних походов; excursion — экскурсия) to the antique
shops (по антикварным магазинам; antique — памятник древности) and the
junk stalls (и по распродажам подержанных вещей: «лавкам старьевщиков»).
exam [Ig'zxm] excursion [Ik'skq:S(q)n] junk [GANk]
After the war Skinny returned to his studies. He had two more exams, over
a period of eighteen months, and I thought I might marry him when the
exams were over.
"You might do worse than Skinny," Kathleen used to say to me on our
Saturday morning excursions to the antique shops and the junk stalls.
She too was getting on in years (она тоже старела: «продвигалась в годах»).
The remainder of our families in Scotland (остатки наших семей в Шотландии)
were hinting (намекали; to hint) that it was time (что давно пора: «было уже
самое время») we settled down with husbands (нам остепениться и обзавестись
мужьями). Kathleen was a little younger than me (Кэтлин была чуть моложе
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меня), but looked much older (но выглядела гораздо старше). She knew (она
знала) her chances were diminishing (что ее шансы уменьшаются; to diminish
— уменьшать, убавлять) but at that time (но тогда: «в то время») I did not
think (я не думала, что) she cared very much (она сильно волновалась /по
этому поводу/).
remainder [rI'meIndq] chance [CQ:ns] diminishing [dI'mInISIN]
She too was getting on in years. The remainder of our families in Scotland
were hinting that it was time we settled down with husbands. Kathleen was a
little younger than me, but looked much older. She knew her chances were
diminishing but at that time I did not think she cared very much.
As for myself (что касается меня), the main attraction of marrying Skinny
(основная привлекательность брака со Скинни; attraction — притяжение,
прелесть) was his prospective expeditions to Mesopotamia (заключалась в его
будущих экспедициях в Месопотамию; prospective — ожидаемый,
предполагаемый). My desire to marry him (мое желание выйти за него замуж)
had to be stimulated by the continual reading (должно было быть подогреваемо:
«стимулировано» постоянным чтением; to stimulate — возбуждать, to
continue — продолжать) of books (книг о) about Babylon and Assyria
(Вавилоне и Ассирии); perhaps Skinny felt this (возможно, Скинни чувствовал
это), because he supplied the books (потому что он давал: «поставлял» мне
книги) and even started instructing me (и даже начал обучать меня; to start —
начинать; to instruct — учить, обучать) in the art of deciphering (искусству
дешифровки; to decipher — расшифровывать, разгадывать) cuneiform tables
(клинописных таблиц).
prospective [prq'spektIv] supply [sq'plaI] decipher [dI'saIfq]
cuneiform ['kju:nI(I)fO:m]
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As for myself, the main attraction of marrying Skinny was his prospective
expeditions to Mesopotamia. My desire to marry him had to be stimulated by
the continual reading of books about Babylon and Assyria; perhaps Skinny
felt this, because he supplied the books and even started instructing me in
the art of deciphering cuneiform tables.
Kathleen was more interested in marriage (Кэтлин была более заинтересована
в замужестве) than I thought (чем я думала). Like me (как и я), she had
racketed around a good deal (она довольно погуляла; to racket about — вести
веселый, разгульный образ жизни; участвовать в светских развлечениях)
during the war (во время войны); she had actually been engaged to (на самом
деле она была обручена с) an officer in the U. S. navy (офицером американских
морских сил; the U.S. — the United States of America; navy — военно-морской
флот), who was killed (который был убит; to kill — убивать). Now she kept an
antique shop (теперь у нее был: «она держала» антикварный магазин) near
Lambeth (недалеко от Ламбета; Lambeth — дворец в Лондоне, на восточном
берегу Темзы, резиденция архиепископов Кентерберийских) was doing very
nicely (бизнес шел хорошо: «делала хорошо»), lived in a Chelsea square (жила
на площади Челси), but for all that (но не смотря на все это) she must have
wanted to (она, видимо, хотела) be married (выйти замуж) and have children (и
иметь детей). She would stop (она останавливалась) and look into all the
prams (и заглядывала во все детские коляски; to look into — смотреть
внутрь; pram — сокр. от perambulator — детская коляска) which the
mothers had left (которые матери оставляли) outside (у входа в: «за
пределами») shops (магазины) or area gates (или у ворот /детских/ площадок).
racket ['rxkIt] square [skwεq] pram [prxm]
Kathleen was more interested in marriage than I thought. Like me, she
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had racketed around a good deal during the war; she had actually been
engaged to an officer in the U. S. navy, who was killed. Now she kept an
antique shop near Lambeth, was doing very nicely, lived in a Chelsea square,
but for all that she must have wanted to be married and have children. She
would stop and look into all the prams which the mothers had left outside
shops or area gates.
"The poet Swinburne (поэт Свинберн; Swinburne — английский поэт (1837-
1909)) used to do that (любил так поступать)," I told her once (сказала я ей
однажды).
"Really (правда)? Did he want children of his own (он хотел имеет своих
собственных детей)?" "I shouldn't think so (не думаю). He simply liked babies
(ему просто нравились малыши)." Before Skinny's final exam (перед
последним экзаменом Скинни) he fell ill ( заболел ; ill — больной ; to
fall — падать ) and was sent to a sanatorium in Switzerland (и его отправили
в санаторий в Швейцарию).
once [wAns] children ['CIldrqn] sanatorium ["sxnq'tO:rIqm]
"The poet Swinburne used to do that," I told her once.
"Really? Did he want children of his own?" "I shouldn't think so. He simply
liked babies." Before Skinny's final exam he fell ill and was sent to a
sanatorium in Switzerland.
"You're fortunate after all (тебе повезло, после всего, что случилось; fortunate
— счастливый, удачливый) not to be married to him (что ты не вышла за него),"
Kathleen said. "You might have caught Т. В. (ты могла заразиться
туберкулезом; to catch — ловить; TB = tuberculosis)" I was fortunate, I was
lucky (мне повезло, я счастливая)... so everyone kept telling me (так каждый
продолжал говорить мне) on different occasions (по разным поводам:
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«случаям»). Although it annoyed me to hear (хотя мне это досаждало:
«надоедало слушать»), I knew they were right (я знала, что они правы), but in a
way (но некоторым образом) that was different (это отличалось; different —
другой, разный) from what they meant (от того, что они имели в виду). It took me
very small effort (я прикладывала небольшие усилия: «это отнимало у меня
очень маленькие усилия»; to take — получать, брать: to take time — отнимать
время) to make a living (чтобы заработать на жизнь); book reviews
(рецензирование книг; to review — просматривать), odd jobs for Kathleen
(случайные поручения: «работы» для Кэтлин), a few months (несколько
месяцев) with the publicity man again (с пресс-агентом снова), still getting up
speeches (опять подготовка речей; to get up — вставать, подниматься; speech
— речь) about literature (о литературе), art (искусстве), and life (и жизни) for
industrial tycoons (для промышленных воротил; tycoon — магнат).
fortunate ['fO:C(q)nqt] effort ['efqt] tycoon [taI'ku:n]
"You're fortunate after all not to be married to him," Kathleen said. "You
might have caught Т. В." I was fortunate, I was lucky... so everyone kept
telling me on different occasions. Although it annoyed me to hear, I knew
they were right, but in a way that was different from what they meant. It took
me very small effort to make a living; book reviews, odd jobs for Kathleen, a
few months with the publicity man again, still getting up speeches about
literature, art, and life for industrial tycoons.
I was waiting to write about life (я ждала, /что смогу начать/ писать о жизни) and
it seemed to me (и мне казалось; to seem — казаться) that the good fortune (что
самая большая: «хорошая» удача) lay in this (заключается: «лежит» в этом),
whenever it should be (если она вообще существует). And until then (и до тех
самых пор) I was assured of my charmed life (я была уверенна в своей
неуязвимости; charmed (очарованный, магический) life (жизнь) = charmed life
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из Шекспира — неуязвимость от стрел, меча и т.п.), the necessities of
existence (потребности существования; necessity — необходимость,
потребность; to exist — существовать) always coming my way (с которыми
мне всегда удается сладить: «которые всегда идут моим путем») and I (и я)
with far more leisure (с гораздо большим количеством свободного времени;
leisure — досуг) than anyone else (чем кто бы то ни было).
whenever [we'nevq] charmed [CQ:md] leisure ['leZq]