- •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 broke the glasses by sitting on them during my school holidays two years
later.
My grandmother said, after she had sighed, "It's time you had your eyes
tested —
— eyes tested in any case," said my aunt when she had sighed.
I washed my hair the night before and put a wave in it. Next morning at
eleven I walked down to Mr. Simmonds' with one of my grandmother's long
hatpins in my blazer pocket. The shop front had been done up, with gold
lettering on the glass door: Basil Simmonds, Optician, followed by a string of
letters which, so far as I remember, were F. B. O. A., A. I. C., and others.
"You're quite the young lady, Joan," he said, looking at my new breasts.
I smiled and put my hand in my blazer pocket.
He was smaller than he had been two years ago (он оказался меньше, чем он
был два года назад). I thought he must be about fifty or thirty (я думала, что ему
должно быть было пятьдесят или тридцать лет). His face was more freckled
than ever (его лицо было покрыто веснушками как никогда: «больше, чем
когда бы то ни было») and his eyes were flat blue (и его глаза были тускло
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синими) as from a box of paints (как из коробки с красками; paint — краска).
Miss Simmonds appeared silently (мисс Симмондс появилась бесшумно; to
appear — появляться) in her soft slippers (в мягких тапочках), "You're quite the
young lady, Joan (ты уже совсем молодая леди, Джоан)," she said from behind
her green glasses (сказала она из-под своих зеленых очков), for her right eye
had now gone blind (так как ее правый глаз сейчас уже ослеп) and the other
was said to be troubling her (и поговаривали, что и оставшийся: «другой»
беспокоил ее).
freckled ['frek(q)ld] silently ['saIlqntlI] behind [bI'haInd]
He was smaller than he had been two years ago. I thought he must be
about fifty or thirty. His face was more freckled than ever and his eyes were
flat blue as from a box of paints. Miss Simmonds appeared silently in her soft
slippers, "You're quite the young lady, Joan," she said from behind her
green glasses, for her right eye had now gone blind and the other was said to
be troubling her.
We went into the examination room (мы отправились в комнату для
проверки зрения; examination — осмотр, исследование, экзамен). She glided
past me (она проплыла мимо меня) and switched on the dim light (и включила
тусклый свет) above the letter card (над таблицей с буквами). I began to read
out the letters (я начала читать буквы вслух; to read out — прочитать вслух)
while Basil Simmonds stood with folded hands (в то время как Бэзил Симмондс
стоял, сложив руки: «со сложенными руками»; to fold — складывать,
сгибать, завертывать). Someone came into the front shop (кто-то зашел в
холл магазина). Miss Simmonds slid off to see who it was (мисс Симмондс
выскользнула, чтобы посмотреть, кто это был; to slide off — соскальзывать,
to slide — двигаться плавно, проскользнуть незаметно) and her brother
tickled my neck (и ее брат пощекотал мою шею; to tickle — щекотать). I read
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on (я продолжала читать). He drew me towards him (он притянул меня к себе;
to draw (drew; drawn) — тянуть) I put my hand into my blazer pocket (я
опустила руку в карман моего блейзера). He said, "Oh!'" and sprang away (и
отпрыгнул в сторону; to spring — скакать, прыгать, вскакивать) as the hat-
pin struck through my blazer and into his thigh (так как шляпная булавка в
кармане моего блейзера уколола его прямо в бедро: «шляпная булавка
уколола через мой блейзер и в его бедро»; to strike —ударять, бить, кусать,
жалить, thigh — бедро, бедренная кость).
Miss Simmonds appeared in the doorway (мисс Симмондс появилась в
дверном проеме) in her avenging white overall (в своем «карающем» белом
халате). Her brother (ее брат), who had been rubbing his thigh in a puzzled way
(который растирал свое бедро, озадаченно; to rub — тереть, протирать,
натирать, puzzle — трудный вопрос, загадка, головоломка), pretended to be
dusting a mark off the front of his trousers (притворяясь, что он оттирает пятно
со штанины: «с передней части его брюк»; to pretend — притворяться,
делать вид, играть; to dust — стирать, смахивать пыль).
"What's wrong (что случилось; wrong — неправильный, неверный,
ошибочный)? Why did you shout (почему ты кричал; to shout — кричать,
громко говорить, вскрикивать)?" she said (спросила она).
"No, I didn't shout (нет, я не кричал)."
switched [swICt] tickle ['tIk(q)l] avenging [q'venGIN] trousers ['traVzqz]
We went into the examination room. She glided past me and switched on
the dim light above the letter card. I began to read out the letters while Basil
Simmonds stood with folded hands. Someone came into the front shop. Miss
Simmonds slid off to see who it was and her brother tickled my neck. I read
on. He drew me towards him I put my hand into my blazer pocket. He said.
"Oh!'" and sprang away as the hat-pin struck through my blazer and into his
thigh.
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Miss Simmonds appeared in the doorway in her avenging white overall.
Her brother, who had been rubbing his thigh in a puzzled way, pretended to
be dusting a mark off the front of his trousers.
"What's wrong? Why did you shout?" she said.
"No. I didn't shout."
She looked at me (она посмотрела на меня), then returned to attend to the
person in the shop (а потом вернулась к посетителю в магазин: «обслужить
человека в магазине»; to attend — посещать, присутствовать; уделять
внимание), leaving the intervening door wide open (оставив смежную дверь
широко открытой; to intervene — находиться между; вмешиваться). She was
back again almost immediately (она вернулась назад почти что немедленно;
immediately — «непосредственно», незамедлительно, тотчас). My
examination was soon over (проверка зрения: «моя проверка» скоро была
закончена). Mr. Simmonds saw me out at the front door (господин Симмондс
проводил меня до входной двери; to see smb. out — проводить кого-либо,
куда-либо, довести что-либо до конца) and gave me a pleading unhappy look
(и посмотрел на меня умоляющим несчастным взглядом; to plead —
выступать в суде, просить, умолять, (un)happy — (не)счастливый). I felt
like a traitor (я чувствовал себя предателем; a traitor — изменник, предатель)
and I considered him horrible (и он показался мне отвратительным; to consider
— рассматривать, обдумывать, проявлять уважение, horror —
отвращение, омерзение, ужас).
unhappy [An'hxpI] traitor ['treItq]
She looked at me, then returned to attend to the person in the shop, leaving
the intervening door wide open. She was back again almost immediately. My
examination was soon over. Mr. Simmonds saw me out at the front door and
gave me a pleading unhappy look. I felt like a traitor and I considered him
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212
horrible.
For the rest of the holidays (до конца каникул) I thought of him as "Basil" (я
думала о нем как о «Бэзиле»), and by asking questions (и, /с помощью/
вопросов; to ask — спрашивать, осведомляться) and taking more interest than
usual (и уделяя больше интереса, чем обычно; usual — обыкновенный,
обычный) in the conversation around me (разговорам вокруг меня) I formed an
idea of his private life (я сформировала представление: «идею» о его частной
жизни; to form — придавать форму, составлять, образовывать; private —
частный, личный, закрытый). "Dorothy,” I speculated (размышляла я; to
speculate — размышлять, строитель предположения, спекулировать), “and
Basil." I let my mind dwell on them (я сосредоточила на них свое внимание: «я
позволила своему уму задержаться на них»; to dwell — подробно
останавливаться или задерживаться на чем-либо, рассуждать) until I saw a
picture of the rooms above the shop (пока я не увидела картину комнат над
магазином). I hung round at tea-time (я болталась по дому во время чая; to
hang round — околачиваться поблизости, слоняться, tea-time — время
вечернего чая) and, in order to bring the conversation round to Dorothy and Basil
(и, желая подвести разговор к Дороти и Бэзилу; in order to — для, чтобы),
told our visitors I had been to get my eyes tested (рассказывала нашим гостям,
что я проверила свое зрение).
question ['kwesC(q)n] private ['praIvIt] speculate ['spekjVleIt]
For the rest of the holidays I thought of him as "Basil", and by asking
questions and taking more interest than usual in the conversation around me