- •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
In eyes, skin, teeth, which made him seem all the more eager. He called out
the maternal in Lou, and to some extent the avuncular in Raymond. Lou used
to love him when he read out lines from his favourite poems, which he had
copied into an exercise book.
Haste thee, nymph, and bring with thee Jest and youthful jollity,
Sport that...
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Lou would interrupt (Лу обычно: «бывало» перебивала /его/): "You should
say jest, jollity (ты должен произносить шутка (jest), веселье (jollity), — not
vest, yollity (а не «футка», «феселье»)."
"Jest," he said carefully (он выговаривал тщательно). "And laughter holding
both his sides (и смеха хватался за бока; side — стенка, край, бок; to hold
one's sides with laughter — покатываться со смеху, хохотать до упаду)," he
continued (он продолжал). ''Laughter (смех) — hear that, Lou (ты слышишь,
Лу)? — laughter (смех). That's what the human race was made for (вот для чего
человеческая раса была создана: «сделана»). Those folks that go round gloomy,
Lou, they (те люди, что ходят угрюмые, Лу, они; folks — люди, народ,
родственники)..."
Lou loved this talk (Лу нравились эти разговоры). Raymond puffed his pipe
benignly (Раймонд попыхивал своей трубкой благожелательно; to puff — дуть
порывами; пускать клубы дыма). After Henry had gone (когда Генри уходил)
Raymond would say (Раймонд говорил) what a pity it was (какая жалость /это
была/; pity — жалость, сострадание; печальный факт) such an intelligent
young fellow (что такой умный молодой человек; intelligent — хорошо
соображающий, смышленый) had lapsed (отошел от церкви; lapsed —
впадший в грех, отошедший от церкви). For Henry had been brought up in
Roman Catholic mission (так как Генри воспитывался в католической миссии;
to bring up — воспитывать). He had, however, abandoned religion (он, однако,
отказался от религии; to abandon — отказаться, оставлять). He was fond of
saying (ему нравилось повторять: «говорить»; to be fond of — любить кого-
либо, что-либо), "The superstition of today (суеверия сегодняшнего дня) is the
science of yesterday (это наука вчерашнего дня)."
"I can't allow (я не могу этого допустить: «разрешить»)," Raymond would say
(говорил обычно Раймонд), "that the Catholic Faith is superstition (что
католическая вера является суеверием). I can't allow that (я просто не могу
этого допустить)."
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laughter ['lQ:ftq] benign [bI'naIn] superstition ["s(j)u:pq'stIS(q)n]
Lou would interrupt: "You should say jest, jollity — not vest, yollity."
"Jest," he said carefully. "And laughter holding both his sides," he
continued. ''Laughter — hear that. Lou — laughter. That's what the human
race was made for. Those folks that go round gloomy, Lou, they..."
Lou loved this talk Raymond puffed his pipe benignly. After Henry had
gone Raymond would say what a pity it was such an intelligent young fellow
had lapsed. For Henry had been brought up in Roman Catholic mission. He
had, however, abandoned religion. He was fond of saying, "The superstition
of today is the science of yesterday."
"I can't allow," Raymond would say, "that the Catholic Faith is
superstition. I can't allow that."
"He'll return to the Church one day (он вернется к церкви однажды)" — this
was Lou's contribution (это был взнос Лу), whether Henry was present or not
(независимо от того, присутствовал ли Генри /в комнате/ или нет; to be
present — присутствовать, быть). If she said it in front of Henry (если она
говорила это в лицо: «в присутствии, перед» Генри) he would give her an
angry look (он смотрел на нее сердито; angry — сердитый, гневный,
яростный). These were the only occasions (это были единственные случаи:
«поводы, причины») when Henry lost his cheerfulness (когда Генри покидала
его неунывающая радость: «когда Генри терял свою бодрость»; to lose —
терять, утрачивать) and grew quiet again (и становился тихим опять; to grow
— расти, превращаться во что-либо).
Raymond and Lou prayed for Henry (Раймонд и Лу молились за Генри; to
pray — молиться), that he might regain his faith (чтобы он мог снова обрести
свою веру; to regain — получить обратно, восстановить). Lou said her rosary
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(Лу читала свои молитвы по четкам; rosary — молитвы по четкам) three
times a week (три раза в неделю) before the Black Madonna (перед Черной
Мадонной).
"He'll miss us (он будет скучать по нам) when we go on our holidays (когда
мы уедем в «наш» отпуск)."
Raymond telephoned to the hotel in London (Раймонд позвонил /по телефону/
в отель в Лондоне). "Have you a single room (есть ли у вас одноместный
номер) for a young gentleman accompanying Mr. and Mrs. Parker (для молодого
джентльмена, сопровождающего мистера и миссис Паркер; to accompany —
сопровождать, сопутствовать)?" He added (он добавил), "a coloured
gentleman (темнокожего: «цветного» джентльмена)." To his pleasure (к его
удовольствию) a room was available (номер был свободен: «доступен»), and to
his relief (и к его облегчению) there was no objection to Henry's colour (не было
никаких возражений против цвета /кожи/ Генри).
They enjoyed their London holiday (им понравился отпуск в Лондоне), but it
was somewhat marred by (но он был немного испорчен; to mar — повреждать,
искажать) a visit to that widowed sister of Lou's (визитом к той овдовевшей
сестре Лу) to whom she allowed a pound a week (которой она отправляла по
фунту в неделю) towards the rearing of her eight children (на нужды воспитания
ее восьми детей; to rear — воздвигать, культивировать, растить). Lou had
not seen her sister Elizabeth for nine years (Лу не видела свою: «ее» сестру
Элизабет девять лет).
contribution ["kOntrI'bju:S(q)n] cheerful ['CIqf(q)l] faith [feIT]
objection [qb'GekS(q)n] pound [paVnd]
"He'll return to the Church one day" — this was Lou's contribution,
whether Henry was present or not. If she said it in front of Henry he would
give her an angry look. These were the only occasions when Henry lost his
cheerfulness and grew quiet again.
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Raymond and Lou prayed for Henry, that he might regain his faith. Lou
said her rosary three times a week before the Black Madonna
"He'll miss us when we go on our holidays."
Raymond telephoned to the hotel in London. "Have you a single room for a
young gentleman accompanying Mr. and Mrs. Parker?" He added, "a
coloured gentleman." To his pleasure a room was available, and to his relief
there was no objection to Henry's colour.
They enjoyed their London holiday, but it was somewhat marred by a visit
to that widowed sister of Lou's to whom she allowed a pound a week towards
the rearing of her eight children. Lou had not seen her sister Elizabeth for
nine years.
They went to her one day (они отправились: «пошли» к ней, в один из дней)
towards the end of their holiday (ближе к концу их отпуска). Henry sat at the
back of the car (Генри сидел на заднем сидении машины) beside a large suit-
case (рядом с большим чемоданом) stuffed with old clothes for Elizabeth
(набитом старой одеждой для Элизабет). Raymond at the wheel kept saying
(Раймонд за рулем постоянно твердил: «говорил»; wheel — колесо, руль),
"Poor Elizabeth-eight kids (бедная Элизабет — восемь детей)," which irritated
Lou (что раздражало Лу), though she kept her peace (хотя она сдерживалась:
«хранила мир»; to keep peace — сохранять спокойствие, промолчать).
Outside the Underground station at Victoria Park (у станции метро Виктория
Парк), where they stopped to ask the way (где они остановились, чтобы узнать
дорогу), Lou felt a strange sense of panic (Лу почувствовала странный приступ:
«чувство» паники). Elizabeth lived in a very downward quarter of Bethnal Green
(Элизабет жила в очень мрачном квартале Бетнал Грин), and in the past nine
years since she had seen her (и за те девять лет, что она не видела ее: «с того
момента когда она видела ее») Lou's memory of the shabby ground-floor rooms
(память Лу об убогих полуподвальных: «на цокольном этаже» комнатах;
shabby — потрепанный, убогий, бедный) with their peeling walls (с
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облупившимися стенами) and bare boards (голыми досками), had made a
kinder nest for itself (/память/ нашла: «сделала» себе более уютное местечко;
nest — гнездо, уютный уголок).
irritate ['IrIteIt] underground ['AndqgraVnd] panic ['pxnIk]
They went to her one day towards the end of their holiday. Henry sat at the
back of the car beside a large suit-case stuffed with old clothes for Elizabeth.
Raymond at the wheel kept saying, "Poor Elizabeth-eight kids," which