Dorothy was beside us in no time. She peered one-eyed at the glasses, then at me.

"Are you constipated?" she said. I maintained silence. But I felt she was seeing everything through her green glasses. "Put them on," Dorothy said. "Try them on," said Basil. They were ganged up together. Everything was going wrong, for I had come here to see how matters stood between them after the affair of the will. Basil gave me something to read. "It's all right now," I said, "but it was all a blur when I tried to read this morning."

"Better take a dose," Dorothy said. I wanted to get out of the shop with my glasses as quickly as possible, but the brother said, "I'd better test your eyes again while you're here just to make sure."

 

He seemed quite normal (он выглядел: «казался» совершенно нормальным). I followed him into the dark interior (я последовала за ним в темную внутреннюю комнату), Dorothy switched on the light (Дороти включила свет). They both seemed normal (они оба выглядели нормальными). The scene in the little office last night (сценка в маленьком кабинете, /произошедшая/ вчера вечером) began to lose its conviction (начала терять свою убедительность; conviction — убеждение, уверенность). As I read out the letters on the card in front of me (пока я читала вслух буквы из таблицы передо мной) I was thinking of Basil as "Mr. Simmonds" and Dorothy as "Miss Simmonds" (я думала о Бэзиле как о «господине Симмондсе» и Дороти как о «мисс Симмондс»), and feared their authority (и боялась их власти; authority — власть, полномочие, авторитет), and was in the wrong (и чувствовала себя неловко; to be in the wrong — быть не в своей тарелке; ошибаться, быть виновным).

"That seems to be all right (кажется, что все в порядке)," Mr. Simmonds said. "But wait a moment (но, подожди секундочку)." He produced some coloured slides with lettering on them (он показал какие-то цветные слайды с надписями /на них/; to produce — предъявлять). Miss Simmonds gave me what appeared to be a triumphant one-eyed leer (мисс Симмондс одарила меня /как это выглядело/ торжествующим злобным взглядом; leer — косой, хитрый, плотоядный взгляд), and as one who washes her hands of a person (как человек, который снимает с себя ответственность; to wash one’s hands of smb. — снимать с себя ответственность за кого-либо, умывать руки), started to climb the stairs (стала подниматься по лестнице). Plainly (было ясно), she knew I had lost my attraction for her brother (она знала, что я потеряла всякую привлекательность для ее брата; attraction — притяжение, привлекательность, прелесть, очарование).

 

conviction [kqn'vIkS(q)n] fear [fIq] authority [O:'TOrItI] coloured ['kAlqd]

triumphant [traI'Amf(q)nt]

 

He seemed quite normal. I followed him into the dark interior. Dorothy switched on the light. They both seemed normal. The scene in the little office last night began to lose its conviction. As I read out the letters on the card in front of me I was thinking of Basil as "Mr. Simmonds" and Dorothy as "Miss Simmonds". and feared their authority, and was in the wrong.

"That seems to be all right," Mr. Simmonds said. "But wait a moment." He produced some coloured slides with lettering on them Miss Simmonds gave me what appeared to be a triumphant one-eyed leer, and as one who washes her hands of a person, start — ed to climb the stairs. Plainly, she knew I had lost my attraction for her brother.

 

But before she turned the bend in the stairs (но до того, как она поднялась еще выше по лестнице: «повернулась на повороте лестницы») she stopped and came down again (она остановилась и снова спустилась /вниз/). She went to a row of shelves (она подошла к ряду полок; shelf (shelves) — полка) and shifted some bottles (и передвинула пару бутылочек). I read on (я продолжала читать). She interrupted (она перебила меня; to interrupt — прерывать, перебивать, нарушать, мешать).

'"My eye-drops, Basil (мои глазные капли, Бэзил). I made them up this morning (я приготовила их сегодня утром). Where are they (где они)?"

Mr. Simmonds was suddenly watching her as if something inconceivable was happening (господин Симмондс внезапно стал смотреть на нее так, как будто происходило что-то невероятное).

"Wait, Dorothy (подожди, Дороти). Wait till I've tested the girl's eyes (подожди, пока я не закончил проверять зрение девочки)."

She had lifted down a small brown bottle (она сняла: «подняла вниз» с полки маленькую коричневую бутылочку). ''I want my eye-drops (мне нужны мои глазные капли). I wish you wouldn't displace (как бы мне хотелось, что бы ты не переставлял; to displace — переставлять, перемещать, класть на другое место) — Are these they (это они)?"

 

interrupted ["Intq'rAptId] inconceivable ["Inkqn'si:vqb(q)l]

happening ['hxp(q)nIN]

 

But before she turned the bend in the stairs she stopped and came down again She went to a row of shelves and shifted some bottles. I read on. She interrupted:

'"My eye-drops, Basil. I made them up this morn­ing. Where are they?"