When she arrived at the house and had paid off the taxi she suddenly

Remembered that she did not know his name and when the maid answered the

Door would not know whom to ask for. But on looking for the bell she noticed

That there were eight of them, four rows of two, and by the side of each was a

Card or a name written in ink on a piece of paper. It was an old house that had

 

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Been divided up into flats. She began looking, rather hopelessly, at the names

Wondering whether one of them would recall something, when the door

Opened and he stood before her.

 

"I saw you drive up (я видел, как вы подъехали) and I ran down (и побежал

вниз). I'm afraid I'm on the third floor (боюсь, что я живу на третьем этаже). I

hope you don't mind (надеюсь, вы не против)." "Of course not (конечно нет)."

She climbed the uncarpeted stairs (она поднималась по ступенькам,

непокрытым ковром; carpet — ковер, покрытие). She was a trifle out of breath

(она слегка запыхалась) when she came to the third landing (когда /она/

поднялась на третью /лестничную/ площадку). He had skipped up eagerly (он

бежал легко и с нетерпением), like a young goat (как молодой козлик), she

thought (как она думала), and she had not liked to suggest (и ей не хотелось

сказать ему: «предложить») that she would prefer to go more leisurely (что она

предпочла бы подниматься более спокойно; leisurely — досужий, медленный,

неторопливый). The room into which he led her (комната, в которую он ее

провел) was fairly large (была достаточно большой), but dingily furnished (но

плохо обставленной; dingy — тусклый, грязный, поношенный). On the table

was a plate of cakes (на столе стояла тарелка с пирожными) and two cups, a

sugar basin and a milk-jug (и две чашки, сахарница, и молочник; basin —

миска, таз; jug — кувшин). The crockery was of the cheapest sort (фаянсовая

посуда была самой дешевой).

 

climb [klaIm] uncarpeted [An'kQ:pItId] leisurely ['leZqlI]

 

"I saw you drive up and I ran down. I'm afraid I'm on the third floor. I hope

you don't mind."

"Of course not."

She climbed the uncarpeted stairs. She was a trifle out of breath when she

Came to the third landing. He had skipped up eagerly, like a young goat, she

 

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Thought, and she had not liked to suggest that she would prefer to go more

Leisurely. The room into which he led her was fairly large, but dingily

Furnished. On the table was a plate of cakes and two cups, a sugar basin and a

Milk-jug. The crockery was of the cheapest sort.

 

"Take a pew (садитесь; take a pew — разг. садитесь, pew — разг. стул,

сиденье, место)," he said. "The water's just on the boil (вода уже закипает). I'll

only be a minute (я вернусь через минутку). I've got a gas-ring in the bathroom

(у меня газовая горелка в ванной; ring — кольцо, обруч, обод)."

He left her and she looked about (он оставил ее /одну/, и она огляделась

вокруг). "Poor lamb, he must be as poor as a church mouse (бедный ягненок, он,

должно быть, беден как церковная мышь)." The room reminded her very much

(комната напомнила ей так сильно) of some of the lodgings she had lived in

(некоторые из тех съемных комнат, в которых она жила) when she was first on

the stage (когда она только поступила в театр: «была впервые на сцене»). She

noticed the pathetic attempts he had made (она заметила те жалкие попытки,

которые он предпринял) to conceal the fact (чтобы скрыть тот факт) that it was

a bedroom as well as a sitting-room (что это была также и спальная комната, и

гостиная). The divan against the wall (тахта у стены) was evidently his bed at

night (была очевидно и его постелью ночью). The years slipped away from her

in fancy (годы улетучились /от нее/ как по волшебству: «в воображении,

фантазии»; to slip away — ускользать, уноситься, улететь о времени) and she

felt strangely young again (и она почувствовала себя снова

удивительно/странно молодой).

 

pew [pju:] lodging ['lOdZIN] pathetic [pq'TetIk] fancy ['fxnsI]

 

"Take a pew," he said. "The water's just on the boil. I'll only be a minute. I've

got a gas-ring in the bathroom."

He left her and she looked about. "Poor lamb, he must be as poor as a church

 

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mouse." The room reminded her very much of some of the lodgings she had

Lived in when she was first on the stage. She noticed the pathetic attempts he

Had made to conceal the fact that it was a bedroom as well as a sitting-room.

The divan against the wall was evidently his bed at night. The years slipped

Away from her in fancy and she felt strangely young again.

 

What fun they had had in rooms very like that (как весело проводили они время

в таких комнатах: «комнатах, похожих на эти»; to have fun — веселиться,

развлекаться) and how they had enjoyed the fantastic meals they had had (и как

они наслаждались фантастической едой, которую они ели), things in paper

bags (/еда/ из бумажных пакетов) and eggs and bacon fried on the gas-ring (и

яичница с ветчиной, поджаренная на газовой горелке; egg — яйцо; bacon —

копченная свиная грудинка, бекон)! He came in with the tea in a brown pot (он

вошел с чаем в коричневом чайнике). She ate a square sponge-cake (она съела

квадратный бисквит; sponge — губка, губчатое вещество, кислое тесто,

бисквит) with pink icing on it (с розовой сахарной глазурью). That was a thing

she had not done for years (этого: «это было нечто, что» она не делала уже

долгие годы). The Ceylon tea, very strong, with milk and sugar in it (цейлонский

чай, очень крепкий, с молоком и сахаром /в нем/; strong — сильный,

здоровый, крепкий, неразбавленный /о напитках/), took her back to days she

thought she had forgotten (вернул ее /назад/ в те дни, которые, как она думала,

она давно забыла). She saw herself as a young, obscure, struggling actress (она

увидела себя молодой, неизвестной, ведущей борьбу /за успех/ актрисой;

obscure — темный, мрачный, смутный, незаметный). It was rather delicious

(это было просто восхитительным). It needed a gesture (/ситуация/ требовала

какого-то жеста), but she could only think of one (но она могла подумать

только об одном): she took off her hat (она сняла шляпку) and gave her head a

shake (и встряхнула головой).

 

sponge [ |

 

] sugar ['SVgq] obscure [qb'skjVq]

 

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What fun they had had in rooms very like that and how they had enjoyed the

Fantastic meals they had had, things in paper bags and eggs and bacon fried

on the gas-ring! He came in with the tea in a brown pot. She ate a square

Sponge-cake with pink icing on it. That was a thing she had not done for

Years. The Ceylon tea, very strong, with milk and sugar in it, took her back to

Days she thought she had forgotten. She saw herself as a young, obscure,

Struggling actress. It was rather delicious. It needed a gesture, but she could

Only think of one: she took off her hat and gave her head a shake.

 

They talked (они разговаривали). He seemed shy (он казался застенчивым),

much shyer than he had seemed over the telephone (гораздо застенчивее, чем он

казался по телефону); well, that was not to be wondered at (ну, этому нельзя не

удивляться), now she was there (теперь, когда она была здесь) he must be rather

overcome (он, должно быть, был охвачен /чувствами/), and she set herself to

put him at his ease (и она твердо решила успокоить его; to set oneself to do

/doing/ smth. — энергично взяться за что-либо). He told her that his parents

lived at Highgate (он рассказал ей, что его родители жили в Хайгейте), his

father was a solicitor (ее отец был поверенным), and he had lived there too (и

раньше он жил с ними: «тоже там жил»), but he wanted to be his own master

(но захотел быть самому себе хозяином) and now in the last year of his articles

(и теперь, на последнем году его стажировки) he had broken away (он

вырвался /оттуда/) and taken this tiny flat (и снял эту крошечную квартирку).

He was working for his final examination (он готовился к своему последнему

экзамену).

 

solicitor [sq'lIsItq] article ['Q:tIk(q)l] examination [Ig"zxmI'neIS(q)n]

 

They talked. He seemed shy, much shyer than he had seemed over the

Telephone; well, that was not to be wondered at, now she was there he must be

 

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Rather overcome, and she set herself to put him at his ease. He told her that