George was fairly getting through the highballs, and I wasn't far behind him.

 

His brown eyes (его карие глаза) floated shiny and liquid (сверкнули слезами: «наполнились блестящими и жидкими»; to float — плавать на поверхности, затоплять; to shine — блестеть; liquid — жидкий) as he told me (когда он сказал мне) how he had written (как написал; to write-wrote-written) to tell his uncle of his plight (чтобы сообщить: «сказать» своему: «его» дяде о своем незавидном положении), "Except, of course (за исключением, конечно), I didn't say we were married (я не сказал, что мы поженились), that would have been too much for him (это было бы слишком для него). He's a prejudiced hardened old Colonial (он непоколебимый старый: «пристрастный закоренелый» колонист с предрассудками; prejudice — предрассудок, предубеждение; hard — твердый, стойкий; to harden — затвердевать). I only said (я только сказал) I'd had a child by a coloured woman (что у меня будет ребенок от цветной женщины) and was expecting another (и скоро она опять родит: «и ожидается другой»), and he perfectly understood (и он все понял; perfectly — совершенно, полностью; to understand — понимать).

 

floated ['flqVtId] liquid ['lIkwId] plight [plaIt] prejudice ['preGqdIs]

 

His brown eyes floated shiny and liquid as he told me how he had written to tell his uncle of his plight, "Except, of course, I didn't say we were married, that would have been too much for him. He's a prejudiced hardened old Colonial. I only said I'd had a child by a coloured woman and was expecting another, and he perfectly understood.

 

He came at once by plane (он немедленно прилетел на самолете; a plane — самолет; to come by plane) a few weeks ago (несколько недель назад). He's made a settlement on her (он договорился: «он заключил с ней сделку», что обеспечит ее; a settlement — соглашение, расчет; to make a settlement on smb), providing she keeps her mouth shut (при условии, что она никому не расскажет: «она держит рот закрытым»; to provide — обеспечивать; to keep —держать; mouth — рот; shut — закрытый) about her association with me (о ее связи со мной)."

"Will she do that (она никому не расскажет: «она это сделает»)?"

"Oh, yes, or she won't get the money (о, да, или она не получит деньги)."

 

settlement ['setlmqnt] association [q"sqVsI'eIS(q)n, q"sqVSI'eIS(q)n]

money ['mAnI]

 

He came at once by plane a few weeks ago. He's made a settlement on her, providing she keeps her mouth shut about her association with me."

"Will she do that?"

"Oh. yes, or she won't get the money."

 

"But as your wife (но как твоя жена) she has a claim on you (она имеет права на тебя; claim — претензии, права), in any case (в любом случае)."

"If she claimed as my wife (если она заявит свои права как моя жена; to claim — требовать, претендовать) she'd get far less (она получит гораздо меньше; little-less-the least). Matilda knows (Матильда знает) what she's doing (что она делает), greedy bitch she is (жадная сука — вот кто она; greed — жадность; bitch — сука). She'll keep her mouth shut (она будет держать рот закрытым)."

"Only (только), you won't be able to marry again (ты не сможешь жениться снова), will you (не так ли)?"

"Not unless she dies (да, пока она жива: «нет до тех пор, пока она умрет»; to die — умирать)," he said. "And she's as strong as a trek ox (а она сильна, как бык; trek ox — вол, запряженный в повозку)."

 

claim [kleIm] greedy ['gri:dI] mouth [maVT]

 

"But as your wife she has a claim on you, in any case."

"If she claimed as my wife she'd get far less. Matilda knows what she's doing, greedy bitch she is. She'll keep her mouth shut."

"Only, you won't be able to marry again, will you?"

"Not unless she dies," he said. "And she's as strong as a trek ox."

 

"Well, I'm sorry, George (что ж, мне очень жаль, Джордж)," I said.

"Good of you to say so (мило с твоей стороны говорить так; good — добрый, хороший)," he said. "But I can see by your chin (но я вижу: «могу видеть» по твоему подбородку) that you disapprove of me (что ты меня не одобряешь; (dis)approve — (не) одобрять). Even my old uncle understood (даже мой старый дядя понял /меня/)."

"Oh, George, I quite understand (о, Джордж, я тоже поняла; quite — вполне). You were lonely (ты был одинок). I suppose (я полагаю)."

'You didn't even ask me to your twenty-first (ты даже не позвала меня на свой двадцать первый день рождения). If you and Skinny had been nicer to me (если бы ты и Скинни были добрее ко мне; nice — хороший, приятный), I would never have lost my head (я бы никогда не потерял головы; to loose — терять) and married the woman (и не женился бы на той женщине), never (никогда)."

"You didn't ask me to your wedding (ты не позвал меня на свою свадьбу; wedding — свадьба)," I said.

 

disapprove [dIsq'pru:v] lonely ['lqVnlI] wedding ['wedIN]

 

"Well, I'm sorry, George," I said.

"Good of you to say so," he said. "But I can see by your chin that you disapprove of me. Even my old uncle understood."

"Oh, George, I quite understand. You were lonely. I suppose."

'You didn't even ask me to your twenty-first. If you and Skinny had been nicer to me, I would never have lost my head and married the woman, never."

"You didn't ask me to your wedding," I said.

 

"You're a catty bissom (ну ты и язва). Needle, not like what you were (Игла, совсем не такая ты была) in the old times (в старые времена) when you used to tell us (когда ты рассказывала нам) your wee stories (свои историйки: «крошечные истории»)."

"I'll have to be getting along (я должна уже идти)," I said.

"Mind you keep the secret (запомни «ты хранишь» = это секрет)," George said.

"Can't I tell Skinny (могу ли я: «не могу» сказать Скинни)? He would be very sorry for you (он искренне посочувствует тебе), George."

"You mustn't tell anyone (ты не должна говорить никому). Keep it a secret (сохрани это в секрете). Promise (обещай)."

 

wee [wi:] secret ['si:krIt] promise ['prOmIs]

 

"You're a catty bissom. Needle, not like what you were in the old times when you used to tell us your wee stories."

"I'll have to be getting along," I said.

"Mind you keep the secret," George said.

"Can't I tell Skinny? He would be very sorry for you: George."

"You mustn't tell anyone. Keep it a secret. Promise."

 

"Promise (обещаю)," I said. I understood (я поняла) that he wished (что он хочет) to enforce (усилить) some sort of bond (некую связь) between us (между нами) with this secret («с этим» = этим секретом), and I thought (и я подумала): "Oh well (ну хорошо). I suppose he's lonely (думаю, что он одинок). Keeping his secret (хранение его секрета) won't do any harm (не причинит вреда; harm — вред, ущерб)."

I returned to England (я вернулась в Англию) with Skinny's party (с группой Скинни) just before the war (как раз перед войной).

I did not see George again (я больше не видела Джорджа /снова/) till just before my death (до: «как раз перед» моей смерти), five years ago (пять лет назад).

 

enforce [In'fO:s] war [wO:] death [deT]

 

"Promise," I said. I understood that he wished to enforce some sort of bond between us with this secret, and I thought. "Oh well. I suppose he's lonely. Keeping his secret won't do any harm."

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]