Английский язык с Мюриэль Спарк (рассказы)

"She’ll get the money. He will get the bare legal minimum only."

'"No, they say he's to get everything. In trust."

"I believe Mrs. Simmonds has left everything to her daughter."

My grandmother said. "She should divide her fortune—

— equally between them," said my aunt. "Fair's fair."

I invented for myself a recurrent scene in which brother and sister emerged from their mother's room and. on the narrow landing, allowed their gaze to meet in unspoken combat over their inheritance. Basil's flat-coloured eyes did not themselves hold any expression, but by the forward thrust of his red neck he indicated his meaning; Dorothy made herself plain by means of a corkscrew twist of the head — round and up — and the glitter of her one good eye through the green glasses.

I was sent for (меня пригласили: «за мной послали») to try on my new reading glasses (примерить мои новые очки для чтения; totryon— примерять, пробовать). I had the hat-pin with me (у меня была с собой шляпная булавка) I was friendly to Basil (и я была дружелюбна с Бэзилом) while I tested the new glasses in the front shop (пока я проверяла новые очки в магазине). He seemed to want to put a hand on my shoulder (он, казалось, хотел положить руку мне на плечо), hovered (/его рука/ застыла; to hover — реять, парить; неподвижно зависать в воздухе), but was afraid (но он так и не решился; afraid— испуганный, сожалеющий, стесняющийся сделать что-либо). Dorothy came downstairs and appeared before us (Дороти спустилась и появилась перед нами) just as his hand wavered (тогда как его рука дрогнула; towaver— колыхаться, дрожать, дрогнуть). He protracted the wavering gesture into one (его нерешительное движение вылилось в; toprotract— тянуть, затягивать, медлить), which adjusted the stem of my glasses above my ear (/движение/, расположившее дужку моих очков над ухом; toadjust— приводить в порядок, приспособлять, регулировать).

"Auntie says to try them properly (тетушка сказала, чтобы я тщательно их /очки/ проверила; aunt— тетя, auntie— ласк. тетушка)," I said (сказала я), "while I'm about it (пока я здесь, пока я этим занимаюсь)." This gave me an opportunity to have a look round the front premises (это дало мне возможность осмотреть помещение; opportunity— удобный случай, возможность;premise— исходное условие, premises— помещение, дом (с прилегающими пристройками и участком)).

friendly ['frendlI] hover ['hOvq] premise ['premIs]

I was sent for to try on my new reading glasses. I had the hat-pin with me I was friendly to Basil while I tested the new glasses in the front shop. He seemed to want to put a hand on my shoulder, hovered, but was afraid. Dorothy came downstairs and appeared before us just as his hand wavered. He protracted the wavering gesture into one which adjusted the stem of my glasses above my ear.

"Auntie says to try them properly," I said, "while I'm about it." This gave me an opportunity to have a look round the front premises.

"You'll only want them for your studies (тебе они понадобятся только для /твоих/ занятий; to want — хотеть, желать, нуждаться, study — изучение, занятия, наука)," Basil said.