Читаем Английский язык с Мюриэль Спарк (рассказы) полностью

"Well, don't call them darkies (ну, не называй их черными)."

Sometimes (иногда), on summer Sunday afternoons (летними воскресными днями) Raymond and Lou took their friends for a run in their car (Раймонд и Лу брали своих друзей на автомобильную прогулку: «прогулку в автомобиле»), ending up at a riverside road-house (которая заканчивалась в придорожной гостинице на берегу реки; riverside— прибрежная полоса, берег реки). The first time they turned up with Oxford and Henry (в первое время, когда они появлялись /в компании/ с Оксфордом и Генри; toturnup— внезапно появиться, приехать) they felt defiant (они чувствовали себя бунтарями; defiant— вызывающий, открыто не повинующийся); but there were no objections (но они не встречали: «там не было» возражений), there was no trouble at all (это оказалось совершенно не скандально: «было без проблем»). Soon the dark pair ceased to be a novelty (вскоре темнокожая пара перестала быть новизной). Oxford St. John took up with a pretty red-haired book-keeper (Оксфорд Сент-Джон закрутил роман: «встречался» с хорошенькой рыжеволосой бухгалтершей), and Henry Pierce (и Генри Пирс), missing his companion (ощущая отсутствие своего товарища; tomiss— промахнуться, упустить, скучать), spent more of his time at the Parkers' flat (проводил больше времени в квартире Паркеров). Lou and Raymond had planned (Лу и Раймонд запланировали) to spend their two weeks' summer holiday (провести свой двухнедельный летний отпуск) in London. "Poor Henry (бедный Генри)," said Lou. "He'll miss us (он будет скучать /без нас/)."

Jesus ['Gi: zqs] bewildered [bI'wIldqd] defiant [dI'faIqnt] novelty ['nOv(q)ltI]

"You mean Jamaicans," said Lou. "Why shouldn't they be nice? They're no different from anyone else."

"Yes, yes, that's what I mean," said Tina

"We're all equal," stated Lou. "Don't forget there are black Bishops."

"Jesus, I never said we were the equal of a Bishop," Tina said, very bewildered.

"Well, don't call them darkies."

Sometimes, on summer Sunday afternoons Raymond and Lou took their friends for a run in their car, ending up at a riverside road-house. The first time they turned up with Oxford and Henry they felt defiant; but there were no objections, there was no trouble at all. Soon the dark pair ceased to be a novelty. Oxford St. John took up with a pretty red-haired book-keeper, and Henry Pierce, missing his companion, spent more of his time at the Parkers' flat. Lou and Raymond had planned to spend their two weeks' summer holiday in London. "Poor Henry," said Lou. "He'll miss us."

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