Английский язык с Мюриэль Спарк (рассказы)

Next day he found Lou in a half-stupor. She had been given a strong sedative following an attack of screaming hysteria. He sat by her bed, bewildered. Presently a nurse beckoned him from the door. "Will you have a word with Matron?''

"Your wife is upset about her baby," said the matron. "You see, thecolour. She's a beautiful baby, perfect. It's a question of thecolour."

"I noticed the baby was red," said Raymond, "but the nurse said —

"Oh, the red will go. It changes, you know. But the baby will certainly be brown, if not indeed black, as indeed we think she will be. A beautiful healthy child."

"Black?" said Raymond.

"Yes, indeed we think so (да, несомненно, мы думаем, что это так), indeed I must say (на самом деле, я должна сказать), certainly so (непременно так /и будет/)," said the matron (сказала старшая сестра). "We did not expect (мы не ожидали, что) your wife to take it so badly (ваша жена воспримет это так тяжело: «плохо») when we told her (когда мы сказали ей). We've had plenty of dark babies here (у нас здесь: «мы имеем здесь» очень много темных детишек; plenty — изобилие, множество), but most of the mothers expect it (но большинство матерей готовы к этому: «ожидают это»)."

"There must be a mix-up (здесь, должно быть, какая-то путаница; tomix— мешать, перемешивать). You must have mixed up the babies (вы, должно быть, перепутали детей)," said Raymond.

"There's no question of mix-up (не может быть и речи о путанице; thereisnoquestionabout— никто не сомневается в)," said the matron sharply (сказала сестра резко; sharp— острый, отточенный, резкий). "We'll soon settle that (мы скоро это уладим; tosettle— договариваться, выяснять). We've had some of that before (у нас уже были подобные случаи раньше: «мы имели немного такого раньше»)."

"But neither of us are dark (но никто из нас не темнокожий)" said Raymond. "You've seen my wife (вы видели мою жену). You see me (вы видите меня) —

"That's something you must work out for yourselves (это то, что вы должны будете решить: «выработать решение» для себя). I'd have a word with the doctor if I were you (я бы поговорила с врачом, на вашем месте: «если бы я была вы»). But whatever conclusion you come to (но к какому заключению вы бы ни пришли), please don't upset your wife at this stage (пожалуйста, не расстраивайте, не волнуйте вашу жену на этой стадии). She has already refused to feed the child (она уже отказалась кормить ребенка; torefuse— отказываться, отвергать), says it isn’t hers (говорит, что это не ее /ребенок/), which is ridiculous (что смехотворно, нелепо)."

matron ['meItrqn] conclusion [kqn'klu: Z(q)n] ridiculous [rI'dIkjVlqs]

"Yes, indeed we think so, indeed I must say, certainly so," said the matron. "We did not expect your wife to take it so badly when we told her. We've had plenty of dark babies here, but most of the mothers expect it."

"There must be a mix-up. You must have mixed up the babies," said Raymond.

"There's no question of mix-up," said the matron sharply. "We'll soon settle that. We've had some of that before."

"But neither of us are dark," said Raymond. "You've seen my wife. You see me —

"That's something you must work out for yourselves. I'd have a word with the doctor if I were you. But whatever conclusion you come to, please don't upset your wife at this stage. She has already refused to feed the child, says it isn't hers, which is ridiculous."

"Was it Oxford St. John (это был Оксфорд Сент-Джон)?" said Raymond.