Английский язык с Мюриэль Спарк (рассказы)

"No," he said. He had fallen out with his mother, through his inquiries whether there had beencolouredblood in his family. "The doctor says," he said, "that these black mixtures sometimes occur in seaport towns. It might have been generations back."

"One thing," said Lou. "I'm not going to take that child back to the flat."

"You'll have to," he said.

Elizabeth wrote her a letter (Элизабет написала ей письмо), which Raymond intercepted (которое Раймонд перехватил):

"Dear Lou (дорогая Лу) Raymond is asking if we have any blacks in the family (Раймонд спрашивает, есть ли у нас черные в семье) well thats funny you have a coloured (чудно, что у тебя цветной /ребеночек/; thats = that’s,funny — смешной, забавный, странный) God is not asleep (Бог не спит). There was that Flinn cousin Tommy at Liverpool (был у нас один кузен Флинн Томми в Ливерпуле) he was very dark (он был очень смуглым: «темным») they put it down to the past a nigro off a ship (они приписали это одному ниггеру с корабля; nigro = Negro,ship — корабль, судно) that would be before our late Mothers Time (это было еще до времен покойной нашей матушки) God rest her soul (успокой Господь ее душу) she would turn in her grave (она ворочается в гробу; grave — могила) you should have kept up your bit to me (что ты пожалела денег для меня) whats a pound a week to you (что такое фунт в неделю для тебя; whats= what’s). It was on our fathers side the colour (со стороны нашего отца был он, цвет) and Mary Flinn you remember at the dairy (и Мари Флинн ты помнишь на сыроварне) was dark (была темной) remember her hare was like nigro hare (помнишь ее волосы были как волосы у негра; hare=hair) it must be back in the olden days (должно быть назад, в старые деньки) the nigro some ansester (ниггер какой-то предок; ansester = ancestor) but it is only nature (но это всего лишь естественно; nature = natural). I thank the almighty it has missed my kids (я благодарю всевышнего, что это миновало моих детей) and your hubby must think (и твой муженек должно думает; hubby = husband) it was that nigro (что это был тот ниггер) you was showing off (которого ты выставляла напоказ) when you came to my place (когда ты приезжала ко мне домой). I wish you all the best (я желаю тебе всего хорошего) as a widow with kids (как вдове с детьми) you shoud send my money as per usual (ты лучше отправляй мои деньги как обычно;shoud = should) your affec sister Elizabeth (твоя любящая сестра, Элизабет; affec = affectionate)."

Elizabeth wrote her a letter, which Raymond intercepted:

"Dear Lou Raymond is asking if we have any blacks in the family well thats funny you have acolouredGod is not asleep. There was that Flinn cousin Tommy at Liverpool he was very dark they put it down to the past a nigro off a ship that would be before our late Mothers Time God rest her soul she would turn in her grave you should have kept up your bit to me whats a pound a week to you. It was on our fathers side thecolourand Mary Flinn you remember at the dairy was dark remember her hare was like nigro hare it must be back in the olden days the nigro some ansester but it is only nature. I thank the almighty it has missed my kids and your hubby must think it was that nigro you was showing off when you came to my place. I wish you all the best as a widow with kids you shoud send my money as per usual your affec sister Elizabeth."