Английский язык с Мюриэль Спарк (рассказы)

"She'll hold her tongue (она будет держать свой язык /за зубами/) so long as (пока: «так долго как») she gets her payments (она получает свои деньги: «платежи»). My uncle left an annuity (мой дядя оставил ежегодную ренту) for the purpose (для этих целей), his lawyers (его адвокаты) see to it (проследят: «посмотрят» за этим)."

knee [ni: ] ankle ['xNk(q)l] annuity [q'nju: ItI] lawyer ['lO: jq]

But he put his knee over my ankles, so that I couldn't move. I sat still and gazed into space.

He tickled my face with a wisp of hay.

"Smile up, Needle," he said; "let's talk like oldtimes."

"Well?"

"No one knows about my marriage to Matilda except you and me."

"And Matilda," I said.

"She'll hold her tongue so long as she gets her payments. My uncle left an annuity for the purpose,his lawyers see to it."

"Let me go, George (пусти меня: «позволь мне уйти», Джордж)."

"You promised to keep it a secret (ты обещала сохранить это в секрете)," he said, "you promised (ты обещала)."

"Yes, I promised (да, я обещала)."

"And now that you're going to marry Skinny (и теперь, когда ты собираешься выйти за Скинни), we'll be properly coupled off (мы будем такими хорошими семейными парами: «мы будем должным образом соединены в пары») as we should have been years ago (как мы и должны были быть давным-давно: «годы назад»). We should have been (мы должны были) — but youth (но молодость)! — or youth got in the way (но молодость встала на пути), didn't it (не правда ли)?"

"Life got in the way (жизнь встала на пути)," I said (я ответила).

coupled ['kApl(q)d] youth [jV: T]

"Let me go, George."

"You promised to keep it a secret," he said, "youpromised."

"Yes, I promised."

"And now that you're going to marry Skinny,we'll be properly coupled off as we should have beenyears ago. We should have been — but youth! — or youth got in the way, didn't it?"

"Life got in the way," I said.

"But everything's going to be all right now (но все будет хорошо теперь). You'll keep my secret (ты же сохранишь мой секрет), won't you (правда)? You promised (ты обещала)." He had released my feet (он освободил мои ноги; to release — освобождать, отпускать). I edged a little farther from him (я чуть отодвинулась от него; to edge — затачивать, продвигаться).

I said, "If Kathleen intends to marry you (если Кэтлин собирается выйти за тебя замуж; to intend — намереваться, хотеть), I shall tell her (я скажу ей) that you're already married (что ты уже женат)."

"You wouldn't do a dirty trick like that, Needle (ты же не сделаешь такую подлость: «грязную проделку», Игла)? You're going to be happy with Skinny (ты будешь: «собираешься быть» счастливой со Скинни), you wouldn't stand in the way of my (ты же не встанешь на пути моей) —"

"I must (я должна), Kathleen's my best friend (Кэтлин моя лучшая подруга)," I said swiftly (сказала я поспешно).

released [rI'li: st] swiftly ['swIftlI]

"But everything's going to be all right now. You'll keep my secret, won't you? You promised." He hadreleased my feet. I edged a little farther from him.

I said, "If Kathleen intends to marry you, I shall tell her that you're already married."

"You wouldn't do a dirty trick like that, Needle?You're going to be happy with Skinny, you wouldn'tstand in the way of my—"

"I must, Kathleen's my best friend," I saidswiftly.