“Oh, beg pardon (о, прошу прощения). Pleased to meet you (рад с вами познакомиться: «встретить вас»). Beg pardon (прошу прощения).” And he held out his flipper (и он протянул свой плавник;
onwards ['Onwqdz] down [daun] moonlit ['mu:nlIt]
Jane saw it was no good following him, so she took Michael’s hand and moved onwards.They were startled when a voice, almost at their feet, hailed them.
“Come on, you two! In you come, Let’s see you dive for a bit of orange peel you don’t want.” It was a bitter, angry voice, and looking down they saw that it came from a small black Seal who was leering at them from a moonlit pool of water.
“Come on, now — and see how you like it!” he said.
“But — but we can’t swim!” said Michael.
“Can’t help that!” said the Seal. “You should have thought of that before. Nobody ever bothers to find out whether I can swim or not. Eh, what? What’s that?”
He spoke the last question to another Seal who had emerged from the water and was whispering in his ear.
“Who?” said the first Seal. “Speak up!”
The second Seal whispered again. Jane caught the words “Special Visitors — Friends of — ” and then no more. The first Seal seemed disappointed, but he said politely enough to Jane and Michael:
“Oh, beg pardon. Pleased to meet you. Beg pardon.” And he held out his flipper and shook hands limply with them both.
“Look where you’re going (смотрите, куда идете), can’t you (не могли бы вы)?” he shouted (он прокричал), as something bumped into Jane (в то же время, как что-то ударилось о Джейн/стукнулось в Джейн). She turned quickly (она развернулась быстро) and gave a little frightened start (и испуганно вздрогнула: «дала = сделала маленькое испуганное вздрагивание»;
“Oh, I say (о, «я говорю»; Oh, I say = Да что вы, надо же!) — ” he began (он начал). “I didn’t know it was you (я не знал, что это вы)! This place is so crowded tonight (это место такое «многолюдное» сегодня вечером;
“Perhaps (может быть),” said Jane politely (сказала Джейн вежливо), “you’d show us the way (вы бы показали нам дорогу).” She was a little uncertain of the Lion (она была немного неуверена в льве), but he seemed kindly enough (но он казался достаточно доброжелательным). “And after all (и в конце концов: «после всего»),” she thought (она подумала), “everything is topsyturvy tonight (все вверх тормашками сегодня вечером;
“Dee-lighted! (с удовольствием;
“Does my mane look nice (моя грива выглядит красиво)?” asked the Lion (спросил лев) as they moved off (когда они отошли). “I had it curled for the occasion (я сделал завивку по случаю;
Jane looked at it (Джейн посмотрела на нее). She could see (она увидела) that it had been carefully oiled (что она была заботливо промаслена) and combed into ringlets (и причесана в колечки/локоны).
“Very (очень),” she said. “But — isn’t it rather odd for a lion to care about such things (но — не странно ли это для льва — заботится о таких вещах)? I thought (я думала) — ”
Lion ['laIqn] topsyturvy ['tOpsI'tq:vI] tonight [tq'naIt]