Английский язык с П. Треверс. Мэри Поппинс / P. L. Travers: Mary Poppins

The Hamadryad nodded. “So,” he said, “what seems good to me will seem so to you. It is a small enough gift, dear Mary, but it may serve for a belt or a pair of shoes, even a hatband — these things always come in useful, you know.”

And with that he began to sway gently from side to side, and it seemed to Jane and Michael as they watched that little waves were running up his body from the tail to the head. Suddenly he gave a long, twisting, corkscrew leap and his golden outer skin lay on the floor, and in its place he was wearing a new coat of shining silver.

“Wait!” said the Hamadryad, as Mary Poppins bent to pick up the skin. “I will write a Greeting upon it.” And he ran his tail very quickly along his thrown skin, deftly bent the golden sheath into a circle, and diving his head through this as though it were a crown, offered it graciously to Mary Poppins. She took it, bowing.

“I just can’t thank you enough — ” she began, and paused. She was evidently very pleased, for she kept running the skin backwards and forwards through her fingers and looking at it admiringly.

“Don’t try,” said the Hamadryad. “Hsst!” he went on, and spread out his hood as though he were listening with it. “Do I not hear the signal for the Grand Chain?”

Everybody listened (все слушали/прислушались). A bell was ringing (колокольчик звонил) and a deep gruff voice could be heard coming nearer and nearer (и таинственный, хриплый голос был слышен, идущим ближе и ближе = приближающимся), crying out (выкрикивая):

“Grand Chain (Большая Цепочка), Grand Chain (Большая Цепочка)! Everybody to the centre for the Grand Chain and Finale (все в центр для Большой Цепочки и Торжественного Завершения). Come along (скорее), come along (скорее). Stand ready for the Grand Chain (становитесь/стройтесь для Большой Цепочки; ready — готовый)!”

“I thought so (я так и думал),” said the Hamadryad, smiling (сказал Королевская Кобра, улыбаясь). “You must be off, my dear (ты должна уходить, моя дорогая). They’ll be waiting for you to take your place in the centre (они будут ждать тебя, чтобы ты заняла твое место в центре). Farewell (до свидания), till your next Birthday (до твоего следующего дня рождения).” And he raised himself as he had done before (и он поднялся, как делал это прежде) and lightly saluted Mary Poppins on both cheeks (и легко попрощался с ней /поцеловав/ в обе щеки).

“Hurry away (поторапливайся: «поспеши прочь»)!” said the Hamadryad. “I will take care of your young friends (я позабочусь о твоих юных друзьях; care — забота).”

Jane and Michael felt the Brown Bear moving under them (Джейн и Майкл почувствовали, как бурый медведь двинулся под ними) as they stood up (когда они встали). Past their feet they could feel all the snakes slipping and writhing (мимо своих ног/ступней они чувствовали всех змей, скользящих и извивающихся) as they hurried from the Snake House (когда они заспешили из дома змей). Mary Poppins bowed towards the Hamadryad very ceremoniously (Мэри Поппинс поклонилась Королевской Кобре очень церемонно), and without a backward glance at the children went running towards the huge green square in the centre of the Zoo (и не взглянув назад на детей: «без взгляда назад», отправилась бегом к огромной зеленой площади в центре зоопарка).

“You may leave us (ты можешь оставить нас),” said the Hamadryad to the Brown Bear (сказал Королевская Кобра бурому медведю) who, after bowing humbly (который, поклонившись смиренно; humble — смиренный), ran off with his cap in his hand to where all the other animals were congregating round Mary Poppins (убежал со своим цилиндром в руках туда, где все другие звери собирались вокруг Мэри Поппинс).

“Will you go with me (вы пойдете со мной)?” said the Hamadryad kindly to Jane and Michael (сказал Кобра доброжелательно Джейн и Майклу). And without waiting for them to reply (и не дожидаясь, чтобы они ответили) he slid between them (он проскользил между ними; to slide — скользить), and with a movement of his hood directed them to walk one on either side of him (и движением своего капюшона указал им идти по обеим сторонам от него).

“It has begun (уже началось; to begin),” he said, hissing with pleasure (сказал он, шипя от удовольствия).

finale [fI'nQ:lI] centre [sentq] square [skwεq]

Everybody listened. A bell was ringing and a deep gruff voice could be heard coming nearer and nearer, crying out:

“Grand Chain, Grand Chain! Everybody to the centre for the Grand Chain and Finale. Come along, come along. Stand ready for the Grand Chain!”

“I thought so,” said the Hamadryad, smiling. “You must be off, my dear. They’ll be waiting for you to take your place in the centre. Farewell, till your next Birthday.” And he raised himself as he had done before and lightly saluted Mary Poppins on both cheeks.

“Hurry away!” said the Hamadryad. “I will take care of your young friends.”