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

“First — my eldest sister,” said Maia. “She’s very domestic. What about that little stove with the silver saucepans? Yes. And that striped broom. We are so troubled with Stardust, and she will love having that to sweep it up with.”

The Assistant began wrapping the things in coloured paper.

“Now for Taygete. She likes dancing. Don’t you think, Jane, a skipping-rope would be just the thing for her? You’ll tie them carefully, won’t you?” she said to the Assistant. “I have a long way to go.”

She fluttered on among the toys, never standing still for a moment, but walking with a light quicksilver step, as though she were still twinkling in the sky.

Mary Poppins and Jane and Michael could not take their eyes off her as she flickered from one of them to another asking their advice.

“Then there’s Alcyone. She’s difficult. She’s so quiet and thoughtful and never seems to want anything. A book, do you think, Mary Poppins? What is this Family — the Swiss-Robinsons? I think she would like that. And if she doesn’t, she can look at the pictures. Wrap it up!”

She handed the book to the Assistant (она протянула книгу продавцу).

“I know what Celaeno wants (я знаю, что Келено хочет),” she went on (она продолжала). “A hoop (обруч). She can bowl it across the sky in the daytime (она может катать его по небу в дневное время) and make a circle of it to spin about her at night (и делать из него круг, чтобы вращать вокруг себя ночью). She’ll love that red and blue one (ей понравится тот красный с синим).” The Assistant bowed again (продавец поклонился снова) and began to wrap up the hoop (и начал заворачивать обруч).

“Now there are only the two little ones left (теперь только две маленькие остались). Michael, what would you advise for Sterope ((Майкл, что бы ты посоветовал для Стеропы)?”

“What about a top (как насчет волчка)?” said Michael, giving the question his earnest consideration (давая вопросу свое самое серьезное размышление = поразмыслив хорошенько).

“A humming top (жужжащего волчка)? What a good idea (какая хорошая мысль)! She will love to watch it go waltzing and singing down the sky (ей понравится смотреть на него, вальсирующего и поющего по небу). And what do you think for Merope, the baby, Jane (а что ты придумаешь для Меропы, для малышки, Джейн)?”

“John and Barbara,” said Jane shyly (сказала Джейн застенчиво), “have rubber ducks (имеют резиновых уток)!” Maia gave a delighted squeal and hugged herself (Майя взвизгнула от удовольствия и обняла себя).

“Oh, Jane, how wise you are (о, Джейн, какая ты мудрая = разумная)! I should never have thought of that (я бы никогда не подумала об этом). A rubber duck for Merope, please (резиновую уточку для Меропы, пожалуйста) — a blue one with yellow eyes (голубую с желтыми глазами).”

The assistant tied up the parcels (продавец завязал свертки), while Maia ran round him (в то время как Майя бегала вокруг него), pushing at the paper (поправляя бумагу; topush — толкать), giving a tug to the string to make sure (тянула за шнурок, чтобы убедиться; tug — рывок, тянущее усилие) that it was firmly knotted (что он крепко завязан; knot — узел; toknot — связывать узлом).

“That’s right (это в порядке),” she said. “You see (понимаете), I mustn’t drop anything (я не должна ничего уронить).”

Michael, who had been staring steadily at her (Майкл, который смотрел пристально на нее) ever since she first appeared (с того самого момента, как она впервые появилась), turned and said in a loud whisper to Mary Poppins (повернулся и сказал громким шепотом Мэри Поппинс):

“But she has no purse (но у нее нет кошелька). Who will pay for the toys (кто будет платить за игрушки)?”

“None of your business (вовсе не твое дело),” snapped Mary Poppins (отрезала Мэри Поппинс). “And it’s rude to whisper (и это грубо = невежливо шептать).” But she began to fumble busily in her pocket (но она начала нащупывать/возиться усердно в своем кармане).

fumble [fAmbl] none [nAn] rude [ru:d]

She handed the book to the Assistant.

“I know what Celaeno wants,” she went on. “A hoop. She can bowl it across the sky in the daytime and make a circle of it to spin about her at night. She’ll love that red and blue one.” The Assistant bowed again and began to wrap up the hoop.

“Now there are only the two little ones left. Michael, what would you advise for Sterope?”

“What about a top?” said Michael, giving the question his earnest consideration.

“A humming top? What a good idea! She will love to watch it go waltzing and singing down the sky. And what do you think for Merope, the baby, Jane?”

“John and Barbara,” said Jane shyly, “have rubber ducks!” Maia gave a delighted squeal and hugged herself.

“Oh, Jane, how wise you are! I should never have thought of that. A rubber duck for Merope, please — a blue one with yellow eyes.”

The assistant tied up the parcels, while Maia ran round him, pushing at the paper, giving a tug to the string to make sure that it was firmly knotted.