saucepan ['sO:sp@n] mechanical [mI'k&nIk(@)l]

Another good way we discovered of irritating the aristocratic type of steam launch, was to mistake them for a beanfeast, and ask them if they were Messrs. Cubit's lot or the Bermondsey Good Templars, and could they lend us a saucepan.

Old ladies, not accustomed to the river, are always intensely nervous of steam launches. I remember going up once from Staines to Windsor — a stretch of water peculiarly rich in these mechanical monstrosities — with a party containing three ladies of this description. It was very exciting. At the first glimpse of every steam launch that came in view, they insisted on landing and sitting down on the bank until it was out of sight again. They said they were very sorry, but that they owed it to their families not to be foolhardy.

We found ourselves short of water at Hambledon Lock (мы обнаружили, что у нас нет воды, у Хамблдонского шлюза); so we took our jar and went up to the lock-keeper's house to beg for some (поэтому мы взяли кувшин и отправились к дому начальника шлюза, чтобы попросить воды).

George was our spokesman (Джордж был нашим представителем). He put on a winning smile, and said (он пустил в ход обаятельную улыбку и сказал; to put on — надевать; принимать вид, прикидываться):

"Oh, please could you spare us a little water (не могли бы вы выделить нам немного воды)?"

"Certainly (конечно)," replied the old gentleman (ответил пожилой джентльмен); "take as much as you want, and leave the rest (возьмите, сколько вам нужно, и оставьте остальное)."

"Thank you so much (большое вам спасибо)," murmured George, looking about him (пробормотал Джордж, осматриваясь). "Where — where do you keep it (где вы ее держите)?"

"It's always in the same place, my boy (она всегда на одном и том же месте, молодой человек: «мой мальчик»; my boy — братец, старина; парень, человек /употребляется вместо man/)," was the stolid reply (был невозмутимый ответ; stolid — бесстрастный, невозмутимый, флегматичный, вялый): "just behind you (как раз позади вас)."

"I don't see it (я ее не вижу)," said George, turning round (сказал Джордж, оборачиваясь).

We found ourselves short of water at Hambledon Lock; so we took our jar and went up to the lock-keeper's house to beg for some.

George was our spokesman. He put on a winning smile, and said:

"Oh, please could you spare us a little water?"

"Certainly," replied the old gentleman; "take as much as you want, and leave the rest."

"Thank you so much," murmured George, looking about him. "Where — where do you keep it?"

"It's always in the same place, my boy," was the stolid reply: "just behind you."

"I don't see it," said George, turning round.

"Why, bless us, where's your eyes (черт возьми, где же ваши глаза)?" was the man's comment, as he twisted George round and pointed up and down the stream (было замечание этого человека = заметил начальник шлюза, поворачивая Джорджа кругом и показывая вверх и вниз по течению = обводя всю реку). "There's enough of it to see, ain't there (ее достаточно, чтобы увидеть, не так ли = вон сколько воды)?"

"Oh!" exclaimed George, grasping the idea (воскликнул Джордж, понимая); "but we can't drink the river, you know (но мы не можем выпить реку, видите ли)!"

"No; but you can drink some of it (но вы можете выпить часть ее)," replied the old fellow (ответил старик). "It's what I've drunk for the last fifteen years (/именно/ ее я пил последние пятнадцать лет)."

George told him that his appearance, after the course (Джордж сказал ему, что его внешность после этого; course — курс, направление; продолжение; линия поведения, образ действия), did not seem a sufficiently good advertisement for the brand (не выглядит достаточно хорошей рекламой торговой марки = плохая реклама для фирмы; brand — торговая марка, товарный знак, бренд; клеймо); and that he would prefer it out of a pump (и что он предпочел бы воду из колодца; pump — колодец, помпа; колодец с насосом).