никогда бы не набрался храбрости чтобы пригласить ее; to have the cheek —

иметь наглость, дерзость; cheek — щека).

children ['tSIldrqn] insignificant ["InsIg'nIfIkqnt] sincerely [sIn'sIqlI]

She took a taxi to Tavistock Square. She was pleased with herself. She was

doing a good action. It would be wonderful for him in after years to be able to

tell his wife and children that Julia Lambert had been to tea with him when

he was just a little insignificant clerk in an accountant's office. And she had

been so simple and so natural. No one to hear her prattling away would have

Мультиязыковой проект Ильи Франка www.franklang.ru

293

guessed that she was the greatest actress in England. And if they didn't believe

him he'd have her photograph to prove it, signed yours sincerely. He'd laugh

and say that of course if he hadn't been such a kid he'd never have had the

cheek to ask her.

When she arrived at the house (когда она подъехала к дому) and had paid off the

taxi (и расплатилась за такси) she suddenly remembered (она внезапно

вспомнила) that she did not know his name (что она не знает его имени) and

when the maid answered the door (и когда служанка ответит /на звонок/ в

дверь) would not know whom to ask for (не будет знать, кого спросить). But on

looking for the bell (но, в поисках звонка) she noticed that there were eight of

them, four rows of two (она увидела, что их было /не один, а/ целых восемь,

расположенных в четыре ряда, по два звонка в каждом), and by the side of

each (и со стороны от каждого звонка) was a card or a name written in ink on a

piece of paper (была /или/ карточка, или имя, написанное чернилами на

клочке бумаги). It was an old house (это был старый дом) that had been divided

up into flats (который был разделен на квартиры). She began looking, rather

hopelessly, at the names (она начала смотреть, довольно беспомощно, на

имена) wondering whether one of them would recall something (надеясь, что

одно из имен напомнит ей что-нибудь: «раздумывая, не припомнится ли /ей/

одно из имен»), when the door opened (когда дверь открылась) and he stood

before her (и он предстал перед ней).

piece [pi:s] paper ['peIpq] whether ['weDq]

When she arrived at the house and had paid off the taxi she suddenly

remembered that she did not know his name and when the maid answered the

door would not know whom to ask for. But on looking for the bell she noticed

that there were eight of them, four rows of two, and by the side of each was a

card or a name written in ink on a piece of paper. It was an old house that had

Мультиязыковой проект Ильи Франка www.franklang.ru

294

been divided up into flats. She began looking, rather hopelessly, at the names

wondering whether one of them would recall something, when the door

opened and he stood before her.

"I saw you drive up (я видел, как вы подъехали) and I ran down (и побежал

вниз). I'm afraid I'm on the third floor (боюсь, что я живу на третьем этаже). I

hope you don't mind (надеюсь, вы не против)." "Of course not (конечно нет)."

She climbed the uncarpeted stairs (она поднималась по ступенькам,

непокрытым ковром; carpet — ковер, покрытие). She was a trifle out of breath

(она слегка запыхалась) when she came to the third landing (когда /она/