“When you first knew him.”

“When I first knew him, he was twenty-six – now – he’s thirty-one – nearly thirty-two – because I’m twenty-nine, and he is nearly three years older —”

She lifted her head and looked at the opposite wall.

“And what then?” said her husband.

She hardened herself, and said callously:

“We were as good as engaged for nearly a year, though nobody knew – at least – they talked – but – it wasn’t open. Then he went away —”

“He chucked you?” said the husband brutally (он бросил тебя? – жестоко сказал муж; to chuck – бросать; кидать; швырять; /разг./ бросать /работу/; порвать /с кем-л./; brutally – жестокий, зверский; грубый), wanting to hurt her into contact with himself (желая причинить ей боль и тем самым принудить ее к общению с собой; to hurt – причинять боль; ранить; обидеть, задеть; contact – соприкосновение, контакт; связь, контакт; to come into contact with – соприкасаться; установить контакт с). Her heart rose wildly with rage (ее сердце вскипело от ярости; to rise – восходить; вставать, подниматься; усиливаться; wild – дикий; бурный, необузданный; исступленный). Then “Yes”, she said, to anger him (тогда она сказала «да», чтобы разозлить его). He shifted from one foot to the other, giving a “Ph!” of rage (он переминался с ноги на ногу, издавая яростное «фф!»). There was silence for a time (некоторое время стояло молчание).

“Then,” she resumed, her pain giving a mocking note to her words (потом, – продолжала она, и ее боль придавала словам насмешливую нотку; to resume – возобновлять, продолжать; to mock – насмехаться; высмеивать), “he suddenly went out to fight in Africa (он внезапно уехал сражаться в Африку; suddenly – вдруг, внезапно, неожиданно; sudden – внезапный, неожиданный; to fight – драться; сражаться, воевать), and almost the very day I first met you (и почти в тот самый день, когда я только познакомилась с тобой; to meet – встречать/ся/; знакомиться), I heard from Miss Birch he’d got sunstroke (я узнала от мисс Бёрч, что у него был солнечный удар…; to hear – слышать; узнавать) – and two months after, that he was dead (а через два месяца, что он умер…; later – позже; dead – мертвый; умерший) —”

“That was before you took on with me?” said the husband (это было до того, как ты закрутила со мной? – спросил муж; to take on – брать /работу и т. д./; браться /за дело и т. д./).

 “He chucked you?” said the husband brutally, wanting to hurt her into contact with himself. Her heart rose wildly with rage. Then “Yes”, she said, to anger him. He shifted from one foot to the other, giving a “Ph!” of rage. There was silence for a time.

“Then,” she resumed, her pain giving a mocking note to her words, “he suddenly went out to fight in Africa, and almost the very day I first met you, I heard from Miss Birch he’d got sunstroke – and two months after, that he was dead —”

“That was before you took on with me?” said the husband.

There was no answer (ответа не было). Neither spoke for a time (какое-то время ни один не говорил). He had not understood (он раньше не понял). His eyes were contracted uglily (его глаза мерзко сощурились; to contract – сжимать/ся/, сокращать/ся/; суживать/ся/).

“So you’ve been looking at your old courting places (значит, ты навещала места своих прежних шашней; to look – смотреть; осматривать; to court – ухаживать, добиваться расположения)!” he said. “That was what you wanted to go out by yourself for this morning (вот куда ты хотела пойти одна нынче утром).”

Still she did not answer him anything (она по-прежнему ничего ему не отвечала). He went away from the door to the window (он отошел от двери к окну). He stood with his hands behind him, his back to her (он стоял, заложив сзади руки, спиной к ней). She looked at him (она посмотрела на него). His hands seemed gross to her, the back of his head paltry (его руки показались ей грубыми, затылок – презренным; gross – грубый, вульгарный; back – спина; тыльная сторона, задняя часть; paltry – ничтожный, мелкий; жалкий, презренный).

At length, almost against his will, he turned round, asking (наконец, чуть не против своей воли, он повернулся и спросил; almost – почти; едва не):

“How long were you carrying on with him (как долго у тебя с ним была связь; to carry on – продолжать/ся/; /разг./ флиртовать; иметь любовную связь)?”

 There was no answer. Neither spoke for a time. He had not understood. His eyes were contracted uglily.

“So you’ve been looking at your old courting places!” he said. “That was what you wanted to go out by yourself for this morning.”

Still she did not answer him anything. He went away from the door to the window. He stood with his hands behind him, his back to her. She looked at him. His hands seemed gross to her, the back of his head paltry.

At length, almost against his will, he turned round, asking:

“How long were you carrying on with him?”

“What do you mean?” she replied coldly (что ты имеешь в виду/что ты хочешь сказать? – холодно ответила она; to mean – иметь в виду, подразумевать).

“I mean how long were you carrying on with him (я хочу сказать, как долго у тебя с ним была связь)?”

She lifted her head, averting her face from him (она подняла голову, отворачивая от него лицо). She refused to answer (она отказывалась отвечать). Then she said (затем сказала):