The sky was all pallid again, yellowish (небо снова стало совсем бледным, желтоватым; pallid – /мертвенно-/бледный). When I went out there was no sun (когда я вышел, солнца не было); the snow was blue and cold (снег был голубой и холодный). I hurried away down the hill, musing on Maggie (я поспешно спускался с холма, думая о Мэгги; to hurry away – спешно уезжать, уходить; to muse – находиться в задумчивости; размышлять). The road made a loop down the sharp face of the slope (дорога делала петлю, уходя вниз по крутому склону).

 “Come to tea one day – yes, do!”

I promised – one day.

The moment I was out of her presence I ceased utterly to exist for her – as utterly as I ceased to exist for Joey. With her curious abstractedness she forgot me again immediately. I knew it as I left her. Yet she seemed almost in physical contact with me while I was with her.

The sky was all pallid again, yellowish. When I went out there was no sun; the snow was blue and cold. I hurried away down the hill, musing on Maggie. The road made a loop down the sharp face of the slope.

As I went crunching over the laborious snow I became aware of a figure (тяжело пробираясь по хрустящему снегу, я заметил фигуру; to crunch – грызть с хрустом; скрипеть, хрустеть /под ногами, колесами/; laborious – трудный; напряженный, утомительный) striding awkwardly down the steep scarp to intercept me (шагавшую неуклюже по крутому откосу, чтобы перехватить меня; to stride – шагать большими шагами). It was a man with his hands in front of him, half stuck in his breeches pockets (это был мужчина, державший руки перед собой, наполовину засунутыми в карманы бриджей), and his shoulders square – a real knock-about fellow (с квадратными плечами – настоящий рабочий парень; knock-about – шумный, грубый /о зрелище/; бродячий; рабочий /об одежде/). Alfred, of course (Альфред, конечно). He waited for me by the stone fence (он подождал меня у каменной ограды).

“Excuse me,” he said as I came up (извините = можно вас на минутку, – сказал он, когда я подошел).

I came to a halt in front of him and looked into his sullen blue eyes (я остановился перед ним и заглянул в его голубые глаза; halt – остановка). He had a certain odd haughtiness on his brows (у него было некоторое странное высокомерие на бровях = брови были подняты в каком-то странном высокомерии; certain – определенный; некоторый; odd – нечетный; странный, необычный). But his blue eyes stared insolently at me (а его голубые глаза пристально и нагло глядели на меня).

 As I went crunching over the laborious snow I became aware of a figure striding awkwardly down the steep scarp to intercept me. It was a man with his hands in front of him, half stuck in his breeches pockets, and his shoulders square – a real knock-about fellow. Alfred, of course. He waited for me by the stone fence.

“Excuse me,” he said as I came up.

I came to a halt in front of him and looked into his sullen blue eyes. He had a certain odd haughtiness on his brows. But his blue eyes stared insolently at me.

“Do you know anything about a letter – in French (вы что-нибудь знаете о письме… на французском…) – that my wife opened – a letter of mine (которое вскрыла моя жена… письме для меня)?”

“Yes,” said I. “She asked me to read it to her (она попросила меня прочесть его ей).”

He looked square at me (он смотрел прямо на меня; square – прямо; как раз, непосредственно). He did not know exactly how to feel (он точно не знал, что думать; to feel – осязать; чувствовать, ощущать; полагать, считать).

“What was there in it?” he asked (что в нем было? – спросил он).

“Why (а что)?” I said. “Don’t you know (разве вы не знаете)?”

“She makes out she’s burnt it (она уверяет, что сожгла его; to make out – разобрать, увидеть; понять, разобраться; утверждать, стараться доказать; to burn – гореть; сжигать),” he said.

“Without showing it you?” I asked (не показав его вам? – спросил я).

He nodded slightly (он слегка кивнул).

 “Do you know anything about a letter – in French – that my wife opened – a letter of mine?”

“Yes,” said I. “She asked me to read it to her.”

He looked square at me. He did not know exactly how to feel.

“What was there in it?” he asked.

“Why?” I said. “Don’t you know?”

“She makes out she’s burnt it,” he said.

“Without showing it you?” I asked.

He nodded slightly.