She had no way of knowing how tenuous and sketchy was Miss Penrose's connection with these, that she was not only a bad little girl but a mediocre actress.

It was sufficient for Mrs. Harris that from time to time (для миссис Харрис было достаточно /того/, что время от времени) her voice was heard on the wireless (ее голос слышался из радиоприемника; wire — проволока; wireless — беспроводный, беспроволочный; радио; радиоприемник) or she would pass across the television screen (или она пересекла экран телевизора) wearing an apron and carrying a tray (в переднике и с подносом). Mrs. Harris respected the lone battle the girl was waging (миссис Харрис уважала одинокую битву, /которую/ эта девушка вела; to wage — проводить /кампанию/, вести /войну/; бороться /за что-л./), humored her (потакала ей), cosseted her (баловала ее), and took from her what she would not from anyone else (и терпела от нее /то/, что не /потерпела бы/ ни от кого другого).

It was sufficient for Mrs. Harris that from time to time her voice was heard on the wireless or she would pass across the television screen wearing an apron and carrying a tray. Mrs. Harris respected the lone battle the girl was waging, humored her, cosseted her, and took from her what she would not from anyone else.

The taxicab entered a broad street (такси въехало на широкую улицу) lined with beautiful buildings (обрамленную красивыми зданиями), but Mrs. Harris had no eye or time for architecture (но миссис Харрис не была знатоком архитектуры или не имела /на это/ времени).

" 'Ow far is it (это далеко)?" she shouted at the cab driver (она крикнула шоферу), who replied (который ответил), not slowing down one whit (не сбавляя скорость ни на йоту), by taking both hands off the steering wheel (оторвав обе руки от рулевого колеса), waving his arms in the air (размахивая своими руками в воздухе), turning around and shouting back at her (развернувшись назад и крича ей). Mrs. Harris, of course, understood not a word (миссис Харрис, конечно, не поняла ни слова), but his smile beneath a walrus mustache was engaging and friendly enough (но его улыбка под свисающими усами «как у моржа» была довольно обаятельной и дружелюбной), and so she settled back to endure the ride (и поэтому она снова уселась, чтобы вытерпеть/пережить поездку; to endure — подвергаться /чему-л./; выдерживать испытание временем; длиться; продолжаться, тянуться; терпеть, сносить) until she should reach the so-long-coveted destination (до тех пор, /пока/ она не достигнет долгожданной цели; to covet — жаждать, домогаться, сильно желать). She reflected upon the strange series of events (она размышляла о странной цепи событий) that led to her being there (которые привели ее сюда).

walrus ['wLlrqs], mustache [mqs'tRS], endure [In'duq], covet ['kAvIt]

The taxicab entered a broad street lined with beautiful buildings, but Mrs. Harris had no eye or time for architecture.

" 'Ow far is it?" she shouted at the cab driver, who replied, not slowing down one whit, by taking both hands off the steering wheel, waving his arms in the air, turning around and shouting back at her. Mrs. Harris, of course, understood not a word, but his smile beneath a walrus mustache was engaging and friendly enough, and so she settled back to endure the ride until she should reach the so-long-coveted destination. She reflected upon the strange series of events that led to her being there.

TWO (2)

It had all begun that day several years back (все началось в тот день несколько лет назад) when, during the course of her duties at the apartment of Lady Dant (когда во время выполнения своих обязанностей в квартире леди Дант) Mrs.