It could be none other than Mrs. Butterfield (это не мог быть никто другой, как миссис Баттерфилд), eager to see and discuss her Paris dress (жаждущая увидеть и обсудить ее парижское платье) and hear of her adventures amongst the heathen (и услышать о ее приключениях среди язычников). What was there to show her now for the long wait (что было показывать ей теперь после долгого ожидания), the hard work (тяжелой работы), the sacrifice and the foolish determination (жертвенности и безрассудного стремления)? A burned-out rag (сгоревшую тряпку). Worse than Mrs. Butterfield's croakings of "I told you so" (хуже, чем ворчание миссис Баттерфилд «я же говорила тебе») would be the sympathy that would follow (будет сочувствие, которое затем последует), the tuttings and duckings (охи и вздохи; tutting and ducking — охи и ахи, причитания) and the warm but clumsy attempts to comfort her (и сердечные, но неловкие попытки утешить ее) and which Mrs. Harris felt she could not bear (и которые, как чувствовала миссис Харрис, она не смогла бы вынести). She wanted only to get on with her crying (она хотела просто продолжать плакать) — to be allowed to weep alone until she died (чтобы ей дали плакать в одиночестве, пока она не умрет).
eternity [i:'tq:nItI], ignore [Ig'nO:], eager ['i:gq]
She might have wept thus into eternity, but for the insistent ringing of her doorbell, which at last penetrated grief and into her consciousness. She raised her tear-swollen face momentarily and then decided to ignore it. It could be none other than Mrs. Butterfield, eager to see and discuss her Paris dress and hear of her adventures amongst the heathen. What was there to show her now for the long wait, the hard work, the sacrifice and the foolish determination? A burned-out rag. Worse than Mrs. Butterfield's croakings of "I told you so" would be the sympathy that would follow, the tuttings and duckings and the warm but clumsy attempts to comfort her and which Mrs. Harris felt she could not bear. She wanted only to get on with her crying — to be allowed to weep alone until she died.
She pulled the damp pillow about her ears (она натянула влажную /от слез/ подушку на голову: «на уши») to shut out the sound of the ringing (чтобы не впускать = не слышать звук звонка), but now (но теперь), somewhat to her alarm (несколько к ее тревоге = встревожив ее), heard it replaced by a loud knocking and thumping on the door (услышала, /что/ он сменился громким стуком и ударами в дверь), something rather more strenuous and imperative than she could connect with Mrs. Butterfield (нечто намного более сильное и настойчивое, чем она могла приписать: «связать с» миссис Баттерфилд). Perhaps there was something wrong somewhere (возможно, что-то было неверным = что-то случилось где-то), an emergency (несчастный случай), and she was needed (и она была нужна). She arose quickly (она быстро поднялась) brushed the wisps of hair out of her eyes (смахнула пряди взъерошенных волос со своих глаз) and opened the door (и открыла дверь) to reveal a B.E.A. messenger standing there (чтобы обнаружить посыльного БЕА /Британской европейской авиатранспортной компании/) goggling at her as though he had seen a ghost (смотревшего не нее широко раскрытыми глазами, как будто он увидел привидение).
strenuous ['strenjuqs], imperative [Im'perqtIv], dishevel [dI'Sevql]
She pulled the damp pillow about her ears to shut out the sound of the ringing, but now, somewhat to her alarm, heard it replaced by a loud knocking and thumping on the door, something rather more strenuous and imperative than she could connect with Mrs. Butterfield. Perhaps there was something wrong somewhere, an emergency, and she was needed. She arose quickly, brushed the wisps of disheveled hair out of her eyes and opened the door to reveal a B. |