unfamiliar ['Anfq'mIljq], assiduous [q'sIdjuqs], through [TrH]

"Four hundred fifty quid," echoed Mrs. Harris, " 'ow would anyone ever get that much money?" She was not unfamiliar with Paris styles, for she was an assiduous reader of old fashion magazines sometimes presented to her by clients, and she had heard of Fath, Chanel and Balenciaga, Carpentier, Lanvin and Dior, and the last-named now rang like a bell through her beauty-starved person.

For it was one thing to encounter photographs of dresses (потому что одно дело — увидеть фотографии платьев: to encounter — встречать; натолкнуться), leafing through the slick pages of Vogue or Elle (перелистывая блестящие страницы /журналов/ «Vogue» или «Elle»), where, whether in color or black and white (где в цвете или черно-белые), they were impersonal and as out of her world and her reach as the moon or the stars (они были обезличенными и такими же далекими от ее мира и досягаемости, как луна или звезды). It was quite another to come face to face with the real article (совсем другое — увидеть лицом к лицу реальную вещь; article — вещь, предмет; article of clothing — предмет одежды), to feast one's eyes upon its every clever stitch (радовать глаз каждым искусным стежком), to touch it (прикоснуться к нему), smell it (почувствовать его запах), love it (любить его), and suddenly to become consumed with the fires of desire (и вдруг быть поглощенным огнем страсти).

encounter [In'kauntq], quite [kwaIt], article ['a:tIkl], desire [dI'zaIq]

For it was one thing to encounter photographs of dresses, leafing through the slick pages of Vogue or Elle, where, whether in color or black and white, they were impersonal and as out of her world and her reach as the moon or the stars. It was quite another to come face to face with the real article, to feast one's eyes upon its every clever stitch, to touch it, smell it, love it, and suddenly to become consumed with the fires of desire.

Mrs. Harris was quite unaware (миссис Харрис не вполне осознавала; aware — знающий, осведомленный, сознающий; unaware — не знающий, не подозревающий) that in her reply to Lady Dant she had already given voice to a determination to possess a dress such as this (что в своем ответе леди Дант она уже выразила решимость иметь такое платье, как это; voice — голос; to give voice to smth. — выражать, высказывать что-л.). She had not meant (она не хотела сказать: «не подразумевала»; to mean) "How would anyone get that much money (как кто-то может достать такие большие деньги)?" but "How would I get that much money (а «как я добуду такие большие деньги)?" There, of course, was no answer to this (конечно, не было ответа на этот /вопрос/), or rather only one (или, вернее, только один /ответ/). One would have to win it (надо бы их выиграть). But the chances of this were likewise as remote as the planets (но вероятность этого была, похоже, так же далека, как планеты; remote — удаленный).

unaware ['Anqweq], possess [pq'zes], likewise ['laIkwaIz]

Mrs. Harris was quite unaware that in her reply to Lady Dant she had already given voice to a determination to possess a dress such as this. She had not meant "How would anyone get that much money?" but "How would I get that much money?" There, of course, was no answer to this, or rather only one. One would have to win it. But the chances of this were likewise as remote as the planets.

Lady Dant was quite well pleased with the impression she seemed to have created (леди Дант была очень довольна впечатлением, /которое/ она, по всей видимости, произвела; to seem — казаться) and even took each one down and held it up to her (и даже сняла каждое /платье с вешалки/ и приложила их к ней: to hold — держать; to hold up — выставлять, показывать) so that Mrs.