THREE (3)

"D-d-d-ducks (г-г-голубушка)," she stammered (сказала она заикаясь; duck — утка), "ducks, it's 'APPENED (голубушка, это случилось: to happen)!"

marvelous ['mRvqlqs], quivering ['kwIvqrIN], apoplexy ['xpqupleksI]

The marvelous and universe-shattering discovery was made that weekend not by Mrs. Harris, but by Mrs. Butterfield, who, flesh a-quivering, came storming into the former's kitchen in such a state that she was hardly able to speak and indeed seemed to be on the verge of apoplexy.

"D-d-d-ducks," she stammered, "ducks, it's 'APPENED!"

Mrs. Harris, who was engaged in ironing Major Wallace's shirts after washing them (миссис Харрис, которая была занята глажением рубашек майора Уоллиса после стирки) — this was one of the ways in which she spoiled him (это был один из способов, которыми она баловала его) — said without looking up from the nicety of turning the neckband (сказала, не поднимая глаз от тщательного отглаживания воротничка; nicety — изящество, изысканность, утонченность; отделанность, тщательность, скрупулезность): "Take it easy, dear, or you'll 'ave yer-self an attack (успокойся, дорогая, или тебя хватит удар; yer-self = yourself). Wot's 'appened (что случилось; wot’s = what’s)?"

ironing ['aIqnIN], nicety ['naIsItI], neckband ['nekbxnd]

Mrs. Harris, who was engaged in ironing Major Wallace's shirts after washing them — this was one of the ways in which she spoiled him — said without looking up from the nicety of turning the neckband: "Take it easy, dear, or you'll 'ave yer-self an attack. Wot's 'appened?"

Panting and snorting like a hippopotamus (задыхаясь и фыркая, как гиппопотам), Mrs. Butterfield waved the newspaper (миссис Баттерфилд взмахнула газетой). "You've won (ты выиграла)!"

The full import of what her friend was saying did not reach Mrs. Harris at once (весь: «полный» смысл того, что подруга ее говорила, не дошел до миссис Харрис сразу; import — значение, смысл, суть, сущность), for having placed her ultimate fate in the hands of the powerful feeling of luck (потому что, поместив = вверив свой последний жребий в руки сильного чувства = предчувствия удачи), she had then temporarily put the matter from her mind (она затем на время выбросила это из головы: «из ума»; matter — материя; сущность, содержание; тема, вопрос).

hippopotamus ["hIpq'pOtqmqs], ultimate ['AltImIt], temporarily ['tempqrqrIlI]

Panting and snorting like a hippopotamus, Mrs. Butterfield waved the newspaper. "You've won!"

The full import of what her friend was saying did not reach Mrs. Harris at once, for having placed her ultimate fate in the hands of the powerful feeling of luck, she had then temporarily put the matter from her mind.

But at last the meaning of what Mrs. Butterfield was shouting came home to her (но, в конце концов, смысл того, о чем кричала миссис Баттерфилд, дошел до нее: to come home to — доходить, становится понятным) and she dropped her iron to the floor with a crash (и она с грохотом уронила свой утюг на пол). "Me Dior dress (мое платье от Диора)!" she cried (закричала она), and the next moment she had seized her stout friend about the waist (и в следующее мгновение она обнимала свою полную подругу за талию) and the two of them were dancing like children about the kitchen (и затем обе танцевали по кухне, как дети).