other woman would have told him that if he couldn't behave with common decency
he'd better get out. Selfish, stupid and common, that's what he was. She almost
wished he wasn't going tomorrow so that she could have the pleasure of turning
him out bag and baggage.
442
And to dare to treat her like that (и посметь так с ней обращаться), a twopenny-
halfpenny little man in the city (ничтожный человечишка, делец;
кабинетные министры и пэры Англии;
would be only too glad to break the most important engagements (будут
чрезвычайно рады отменить наиважнейшие встречи) to have the chance of
dining with her (чтобы только иметь возможность отобедать с ней), and he
threw her over (и он отбросил ее) to go and dance with a pack of peroxide
blondes (чтобы поехать потанцевать с кучкой крашеных /пергидролем/
блондинок) who couldn't act for nuts (которые совсем не умеют играть
какой он был дурак). You would have thought he'd have some gratitude (можно
было надеяться: «подумать», что он будет /ей/ благодарен;
которая была на нем) she'd paid for (она за нее платила). That cigarette-case he
was so proud of (тот портсигар, которым он так гордился), hadn't she given him
that (разве не она подарила его ему)? And the ring he wore (и кольцо, которое
он носил). My God, she'd get even with him (но, мой Бог, она поквитается с
ним;
twopenny-halfpenny ["tAp(q)nI'heIp(q)nI] engagement [In'geIdZmqnt]
peroxide [pq'rOksaId]
And to dare to treat her like that, a twopenny halfpenny little man in the city; poets,
cabinet ministers, peers of the realm would be only too glad to break the most
important engagements to have the chance of dining with her, and he threw her
over to go and dance with a pack of peroxide blondes who couldn't act for nuts.
That showed what a fool he was. You would have thought he'd have some
gratitude. Why, the very clothes he had on she'd paid for. That cigarette-case he
443
was so proud of, hadn't she given him that? And the ring he wore. My God, she'd
get even with him.
Yes, and she knew how she could do it (да, и она знала /даже/, как она сделает
это). She knew where he was most sensitive (она знала, в чем он был наиболее
уязвим;
she could most cruelly wound him (и как она может побольнее уколоть его;
would get him on the raw (это заденет его за живое;
слабое /чувство/ облегчения) as she turned the scheme over in her mind (пока
она продумывала: «проворачивала» план /возмездия/ в голове). She was
impatient to carry out her part of it at once (ей не терпелось выполнить свою
часть этого плана немедленно), and they had no sooner got home (и как только
они добрались до дома) than she went up to her room (как она отправилась
наверх, в свою комнату). She got four single pounds out of her bag (она достала
из своей сумки четыре /банкноты/ по фунту) and a ten-shilling note (и
банкноту в десять шиллингов). She wrote a brief letter (она написала короткое
письмо).
impatient [Im'peIS(q)nt] scheme [ski:m] cruelly ['kru:qlI]
Yes, and she knew how she could do it. She knew where he was most sensitive and
how she could most cruelly wound him. That would get him on the raw. She felt a
faint sensation of relief as she turned the scheme over in her mind. She was
impatient to carry out her part of it at once, and they had no sooner got home than
she went up to her room. She got four single pounds out of her bag and a ten-
shilling note. She wrote a brief letter.
DEAR TOM (дорогой Том),
444
I'm enclosing the money for your tips (я прилагаю /к письму/ деньги для твоих
чаевых) as I shan't see you in the morning (так как я не увижу тебя утром). Give
three pounds to the butler (дай три фунта дворецкому), a pound to the maid
who's been valeting you (фунт горничной, которая обслуживала тебя;