Английский язык с миссис Харрис, или платье от Диора

Франк Илья

figure ['fIgq], cognoscenti ["kOnjqu'SentI], humiliating [hju:'mIlIeItIN]

Finally Mrs. Harris of 5 Willis Gardens, Battersea, London, came bustling up the staircase already crowded with recumbent figures, to be received by Mme. Colbert. And then and there an astonishing thing took place.

For to the regulars and cognoscenti the staircase at Christian Dior's is Siberia, as humiliating a spot as when the head-waiter of a fashionable restaurant seats you among the yahoos by the swinging doors leading to the kitchen. It was reserved strictly for boobs, nosies, unimportant people and the minor press.

Mme. Colbert regarded Mrs. Harris (мадам Кольбер рассматривала миссис Харрис) standing there in all her cheap clothing (стоящую

там во всей своей дешевой одежде), and she looked right through them and saw only the gallant woman and sister beneath (но она смотрела прямо сквозь них и видела под ней /одеждой/ только отважную женщину и сестру). She reflected upon the simplicity and the courage (она думала о наивности/простодушии и мужестве) that had led her thither in pursuit of a dream (которые привели ее туда в погоне за мечтой; to lead), the wholly feminine yearning for an out-of-reach bit of finery (совершенно женское стремление к недостижимой частице пышного наряда; out of reach — вне досягаемости), the touching desire (трогательное желание), once in her drab cheerless life (один раз в ее серой, безрадостной жизни), to possess the ultimate in a creation (завладеть наивысшим творением: «наивысшим /достижением/ в творении»). And she felt that somehow (и она чувствовала, что каким-то образом) Mrs. Harris was quite the most important (что миссис Харрис была действительно самой важной) and worth-while person (и ст'oящей персоной) in the gathering there of chattering females waiting to view the collection that day (на этом сборище болтающих женщин, ожидающих увидеть коллекцию в тот день).

simplicity [sIm'plIsItI], pursuit [pq'sju:t], ultimate ['AltImIt]

Mme. Colbert regarded Mrs. Harris standing there in all her cheap clothing, and she looked right through them and saw only the gallant woman and sister beneath. She reflected upon the simplicity and the courage that had led her thither in pursuit of a dream, the wholly feminine yearning for an out-of-reach bit of finery, the touching desire, once in her drab cheerless life, to possess the ultimate in a creation. And she felt that somehow Mrs. Harris was quite the most important and worth-while person in the gathering there of chattering females waiting to view the collection that day.

"No (нет)," she said to Mrs. Harris. "Not on the staircase (не на лестнице). I will not have it (я не примирюсь с этим/я этого не допущу). Come (пойдемте). I have a seat for you inside (у меня есть место для вас внутри)."

She threaded Mrs. Harris through the throng (она провела миссис Харрис сквозь толпу; thread — нить; пробираться, to thread — проскальзывать, проникать /куда-л., подобно нитке, вдеваемой в игольное ушко/; прокладывать путь), holding her by the hand (держа ее под руку), and took her into the main salon (и привела ее в главный салон), where all but two of the gold chairs in the double rows were occupied (где все, кроме двух, золоченые стулья в два ряда были заняты). Mme. Colbert always kept one or two seats in reserve (мадам Кольбер всегда держала одно или два места в резерве) for the possible unexpected arrival of some VIP (для = на случай возможного неожиданного приезда какой-либо очень важной персоны; VIP — very important person) or a favored customer bringing a friend (или друга, которого мог привести какой-нибудь привилегированный клиент).

threaded ['TredId], double [dAbl], favored ['feIvqd]

"No," she said to Mrs. Harris. "Not on the staircase. I will not have it. Come. I have a seat for you inside."

She threaded Mrs. Harris through the throng, holding her by the hand, and took her into the main salon, where all but two of the gold chairs in the double rows were occupied. Mme. Colbert always kept one or two seats in reserve for the possible unexpected arrival of some VIP or a favored customer bringing a friend.

She towed Mrs. Harris across the floor (она протащила за собой миссис Харрис через зал; floor — пол; павильон/зал; tow —

бечева; буксирный канат, трос; to tow — тянуть /баржу/ на бечеве) and seated her on a vacant chair in the front row (и усадила ее на свободный стул в переднем ряду). "There (вот)," said Mme. Colbert. "You will be able to see everything from here (вы сможете увидеть все отсюда). Have you your invitation (у вас есть ваше приглашение)? Here is a little pencil (вот небольшой карандаш). When the models enter (когда манекенщицы будут входить), the girl at the door will call out the name and number of the dress (девушка у двери будет объявлять название и номер платья) — in English (по-английски). Write down the numbers of the ones you like the best (запишите номера тех, которые вам понравятся больше всего), and I will see you afterwards (а я увижусь с вами потом; to see — видеть; встречать/ся/)".

vacant ['veIkqnt], invitation ["InvI'teISqn], afterwards ['Q:ftqwqdz]

She towed Mrs. Harris across the floor and seated her on a vacant chair in the front row. "There," said Mme. Colbert. "You will be able to see everything from here. Have you your invitation? Here is a little pencil. When the models enter, the girl at the door will call out the name and number of the dress — in English. Write down the numbers of the ones you like the best, and I will see you afterwards."

Mrs. Harris settled herself noisily and comfortably (миссис Харрис уселась с шумом и удобно; noise — шум) on the gray and gold chair (на серый с золотым стул). The awful handbag she parked on the vacant seat at her left (ужасную сумку она расположила на свободное место слева от себя), the card and pencil she prepared for action (карточку и карандаш она приготовила к действию). Then with a pleased and happy smile (затем с довольной и счастливой улыбкой) she began taking stock of her neighbors (она начала рассматривать своих соседей; stock — запас; инвентарь; ассортимент /товаров/; to take stock — инвентаризировать; делать переучет товара; критически оценивать, рассматривать /of — что-л./; приглядываться /of — к чему-л./).

awful ['O:ful], neighbors ['neIbqz]

Mrs. Harris settled herself noisily and comfortably on the gray and gold chair. The awful handbag she parked on the vacant seat at her left, the card and pencil she prepared for action. Then with a pleased and happy smile she began taking stock of her neighbors.

Although she had no means of identifying them (хотя у нее не было способов идентифицировать их), the main salon contained a cross section (главный салон вмещал поперечное сечение = представительный подбор) of the haut monde of the world (высшего света со всего мира), including a scattering of the nobility (в том числе небольшое количество дворянства), ladies and honorables from England (леди и знать из Англии), marquises and countesses from France (маркизы и графини из Франции), baronesses from Germany (баронессы из Германии), principessas from Italy (княгини из Италии), new-rich wives of French industrialists (новые богатые = недавно разбогатевшие жены французских промышленников), veteran-rich wives of South American millionaires (старые богатые = давно богатые жены южноамериканских миллионеров), buyers from New York (покупатели из Нью-Йорка), Los Angeles and Dallas (Лос-Анджелеса и Далласа), stage actresses (актрисы), film stars (кинозвезды), playwrights (драматурги), playboys (повесы), diplomats (дипломаты), etc. (и т.д.).

although [O:l'Dqu], nobility [nqu'bIlItI], honorable ['Onqrqbl]

Although she had no means of identifying them, the main salon contained a cross section of the haut monde of the world, including a scattering of the nobility, ladies and honorables from England, marquises and countesses from France, baronesses from Germany, principessas from Italy, new-rich wives of French industrialists, veteran-rich wives of South American millionaires, buyers from New York, Los Angeles and Dallas, stage actresses, film stars, playwrights, playboys, diplomats, etc.