Английский язык с Мюриэль Спарк (рассказы)

Спарк Мюриэл

"Oh, he said it was a good thing (о, он сказал, что это хорошо: «хороший поступок»)?"

"No, not a good thing (нет, не хорошо). In fact (на самом деле) he said it would have been a good thing (он

сказал, что было бы хорошо) if we could have kept the baby (если бы мы смогли оставить ребенка). But failing that (но, /так как мы оказались/ не в состоянии сделать это; tofail— потерпеть неудачу, провалиться, не суметь, не быть в состоянии), we did the right thing (мы поступили правильно; therightthing— как раз то (что надо)). Apparently, there's a difference (очевидно, что разница все-таки есть)."

afford [q'fO: d] titter ['tItq] transfer ['trxnsfq: ] apparently [q'pxrqntlI]

"If that child was mine," said Tina Farrell, "I'd never part with her. I wish we could afford to adopt another. She's the loveliest little darkie in the world."

"You wouldn't think so," said Lou, "if she really was yours. Imagine it for yourself, waking up to find you've had a black baby that everyone thinks had a nigger for its father."

"It would be a shock," Tina said, and tittered.

"We've got the blood tests," said Lou quickly.

Raymond got a transfer to London. They got word about the adoption very soon.

"We've done the right thing," said Lou. "Even the priest had to agree with that, considering how strongly we felt against keeping the child."

"Oh, he said it was a good thing?"

"No, not a good thing. In fact he said it would have been a good thing if we could have kept the baby. But failing that, we did the right thing. Apparently, there's a difference."