Dorothy was beside us in no time. She peered one-eyed at the glasses, then at me.

" Are you constipated? " she said. I maintained silence. But I felt she was seeing everything through her green glasses. " Put them on, " Dorothy said. " Try them on, " said Basil. They were ganged up together. Everything was going wrong, for I had come here to see how matters stood between them after the affair of the will. Basil gave me something to read. " It's all right now, " I said, " but it was all a blur when I tried to read this morning."

" Better take a dose, " Dorothy said. I wanted to get out of the shop with my glasses as quickly as possible, but the brother said, " I'd better test your eyes again while you're here just to make sure."

He seemed quite normal (он выглядел: «казался» совершенно нормальным). I followed him into the dark interior (я последовала за ним в темную внутреннюю комнату), Dorothy switched on the light (Дороти включила свет). They both seemed normal (они оба выглядели нормальными). The scene in the little office last night (сценка в маленьком кабинете, /произошедшая/ вчера вечером) began to lose its conviction (начала терять свою убедительность; conviction — убеждение, уверенность). As I read out the letters on the card in front of me (пока я читала вслух буквы из таблицы передо мной) I was thinking of Basil as " Mr. Simmonds" and Dorothy as " Miss Simmonds" (я думала о Бэзиле как о «господине Симмондсе» и Дороти как о «мисс Симмондс»), and feared their authority (и боялась их власти; authority — власть, полномочие, авторитет), and was in the wrong (и чувствовала себя неловко; to be in the wrong — быть не в своей тарелке; ошибаться, быть виновным).

" That seems to be all right (кажется, что все в порядке), " Mr. Simmonds said. " But wait a moment (но, подожди секундочку)." He produced some coloured slides with lettering on them (он показал какие-то цветные слайды с надписями /на них/; to produce — предъявлять). Miss Simmonds gave me what appeared to be a triumphant one-eyed leer (мисс Симмондс одарила меня /как это выглядело/ торжествующим злобным взглядом; leer — косой, хитрый, плотоядный взгляд), and as one who washes her hands of a person (как человек, который снимает с себя ответственность; to wash one’s hands of smb. — снимать с себя ответственность за кого-либо, умывать руки), started to climb the stairs (стала подниматься по лестнице). Plainly (было ясно), she knew I had lost my attraction for her brother (она знала, что я потеряла всякую привлекательность для ее брата; attraction — притяжение, привлекательность, прелесть, очарование).

conviction [kqn'vIkS(q)n] fear [fIq] authority [O: 'TOrItI] coloured ['kAlqd]

triumphant [traI'Amf(q)nt]

He seemed quite normal. I followed him into the dark interior. Dorothy switched on the light. They both seemed normal. The scene in the little office last night began to lose its conviction. As I read out the letters on the card in front of me I was thinking of Basil as " Mr. Simmonds" and Dorothy as " Miss Simmonds". and feared their authority, and was in the wrong.

" That seems to be all right, " Mr. Simmonds said. " But wait a moment." He produced some coloured slides with lettering on them Miss Simmonds gave me what appeared to be a triumphant one-eyed leer, and as one who washes her hands of a person, start — ed to climb the stairs. Plainly, she knew I had lost my attraction for her brother.

But before she turned the bend in the stairs (но до того, как она поднялась еще выше по лестнице: «повернулась на повороте лестницы») she stopped and came down again (она остановилась и снова спустилась /вниз/). She went to a row of shelves (она подошла к ряду полок; shelf (shelves) — полка) and shifted some bottles (и передвинула пару бутылочек). I read on (я продолжала читать). She interrupted (она перебила меня; to interrupt — прерывать, перебивать, нарушать, мешать).

'" My eye-drops, Basil (мои глазные капли, Бэзил). I made them up this morning (я приготовила их сегодня утром). Where are they (где они)? "

Mr. Simmonds was suddenly watching her as if something inconceivable was happening (господин Симмондс внезапно стал смотреть на нее так, как будто происходило что-то невероятное).

" Wait, Dorothy (подожди, Дороти). Wait till I've tested the girl's eyes (подожди, пока я не закончил проверять зрение девочки)."

She had lifted down a small brown bottle (она сняла: «подняла вниз» с полки маленькую коричневую бутылочку). ''I want my eye-drops (мне нужны мои глазные капли). I wish you wouldn't displace (как бы мне хотелось, что бы ты не переставлял; to displace — переставлять, перемещать, класть на другое место) — Are these they (это они)? "

interrupted [" Intq'rAptId] inconceivable [" Inkqn'si: vqb(q)l]

happening ['hxp(q)nIN]

But before she turned the bend in the stairs she stopped and came down again She went to a row of shelves and shifted some bottles. I read on. She interrupted:

'" My eye-drops, Basil. I made them up this morn­ing. Where are they? "