“And who, may I ask, are these?” he said in his soft, terrifying voice, looking at the children enquiringly.
“Miss Jane Banks and Master Michael Banks, at your service,” said the Brown Bear gruffly, as though he were half afraid. “Her friends.”
“Ah, her friends. Then they are welcome. My dears, pray be seated.”
Jane and Michael, feeling somehow that they were in the presence of a King — as they had not felt when they met the Lion — with difficulty drew their eyes from that compelling gaze and looked round for something to sit on. The Brown Bear provided this by squatting down himself and offering them each a furry knee.
Jane said, in a whisper: “He talks as though he were a great lord.”
“He is. He’s the lord of our world — the wisest and most terrible of us all,” said the Brown Bear softly and reverently.
The Hamadryad smiled, a long, slow, secret smile (Королевская Кобра улыбнулся широкой, медленной, таинственной улыбкой), and turned to Mary Poppins (и повернулся к Мэри Поппинс).
“Cousin (кузина),” he began gently hissing (он начал, нежно шипя).
“Is she really his cousin (она действительно его кузина)?” whispered Michael (прошептал Майкл).
“First cousin once removed (двоюродная племянница; once removed обозначаетстепеньродствачерезпоколение: a first cousin once removed — двоюродный (-ая) племянник/племянница; removed — удаленный) — on the mother’s side (по материнской линии),” returned the Brown Bear (ответил бурый медведь; to return — возвращать(ся); возражать, отвечать), whispering the information behind his paw (прошептав сведения, прикрывшись лапой: «за своей лапой»). “But, listen now (но, послушайте теперь). He’s going to give the Birthday Present (он собирается подарить свой подарок).”
“Cousin (кузина),” repeated the Hamadryad (повторил Королевская Кобра), “it is long since your Birthday fell on the Full Moon (давно было, что твой день рождения выпадал на полнолуние) and long since we have been able to celebrate the event (и давно было, чтобы мы могли отпраздновать это событие) as we celebrate it tonight (как мы отмечаем его сегодня). I have, therefore, had time to give the question of your Birthday Present some consideration (поэтому я имел время на некоторое размышление о твоем Подарке: «имел время дать некоторое размышление…»).And I have decided (и я решил)” — he paused (он сделал паузу), and there was no sound in the Snake House (и в змеином доме не было ни звука) but the sound of many creatures all holding their breath (кроме звука многих существ, затаивших дыхание)— “that I cannot do better (что я не могу сделать /ничего/ лучше) than give you one of my own skins (чем подарить тебе одну из собственных шкур/кож).”
“Indeed, cousin, it is too kind of you (действительно, кузен, это слишком любезно с твоей стороны) — ” began Mary Poppins (начала Мэри Поппинс), but the Hamadryad held up his hood for silence (но Королевская Кобра протянул = развернул свой капюшон, чтобы была тишина).
“Not at all (вовсе нет). Not at all (вовсе нет) . You know (ты знаешь) that I change my skin from time to time (что я меняю кожу время от времени) and that one more or less means little to me (и что одной больше, одной меньше значит очень мало для меня). Am I not (разве нет) — ?” he paused and looked round him (он прервался и посмотрел вокруг себя).
“The Lord of the Jungle (Господин Джунглей),” hissed all the snakes in unison (зашипели змеи в унисон), as though the question and the answer were part of a well-known ceremony (как будто и вопрос, и ответ были частью известной церемонии).
cousin [kAzn] kind [kaInd] unison ['ju:nIzn]
The Hamadryad smiled, a long, slow, secret smile, and turned to Mary Poppins.
“Cousin,” he began gently hissing.
“Is she really his cousin?” whispered Michael.
“First cousin once removed — on the mother’s side,” returned the Brown Bear, whispering the information behind his paw. “But, listen now. He’s going to give the Birthday Present.”
“Cousin,” repeated the Hamadryad, “it is long since your Birthday fell on the Full Moon and long since we have been able to celebrate the event as we celebrate it tonight. I have, therefore, had time to give the question of your Birthday Present some consideration.And I have decided” — he paused, and there was no sound in the Snake House but the sound of many creatures all holding their breath — “that I cannot do better than give you one of my own skins.”
“Indeed, cousin, it is too kind of you — ” began Mary Poppins, but the Hamadryad held up his hood for silence.
“Not at all. Not at all. You know that I change my skin from time to time and that one more or less means little to me. Am I not — ?” he paused and looked round him.
“The Lord of the Jungle,” hissed all the snakes in unison, as though the question and the answer were part of a well-known ceremony.
The Hamadryad nodded (Королевская Кобра кивнул). “So (так что),” he said, “what seems good to me (что кажется хорошим для меня) will seem so to you (покажется таким же для тебя). It is a small enough gift (это довольно маленький дар), dear Mary (дорогая Мэри), but it may serve for a belt or a pair of shoes (но он может служить для /изготовления/ ремня или пары туфель), even a hatband (даже для ленты на шляпе) — these things always come in useful, you know (такие вещи всегда пригождаются = всегда кстати, ты знаешь = так ведь).”
And with that he began to sway gently from side to side (и с этим = на этом он начал раскачиваться осторожно из стороны в сторону), and it seemed to Jane and Michael as they watched (и Джейн и Майклу казалось, когда они смотрели), that little waves were running up his body from the tail to the head (что маленькие волны бегут вверх по его телу от хвоста к голове). Suddenly he gave a long, twisting, corkscrew leap (внезапно он сделал длинный, волнистый, спиральный прыжок; to twist — виться, изгибаться; corkscrew — штопор; спиральный; cork — пробка; to screw — завинчивать) and his golden outer skin lay on the floor (и его золотистая верхняя кожа легла на пол), and in its place he was wearing a new coat of shining silver (а на ее месте на нем была новая кожа из сияющего серебра).
“Wait (подожди)!” said the Hamadryad, as Mary Poppins bent to pick up the skin (когда Мэри Поппинс нагнулась, чтобы подобрать кожу; to bend). “I will write a Greeting upon it (я напишу поздравление на ней).” And he ran his tail very quickly along his thrown skin (и он пробежался/провел своим хвостом очень быстро по сброшенной коже), deftly bent the golden sheath into a circle (проворно сложил золотистую оболочку в круг; sheath — футляр; ножны; оболочка), and diving his head through this (и, просунув свою голову сквозь нее) as though it were a crown (как будто это была корона), offered it graciously to Mary Poppins (и преподнес/предложил ее изящно Мэри Поппинс). She took it, bowing (она взяла ее, поклонившись).
“I just can’t thank you enough (я просто не могу вас достаточно отблагодарить)— ” she began, and paused (начала она и остановилась). She was evidently very pleased (она была /совершенно/ очевидно очень довольна), for she kept running the skin backwards and forwards through her fingers (так как продолжала пропускать кожу вперед и назад между пальцев) and looking at it admiringly (и смотря на нее восхищенно; toadmire — восхищаться).
“Don’t try (не пытайся),” said the Hamadryad. “Hsst (шш)!” he went on (он продолжал), and spread out his hood (и расправил свой капюшон) as though he were listening with it (как будто он слушал им). “Do I not hear the signal for the Grand Chain (не слышу ли я сигнала для Большой Цепочки)?”
corkscrew ['kO:kskru:] sheath [∫i:T] circle [sq:kl]
The Hamadryad nodded. “So,” he said, “what seems good to me will seem so to you. It is a small enough gift, dear Mary, but it may serve for a belt or a pair of shoes, even a hatband — these things always come in useful, you know.”
And with that he began to sway gently from side to side, and it seemed to Jane and Michael as they watched that little waves were running up his body from the tail to the head. Suddenly he gave a long, twisting, corkscrew leap and his golden outer skin lay on the floor, and in its place he was wearing a new coat of shining silver.
“Wait!” said the Hamadryad, as Mary Poppins bent to pick up the skin. “I will write a Greeting upon it.” And he ran his tail very quickly along his thrown skin, deftly bent the golden sheath into a circle, and diving his head through this as though it were a crown, offered it graciously to Mary Poppins. She took it, bowing.
“I just can’t thank you enough — ” she began, and paused. She was evidently very pleased, for she kept running the skin backwards and forwards through her fingers and looking at it admiringly.
“Don’t try,” said the Hamadryad. “Hsst!” he went on, and spread out his hood as though he were listening with it. “Do I not hear the signal for the Grand Chain?”
Everybody listened (все слушали/прислушались). A bell was ringing (колокольчик звонил) and a deep gruff voice could be heard coming nearer and nearer (и таинственный, хриплый голос был слышен, идущим ближе и ближе = приближающимся), crying out (выкрикивая):
“Grand Chain (Большая Цепочка), Grand Chain (Большая Цепочка)! Everybody to the centre for the Grand Chain and Finale (все в центр для Большой Цепочки и Торжественного Завершения). Come along (скорее), come along (скорее). Stand ready for the Grand Chain (становитесь/стройтесь для Большой Цепочки; ready — готовый)!”
“I thought so (я так и думал),” said the Hamadryad, smiling (сказал Королевская Кобра, улыбаясь). “You must be off, my dear (ты должна уходить, моя дорогая). They’ll be waiting for you to take your place in the centre (они будут ждать тебя, чтобы ты заняла твое место в центре). Farewell (до свидания), till your next Birthday (до твоего следующего дня рождения).” And he raised himself as he had done before (и он поднялся, как делал это прежде) and lightly saluted Mary Poppins on both cheeks (и легко попрощался с ней /поцеловав/ в обе щеки).