to spring — прыгать).
unreasonably [An'ri:znqblI] cruelly ['kruqlI] exclaime [Iks'kleIm]
Jane and Michael hurried away, closing their ears to those enchanting voices, and feeling that the time in the Toy Department had been unreasonably and cruelly short.
And then, just as they came towards the shop entrance, the adventure happened.
They were just about to spin the glass door and go out, when they saw coming towards it from the pavement the running, flickering figure of a child.
“Look!” said Jane and Michael both together.
“My gracious goodness, glory me!” exclaimed Mary Poppins, and stood still.
And well she might, for the child had practically no clothes on, only a light wispy strip of blue stuff that looked as though she had torn it from the sky to wrap round her naked body.
It was evident that she did not know much about spinning doors, for she went round and round inside it, pushing it so that it should spin faster and laughing as it caught her and sent her whirling round and round. Then suddenly, with a quick little movement she freed herself, sprang away from it and landed inside the shop.
She paused on tiptoe (она постояла на носочках), turning her head this way and that (поворачивая голову туда-сюда: «в эту сторону и в ту»), as though she were looking for someone (как если бы она кого- нибудь искала). Then, with a start of pleasure (затем, вздрогнув от удовольствия), she caught sight of Jane and Michael and Mary Poppins (она увидела: «поймала вид» Джейн и Майкла, и Мэри Поппинс) as they stood, half-hidden behind an enormous fir tree (в то время как они стояли, наполовину спрятанные за огромной елью; to hide — прятать), and ran towards them joyously (и побежала к ним радостно; joy — радость).
“Ah, there you are (а, вот вы где)! Thank you for waiting (спасибо, что подождали: «за ожидание»). I’m afraid I’m a little late (боюсь, что я немного опоздала),” said the child (сказал ребенок), stretching out her bright arms to Jane and Michael (протягивая свои сверкающие ручки к Джейн и Майклу; bright — яркий; блестящий; светящийся). “Now (вот),” she cocked her head on one side (она наклонила голову на один бок), “aren’t you glad to see me (не рады ли видеть меня)? Say yes (скажите «да»), say yes (скажите «да»)!”
“Yes,” said Jane smiling (сказала Джейн, улыбаясь; tosmile), for nobody (так как никто), she felt (она чувствовала), could help being glad to see anyone so bright and happy (не мог не радоваться, видя кого-либо столь яркого и счастливого). “But who are you (но кто ты)?” she enquired curiously (она спросила с любопытством).
“What is your name (как тебя зовут)?” said Michael, gazing at her (уставившись на нее).
“Who am I (кто я)? What is my name (как меня зовут)? Don’t say you don’t know me (не говорите, что вы не знаете меня)? Oh, surely (о, конечно), surely —” The child seemed very surprised and a little disappointed (ребенок казался очень удивленным и немного разочарованным; todisappoint — разочаровывать). She turned suddenly to Mary Poppins (она обернулась внезапно к Мэри Поппинс) and pointed her finger (и указала своим пальцем).
“She knows me (она знает меня). Don’t you (не правда ли)? I’m sure you know me (я уверена, что вы знаете меня)!”
There was a curious look on Mary Poppins’ face (на лице Мэри Поппинс был странный взгляд). Jane and Michael could see blue fires in her eyes (Джейн и Майкл видели голубые огоньки в ее глазах) as though they reflected the blue of the child’s dress and her brightness (как будто они отражали голубой цвет девочкиного платья и ее яркость).
“Does it (оно) — does it,” she whispered (она прошептала), “begin with an M (начинается на М)?”
The child hopped on one leg delightedly (ребенок запрыгал на одной ноге довольно; delight — удовлетворение, удовольствие, наслаждение; todelight — доставлять большое удовольствие).
“Of course it does (конечно, начинается) — and you know it (и вы знаете его). M-A-I-A. I’m Maia (я — Майя).” She turned to Jane and Michael (она повернулась к Джейн и Майклу).
“Now you recognize me (теперь вы узнали меня), don’t you (не так ли)? I’m the second of the Pleiades (я вторая из Плеяд). Electra (Электра) — she’s the eldest (она — старшая) — couldn’t come (не могла прийти) because she’s minding Merope (она присматривает за Мэропой). Merope’s the baby (Меропа — малышка), and the other five of us come in between (а остальные пятеро нас родились между) — all girls (все девочки). Our Mother was very disappointed at first not to have a boy (наша мама была очень разочарована сначала, что не родила мальчика), but now she doesn’t mind (но сейчас она не придает значения).”
fir [fq:] fires ['faIqz] Pleiad ['plaIqd]
She paused on tiptoe, turning her head this way and that, as though she were looking for someone. Then, with a start of pleasure, she caught sight of Jane and Michael and Mary Poppins as they stood, half-hidden behind an enormous fir tree, and ran towards them joyously.
“Ah, there you are! Thank you for waiting. I’m afraid I’m a little late,” said the child, stretching out her bright arms to Jane and Michael. “Now,” she cocked her head on one side, “aren’t you glad to see me? Say yes, say yes!”
“Yes,” said Jane smiling, for nobody, she felt, could help being glad to see anyone so bright and happy. “But who are you?” she enquired curiously.
“What is your name?” said Michael, gazing at her.
“Who am I? What is my name? Don’t say you don’t know me? Oh, surely, surely — ” The child seemed very surprised and a little disappointed. She turned suddenly to Mary Poppins and pointed her finger.
“She knows me. Don’t you? I’m sure you know me!”
There was a curious look on Mary Poppins’ face. Jane and Michael could see blue fires in her eyes as though they reflected the blue of the child’s dress and her brightness.
“Does it — does it,” she whispered, “begin with an M?”
The child hopped on one leg delightedly.
“Of course it does — and you know it. M-A-I-A. I’m Maia.” She turned to Jane and Michael.
“Now you recognize me, don’t you? I’m the second of the Pleiades. Electra — she’s the eldest — couldn’t come because she’s minding Merope. Merope’s the baby, and the other five of us come in between — all girls. Our Mother was very disappointed at first not to have a boy, but now she doesn’t mind.”
The child danced a few steps (ребенок протанцевал несколько шагов) and burst out again in her excited little voice (и вскричал своим взволнованным слабеньким голосом; to burst out — восклицать):
“Oh, Jane! Oh, Michael — I’ve often watched you from the sky (я часто смотрела на вас с неба), and now I’m actually talking to you (и теперь я на самом деле разговариваю с вами). There is nothing about you (нет ничего о вас) I don’t know (чего я не знаю). Michael doesn’t like having his hair brushed (Майкл не любит причесывать волосы: «иметь свои волосы причесанными»), and Jane has a thrush’s egg in a jam jar on the mantelpiece (а у Джейн есть яйцо дрозда в банке из-под джема на каминной доске). And your Father is going bald on the top (а ваш отец лысеет на макушке; bald — лысый). I like him (он мне нравится). It was he (это был он) who first introduced us (кто первый познакомил нас) — don’t you remember (вы не помните; tointroduce — вводить; знакомить, представлять)? He said one evening last summer (он сказал однажды вечером прошлым летом):
“Look, there are the Pleiades (посмотрите, вон — Плеяды). Seven stars all together (семь звезд все вместе), the smallest in the sky (самые маленькие на небе). But there is one of them you can’t see (но есть одна из них, которую вы не видите).”
“He meant Merope, of course (он имел в виду Меропу, конечно). She’s still too young to stay up all night (она все еще слишком молода, чтобы не ложиться спать всю ночь; tostayup — не ложиться спать: «оставаться на ногах»). She’s such a baby that she has to go to bed very early (она такой ребенок, что должна ложиться спать очень рано).
Some of them up there call us the Little Sisters (некоторые из них здесь называют нас маленькие сестрички), and sometimes we are called the Seven Doves (а иногда мы зовемся семь голубок), but Orion calls us ‘You girls’ (но Орион называет нас «эй, девчонки») and takes us hunting with him (и берет нас охотиться с собой).”
“But what are you doing here (но что ты делаешь здесь)?” demanded Michael (спросил Майкл), still very surprised (все еще очень удивленный).
Maia laughed (Майя засмеялась). “Ask Mary Poppins (спросите Мэри Поппинс). I am sure she knows (я уверена, что она знает).”
“Tell us, Mary Poppins (скажите нам, Мэри Поппинс),” said Jane.
“Well (что ж),” said Mary Poppins snappily (сказала Мэри Поппинс раздражительно), “I suppose (я полагаю) you two aren’t the only ones in the world (вы двое не единственные в мире) that want to go shopping at Christmas (кто хочет пройтись по магазинам в Рождество) —.”
actually ['qkt∫uqlI] thrush [TrA∫] Orion [q'raIqn]
The child danced a few steps and burst out again in her excited little voice:
“Oh, Jane! Oh, Michael — I’ve often watched you from the sky, and now I’m actually talking to you. There is nothing about you I don’t know. Michael doesn’t like having his hair brushed, and Jane has a thrush’s egg in a jam jar on the mantelpiece. And your Father is going bald on the top. I like him. It was he who first introduced us — don’t you remember? He said one evening last summer:
“Look, there are the Pleiades. Seven stars all together, the smallest in the sky. But there is one of them you can’t see.”
“He meant Merope, of course. She’s still too young to stay up all night. She’s such a baby that she has to go to bed very early. Some of them up there call us the Little Sisters, and sometimes we are called the Seven Doves, but Orion calls us ‘You girls’ and takes us hunting with him.”