Trudy bore these knives and forks into the dining-room with a sense of having been got rid of with a view to being talked about.

At supper, Mrs. Seeton said, "It seems a bit odd, there only being the three of us. We usually have such jolly Sunday suppers. Next week, Trudy, you must come and meet the whole crowd — mustn't she, Gwen?"

"Oh, yes," Gwen said, "Trudy must do that."

Towards half past ten Richard's mother said, "I doubt if Richard will be back in time to run you home. Naughty boy, I daren't think what he gets up to."

On the way to the bus stop Gwen said, "Are you happy now that you've met Lucy?"

"Yes, I think so. But I think Richard might have stayed. It would have been nice. I daresay he wanted me to get to know his mother by myself. But in fact I felt the need of his support. "

''Didn't you have a talk with Lucy?"

"Well yes, but not much really. Richard probably didn't realize you were coming to supper. Richard probably thought his mother and I could have a heart-to-heart —

"I usually go to Lucy's on Sunday (я обычно бываю: «хожу к» у Люси по воскресеньям)," Gwen said.

"Why (почему)?"

"Well, she's a friend of mine (ну, она моя подруга). I know her ways (я знаю ее привычки; way — путь, дорога, манера поведения, обычай). She amuses me (она развлекает меня; to amuse — забавлять)."

During the week Trudy saw Richard only once (за всю неделю: «в течение недели» Труди видела Ричарда только раз), for a quick drink (за коротким коктейлем: «быстрым напитком»; drink — питье, напиток, спиртной напиток).

"Exams (экзамены)," he said. " I'm rather busy, darling (я очень занят, дорогая)."

''Exams in November (экзамены в ноябре)? I thought they started in December (я думала, что они начинаются в декабре)."

"Preparation for exams (подготовка к экзаменам)," he said. "Preliminaries (предварительные экзамены; preliminaries — сокр. от preliminary examination). Lots of work (куча работы)." He took her home (он отвез ее домой), kissed her on the cheek (поцеловал ее в щеку) and drove off (и уехал).

She looked after the car (она смотрела вслед: «за» машиной), and for a moment hated his moustache (и какой-то момент ненавидела его усики). But she pulled herself together and (но, она собралась с силами; to pull oneself together — взять себя в руки, собраться с духом), recalling her youthfulness (призвав на помощь свою молодость: «вспомнив о своей молодости»; to recall — возвращать; припоминать), decided she was too young really (решила, что она действительно слишком молода) to judge the fine shades and moods (чтобы судить о всех тонкостях оттенков в смене настроения; to judge — судить, оценивать, составлять мнение; mood — расположение духа, moods — причуды, прихоти, капризы) of a man like Richard (такого мужчины, как Ричард).

He picked her up at four o'clock on Sunday (он заехал за ней в четыре часа, в воскресенье).

"Mother's looking forward to seeing you (мама с нетерпением ожидает встречи с тобой)," he said. "She hopes you will stay for supper (она надеется, что ты останешься на ужин)."

'"You won't have to go out (ты же не уйдешь: «тебе не надо будет уйти»), will you, Richard (так ведь, Ричард)?"

"Not tonight, no (не сегодня, нет)."

But he did have to go out (но ему пришлось уйти) to keep an appointment (чтобы не опоздать на встречу; to keep an appointment — прийти в назначенное место или время) of which his mother reminded him immediately after tea (о которой его мать напомнила ему сразу же после чая; to remind — напоминать, делать напоминание; immediately — незамедлительно, тотчас). He had smiled at his mother and said (он улыбнулся матери и сказал), "Thanks (спасибо)."

busy ['bIzI] preparation ["prepq'reIS(q)n] youthfulness ['ju:Tf(q)lnIs]

appointment [q'pOIntmqnt] immediately [I'mi:dIqtlI]

"I usually go to Lucy's on Sunday," Gwen said.

"Why?"

"Well, she's a friend of mine. I know her ways. She amuses me."

Дата добавления: 2015-10-30