A Little Princess / Маленькая принцесса. Книга для чтения на английском языке

The acquaintance begun on the foggy afternoon when she had jumped up terrified from her sleep in the comfortable chair, had ripened and grown, though it must be confessed that Miss Minchin and Miss Amelia knew very little about it. They were aware that Sara was “kind” to the scullery maid, but they knew nothing of certain delightful moments snatched perilously when, the upstairs rooms being set in order with lightning rapidity, Sara’s sitting room was reached, and the heavy coal box set down with a sigh of joy.

At such times stories were told by installments[128 - stories were told by installments – истории рассказывались по частям], things of a satisfying nature were either produced and eaten or hastily tucked into pockets to be disposed of at night, when Becky went upstairs to her attic to bed.

“But I has to eat ’em careful, miss,” she said once; “’cos[129 - ’cos = because] if I leaves crumbs the rats come out to get ’em.”

“Rats!” exclaimed Sara, in horror.

“Are there RATS there?”

“Lots of ’em, miss,” Becky answered in quite a matter-of-fact manner[130 - Becky answered in quite a matter-of-fact manner – сказала Бекки как нечто само собой разумеющееся]. “There mostly is rats an’ mice in attics. You gets used to the noise they makes scuttling about. I’ve got so I don’t mind ’em s’ long as they don’t run over my piller[131 - piller = pillow].”

“Ugh!” said Sara.

“You gets used to anythin’ after a bit,” said Becky. “You have to, miss, if you’re born a scullery maid. I’d rather have rats than cockroaches[132 - I’d rather have rats than cockroaches. – Уж лучше пусть будут крысы, чем тараканы.].”

“So would I,” said Sara; “I suppose you might make friends with a rat in time, but I don’t believe I should like to make friends with a cockroach.”

Sometimes Becky did not dare to spend more than a few minutes in the bright, warm room, and when this was the case perhaps only a few words could be exchanged, and a small purchase slipped into the old-fashioned pocket Becky carried under her dress skirt, tied round her waist with a band of tape.

The search for and discovery of satisfying things to eat which could be packed into small compass, added a new interest to Sara’s existence. When she drove or walked out, she used to look into shop windows eagerly.