The Wonderful Wizard of Oz / Волшебник из страны Оз. Книга для чтения на английском языке

�Your father isn’t – very respectable, George.’

�Really, Magdalene!’

�Sometimes the things he says make me feel quite uncomfortable.’

George said: �Really, Magdalene, you surprise me. Does – er – does Lydia feel the same?’

�He doesn’t say the same kind of things to Lydia,’ said Magdalene. She added angrily, �No, he never says them to her. I can’t think why not.’

George glanced at her quickly and then glanced away.

�Oh, well,’ he said vaguely. �One must make allowances.

[57 - One must make allowances. – (разг.) Надо быть снисходительнее.] At Father’s age – and with his health being so bad – ’

He paused. His wife asked: �Is he really – pretty ill?’

�Oh, I wouldn’t say that. He’s remarkably tough. All the same, since he wants to have his family round him at Christmas, I think we are quite right to go. It may be his last Christmas.’

She said sharply: �You say that, George, but really, I suppose, he may live for years?’

Slightly taken aback, her husband stammered:

�Yes – yes, of course he may.

’

Magdalene turned away. �Oh, well,’ she said, �I suppose we’re doing the right thing by going.’

�I have no doubt about it.’

�But I hate it! Alfred’s so dull, and Lydia snubs me.’

�Nonsense.’

�She does. And I hate that beastly manservant.’

�Old Tressilian?’

�No, Horbury. Sneaking round like a cat and smirking.’

�Really, Magdalene, I can’t see that Horbury can affect you in any way!’

�He just gets on my nerves, that’s all.

But don’t let’s bother. We’ve got to go, I can see that. Won’t do to offend[58 - Won’t do to offend – (разг.) Нехорошо обижать] the old man.’

�No – no, that’s just the point. About the servants’ Christmas dinner – ’

�Not now, George, some other time. I’ll just ring up Lydia and tell her that we’ll come by the five-twenty tomorrow.

’

Magdalene left the room precipitately. After telephoning she went up to her own room and sat down in front of the desk. She let down the flap and rummaged in its various pigeon-holes. Cascades of bills came tumbling out. Magdalene sorted through them, trying to arrange them in some kind of order. Finally, with an impatient sigh, she bundled them up and thrust them back whence they had come. She passed a hand over her smooth platinum head.