Tender is the night. F. Scott Fitzgerald. Учим английский, читая мировую классику

She did not like these people, especially in her immediate (непосредственный) comparison of them with those who had interested her at the other end of the beach. Her mother’s modest but compact social gift (способность, дарование; дар, талант) got them out of unwelcome (неудобный) situations swiftly (быстро) and firmly (твердо). But Rosemary had been a celebrity (знаменитость; звезда) for only six months, and sometimes the French manners of her early adolescence (юность, подростковый возраст) and the democratic manners of America, these latter superimposed (накладывать), made a certain confusion (беспорядок; неразбериха, путаница) and let her in (впутывать во) for just such things.

Mr. McKisco, a scrawny (костлявый, сухопарый), freckle (веснушка) – and-red man of thirty, did not find the topic of the «plot» amusing (забавный, занимательный, занятный). He had been staring (уставиться) at the sea – now after a swift (быстрый) glance (взгляд) at his wife he turned to Rosemary and demanded (требовать) aggressively:

«Been here long?»

«Only a day.

«Oh.»

Evidently feeling that the subject had been thoroughly changed, he looked in turn (по очереди) at the others.

«Going to stay all summer?» asked Mrs. McKisco, innocently (невинно). «If you do (если останешься) you can watch the plot unfold (раскрывать).»

«For God’s sake (ради бога), Violet, drop (бросать, отказываться от) the subject!» exploded her husband. «Get a new joke (шутка), for God’s sake!»

Mrs. McKisco swayed (качнуться) toward Mrs.

«He’s nervous.»

«I’m not nervous,» disagreed McKisco. «It just happens I’m not nervous at all.»

He was burning (гореть) visibly (вслух) – a grayish flush (румянец) had spread over his face, dissolving (растворять) all his expressions into a vast (огромный) ineffectuality (отсутствие эффективности, действенности). Suddenly remotely (отдаленно) conscious (осознавать) of his condition he got up (подняться) to go in the water, followed by his wife (а жена следовала за ним), and seizing the opportunity (воспользоваться возможностью) Rosemary followed (последовать за ними).

Mr. McKisco drew a long breath, flung himself into the shallows and began a stiff-armed batting of the Mediterranean, obviously intended to suggest a crawl – his breath exhausted he arose and looked around with an expression of surprise that he was still in sight of shore.

«I haven’t learned to breathe (дышать) yet.