Endless Night / Бесконечная ночь. Книга для чтения на английском языке

А good many other people were sitting round about us, but we didn’t notice them or even see they were there, because we were like all the others. Young couples, talking about their future. I stared at her and stared at her. I just couldn’t speak.

�Mike,’ she said. �There’s something, something I’ve got to tell you. Something about me, I mean.’

�You don’t need to,’ I said, �no need to tell me anything.’

�Yes, but I must. I ought to have told you long ago but I didn’t want to because – because I thought it might drive you away.

�You bought it?’ I said. �But how did you buy it?’

�Through lawyers,’ she said, �the usual way. It’s a perfectly good investment, you know. The land will appreciate[29 - appreciate – (зд.) земля будет дорожать]. My lawyers were quite happy about it.’

It was odd suddenly to hear Ellie, the gentle and timid Ellie, speaking with such knowledge and confidence of the business world of buying and selling.

�You bought it for us?’

�Yes. I went to a lawyer of my own, not the family one. I told him what I wanted to do, I got him to look into it, I got everything set up and in train.[30 - I got everything set up and in train (разг.)– У меня все на мази] There were two other people after it but they were not really desperate and they wouldn’t go very high. The important thing was that the whole thing had to be set up and arranged ready for me to sign as soon as I came of age.

�But you must have made some deposit or something beforehand. Had you enough money to do that?’

�No,’ said Ellie, �no, I hadn’t control of much money beforehand, but of course there are people who will advance you money. And if you go to a new firm of legal advisers, they will want you to go on employing them for business deals once you’ve come into what money you’re going to have so they’re willing to take the risk that you might drop down dead before your birthday comes.

�You sound so businesslike,’ I said, �you take my breath away!’

�Never mind business,’ said Ellie, �I’ve got to get back to what I’m telling you. In a way I’ve told it you already, but I don’t suppose really you realize it.’

�I don’t want to know,’ I said. My voice rose, I was almost shouting. �Don’t tell me anything.