Илья Франк - Английский язык с миссис Харрис, или платье от Диора

It would not (оно не будет). It would never be the same again (оно никогда не будет прежним снова). But then neither would she (но, впрочем, также /не будет/ и она).

ephemeral [I'femqrql], curious ['kjuqrIqs], shrewd [Sru:d]

This ephemeral question had a most curious effect upon Mrs. Harris. It stopped the flow of tears from her eyes and brought her to her feet once more as she looked about the flower-laden room and the answer came to her in one shrewd, inspired burst of insight.

It would not. It would never be the same again. But then neither would she.

For it had not been a dress she had bought so much as an adventure and an experience (потому что она приобрела не столько платье, сколько приключение и опыт) that would last her to the end of her days (которые останутся с ней до конца ее дней). She would never again feel lonely or unwanted (она никогда больше не будет чувствовать себя одинокой или ненужной). She had ventured into a foreign country (она рискнула /отправиться/ в зарубежную страну) and a foreign people she had been taught to suspect and despise (и /столкнуться с/ иностранцами, /которых/ она была приучена подозревать и презирать). She had found them to be warm and human (она обнаружила, что они сердечные и человечные), men and women to whom human love and understanding was a mainspring of life (мужчины и женщины, для кого человеческая любовь и понимание были главной движущей силой жизни). They had made her feel that they loved her for herself (они заставили ее почувствовать, что они любили ее ради нее самой).

unwanted [An'wOntId], foreign ['fOrIn], taught [tO:t]

For it had not been a dress she had bought so much as an adventure and an experience that would last her to the end of her days. She would never again feel lonely or unwanted. She had ventured into a foreign country and a foreign people she had been taught to suspect and despise. She had found them to be warm and human, men and women to whom human love and understanding was a mainspring of life. They had made her feel that they loved her for herself.

Mrs. Harris opened the suitcase and took out "Temptation" (открыла чемодан и достала «Искушение»). Once more she fingered the burnt place (еще раз она потрогала сгоревшее место) and saw how easily the panel could be replaced and the damage repaired (и увидела, как легко клин мог быть заменен и повреждение устранено). But she would not have it so (но она не хочет этого). She would keep it as it was (она сохранит его таким, каким оно было), untouched by any other fingers (нетронутым ничьими другими пальцами) than those which had expedited every stitch (чем те, которые скоро выполнили каждый стежок) because of love and feeling for another woman's heart (из любви и сочувствия к сердцу другой женщины; feeling — чувство; сочувствие/симпатия ).

easily ['i:zIlI], repair [rI'peq], heart [hQ:t]

Mrs. Harris opened the suitcase and took out "Temptation." Once more she fingered the burnt place and saw how easily the panel could be replaced and the damage repaired. But she would not have it so. She would keep it as it was, untouched by any other fingers than those which had expedited every stitch because of love and feeling for another woman's heart.

Mrs. Harris hugged the dress to her thin bosom (прижала платье к своей худощавой груди; to hug — сжимать в объятиях; обнимать ), hugged it hard (сжала его сильно), as though it were alive and human (как будто оно было живым: «живым и человеческим существом»), nestling her face to the soft folds of the material (прильнув своим лицом к мягким складкам материи). Tears flowed again from the small, shrewd blue eyes (слезы хлынули снова из ее маленьких, проницательных голубых глаз) and furrowed down the apple cheeks (и пробороздили = оставили дорожки на румяных щечках), but they were no longer tears of misery (но они не были больше слезами страдания).

She stood there rocking back and forth (она стояла там, покачиваясь взад и вперед), holding and embracing her dress (держа и обнимая свое платье), and with it she was hugging them all (и с ним она обнимала их всех), Mme. Colbert, Natasha, André Fauvel, down to the last anonymous worker (вплоть до последнего безымянного работника), seamstress and cutter (швеи и закройщика), as well as the city that had bestowed upon her (так же, как и город, который подарил ей; to bestow — давать, даровать, награждать /on, upon/ ) such a priceless memory treasure of understanding (такое бесценное запоминающееся сокровище понимания), friendship and humanity (дружбы и человечности).

hug [hAg], bosom ['buzqm], bestow [bI'stqu]

Mrs. Harris hugged the dress to her thin bosom, hugged it hard, as though it were alive and human, nestling her face to the soft folds of the material. Tears flowed again from the small, shrewd blue eyes and furrowed down the apple cheeks, but they were no longer tears of misery.

She stood there rocking back and forth, holding and embracing her dress, and with it she was hugging them all, Mme. Colbert, Natasha, André Fauvel, down to the last anonymous worker, seamstress and cutter, as well as the city that had bestowed upon her such a priceless memory treasure of understanding, friendship and humanity.

"The Tatler" — "Тэтлер" (журнал о светской жизни; печатает биографические очерки, моды, фотографии гостей на приемах и премьерах; выходит 10 раз в год; издается в Лондоне. Основан в 1709. Буквально: сплетник