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 She made a grimace and a grin. But she was drawn to the mirror again, to look at her ear-rings.

Whiston had made the fire burn, so he came to look for her. When she heard him, she started round quickly, guiltily. She was watching him with intent blue eyes when he appeared.

He did not see much, in his morning-drowsy warmth. He gave her, as ever, a feeling of warmth and slowness. His eyes were very blue, very kind, his manner simple.

“What ha’ you got?” he asked.

“Valentines,” she said briskly, ostentatiously turning to show him the silk handkerchief. She thrust it under his nose. “Smell how good,” she said.

“Who’s that from?” he replied, without smelling (от кого это? – спросил он, не понюхав; without – без; без того, чтобы; так, чтобы не).

“It’s a valentine,” she cried (это подарок на Валентинов день, – воскликнула она). “How da I know who it’s from (откуда мне знать, от кого это; da = do)?”

“I’ll bet you know (готов поспорить, ты знаешь; bet – пари; to bet – держать пари, биться об заклад; быть уверенным),” he said.

“Ted! – I don’t!” she cried, beginning to shake her head (Тед! не знаю! – воскликнула она, начиная мотать головой), then stopping because of the ear-rings (потом прекращая из-за серег).

He stood still a moment, displeased (он секунду стоял неподвижно, недовольный; moment – момент, миг, минута; to please – радовать, доставлять удовольствие; получать удовольствие).

“They’ve no right to send you valentines, now (теперь они не имеют права посылать тебе подарки на Валентинов день),” he said.

“Ted! – Why not (Тед! почему нет)? You’re not jealous, are you (ты ведь не ревнуешь, правда; jealous – ревнивый; ревнующий)? I haven’t the least idea who it’s from (у меня нет ни малейшего представления, от кого это; idea – мысль, идея; представление). Look – there’s my initial” – she pointed with an emphatic finger at the heliotrope embroidery (смотри – вот мой инициал, – она подчеркнуто указала пальцем на лиловую вышивку; emphatic – выразительный; подчеркнутый; настойчивый) —

 “Who’s that from?” he replied, without smelling.

“It’s a valentine,” she cried. “How da I know who it’s from?”

“I’ll bet you know,” he said.

“Ted! – I don’t!” she cried, beginning to shake her head, then stopping because of the ear-rings.

He stood still a moment, displeased.

“They’ve no right to send you valentines, now,” he said.

“Ted! – Why not? You’re not jealous, are you? I haven’t the least idea who it’s from. Look – there’s my initial” – she pointed with an emphatic finger at the heliotrope embroidery —

“E for Elsie (Э – значит Элси),

Nice little gelsie (милая девчушка; gelsie = girlie – девчушка; girl – девочка; девушка),”

she sang (пропела она; to sing – петь).

“Get out (выкладывай; to get out – произнести, вымолвить /с трудом/; стать известным /о тайне/; раскрыть /правду/),” he said. “You know who it’s from (ты знаешь, от кого это).”

“Truth, I don’t,” she cried (правда не знаю, – воскликнула она).

He looked round, and saw the white stocking lying on a chair (он огляделся и увидел белый чулок, лежащий на стуле).

“Is this another (это еще один /подарок/)?” he said.

“No, that’s a sample (нет, это образец /из магазина/),” she said. “There’s only a comic (там только картинки; comic – юмористический журнал /особ. с комиксами/; комический, юмористический; comics – комиксы).” And she fetched in the long cartoon (и она принесла длинную открытку; to fetch – /сходить и/ принести).

He stretched it out and looked at it solemnly (он развернул ее и посмотрел на нее серьезно; to stretch – тянуть/ся/; растягивать/ся/).

 “E for Elsie,

Nice little gelsie,”

she sang.

“Get out,” he said. “You know who it’s from.”

“Truth, I don’t,” she cried.

He looked round, and saw the white stocking lying on a chair.

“Is this another?” he said.

“No, that’s a sample,” she said. “There’s only a comic.” And she fetched in the long cartoon.

He stretched it out and looked at it solemnly.

“Fools!” he said, and went out of the room (дураки! – сказал он и вышел из комнаты; fool – дурак, глупец, болван).

She flew upstairs and took off the ear-rings (она взлетела по лестнице и сняла серьги; to fly – летать, лететь; нестись, мчаться). When she returned, he was crouched before the fire blowing the coals (когда она вернулась, он сидел на корточках перед камином, раздувая угли; to crouch – присесть, припасть к земле /чаще о животном/; to blow – дуть; раздувать; coal – /каменный/ уголь; coals – тлеющий уголь, уголек). The skin of his face was flushed, and slightly pitted (кожа его лица была красная и слегка покрыта ямками; to flush – вспыхнуть, покраснеть; раскраснеться; приливать /о крови, краске/; flush – внезапный прилив /жидкости/; прилив, приток крови /к лицу/; краска, румянец; pitted – изрытый, в ямах; покрытый впадинками; изрытый оспой; to pit – делать ямки; оставлять следы, отметины; pit – яма, ямка), as if he had had small-pox (словно он переболел оспой; pox – болезнь с высыпаниями на коже /напр., оспа/). But his neck was white and smooth and goodly (но его шея была белой, гладкой и красивой; goodly – красивый; хорошо выглядящий). She hung her arms round his neck as he crouched there, and clung to him (она обвила руками его шею, пока он там сидел, и прильнула к нему; to hang – вешать, подвешивать; висеть, свисать; to cling – прилипать; цепляться). He balanced on his toes (он балансировал на носках).

“This fire’s a slow-coach (этот огонь /такой/ копуша; slow-coach – /брит., разг./ копуша, медлительный человек; slow – медленный; coach – карета, экипаж),” he said.

“And who else is a slow-coach (а кто еще копуша)?” she said.

“One of us two, I know,” he said, and he rose carefully (один из нас двоих, я знаю, – сказал он и осторожно встал).

 “Fools!” he said, and went out of the room.

She flew upstairs and took off the ear-rings. When she returned, he was crouched before the fire blowing the coals. The skin of his face was flushed, and slightly pitted, as if he had had small-pox. But his neck was white and smooth and goodly. She hung her arms round his neck as he crouched there, and clung to him. He balanced on his toes.

“This fire’s a slow-coach,” he said.

“And who else is a slow-coach?” she said.

“One of us two, I know,” he said, and he rose carefully.