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beneath [bI'nJT], through [Tru], motto ['mOtqu]

They put on coats, bound scarfs about their heads and went off into the rain and the dripping fog to the red pillar box gleaming faintly on the corner beneath the street lamp. Mrs. Harris pressed the envelope to her lips for a moment, said " 'Ere's for me Dior dress," and slipped the letter through the slit, listening for its fall. Mrs. Butterfield posted hers with less confidence. "Don't expect nuffink and you won't get disappointed. This's my motto," she said. They returned to their tea.

THREE (3)

The marvelous and universe-shattering discovery (удивительное и всепотрясающее открытие; to shatter — трясти, потрясать) was made that weekend not by Mrs. Harris, but by Mrs. Butterfield (было сделано в этот уикенд не миссис Харрис, а миссис Баттерфилд), who, flesh a-quivering, came storming into the former's kitchen (которая, трясясь от волнения: «тело в дрожи/волнении», вошла в сильном волнении в кухню миссис Харрис: «кухню той»: flesh — тело/плоть; former — предшествующий, упомянутый выше) in such a state that she was hardly able to speak (в таком состоянии, что она с трудом могла говорить) and indeed seemed to be on the verge of apoplexy (и, казалось, была на грани удара).

"D-d-d-ducks (г-г-голубушка)," she stammered (сказала она заикаясь; duck — утка), "ducks, it's 'APPENED (голубушка, это случилось: to happen)!"

marvelous ['mRvqlqs], quivering ['kwIvqrIN], apoplexy ['xpqupleksI]

The marvelous and universe-shattering discovery was made that weekend not by Mrs. Harris, but by Mrs. Butterfield, who, flesh a-quivering, came storming into the former's kitchen in such a state that she was hardly able to speak and indeed seemed to be on the verge of apoplexy.

"D-d-d-ducks," she stammered, "ducks, it's 'APPENED!"

Mrs. Harris, who was engaged in ironing Major Wallace's shirts after washing them (миссис Харрис, которая была занята глажением рубашек майора Уоллиса после стирки) — this was one of the ways in which she spoiled him (это был один из способов, которыми она баловала его) — said without looking up from the nicety of turning the neckband (сказала, не поднимая глаз от тщательного отглаживания воротничка; nicety — изящество, изысканность, утонченность; отделанность, тщательность, скрупулезность): "Take it easy, dear, or you'll 'ave yer-self an attack (успокойся, дорогая, или тебя хватит удар; yer-self = yourself). Wot's 'appened (что случилось; wot’s = what’s)?"

ironing ['aIqnIN], nicety ['naIsItI], neckband ['nekbxnd]

Mrs. Harris, who was engaged in ironing Major Wallace's shirts after washing them — this was one of the ways in which she spoiled him — said without looking up from the nicety of turning the neckband: "Take it easy, dear, or you'll 'ave yer-self an attack. Wot's 'appened?"

Panting and snorting like a hippopotamus (задыхаясь и фыркая, как гиппопотам), Mrs. Butterfield waved the newspaper (миссис Баттерфилд взмахнула газетой). "You've won (ты выиграла)!"

The full import of what her friend was saying did not reach Mrs. Harris at once (весь: «полный» смысл того, что подруга ее говорила, не дошел до миссис Харрис сразу; import — значение, смысл, суть, сущность), for having placed her ultimate fate in the hands of the powerful feeling of luck (потому что, поместив = вверив свой последний жребий в руки сильного чувства = предчувствия удачи), she had then temporarily put the matter from her mind (она затем на время выбросила это из головы: «из ума»; matter — материя; сущность, содержание; тема, вопрос).

hippopotamus ["hIpq'pOtqmqs], ultimate ['AltImIt], temporarily ['tempqrqrIlI]

Panting and snorting like a hippopotamus, Mrs. Butterfield waved the newspaper. "You've won!"

The full import of what her friend was saying did not reach Mrs. Harris at once, for having placed her ultimate fate in the hands of the powerful feeling of luck, she had then temporarily put the matter from her mind.

But at last the meaning of what Mrs. Butterfield was shouting came home to her (но, в конце концов, смысл того, о чем кричала миссис Баттерфилд, дошел до нее: to come home to — доходить, становится понятным) and she dropped her iron to the floor with a crash (и она с грохотом уронила свой утюг на пол). "Me Dior dress (мое платье от Диора)!" she cried (закричала она), and the next moment she had seized her stout friend about the waist (и в следующее мгновение она обнимала свою полную подругу за талию) and the two of them were dancing like children about the kitchen (и затем обе танцевали по кухне, как дети).

shout [Saut], iron ['aIqn], waist [weIst]

But at last the meaning of what Mrs. Butterfield was shouting came home to her and she dropped her iron to the floor with a crash. "Me Dior dress!" she cried, and the next moment she had seized her stout friend about the waist and the two of them were dancing like children about the kitchen.

Then, lest there be a mistake (затем, чтобы не было ошибки; lest — чтобы не, как бы не), they had to sit down (им пришлось сесть), and minutely (и подробно), score by score (счет за счетом), figure by figure (цифра за цифрой) (for, of course, they kept duplicates of their selections (потому что, конечно, они сохраняли дубликаты своих выборов = записей)), she and Mrs. Butterfield pored over the results of that Saturday's contests (она и миссис Баттерфилд изучали результаты соревнований этой субботы; to pore — сосредоточенно изучать, обдумывать /on, over, upon/). It was true (это было верно). But for two games (за исключением двух игр), Mrs. Harris had tallied a perfect score (миссис Харрис подсчитала отличный счет = правильно указала результаты).

minutely ['mInItlI], duplicate ['djHplIkIt], pore [pL]

Then, lest there be a mistake, they had to sit down, and minutely, score by score, figure by figure (for, of course, they kept duplicates of their selections), she and Mrs. Butterfield pored over the results of that Saturday's contests. It was true. But for two games, Mrs. Harris had tallied a perfect score.

There would be a prize (ведь будет приз), a rich one, certainly (большой: «богатый», несомненно), perhaps even the jackpot (возможно даже джек-пот /самый крупный выигрыш всей суммы ставок/), depending upon whether anyone else had surpassed or matched Mrs. Harris' effort (в зависимости от того, превзошел ли кто-то еще или показал ли кто-то еще такой же результат, как у миссис Харрис: to match — состязаться на равных; подходить, соответствовать).

One thing, seemed certain, however (одно казалось несомненным, как бы то ни было), the Dior dress, or at least the money for it, was assured (платье от Диора, или, по крайней мере, деньги на него, было гарантировано), for neither could conceive that the prize for achieving twenty-eight out of thirty games could be less (потому что никто /из женщин/ не мог и подумать, что приз за достижение = угадывание двадцати восьми из тридцати игр может быть меньше). But there was one great trial yet to be undergone by both (но было еще одно большое испытание, которому они обе должны были подвергнуться). They would have to wait until Wednesday (они должны были ждать до среды) before they would be advised by telegram of the amount of Mrs. Harris' swag (прежде чем им будет сообщено телеграммой о сумме, которую миссис Харрис отхватила; swag — качание, колебание; награбленное добро; добыча /деньги и ценности, добытые незаконным путем/; большое количество чего-л.).

assured [q'Suqd], conceive [kqn'sJv], trial ['traIql]

There would be a prize, a rich one, certainly, perhaps even the jackpot, depending upon whether anyone else had surpassed or matched Mrs. Harris' effort.

One thing, seemed certain, however, the Dior dress, or at least the money for it, was assured, for neither could conceive that the prize for achieving twenty-eight out of thirty games could be less. But there was one great trial yet to be undergone by both. They would have to wait until Wednesday before they would be advised by telegram of the amount of Mrs. Harris' swag.