To this day Jane and Michael cannot be sure of what happened then. All they know for certain is that, as soon as Mr Wigg had appealed to Mary Poppins, the table below began to wriggle on its legs. Presently it was swaying dangerously, and then with a rattle of china and with cakes lurching off their plates on to the cloth, the table came soaring through the room, gave one graceful turn, and landed beside them so that Mr Wigg was at its head.
"Good girl!" said Mr Wigg, smiling proudly upon her. "I knew you’d fix something. Now, will you take the foot of the table and pour out, Mary? And the guests on either side of me. That’s the idea," he said, as Michael ran bobbing through the air and sat down on Mr Wigg’s right. Jane was at his left hand. There they were, all together, up in the air and the table between them. Not a single piece of bread-and-butter or a lump of sugar had been left behind.
Mr Wigg smiled contentedly.
"It is usual, I think, to begin with bread-and-butter," he said to Jane and Michael, "but as it’s my birthday we will begin the wrong way - which I always think is the right way - with the Cake!"
And he cut a large slice for everybody.
"More tea (еще чаю: "больше чая")?" he said to Jane (он сказал Джейн). But before she had time to reply (но перед тем, как у нее было время ответить) there was a quick, sharp knock at the door (был быстрый, резкий стук в дверь).
"Come in (заходите)!" called Mr Wigg (позвал мистер Вигг).
The door opened (дверь открылась), and there stood Miss Persimmon with a jug of hot water on a tray (и там стояла мисс Персиммон с кувшином горячей воды на подносе).
"I thought, Mr Wigg (я подумала, мистер Вигг)," she began (она начала), looking searchingly round the room (оглядывая испытующе комнату), "you’d be wanting some more hot (вам понадобится: "вы захотите" немного больше горячей) - Well, I never (ну, я никогда)! I simply never (япростоникогда)!" she said, as she caught sight of them all (когда она заметила их всех; to catch a sight - заметить: "пойматьвид") seated on the air round the table (сидящих на воздухе вокруг стола). "Such goings on I never did see (такое происходящее я никогда действительно не видела; togoon - происходить; продолжаться)! In all my born days I never saw such (за всю свою жизнь: "во все мои рожденные дни" я никогда не видела такое). I’m sure, Mr Wigg (я уверена, мистер Вигг), I always knew you were a bit odd (я всегда знала, что вы немного странный). But I’ve closed my eyes to it (но я закрывала глаза на это) - being as how you paid your rent regular (раз уж вы платили вашу арендную плату вовремя/регулярно). But such behaviour as this (но такое поведение, как это) - having tea in the air with your guests (пить чай в воздухе со своими гостями) - Mr Wigg, sir, I’m astonished at you (мистер Вигг, сэр, я поражаюсь вам: "поражена")! It’s that undignified (это так недостойно), and for a gentleman of your age (и для джентльмена вашего возраста) - I never did (я никогда действительно) -"
caught [kO:t] air [εq] regular ['regjulq]
"More tea?" he said to Jane. But before she had time to reply there was a quick, sharp knock at the door.
"Come in!" called Mr Wigg.
The door opened, and there stood Miss Persimmon with a jug of hot water on a tray.
"I thought, Mr Wigg," she began, looking searchingly round the room, "you’d be wanting some more hot - Well, I never! I simply never!" she said, as she caught sight of them all seated on the air round the table. "Such goings on I never did see! In all my born days I never saw such. I’m sure, Mr Wigg, I always knew you were a bit odd. But I’ve closed my eyes to it - being as how you paid your rent regular. But such behaviour as this - having tea in the air with your guests - Mr Wigg, sir, I’m astonished at you! It’s that undignified, and for a gentleman of your age - I never did - "
"But perhaps you will, Miss Persimmon (но возможно вы будете, мисс Персиммон)!" said Michael.
"Will what (буду что)?" said Miss Persimmon haughtily (сказала мисс Персиммон высокомерно).
"Catch the Laughing Gas, as we did (заражаться газом, вызывающим смех, как мы заразились: "поймали")," said Michael.
Miss Persimmon flung back her head scornfully (мисс Персиммон откинула свою голову назад презрительно; scorn - презрение, пренебрежение).
"I hope, young man (я надеюсь, молодой человек)," she retorted (она парировала), "I have more respect for myself (я имею больше уважения к себе: "для себя") than to go bouncing about in the air like a rubber ball on the end of a bat (чем прыгать вокруг по воздуху, как резиновый мяч на конце ракетки). I’ll stay on my own feet (я буду стоять на своих собственных ногах), thank you (спасибо), or my name’s not Amy Persimmon (или мое имя есть не Эми Персиммон), and - oh dear (о, Господи), oh dear (о, Господи), my goodness (мой Боже), oh DEAR (о, ГОСПОДИ) - what is the matter (в чем дело: "какой есть вопрос")? I can’t walk (я не могу ходить), I’m going (я собираюсь), I - oh, help, HELP (я - о, помогите, ПОМОГИТЕ)."
For Miss Persimmon (потому что мисс Персиммон), quite against her will (совсем против ее желания), was off the ground (оторвалась от земли) and was stumbling through the air (и кубарем: "была спотыкающаяся" через воздух), rolling from side to side like a very thin barrel (вращаясь из стороны в сторону, как очень узкая бочка), balancing the tray in her hand (балансируя подносом в своих руках). She was almost weeping with distress (она почти плакала от страха/страдания; distress - душевное страдание; затруднительное положение, стесненные обстоятельства) as she arrived at the table and put down her jug of hot water (когда она прибыла к столу и поставила свой кувшин горячей воды).
"Thank you (спасибо)," said Mary Poppins in a calm, very polite voice (произнесла Мэри Поппинс спокойным, очень вежливым голосом).
Then Miss Persimmon turned and went wafting down again (затем мисс Персиммон повернулась и двинулась, паря вниз снова), murmuring as she went (бормоча, пока летела): "So undignified (так недостойно) - and me a well-behaved, steady-going woman (и я добропорядочная: "хорошо себя ведущая", рассудительная: "устойчиво идущая" женщина; tobehave - вести себя, поступать, держаться: to behave oneself - вести себя хорошо). I must see a doctor (я должна посетить врача) - "
When she touched the floor (когда она коснулась пола) she ran hurriedly out of the room (она выбежала поспешно вон из комнаты), wringing her hands (ломая руки: "скручивая свои руки"), and not giving a single glance backwards (и не оборачиваясь: "не давая ни одного взгляда" назад).
"So undignified (так недостойно)!" they heard her moaning (они слышали ее стонущую = как она стонала) as she shut the door behind her (как только она захлопнула дверь позади себя = за собой).
rubber ['rAbq] murmuring ['mq:mqrIŋ] backwards ['bækwqdz]
"But perhaps you will, Miss Persimmon!" said Michael.
"Will what?" said Miss Persimmon haughtily.
"Catch the Laughing Gas, as we did," said Michael.
Miss Persimmon flung back her head scornfully.
"I hope, young man," she retorted, "I have more respect for myself than to go bouncing about in the air like a rubber ball on the end of a bat. I’ll stay on my own feet, thank you, or my name’s not Amy Persimmon, and - oh dear, oh dear, my goodness, oh DEAR - what is the matter? I can’t walk, I’m going, I - oh, help, HELP."
For Miss Persimmon, quite against her will, was off the ground and was stumbling through the air, rolling from side to side like a very thin barrel, balancing the tray in her hand. She was almost weeping with distress as she arrived at the table and put down her jug of hot water.
"Thank you," said Mary Poppins in a calm, very polite voice.
Then Miss Persimmon turned and went wafting down again, murmuring as she went: "So undignified - and me a well-behaved, steady-going woman. I must see a doctor - "
When she touched the floor she ran hurriedly out of the room, wringing her hands, and not giving a single glance backwards.
"So undignified!" they heard her moaning as she shut the door behind her.
"Her name can’t be Amy Persimmon (ее имя не может быть Эмми Персиммон), because she didn’t stay on her own feet (потому что она нестояла на своих собственных ногах)!" whispered Jane to Michael (шепнула Джейн Майклу).
But Mr Wigg was looking at Mary Poppins (но мистер Вигг смотрел на Мэри Поппинс) - a curious look (любопытствующий взгляд), half-amused (наполовину забавный), half-accusing (наполовину осуждающий).
"Mary, Mary, you shouldn’t (Мэри, Мэри, тебе не следовало бы) - bless my soul (благослови мою душу = ей-богу), you shouldn’t, Mary (тебе не следовало, Мэри). The poor old body will never get over it (бедная старая леди никогда не оправится от этого; togetover - преодолеть что-либо; оправиться от чего-либо). But, oh, my goodness, didn’t she look funny waddling through the air (но, о, мой Бог, не выглядела ли она забавной, идя вразвалочку по воздуху) - my Gracious goodness (мой Боже милосердный), but didn’t she (разве нет)?"