Негосударственное образовательное учреждение 8 страница

“What do you mean, Andrew (что ты имеешь в виду, Эндрю)? Come in at once (заходи немедленно)!” said Miss Lark.

Andrew barked again (Эндрю гавкнул снова).

“He says (он говорит),” put in Mary Poppins (вмешалась Мэри Поппинс; to put in — вмешиваться), “that he’s not coming in (что он не собирается входить).”

Miss Lark turned (мисс Ларк повернулась) and regarded her haughtily (и взглянула на нее высокомерно). “How do you know (откуда: «как» вы знаете) what my dog says (что моя собака говорит), may I ask (могу я спросить)? Of course he will come in (конечно же он войдет).”

labours ['leIbqz] jauntily ['GO:ntIlI] yawn [jO:n]

Mary Poppins and the children waited in the Lane outside Miss Lark’s gate. Miss Lark herself and her two maids leant over the fence, Robertson Ay, resting from his labours, propped himself up with his broom-handle, and all of them watched in silence the return of Andrew:

He and his friend marched sedately up to the group, whisking their tails jauntily and keeping their ears well cocked, and you could tell by the look in Andrew’s eye that, whatever he meant, he meant business.

“That dreadful dog!” said Miss Lark, looking at Andrew’s companion. “Shoo! Shoo! Go home!” she cried.

But the dog just sat down on the pavement and scratched his right ear with his left leg and yawned.

“Go away! Go home! Shoo, I say!” said Miss Lark, waving her arms angrily at the dog.

“And you, Andrew,” she went on, “come indoors this minute! Going out like that — all alone and without your overcoat. I am very displeased with you!”

Andrew barked lazily, but did not move.

“What do you mean, Andrew? Come in at once!” said Miss Lark.

Andrew barked again.

“He says,” put in Mary Poppins, “that he’s not coming in.”

Miss Lark turned and regarded her haughtily. “How do you know what my dog says, may I ask? Of course he will come in.”

Andrew, however, merely shook his head (Эндрю, однако, только покачал: «потряс» головой) and gave one or two low growls (и издал один или два низких рычания).

“He won’t (он не войдет: «он не будет»; won’t — will not — не будет),” said Mary Poppins. “Not unless his friend comes, too (нет, пока его друг /не/ войдет тоже).”

“Stuff and nonsense (чепуха и ерунда),” said Miss Lark crossly (сказала мисс Ларк раздраженно/сердито; cross — поперечный; злой, раздраженный, сердитый). “That can’t be (не может быть того) what he says (что он говорит). As if I could have a great hulking mongrel like that inside my gate (как если бы я могла иметь /такую/ огромную неповоротливую дворнягу, как эту внутри моих ворот = впустить такую вот дворнягу в ворота; hulk — большое неповоротливое судно; to hulk — выглядеть огромным, массивным; принимать громоздкие очертания).”

Andrew yapped three or four times (Эндрю тявкнул три или четыре раза).

“He says he means it (он сказал, что он серьезно; to mean — намереваться, иметь в виду; думать, подразумевать),” said Mary Poppins. “And what’s more (и более того: «что есть более»), he’ll go and live with his friend (он уйдет и будет жить со своим другом) unless his friend is allowed to come and live with him (до тех пор, пока его другу /не/ будет позволено прийти и жить с ним).”

“Oh, Andrew, you can’t (о, Эндрю, ты не можешь) — you can’t, really (ты не можешь, правда) — after all I’ve done for you and everything (после всего, что я сделала для тебя, и тому подобного; everything — все; and everything — и что там еще)!” Miss Lark was nearly weeping (мисс Ларк почти плакала; near — близкий).

Andrew barked and turned away (Эндрю гавкнул и повернулся прочь = отвернулся). The other dog got up (другая собака поднялась).

“Oh, he does mean it (о, он действительно серьезно)!” cried Miss Lark (воскликнула мисс Ларк). “I see he does (я вижу, это так). He is going away (он уходит прочь).” She sobbed a moment into her handkerchief (она всхлипнула минуту в свой носовой платок), then she blew her nose (затем он а высморкалась) and said:

“Very well, then, Andrew I give in (очень хорошо, тогда, Эндрю, я сдаюсь; to give in — уступать, сдаваться). This (эта) — this common dog can stay (эта обыкновенная собака может остаться). On condition, of course (при: «на» условии, конечно), that he sleeps in the coal-cellar (что он будет спать в угольном погребе).”

growls [graulz] yapped [jæpt] coal-cellar ['kqul'selq]

Andrew, however, merely shook his head and gave one or two low growls.

“He won’t,” said Mary Poppins. “Not unless his friend comes, too.”

“Stuff and nonsense,” said Miss Lark crossly. “That can’t be what he says. As if I could have a great hulking mongrel like that inside my gate.”

Andrew yapped three or four times.

“He says he means it,” said Mary Poppins. “And what’s more, he’ll go and live with his friend unless his friend is allowed to come and live with him.”

“Oh, Andrew, you can’t — you can’t, really — after all I’ve done for you and everything!” Miss Lark was nearly weeping.

Andrew barked and turned away. The other dog got up.

“Oh, he does mean it!” cried Miss Lark. “I see he does. He is going away.” She sobbed a moment into her handkerchief, then she blew her nose and said:

“Very well, then, Andrew I give in. This — this common dog can stay. On condition, of course, that he sleeps in the coal-cellar.”

“He insists, ma’am (он настаивает, мадам), that that won’t do (что так не пойдет: «это не будет делать»). His friend must have a silk cushion (его друг должен иметь шелковую подушку) just like his (точно как его) and sleep in your room too (и спать в вашей комнате тоже). Otherwise he will go and sleep in the coal-cellar with his friend (или же он пойдет и будет спать в угольном погребе со своим другом),” said Mary Poppins.

“Andrew, how could you (Эндрю, как мог ты)?” moaned Miss Lark (застонала мисс Ларк). “I shall never consent to such a thing (я никогда не соглашусь на такое «на такую вещь»).”

Andrew looked as though he were preparing to depart (Эндрю выглядел /так/, как будто он готовился уходить). So did the other dog (так сделала и другая собака).

“Oh, he’s leaving me (о, он покидает меня)!” shrieked Miss Lark (пронзительно закричала мисс Ларк; to shriek — пронзительно кричать, орать). “Very well, then, Andrew (очень хорошо тогда = ну ладно, Эндрю). It will be as you wish (это будет, как ты пожелаешь). He shall sleep in my room (он будет спать в моей комнате). But I shall never be the same again (но я никогда не буду такой же снова), never, never (никогда, никогда). Such a common dog (такая обыкновенная собака; common — общий, всеобщий; обыкновенный, простой; простой, грубый)!”

She wiped her streaming eyes and went on (она вытерла свои слезящиеся глаза и продолжала; stream — поток; to stream — струиться, течь):

“I should never have thought it of you, Andrew (я никогда бы не подумала это о тебе, Эндрю). But I’ll say no more (но я не скажу ничего больше), no matter what I think (неважно, что я думаю). And this (а это) — er (э) — creature (существо) — I shall have to call Waif or Stray or (я буду звать «Бродяга» или «Бездомный» или; waif — беспризорный ребенок; заблудившееся домашнее животное; stray — отбившееся от стада или потерявшее своего хозяина животное; сравните: to go/to run astray — заблудиться, сбиться с пути) — ”

At that the other dog looked at Miss Lark very indignantly (на это другая собака посмотрела на мисс Ларк очень возмущенно), and Andrew barked loudly (и Эндрю пролаял громко).

“They say (они говорят) you must call him Willoughby and nothing else (вы должны называть его Уиллоуби и никак иначе),” said Mary Poppins. “Willoughby being his name (Уиллоуби является его именем).”

“Willoughby (Уиллоуби)! What a name (что за имя)! Worse and worse (/все становится/ хуже и хуже)!” said Miss Lark despairingly (сказала мисс Ларк в отчаянии; despair — отчаяние; to despair — падать духом, терять надежду, отчаиваться). “What is he saying now (что он говорит сейчас)?” For Andrew (ибо Эндрю) — was barking again (гавкал снова).

cushion ['ku∫(q)n] creature ['kri:ʧq] despairingly [dIs'pεqrIŋlI]

“He insists, ma’am, that that won’t do. His friend must have a silk cushion just like his and sleep in your room too. Otherwise he will go and sleep in the coal-cellar with his friend,” said Mary Poppins.

“Andrew, how could you?” moaned Miss Lark. “I shall never consent to such a thing.”

Andrew looked as though he were preparing to depart. So did the other dog.

“Oh, he’s leaving me!” shrieked Miss Lark. “Very well, then, Andrew. It will be as you wish. He shall sleep in my room. But I shall never be the same again, never, never. Such a common dog!”

She wiped her streaming eyes and went on:

“I should never have thought it of you, Andrew. But I’ll say no more, no matter what I think. And this — er — creature — I shall have to call Waif or Stray or — ”

At that the other dog looked at Miss Lark very indignantly, and Andrew barked loudly.

“They say you must call him Willoughby and nothing else,” said Mary Poppins. “Willoughby being his name.”

“Willoughby! What a name! Worse and worse!” said Miss Lark despairingly. “What is he saying now?” For Andrew — was barking again.

“He says (он говорит) that if he comes back (что если он вернется) you are never to make him wear overcoats (вы никогда не будете заставлять его носить пальто) or go to the Hairdresser’s again (или ходить к парикмахеру снова) — that’s his last word (это его последнее слово),” said Mary Poppins.

There was a pause (была пауза).

“Very well (очень хорошо = ну ладно),” said Miss Lark at last (сказала мисс Ларк наконец). “But I warn you, Andrew (но я предупреждаю тебя, Эндрю), if you catch your death of cold (если ты схватишь/поймаешь свою смерть от простуды) — don’t blame me (не обвиняй меня)!”

And with that she turned and walked haughtily up the steps (и с этим она повернулась и пошла надменно вверх по ступенькам), sniffing away the last of her tears (смахивая прочь последнюю свою слезу).

Andrew cocked his head towards Willoughby (Эндрю задрал голову по направлению к Уиллоуби) as if to say (как будто чтобы сказать): “Come on (пошли)!” and the other two of them waltzed side by side slowly up the garden path (и оба они радостно пошли бок о бок медленно по садовой дорожке), waving their tails like banners (взмахивая своими хвостами, как флагами), and followed Miss Lark into the house (и последовали за мисс Ларк внутрь дома).

“He isn’t a ninkypoop after all (он не дурак после всего), you see (ты видишь/понимаешь),” said Jane, as they went upstairs to the nursery (когда они шли вверх по лестнице в детскую) and Tea (и на чай).

“No (нет /не дурак/),” agreed Michael (согласился Майкл). “But how do you think Mary Poppins knew (но как, ты думаешь, Мэри Поппинс узнала)?”

“I don’t know (я не знаю),” said Jane. “And she’ll never, never tell us (и она никогда, никогда не скажет нам). I am sure of that (я уверена в этом)…”

warn [wO:n] death [deT] banners ['bænqz]

“He says that if he comes back you are never to make him wear overcoats or go to the Hairdresser’s again — that’s his last word,” said Mary Poppins.

There was a pause.

“Very well,” said Miss Lark at last. “But I warn you, Andrew, if you catch your death of cold — don’t blame me!”

And with that she turned and walked haughtily up the steps, sniffing away the last of her tears.

Andrew cocked his head towards Willoughby as if to say: “Come on!” and the other two of them waltzed side by side slowly up the garden path, waving their tails like banners, and followed Miss Lark into the house.

“He isn’t a ninkypoop after all, you see,” said Jane, as they went upstairs to the nursery and Tea.

“No,” agreed Michael. “But how do you think Mary Poppins knew?”

“I don’t know,” said Jane. “And she’ll never, never tell us. I am sure of that…”

Chapter Five (глава пятая)
The Dancing Cow (танцующая корова)

Jane, with her head tied up in Mary Poppins’ bandanna handkerchief (со своей головой, перевязанной большим пестрым платком: «ковбойским платком» Мэри Поппинс), was in bed with earache (была в кровати с ушной болью; ache — боль).

“What does it feel like (что ты чувствуешь при этом: «что это чувствуется подобно»)?” Michael wanted to know (Майкл хотел знать).

“Like guns going off inside my head (как орудия, выстреливающие внутри моей головы; to go off — выстреливать, взрывать),” said Jane.

“Cannons (пушки)?”

“No, pop-guns (нет, духовые ружья).”

“Oh,” said Michael. And he almost wished (и он почти пожелал) he could have earache, too (/чтобы/ у него была: «он мог иметь» ушная боль тоже). It sounded so exciting (это звучит так захватывающе; to excite — возбуждать; вызывать /эмоциональный отклик, какие-либо чувства/; пробуждать /интерес и т.п./).

“Shall I tell you a story out of one of the books (рассказать тебе историю из одной из книг)?” said Michael, going to the bookshelf (идя к книжной полке).

“No (нет). I just couldn’t bear it (я просто не смогла бы вынести ее),” said Jane, holding her ear with her hand (держась за ухо: «держа свое ухо своей рукой»).

“Well (ну), shall I sit at the window (/может быть/ мне сидеть у окна: «должен я сесть к окну») and tell you (рассказывать тебе) what is happening outside (что происходит снаружи)?”

“Yes, do (да, давай),” said Jane (говорит Джейн).

So Michael sat all the afternoon on the window seat (так Майкл просидел всю вторую половину дня на подоконнике) telling her everything (рассказывая ей все) that occurred in the Lane (что случалось на улице). And sometimes his accounts were very dull (и иногда его отчеты/сообщения были очень скучными) and sometimes very exciting (а иногда очень захватывающими).

earache ['IqreIk] bear [bεq] occurred [q'kq:d]

Jane, with her head tied up in Mary Poppins’ bandanna handkerchief, was in bed with earache.

“What does it feel like?” Michael wanted to know.

“Like guns going off inside my head,” said Jane.

“Cannons?”

“No, pop-guns.”

“Oh,” said Michael. And he almost wished he could have earache, too. It sounded so exciting.

“Shall I tell you a story out of one of the books?” said Michael, going to the bookshelf.

“No. I just couldn’t bear it,” said Jane, holding her ear with her hand.

“Well, shall I sit at the window and tell you what is happening outside?”

“Yes, do,” said Jane.

So Michael sat all the afternoon on the window seat telling her everything that occurred in the Lane. And sometimes his accounts were very dull and sometimes very exciting.

“There’s Admiral Boom (вот адмирал Бум)!” he said once (он сказал один раз/разок). “He has come out of his gate (он вышел из своих ворот) and is hurrying down the Lane (и спешит по улице). Here he comes (вон он идет). His nose is redder than ever (его нос есть краснее, чем всегда) and he’s wearing a top hat (и на нем цилиндр: «он несет /надетым на голову/ цилиндр; top — верхушка; hat — шляпа). Now he is passing Next Door (сейчас он проходит мимо соседнего дома) — ”

“Is he saying (он говорит) ‘Blast my gizzard (разрази меня гром)!’?” enquired Jane (поинтересовалась: «осведомилась» Джейн).

“I can’t hear (я не могу слышать). I expect so (я ожидаю такого = думаю, да). There’s Miss Lark’s second housemaid in Miss Lark’s garden (а вот вторая горничная мисс Ларк в саду мисс Ларк). And Robertson Ay is in our garden (и Робертсон Эй — в нашем саду), sweeping up the leaves and looking at her over the fence (подметающий листья и смотрящий на нее через забор). He is sitting down now (он присел сейчас), having a rest (отдыхая: «имея отдых»).”

“He has a weak heart (у него слабое сердце),” said Jane.

“How do you know (откуда: «как» ты знаешь)?”

“He told me (он сказал мне). He said (он сказал) his doctor said (/что/ его врач сказал) he was to do as little as possible (ему следует делать так мало, как это возможно = работать как можно меньше). And I heard Daddy say (и я слышала, папа говорил) if Robertson Ay does what his doctor told him to (если Робертсон Эй будет делать, что его врач говорил ему) he’ll sack him (он уволит его). Oh, how it bangs and bangs (о, как оно стреляет и стреляет)!” said Jane, clutching her ear again (хватаясь за свое ухо снова).

“Hulloh (ого)!” said Michael excitedly from the window (сказал Майкл взволнованно от окна):

“What is it (что такое)?” cried Jane (воскликнула Джейн), sitting up (приподнимаясь). “Do tell me (говори же).”

“A very extraordinary thing (очень необыкновенная вещь). There’s a cow down in the Lane (там корова на улице),” said Michael, jumping up and down on the window seat (прыгая вверх и вниз = подскакивая на подоконнике).

“A cow (корова)? A real cow (настоящая корова) — right in the middle of a town (прямо посередине города)? How funny (как забавно)! Mary Poppins,” said Jane, “there’s a cow in the Lane (на улице корова), Michael says (Майкл говорит).”

“Yes, and it’s walking very slowly (и она идет очень медленно), putting its head over every gate (вытягивая: «помещая» свою голову поверх каждых ворот) and looking round (и смотря вокруг) as though it had lost something (как будто она потеряла что-то).”

“I wish I could see it (хотела бы я это увидеть: «я желаю, я могла увидеть это»),” said Jane mournfully (сказала Джейн печально; to mourn — скорбеть, оплакивать; горевать, печалиться).

clutching ['klAʧIŋ] cow [kau] mournful ['mO:nful]

“There’s Admiral Boom!” he said once. “He has come out of his gate and is hurrying down the Lane. Here he comes. His nose is redder than ever and he’s wearing a top hat. Now he is passing Next Door — ”

“Is he saying ‘Blast my gizzard!’?” enquired Jane.

“I can’t hear. I expect so. There’s Miss Lark’s second housemaid in Miss Lark’s garden. And Robertson Ay is in our garden, sweeping up the leaves and looking at her over the fence. He is sitting down now, having a rest.”

“He has a weak heart,” said Jane.

“How do you know?”

“He told me. He said his doctor said he was to do as little as possible. And I heard Daddy say if Robertson Ay does what his doctor told him to he’ll sack him. Oh, how it bangs and bangs!” said Jane, clutching her ear again.

“Hulloh!” said Michael excitedly from the window:

“What is it?” cried Jane, sitting up. “Do tell me.”

“A very extraordinary thing. There’s a cow down in the Lane,” said Michael, jumping up and down on the window seat.

“A cow? A real cow — right in the middle of a town? How funny! Mary Poppins,” said Jane, “there’s a cow in the Lane, Michael says.”

“Yes, and it’s walking very slowly, putting its head over every gate and looking round as though it had lost something.”

“I wish I could see it,” said Jane mournfully.

“Look (смотрите)!” said Michael, pointing downwards (показывая вниз) as Mary Poppins came to the window (как только Мэри Поппинс подошла к окну). “A cow (корова). Isn’t that funny (разве это не забавно)?”

Mary Poppins gave a quick, sharp glance down into the Lane (Мэри Поппинс бросила: «дала» быстрый, внимательный взгляд вниз на улицу). She started with surprise (она вздрогнула от удивления).

“Certainly not (определенно нет),” she said, turning to Jane and Michael (поворачиваясь к Джейн и Майклу). “It’s not funny at all (это не забавно совсем). I know that cow (я знаю эту корову). She was a great friend of my Mother’s (она была большим другом моей матери) and I’ll thank you to speak politely to her (и я буду вам благодарна, /если вы будете/ говорить вежливо с ней).” She smoothed her apron (она разгладила свой фартук) and looked at them both very severely (и посмотрела на них обоих очень строго: «сурово»).

“Have you known her long (Вы знаете ее долго = Вы давно с ней знакомы)?” enquired Michael gently (спросил Майкл мягко/кротко), hoping that if he was particularly polite (надеясь, что если он будет чрезвычайно вежливым) he would hear something more about the cow (он услышит что-то больше о корове).

“Since before she saw the King (незадолго до того, как она увидела короля; since — с /такого-то времени/; before — до),” said Mary Poppins.

smoothed [smu:Dd] certainly ['sq:tnlI] severely [sI'vIqlI]

“Look!” said Michael, pointing downwards as Mary Poppins came to the window. “A cow. Isn’t that funny?”

Mary Poppins gave a quick, sharp glance down into the Lane. She started with surprise.

“Certainly not,” she said, turning to Jane and Michael. “It’s not funny at all. I know that cow. She was a great friend of my Mother’s and I’ll thank you to speak politely to her.” She smoothed her apron and looked at them both very severely.

“Have you known her long?” enquired Michael gently, hoping that if he was particularly polite he would hear something more about the cow.

“Since before she saw the King,” said Mary Poppins.

“And when was that (и когда была это)?” asked Jane (спросила Джейн), in a soft encouraging voice (мягким, ободряющим голосом; courage — отвага, смелость; to encourage — ободрять; поощрять, поддерживать).

Mary Poppins stared into space (Мэри Поппинс устремила взгляд в пространство), her eyes fixed upon something (ее глаза задержались: «закрепились» на чем-то) that they could not see (чего они не могли видеть). Jane and Michael held their breath, waiting (Джейн и Майкл задержали свое дыхание, ожидая; to hold — держать).

“It was long ago (это было давно),” said Mary Poppins, in a brooding storytelling voice (задумчивым, повествовательным голосом; to tell the story — рассказывать историю). She paused (она сделала паузу), as though she were remembering events (как будто она вспоминала события) that happened hundreds of years before that time (которые случились сотни лет перед этим временем). Then she went on dreamily (затем она продолжала мечтательно; to go on — продолжать), still gazing into the middle of the room (по-прежнему пристально глядя в середину комнаты), but without seeing anything (но не видя ничего).

The Red Cow (Рыжая Корова) — that’s the name she went by (это было имя, под которым она была известна). And very important and prosperous she was), too (и очень важная и богатая: «процветающая» она была к тому же) (so my Mother said) (так моя мама говорила). She lived in the best field in the whole district (она жила на лучшем поле в целой округе) — a large one full of buttercups the size of saucers (на большом лугу, полном лютиков размером с блюдца) and dandelions standing up in it like soldiers (и одуванчиков, стоящих, как солдаты). Every time she ate the head off one soldier (каждый раз, когда она съедала голову с одного солдата), another grew up in its place (другой вырастал на его месте), with a green military coat (в зеленом военном мундире) and a yellow busby (и желтой гусарской шапке).

encouraging [In'kArIGIŋ] buttercups ['bAtqkAps] dandelion ['dændIlaIqn]

“And when was that?” asked Jane, in a soft encouraging voice.

Mary Poppins stared into space, her eyes fixed upon something that they could not see. Jane and Michael held their breath, waiting.

“It was long ago,” said Mary Poppins, in a brooding storytelling voice. She paused, as though she were remembering events that happened hundreds of years before that time. Then she went on dreamily, still gazing into the middle of the room, but without seeing anything.

The Red Cow — that’s the name she went by. And very important and prosperous she was, too (so my Mother said). She lived in the best field in the whole district — a large one full of buttercups the size of saucers and dandelions standing up in it like soldiers. Every time she ate the head off one soldier, another grew up in its place, with a green military coat and a yellow busby.

She had lived there always (она жила здесь всегда) — she often told my Mother (она часто говорила моей матери) that she couldn’t remember the time (что она не может вспомнить времени) when she hadn’t lived in that field (когда она не жила на этом поле). Her world was bounded by green hedges and the sky (ее мир был ограничен зелеными изгородями и небом) and she knew nothing of what lay beyond these (и она не знала ничего о том, что лежит за ними).

The Red Cow was very respectable (Рыжая Корова была очень уважаемая), she always behaved like a perfect lady (она всегда вела /себя/, как истинная леди) and she knew (и она знала) What was What (Что было Чем). To her a thing was either black or white (для нее вещь была либо черной, либо белой) — there was nothing in between (не было ничего посередине: «между»). Dandelions were either sweet or sour (одуванчики были либо сладкие, либо кислые) — there were never any moderately nice ones (не было никогда каких-либо умеренно хороших одуванчиков; nice — хороший, приятный, милый, славный).

She led a very busy life (она вела очень деятельную жизнь). Her mornings were taken up in giving lessons to the Red Calf (ее утра были заполнены/заняты обучением: «даванием уроков» Рыжей Телочке), her daughter (ее дочери), and in the afternoon she taught the little one deportment and mooing (а днем она учила маленькую /корову/ поведению = манерам и мычанию) and all the things a really well brought up calf should know (и всем вещам, /которые/ действительно хорошо воспитанной телочке следует знать). Then they had their supper (затем они ужинали: «имели свой ужин»), and the Red Cow showed the Red Calf (и Рыжая Корова показывала Рыжей Телочке) how to select a good blade of grass from a bad one (как отобрать= отличить хороший лист травы от плохого листа); and when her child had gone to sleep at night (а когда ее ребенок ложился спать ночью) she would go into a corner of the field (она шла на край поля) and chew the cud (и жевала жвачку) and think her own quiet thoughts (и думала свои собственные тихие мысли).

All her days were exactly the same (все ее дни были в точности одинаковые). One Red Calf grew up (одна Рыжая Телочка вырастала) and went away (и уходила) and another came in its place (а другая приходила на ее место). And it was natural (и было естественно) that the Red Cow should imagine (что Рыжая Корова представляла) that her life would always be the same (что ее жизнь будет всегда одинаковой) as it had always been (какой всегда была) — indeed (в самом деле), she felt (она чувствовала) that she could ask for nothing better (что она не могла просить ничего лучше) than for all her days to be alike (чем то, что все свои дни были бы похожими) till she came to the end of them (пока она не придет к концу их).

But at the very moment she was thinking these thoughts (но в тот самый момент, когда она думала эти мысли), adventure (приключение), as she afterwards told my Mother (как она впоследствии рассказывала моей матери), was stalking her (подкралось к ней; to stalk — подкрадываться, выслеживать). It came upon her one night (оно напало на нее одной ночью; to come upon — охватывать, нападать) when the stars themselves looked like dandelions in the sky (когда звезды сами по себе выглядели, как одуванчики в небе) and the moon a great daisy among the stars (а луна — огромной ромашкой/маргариткой среди звезд).

bounded ['baundId] sour [sauq] adventure [qd'venʧq]

She had lived there always — she often told my Mother that she couldn’t remember the time when she hadn’t lived in that field. Her world was bounded by green hedges and the sky and she knew nothing of what lay beyond these.

The Red Cow was very respectable, she always behaved like a perfect lady and she knew What was What. To her a thing was either black or white — there was nothing in between. Dandelions were either sweet or sour — there were never any moderately nice ones.

She led a very busy life. Her mornings were taken up in giving lessons to the Red Calf, her daughter, and in the afternoon she taught the little one deportment and mooing and all the things a really well brought up calf should know. Then they had their supper, and the Red Cow showed the Red Calf how to select a good blade of grass from a bad one; and when her child had gone to sleep at night she would go into a corner of the field and chew the cud and think her own quiet thoughts.

All her days were exactly the same. One Red Calf grew up and went away and another came in its place. And it was natural that the Red Cow should imagine that her life would always be the same as it had always been — indeed, she felt that she could ask for nothing better than for all her days to be alike till she came to the end of them.

But at the very moment she was thinking these thoughts, adventure, as she afterwards told my Mother, was stalking her. It came upon her one night when the stars themselves looked like dandelions in the sky and the moon a great daisy among the stars.