It was then that his voice grew tired and his speech impeded. The knowledge that he had entirely lost touch with his audience may have been the cause. (Greene)

Именно тогда в голосе его послышалось утомление и речь его стала прерывистой. Быть может, мысль, что он совершенно потерял контакт с аудиторией, была этому причиной.

How long the silence lasted the Gadfly could not tell; it might have been an instant, or an eternity. (Voynich)

For all I know, she may have been waiting for hours.

When uncertainty is expressed the time of the action is indi­ted by the form of the infinitive and not by the form of the mo- diil verb, as both may and might can refer to the present or to the ist in accordance urtth the form of the infinitive. If the action lers to the past, the Perfect Infinitive is used.

3. Possibility due to circumstances.

May is used in this sense only in affirmative sentences. Co« is mIso possible in this meanipg.

In this museum you may see some interesting things.

You may see him every morning walking with his dog.

In this meaning it is generally used with the Indefinite In- tinitive..

4. Reproach.

Only might is used in this meaning but not may.

You might lend me a razor. I was shaved this morning with a sort of bil 1-hook. (Galsworthy)

When might is used with the Indefinite Infinitive it is rather a request made in the tone of a reproach, as the above example shows. When it is used with the Perfect Infinitive, it expresses reproach.

1. realize now how you spent your days and why you were so forgetful. Tennis lesson, my eye. You might have told me, you know. (Du Maurier) '

§ 4. Must.

The verb must has only one form. The expressions to have to and to he obliged to, which have the same meaning, can be used to supply the missing tense forms of the verb must.

And now I must go back to my social duties. (Voynich)

1. felt that I had to have the air. (De la Roche)

Baring, because of the type of work in which he was engaged, had been obliged to forego making friends. (Wilson)

Must expresses obligation, necessity, an urgent command or pro­hibition, and a supposition bordering on assurance.

1. Obligation, necessity.

1. due to circumstances (in this meaning it is equivalent to have to and is used only with the Indefinite Infinitive in affirma­tive, negative and interrogative sentences):

He must write. He еагппщц^у. (London)

This education is inaispenSabfefor whatever career you select, and it must not be slif'^rfioflox's]LktS\Y‘'T^^on^^

The absence of necessity is expressed by need not:

Must I go there to-morrow?

Yes, you must.

No, you needn’t.

2. arising out of the nature of man and consequently inevi­table. *■*

All experience tended to show that man must die. (Galsworthy)

2. A command, an urgent (emphatic) request or a prohibition.

In this meaning it is used only with the Indefinite Infinitive.

You must leave the room at once!

You must come to see me every vacation. (Voynich)

You must not speak to a prisoner in a foreign language, ma’am. (Voynich)

3. Probability or supposition. y,,-\

Supposition bordering on assurance, almost a convicuon. In thi

meaning must is used with all the forms of the Infinitive in affii mative sentences only. It corresponds to the Russian должно быть