Intrude [In'trHd], consciousness ['kOnSqsnIs], brocade [brqu'keId]

She tried to concentrate upon a flower garden. But it was no use. The more she tried to think of other things the more the Dior dress intruded into her consciousness, and she lay there in the darkness, shivering and craving it.

Even with the light out and no more than the glimmer of the street lamp filtering into the basement window, she could look right through the closet door and imagine it hanging there. The color and the materials kept changing, sometimes she saw it in gold brocade, others in pink, or crimson satin, or white with ivory laces. But always it was the most beautiful and expensive thing of its kind.

The originals that had started this strange desire had disappeared from the cupboard of Lady Dant (оригиналы, которые положили начало этому странному желанию, исчезли из платяного шкафа леди Дант) and were no longer there to tantalize her (и не были больше там, чтобы мучить ее; to tantalize — манить, соблазнять, дразнить, мучить, подвергать танталовым мукам). (Later there was a picture in The Tatler of Lady Dant wearing the one known as "Ravishing.") (позже в журнале «The Tatler» была/напечатана фотография леди Дант в одном /из платьев/, известном как «Восторг») But Mrs. Harris did not need to see them any longer (но миссис Харрис не требовалось больше видеть их). The craving to possess such a thing was indelibly imbedded in her mind (страстное желание обладать такой вещью неизгладимо внедрилось в ее сознание: indelible — незабываемый, неизгладимый).

Sometimes the longing was so strong (иногда это желание было столь сильным) it would bring tears to her eyes before she fell asleep (/что/ приносило слезы в ее глаза = на глаза навертывались слезы перед тем, как она засыпала), often to continue thereafter with some distorted dream (часто /лишь для того/, чтобы смениться: «продолжиться затем» каким-нибудь дурным сном: distorted — кривой, искаженный).

tantalize ['txntqlaIz], indelibly [In'delIblI], tear [tIq]

The originals that had started this strange desire had disappeared from the cupboard of Lady Dant and were no longer there to tantalize her. (Later there was a picture in The Tatler of Lady Dant wearing the one known as "Ravishing.") But Mrs. Harris did not need to see them any longer. The craving to possess such a thing was indelibly imbedded in her mind.

Sometimes the longing was so strong it would bring tears to her eyes before she fell asleep, often to continue thereafter with some distorted dream.

But one night (но однажды ночью), a week or so later (примерно через неделю), Mrs. Harris' thoughts took a new tack (мысли миссис Харрис приняли новое направление; tack — гвоздик с широкой шляпкой; кнопка; стежок; наметка /при шитье/; курс; политическая линия; линия поведения). She reflected upon the evening she had made out the football coupon with Mrs. Butterfield (она размышляла о вечере, /когда/ она заполнила футбольный купон с миссис Баттерфилд) and the curious sense of certainty (и любопытном чувстве уверенности) she had experienced that this would win her the coveted dress (/которую/ она испытывала, что он выиграет для нее желанное платье). The results, it is true, had been in line with what she knew by experience were the disappointments of life (результаты, правда, соотносились с тем, что она знала по опыту, /т.е./ были разочарованиями жизни), and yet, after all, had they (но были ли они этим)? She had won a hundred pounds (она выиграла сто фунтов), nay, more, a hundred and two pounds, seven shillings and nine pence ha'penny (нет, больше — сто два фунта, семь шиллингов и 9,5 пенсов).

curious ['kjuqrIqs], certainty ['sWtntI], experience [Iks'pIqrIqns]

But one night, a week or so later, Mrs. Harris' thoughts took a new tack. She reflected upon the evening she had made out the football coupon with Mrs. Butterfield and the curious sense of certainty she had experienced that this would win her the coveted dress. The results, it is true, had been in line with what she knew by experience were the disappointments of life, and yet, after all, had they? She had won a hundred pounds, nay, more, a hundred and two pounds, seven shillings and nine pence ha'penny.

Why then this curious sum (почему тогда такая любопытная сумма), what was the message or the meaning it held for her (какое сообщение или значение она содержала для нее: to hold — держать; содержать)? For Mrs. Harris' world was filled with signals (для миссис Харрис мир был полон сигналов), signs (знаков), messages (посланий), and portents from on High (и предзнаменований Свыше). With the price of a Dior dress of four hundred fifty pounds (при цене платья от Диора в четыреста пятьдесят фунтов), three hundred fifty pounds was still wholly out of her reach (триста пятьдесят фунтов были по-прежнему полностью вне ее досягаемости).

curious ['kjuqrIqs], message ['mesIG], portent ['pLtqnt]

Why then this curious sum, what was the message or the meaning it held for her? For Mrs. Harris' world was filled with signals, signs, messages, and portents from on High. With the price of a Dior dress of four hundred fifty pounds, three hundred fifty pounds was still wholly out of her reach.

But wait (но подождите)! A flash of insight and inspiration came to her (вспышка озарения и вдохновения пришла к ней: to come — приходить; случаться), and she snapped on the light and sat up in bed with the sheer excitement of it (и она неожиданно включила свет и села в своей кровати с явным волнением от нее = вызванным ей). It was not really three hundred fifty pounds any longer (на самом деле, это теперь было не триста пятьдесят фунтов). She had not only her hundred pounds in the bank (она имела не только свои сто фунтов в банке), but a start of two pounds, seven shillings, ninepence ha'penny on the second hundred (но начало в два фунта, семь шиллингов и 9,5 пенсов от второй сотни), and once she had achieved that (и когда она завершит ее; to achieve — добиваться, достигать; доводить до конца, выполнять) the third hundred pounds would no longer be so difficult (третья сотня фунтов не будет больше так трудна).