Английская коллекция. Саки (Г. Х. Манро). Семь кувшинчиков для сливок / Saki. The Seven Cream Jug - стр. 6
extenuating [ɪk'stenjʋeɪtɪŋ], flower ['flaʋǝ], poultry ['pǝʋltrɪ], vindictive [vɪn'dɪktɪv]
“Oh, I daresay the wrongness has been on my part,” admitted Laura dispassionately; “he has merely been the extenuating circumstance. He made a thin, peevish kind of fuss, for instance, when I took the collie puppies from the farm out for a run the other day.”
“They chased his young broods of speckled Sussex and drove two sitting hens off their nests, besides running all over the flower beds. You know how devoted he is to his poultry and garden.”
“Anyhow, he needn't have gone on about it for the entire evening and then have said, 'Let's say no more about it' just when I was beginning to enjoy the discussion. That's where one of my petty vindictive revenges came in,” added Laura with an unrepentant chuckle; “I turned the entire family of speckled Sussex into his seedling shed the day after the puppy episode.”
“How could you?” exclaimed Amanda (как ты могла! – воскликнула Аманда).
“It came quite easy (это получилось весьма легко; to come – приходить; случаться; выходить, получаться; quite – вполне, совсем; довольно),” said Laura; “two of the hens pretended to be laying at the time, but I was firm