The Mysterious Disappearance of the Chevalier Valmont - стр. 28

, if she was not on her way to pay you a visit. Her carriage stopped at the sweet shop of Monsieur Shavroux. She should be here any minute now.”

beat about the bush ходить вокруг да около, говорить обиняками; lurk прятаться, притаиться; corner угол; twitch подергиваться; in turn в свою очередь; first-hand из первых рук; misfortune несчастье, злоключение; overtake обогнать; pay sb a visit нанести визит кому-либо

At that very moment, the door of the drawing room opened, and the butler announced:

“Her Excellency Countess Coeur de Chevre to visit Your Excellency!”

The Countess Coeur de Chevre was the other best friend of the baroness, second only to the viscountess. (40) She was a petite mouse with a lively face and a nose that was a little bit too long for a mouse. Now it seemed even longer than usual.

The countess looked around the room, just the way her friend had done a few minutes ago, and her face sank. She had, obviously, expected to find the baroness in someone else’s company.

announce докладывать (оприбытиипосетителей); petite маленькая и хрупкая, изящная; lively живой, подвижный, веселый; than usual чем обычно; her face sank (sink; sank; sunk) она cпала с лица, осунулась

“I’m not late, am I?” she asked.

“Don’t worry, Marietta. I haven’t had a chance yet to win over the Chevalier Valmont. We start together,” reassured her the Viscountess Fumaison. Then, turning to the hostess, she said, “Which brings us back to my first question: “Where is he?”

“The chevalier has some business in town,” answered the baroness.

“Business? In Mouseville? What business could he have in a strange town (41)?” asked the viscountess.

“You’re forgetting, Marietta, that he is looking for his sister,” the countess interrupted. “And, please, lay off Margaret. Don’t you see she is not quite herself?”

“I wonder why. Wait, don’t tell me. I think I know why. You tried your feminine charms on him, but he gave you the cold shoulder. Is that it, Margaret?”

“Of course not,” answered the baroness. “He is a hero, no doubt, but not my type of hero.”

reassure обнадежить, ободрить; winover склонить на свою сторону, расположить к себе; здесь: покорить, обаять; hostess хозяйка дома (по отношению к гостям); layoffsb отстать от кого-либо, не приставать к кому-либо, оставить в покое; notquiteherself сама не своя; wonder задаваться вопросом, спрашиваться себя, гадать; Iwonderwhy. Хотела бы я знать, почему; любопытно было бы узнать, почему; feminine женский; charms чары; givesbthecoldshoulder демонстративно игнорировать, не проявлять интереса;