“So, where is he?” asked the viscountess, without beating about the bush. “I was told I could find here a certain Knight in Shining Armour, who travels incognito by the name of the Chevalier Valmont. Where are you hiding him, Margaret?”

      She looked about the room, as if she really expected to find someone lurking in one of the dark corners.

      “I see you even know his name,” remarked the baroness.

      “Not only that,” answered the viscountess, her whiskers twitching playfully.

      “May I ask who had told you?”

      “The Baroness Dorblu, who heard it from the Baron Dorblu – who, in turn, had received this news first-hand from your husband. Which means, I know all about his misfortunes, and, I’m afraid, not I alone. On the way here we overtook the carriage of the Countess Coeur de Chevre, and may I forever remain the widow of the good Viscount Fumaison (39), 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 (о прибытии посетителей); 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; win over склонить на свою сторону, расположить к себе; здесь: покорить, обаять; hostess хозяйка дома (по отношению к гостям); lay off sb отстать от кого-либо, не приставать к кому-либо, оставить в покое; not quite herself сама не своя; wonder задаваться вопросом, спрашиваться себя, гадать; I wonder why. Хотела бы я знать, почему; любопытно было бы узнать, почему; feminine женский; charms чары; give sb the cold shoulder демонстративно игнорировать, не проявлять интереса; hero герой; doubt сомнение

      “I don’t believe you, Margaret. You’re hiding something from us,” insisted the viscountess.

      “I’m not. Why should I?”

      “So, you wouldn’t mind us hunting on your lands, then?”

      “Not at all.”

      “Which reminds me. Are you sure that sister of his is really his sister, and not some third cousin?”

      “I suspect she is neither,” answered the baroness. “My maid told me that he carries a ring in his pocket, which seems to be very dear to him – so he said. Maribel tried it on. It is definitely not a man’s ring.”

      “That doesn’t mean anything,” said the countess. “It can be an heirloom of sorts. Besides, as far as I remember, he is looking for a nun – those don’t count.”

      “Thank you, Marietta, you cheered me up to no end,” said the Viscountess sarcastically.

      

      insist настаивать; hunt охотиться;

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