A Little Princess / Маленькая принцесса. А1. Фрэнсис Элиза Ходжсон Бёрнетт
Читать онлайн книгу.
Dufarge arrived very shortly afterward. He was a very nice, intelligent, middle-aged Frenchman.
“Is this a new pupil for me, madame?” he said to Miss Minchin. “I hope that is my good fortune.”
“Her papa-Captain Crewe-believes very strongly that she should learn the language. But I am afraid she does not want to learn,” said Miss Minchin.
Little Sara stood up. She felt rather unhappy, as if she were almost in disgrace. She looked up into Monsieur Dufarge's face with her big, green-gray eyes. She began to explain herself quite simply in pretty and fluent French. She explained she did not learn French exactly-not out of books-but her papa and other people always spoke it to her. Monsieur Dufarge began to smile.
“Ah, madame,” he said, “there is not much I can teach her. She did not learn French; she is French. Her accent is perfect.”
Miss Minchin felt mortified.
“Why didn't you tell me?” exclaimed Miss Minchin and turned to Sara.
“I–I tried,” said Sara.
Miss Minchin knew she tried, and that it was not her fault that she was not allowed to explain. She heard Lavinia and Jessie giggling.
“Silence, young ladies!” she said severely.
And she began from that minute to feel rather a grudge against her show pupil.
awkwardly ['ɔ:kwǝdli] – adv неуклюже, неловко
beɡin (beɡan, beɡun) [bɪ'ɡɪn] – v начинать
believe [bɪ'li:v] – v верить; думать, полагать
box [bɒks] – n коробка, ящик
clothes [kləʊðz] – n одежда
familiar [fǝ'mɪliǝ] – adj обычный, привычный; знакомый
feet [fi:t] – n pl ноги, стопы
fortune ['fɔ:ʧu:n] – n удача, счастье; судьба; состояние, богатство; наследство
ɡreen [ɡri:n] – adj зелёный
happen ['hhpǝn] – v случаться; происходить
hear (heard, heard) [hɪǝ] – v слышать
hope [hǝup] – n надежда; v надеяться
immediate [ɪ'mi:diǝt] – adj немедленный, незамедлительный; мгновенный; непосредственный
interest ['ɪntrǝst] – n интерес; v интересовать
lanɡuaɡe ['llŋɡwɪʤ] – n язык; речь
learn (learnt, learnt) (learned) [lɜ:n] – v изучать; учить, учиться, узнавать
lesson ['les(ǝ)n] – n урок, занятие
like [laɪk] – v нравиться; любить; adj подобный, похожий
maid [meɪd] – n служанка
make (made, made) [meɪk] – v делать
nice [naɪs] – adj приятный, милый; хороший
perfect ['pɜ:fɪkt] – adj совершенный; идеальный; v совершенствовать
polite [pǝ'laɪt] – adj вежливый, учтивый, воспитанный
pretty ['prɪti] – adj красивый, хорошенький; красивый; adv довольно
quite [kwaɪt] – adv совсем, вполне
rise (rose, risen) [raɪz] – v поднимать(ся); в(о)сходить
see (saw, seen) [si:] – v смотреть, видеть; посмотреть
shy [ʃaɪ] – adj застенчивый; робкий, пугливый; v отпрянуть
smile [smaɪl] – n улыбка; v улыбаться
take (took, taken) [teɪk] – v брать, взять; занимать времени, требоваться; вести кого-л. куда-л.
tell (told, told) [tel] – v рассказывать; сообщать; говорить
warm [wɔ:m] – adj тёплый; v греть; согревать(ся)
wish [wɪʃ] – n желание; v желать
Chapter 3
Ermengarde
On that first morning, when Sara sat at Miss Minchin's side, she noticed a girl. She was sitting in amazement when Sara spoke to Monsieur Dufarge. It was very difficult for this girl to learn French. She stared at Sara so hard and bit the ribbon on her pigtail so bad that Miss Minchin noticed her.
“Miss St. John!” she exclaimed severely. “Get your elbows off the table! Take your ribbon out of your mouth! Sit up at once!”
Lavinia and Jessie giggled. Miss St. John looked as if she wanted to cry. Sara saw her and was so sorry for her that she began rather to like her and want to be her friend.
After the classes the pupils gathered together in groups to talk, Sara looked for Miss St. John. She found her sitting by the window all alone. She walked over to her and spoke.
“What is your name?” she said friendly.
“My name's Ermengarde St. John,” she answered. She was surprised that the new pupil was talking to her.
“Mine is Sara Crewe,” said Sara. “Yours is very pretty. It sounds like a story book.”
“You can speak French, can't you?” Ermengarde said politely.
“I can speak it because I heard it all my life,” she answered. “You can speak it when you always hear it.”
“Oh, no, I couldn't,” said Ermengarde sadly. “I never could speak it!”
She paused a moment.
“You are clever, aren't you?” she added with a touch of awe in her voice.
“I don't know,” Sara said. “I can't tell.”
She gave a little laugh and changed the subject.
“Do you want to go in my room to play?” she asked.
“Sure,” said Ermengarde.
They jumped down from the window-seat together, and went upstairs.
“Is it true,” Ermengarde whispered-“is it true that you have a playroom only for you?”
“Yes,” Sara answered. “Papa asked Miss Minchin give me one. When I play I make up stories and tell them to myself, and I don't like people to hear me. The story becomes bad when people listen.”
“You