ConversationAs soon as we had settled down and started to enjoy the island,2 Larry3 wrote to all his friends and asked them to come out and stay. The fact that the villa was only just big enough to house the family had not occurred to him. "I've asked a few people out for a week or so," he said casually to Mother one morning. "By all means, dear," said Mother unthinkingly. "I thought it would do us good to have some intelligent and stimulating company4 around." "I hope they're not too highbrow5, dear," said Mother. "Good Lord, Mother, of course they're not; just extremely charming, ordinary people. I don't know why you've got this fear about people being highbrow." "I don't like the highbrow ones," said Mother sadly. "I'm not highbrow, and I-can't talk about poetry and things. But they always seem to imagine, just because I'm your mother, that I should be able to discuss literature with them. And they always come and ask me silly questions just when I'm in the middle of cooking." "I don't ask you to discuss art with them," said Larry, a little illtemperedly, "but I think you ought to try to hide your awful taste in literature. I fill the house with good books and I find your bedside table piled with cookery books, gardening books, and the most unpleasant-looking mystery stories. I can't think where you pick these things up." "They're very good detective stories," said Mother. "I borrowed them from the doctor." Larry gave a short, angry sigh and picked up his book again. "You'd better let the Pension Suisse6 know when they're coming," Mother remarked. "What for?" asked Larry surprised. "So they can reserve the rooms," said Mother equally surprised. "But I've invited them to stay here," Larry pointed out. "Larry! You haven't! Really you are most thoughtless. How can they possibly stay here?" "I really don't see what you're making such a fuss about," said Larry coldly. "But where are we going to sleep?"; said Mother, very much upset in her mind. "There's hardly enough room for us, as it is. You'll just have to write to those people and put them off." "I can't put them off," said Larry, "they're on the way." "Really, Larry, you are the most annoying person. Why on earth7 didn't you tell me before? You wait until they're nearly here, and then you tell me." "I didn't know you were going to treat the arrival of a few guests as if it were a catastrophe," Larry explained. "But, dear, it's so silly to invite people when you know there's no room in the villa." "I do wish you'd stop fussing," said Larry; "there's quite a simple solution to the whole matter." "What?" asked Mother suspiciously. "Well, since the villa isn't big enough, let's move to one that is." "Don't be ridiculous. Whoever heard of moving into a larger house because you've invited some friends to stay?" "What's the matter with the idea? It seems a perfectly sensible solution to me; after all, if you say there's no room here, the obvious thing to do is to move." "The obvious thing to do is not to invite people," said Mother. "I don't think it's good for us to live like hermits," said Larry. "I really invited them for you. They're a charming crowd. I thought you'd like to have them. Liven things up a bit for you." "I'm quite lively enough, thank you," said Mother. "How many have you invited?" "Oh, just a few... two or three... They won't all be coming at once. I expect they'll turn up one by one." "I think at least you might be able to tell me how many you've invited," said Mother. "Well, I can't remember now. Some of them didn't reply, but that doesn't mean anything... they're probably on their way and thought it was hardly worth letting us know. Anyway, if you plan for seven or eight people I should think that would cover it." "You mean, including ourselves?" "No, no, I mean seven or eight people as well as the family." "But it's absurd, Larry; we can't possibly fit thirteen people into this villa, with all the good will in the world." "Well, let's move then. I've offered you a perfectly sensible solution. I don't know what you're arguing about." Larry gave her a hurt look, and picked up his books. There was a long silence, during which Larry calmly read his book. "I wish you wouldn't just lie there," Mother said at last. "After all, they're your friends. It's up to you to do something." Larry put down his book. "I really don't know what you expect me to do, "he said. "Every suggestion I've made you've disagreed with." "If you made sensible suggestions I wouldn't disagree." "I don't see anything ridiculous in anything I suggested." "But, Larry, dear, do be reasonable. We can't just rush to a new villa because some people are coming. I doubt whether we'd find one in time, anyway. We are not moving to another villa," said Mother firmly; "I've made up my mind about that." She straightened her spectacles, gave Larry an angry look, and walked off towards the kitchen, expressing determination in every inch. The new villa was enormous...
NOTES I. Gerald Durrell was born in Jamshedpur, India, in 1925. A well-known zoologist, director of the Jersey Zoological Park founded by him in 1958. He has written a number of books describing his animal-collecting expeditions to different parts of the world. His book "The Overloaded Ark", "The Drunken Forest", "The Whispering Lad", "Three Tickets to Adventure" and others have been translated into many languages, including Russian. "Conversation" is a chapter from "My Family and Other Animals" (1967) giving a humorous picture of the life of the Durrell family (mother, daughter and three sons) on the Greek island of Corfu (1934—1939). II. the island of Corfu III. Larry:Lawrence Durrell, Gerald's eldest brother, now a well-known English writer, the author of "Bitter Lemons", "Justine" and other books. IV. company: in the sense of "companionship" общество, компания (людей) it is uncountable, e.g. We're having company tonight. У нас сегодня гости. The Browns are excellent company. Брауны очень приятные люди (собеседники). V. highbrow: persons with intellectual, literary and artistic tastes and interests superior to those of most people заумный VI. Pension Suisse (Fr.): the local hotel VII. on earth (coll.): in "Why (how, etc.) on earth...?" it is used to strengthen the interrogative words.
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