| Now, Mary, what you object to is that our society offers you, and the others like you, no convincing logic on the side of waiting until age nineteen. It is all taken for granted, and you want to know why! It is that simple. A non-technical explanation will not suffice-mercy no! The modern child wants facts, solid technical data, to satisfy her every question. And that, as you can both see, will take a good deal of reorganizing." "But-" said Mary. "The child is upset, nervous, tense; she acts strange, peculiar, odd, worries you and makes herself ill because it is beyond our meagre powers to put it across. I tell you, what we need is a whole new basis for learning. And, that will take doing. It will take doing, Mrs. Cuberle. Now, don't you worry about Mary, and don't you worry, child. I'll prescribe some pills and-" | Итак, Мэри, твой протест направлен против того, что мы не даем тебе и твоим сверстникам убедительных, логически обоснованных объяснений, почему нужно ждать до девятнадцати лет. |
| "No, no, doctor! You're all mixed up," cried Mrs. Cuberle. | - Нет, нет, доктор! - вскричала миссис Кьюберли.- У нас все наоборот. |
| "I beg your pardon, Madam?" | - Прошу прощения, сударыня? |
| "What I mean is, you've got it wrong. | - Дело в том, что вы меня неправильно поняли. |
| Tell him, Mary, tell the doctor what you told me." | Мэри, скажи доктору то, о чем ты говорила мне. |
| Mary shifted uneasily in the chair. | Мэри беспокойно заерзала на стуле: |
| "It's that-I don't want it." | - Понимаете, доктор, я... я не хочу этого. |
| The doctor's well-proportioned jaw dropped. | У доктора отвисла челюсть: |
| "Would you please repeat that?" | - Что ты сказала? Повтори, пожалуйста. |
| "I said, I don't want the Transformation." "D-Don't want it?" "You see? She told me. That's why I came to you." The doctor looked at Mary suspiciously. | - Я сказала, что не хочу подвергаться Трансформации. |
| "But that's impossible! | - Невероятно! |
| I have never heard of such a thing. | Такое я слышу впервые в жизни. |
| Little girl, you are playing a joke!" | Ты шутишь, девочка! |
| Mary nodded negatively. | Мэри отрицательно покачала головой. |
| "See, doctor. | - Вы видите, доктор. |
| What can it be?" Mrs. Cuberle rose and began to pace. | Что это может быть? |
| THE DOCTOR clucked his tongue and took from a small cupboard a black box covered with buttons and dials and wire. | Доктор поцокал языком и достал из маленького шкафчика опутанную проводами черную коробку с множеством кнопок и дисков. Он укрепил на голове Мэри черные зажимы. |
| "Oh no, you don't think-I mean, could it?" | - О нет, не думаете же вы... |
| "We shall soon see." | - Сейчас увидим. |
| The doctor revolved a number of dials and studied the single bulb in the center of the box. | Доктор повернул несколько дисков и взглянул на лампочку в центре крышки коробки. |
