#original_high_speech Good day, dear readers! In this post, I | The High Speech

#original_high_speech

Good day, dear readers! In this post, I am going to share with you another piece of elegant English from The Forsyte Saga, the fifth concluding book 'To Let', chapter X 'Decision'. The extract is not long but will have a few words and collocations that might embellish the English you already know. A little English-Russian glossary is included.

Supportive glossary:
shilling – 1/20 фунта стерлинга
to gasp – шумно вдохнуть от изумления
irresolution – нерешительность
to go full bat – идти быстрым шагом
to sprawl – растянуться
lark – жаворонок
chalk-pit – меловой карьер
to tramp – тяжело ступать

He put a ten-shilling note on the tray with a doubting and gained the door. He heard the Austrian gasp, and hurried out. He had just time to catch his train, and all the way to Victoria looked at every face that passed, as lovers will, hoping against hope. On reaching Worthing he put his luggage into the local train, and set out across the Downs for Wansdon, trying to walk off his aching irresolution. So long as he went full bat, he could enjoy the beauty of those green slopes, stopping now and again to sprawl on the grass, admire the perfection of a wild rose or listen to a lark's song. But the war of motives within him was but postponed – the longing for Fleur, and the hatred of deception. He came to the old chalk-pit above Wansdon with his mind no more made up than when he started. To see both sides of a question vigorously was at once Jon's strength and weakness. He tramped in, just as the first dinner-bell rang. His things had already been brought up. He had a hurried bath and came down to find Holly alone – Val had gone to Town and would not be back till the last train.