DAISY STORIES – THE SEARCH FOR LORNA
Autrice: Crystal Jones (nella foto) © 1995-2008
Voce Recitante: Carmen Forward , volontaria di English Gratis

[audio:http://englishgratis.com/multiblog/wp-content/uploads/2008/11/_lorna.mp3]

The search for Lorna

Daisy Hamilton was a private detective. She was thirty years old and had been a detective for the past two years. Every morning she went to her office to wait for phone calls or open the door to clients needing her services.

Daisy wasn’t very well known yet but occasionally people telephoned her from the advertisement she put in the local newspaper.

One morning at about eleven o’clock someone knocked on her office door. It was a fat lady who wore a fur around her neck.

“Hello, can I help you?” Daisy asked the lady. “Please come and sit down.”

“Oh yes indeed! I need your help desperately. Lorna, my little one has disappeared. I don’t know what to do.”

Daisy offered the fat lady a cup of instant coffee and awaited the details. The fat lady sat down heavily and put her large red leather handbag on Daisy’s desk.

“Please tell me everything – Mrs. ……?”

“Mrs. Edwina Humphries is my name. I am afraid they will ask me for money – I’m afraid Lorna has been kidnapped!”

“That’s terrible, Mrs. Humphries. Does Mr. Humphries, too, think Lorna has been kidnapped?”

“My husband is not interested if Lorna has been kidnapped or not!”

“Really, Mrs. Humphries? But is your husband Lorna’s real father?”

“I don’t know what you mean. We bought Lorna together,” replied Mrs. Humphries.

“You bought …………Mrs. Humphries, that’s illegal, you know.”

“No it isn’t, not in India!”

“You bought Lorna in India?”

“Yes indeed! And she has always kept me great company, you know.” Mrs. Humphries opened her huge leather bag to pull out a handkerchief.

With horror Daisy saw a wiggling creature come out of that bag.

“Mrs. Humphries – move that away immediately!” screamed Daisy.

“What? Oh Lorna – I’ve found you at last!” said Mrs. Humphries.”You hid in my bag – you naughty girl!”

“Mrs. Humphries. T h i s is Lorna?”

“Yes, our Bengali swamp snake. Oh thank you my dear. No I don’t think I need your services any longer!”

As Daisy shut the door after Mrs. Humphries she made a mental note to write in the advertisement: no animals, no snakes.

VOCABOLARIETTO

search: ricerca
for: in questo caso: di (la ricerca di Lorna)
She was thirty years old: aveva trent’anni
had been: era stata
for the past two years: negli scorsi due anni
to wait for: per aspettare
needing: che avevano bisogno dei
very well known: molto conosciuta (lett. molto ben conosciuta)
yet: ancora
advertisement: annuncio pubblicitario
she put: che aveva messo (lett. lei mise)
about: circa
knocked on her office door: bussò alla porta del suo ufficio
fat: grassa
wore: indossava (to wear – wore – worn)
fur: pelliccia
neck: collo
can I help you: posso esserLe di aiuto?
come and sit down: si accomodi (lett. venga e sieda giù)
indeed: in effetti (detto per enfasi, in italiano si può anche non tradurre9
my little one: la mia piccola
I don’t know what to do: non so cosa fare
offered the fat lady a cup of instant coffee: offrì alla signora grassa una tazza di caffé solubile
awaited: attese
sat down heavily: si sedette pesantemente
large red leather handbag: grande borsa rossa di cuoio
desk: scrivania
tell me everything: mi dica tutto
Mrs: signora
I am afraid: temo
they will ask me for money: mi chiederanno dei soldi
I’m afraid Lorna: temo che Lorna
Does Mr. Humphries, too, think: Anche il sig. Humpries teme che…
My husband is not interested if: a mio marito non interessa se…
kidnapped: sequestrato
Really: sul serio?
Lorna’s real father: il vero padre di Lorna
I don’t know what you mean: Non capisco cosa volete dire…
bought: abbiamo comprato (to buy – bought – bought)
that’s illegal: è illegale (that non si traduce)
No it isn’t: no, non lo è
Yes indeed: sissignore (enfasi)
keeps me great company: mi fa una gran compagnia
huge: enorme
pull out: tirar fuori
wiggling: che si contorce, che si dimena
come out of that bag: uscire dalla borsetta
move that away: la mandi via (lett. sposti quella cosa)
screamed: strillò
I’ve found you at last: ti ho trovata finalmente
hid: ti sei nascosta (to hide – hid – hid = nascondersi)
naughty: cattiva (anche in senso affettuoso)
T h i s is Lorna: è questa Lorna?
swamp snake: biscia (lett. serpente di palude)
I don’t think I need: non penso di aver bisogno dei…
any longer: più (ossia: non penso di aver più bisogno dei vostri servigi)
shut: chiuse (to shut – shut – shut verbo irregolare)
she made a mental note: si fece una nota nella sua mente
advertisement: annuncio pubblicitario
no animals, no snakes: no animali, no serpenti (ossia Daisy non vuole più occuparsi di ricerca di animali dopo l’esperienza fatta!)