A mile from the sea, where pines give way to (уступать место) dusty (пыльный) poplars (тополь), is an isolated railroad stop, whence one June morning in 1925 a victoria (лёгкий двухместный экипаж с откидным верхом) brought a woman and her daughter down to Gausse’s Hotel. The mother’s face was of a fading (увядающий) prettiness (прелесть) that would soon be patted with broken (рваный, надорванный) veins (вена); her expression was both tranquil (спокойный, безмятежный) and aware (знающий, понимающий) in a pleasant way. However, one’s eye moved on quickly to her daughter, who had magic (очарование) in her pink (розовый) palms (ладонь) and her cheeks lit to a lovely (прелестный) flame (пламя), like the thrilling (захватывающий; волнующий; дрожащий) flush (краска, румянец) of children after their cold baths in the evening. Her fine forehead sloped (подниматься наклонно; спускаться вниз) gently (мягко, нежно) up to where her hair, bordering (обрамлять, окаймлять) it like an armorial (геральдический, гербовый) shield (щит), burst into lovelocks (локон, спускающийся на лоб или щёку) and waves (волнистость; завиток, локон) and curlicues (причудливая завитушка) of ash (пепельный) blonde and gold. Her eyes were bright, big, clear, wet (влажный), and shining, the color of her cheeks was real, breaking close to the surface from the strong young pump (биение, пульсирование) of her heart. Her body hovered (находиться в состоянии неопределённости, неясного ожидания) delicately (хрупко; ненадёжно) on the last edge (край) of childhood – she was almost eighteen, nearly complete, but the dew (чистота, свежесть) was still on her. As sea and sky appeared (оказаться) below (ниже) them in a thin, hot line the mother said:
«Something tells me we’re not going to like this place.»
«I want to go home anyhow (так или иначе),» the girl answered.
They both spoke cheerfully (бодро, энергично) but were obviously (явно) without direction (нехотя, вынужденно, волей-неволей) and bored (скучающий) by the fact – moreover (более того), just any direction (направление; предписание) would not do (подходить). They wanted high excitement, not from the necessity of stimulating jaded (измученный, изнурённый; обессиленный) nerves but with the avidity (острый интерес, энтузиазм) of prize-winning (получивший премию, приз) schoolchildren who deserved (заслуживать) their vacations (каникулы).