Lesson60 The future
At a village fair,I decided to visit a fortune-teller called Madam Bellinsky. I went into her tent and she told me to sit down.After I had given her some money,she looked into a crystal ball and said:'A relation of yours is coming to see you. She will be arriving this evening and intends to stayfor a few days. The moment you leave this tent, you will get a big surprise. Awoman you know well will rushtowardsyou. She will speak to you and then she will lead youaway from this place. That is all.' As soon as I went outside, I forgot allabout Madam Bellinsky because my wife hurried towards me. 'Where have you beenhiding ?' she asked impatiently. 'Your sister will be here in less than an hourand we must be at the station to meet her. We are late already.' As she walkedaway, I followed her out of the fair.
æt ə ˈvɪlɪʤ feə, aɪ dɪˈsaɪdɪd tuː ˈvɪzɪt ə ˈfɔːʧənˌtɛlə kɔːld ˈmædəm Bellinsky. aɪ wɛnt ˈɪntuː hɜː tɛnt ænd ʃiː təʊld miː tuː sɪtdaʊn. ˈɑːftər aɪ hæd ˈgɪvn hɜː sʌm ˈmʌni, ʃiː lʊkt ˈɪntuː ə ˈkrɪstl bɔːl ænd sɛd: ə rɪˈleɪʃən ɒv jɔːz ɪz ˈkʌmɪŋ tuː siː juː. ʃiː wɪl biːəˈraɪvɪŋ ðɪs ˈiːvnɪŋ ænd ɪnˈtɛndz tuː steɪ fɔːr ə fjuː deɪz. ðə ˈməʊmənt juː liːv ðɪs tɛnt, juː wɪl gɛt ə bɪg səˈpraɪz. ə ˈwʊmən juː nəʊwɛl wɪl rʌʃ təˈwɔːdz juː. ʃiː wɪl spiːk tuː juː ænd ðɛn ʃiː wɪl liːd juː əˈweɪ frɒm ðɪs pleɪs. ðæt ɪz ɔːl.' æz suːn æz aɪ wɛntˌaʊtˈsaɪd, aɪ fəˈgɒt ɔːl əˈbaʊt ˈmædəm Bellinsky bɪˈkɒz maɪ waɪf ˈhʌrɪd təˈwɔːdz miː. weə hæv juː biːn ˈhaɪdɪŋ ?' ʃiː ɑːsktɪmˈpeɪʃəntli. jɔː ˈsɪstə wɪl biː hɪər ɪn lɛs ðæn ən ˈaʊər ænd wiː mʌst biː æt ðə ˈsteɪʃən tuː miːt hɜː. wiː ɑː leɪt ɔːlˈrɛdi.' æz ʃiː wɔːktəˈweɪ, aɪ ˈfɒləʊd hɜːr aʊt ɒv ðə feə.