Jack de Manio – a popular BBC announcer and compere
hang it! – an exclamation of anger or exasperation
to page 160
Thursday made up for it – (here) on Thursday there was a lot about Matthew in the newspapers
vis-a-vis (Fr., opposite) – a person who is face to face with another (as in a railway carriage)
the Waterloo Station – a big railway station in London
Bloomsbury Square – a square in the centre of London, near the British Museum
to page 162
you’ll have gathered = you must have understood
you … could do with …
to page 165
big groups – (here) big companies or firms (see below: big boys = big business men)
to page 167
the Downs – the treeless, hilly uplands of Kent and Sussex in southwestern England
to page 169
feeling much the better for our weekend = feeling much the better after our weekend rest
the Sundays – (here) Sunday newspapers
to page 171
the Duke of Wellington (1769-1852) – outstanding British general and ststesman; defeated Napoleon at Waterloo in 1815
to page 175
Sir William Something – Something stands for the surname which Mary doesn’t remember. See also Sir William Thing (p.177). Cf. Russ.
She had a point = (here) she was right
to page 177
unless it were to become persistent = unless it became persistent
to page 178
Thorbe had been right off the beam = Thorbe had been absolutely wrong
take it at face value = (here) believe it
all I had got was a brush-off and a let-down = I had only been brushed off (got rid of) and let down (disappointed)
to page 180
to cut school = to stay away from school
to page 181
He’s kept everything so bottled up. = He hasn’t been willing to discuss his problems with anybody.
to page 182
The Monday papers took it up. = On Monday all the newspapers wrote about it.
to page 184
a high tea – a meal somewhat more substantial and served later than the usual five o’clock tea
to page 186
with the address at the top – in Great Britain and some other countries the return address is usually written on the flap of the envelope, that is, at the top of the back side
Aptford House, Wonersh, near Guildford – Guildford, a town about 20 miles SouthWest of London; Wonersh, a former village, now a district of Guilford. No street or number is given because in small places like Wonersh houses are usually known by names their owners give them, as Aptford House.
to page 189
his hair was all end
to page 190
I was feeling at sea = I was uncertain, bewildered
seance (Fr.) – a meeting at which a group of spiritualists try to communicate with the spirits of the dead through a medium, a person who is believed to be able to speak with such spirits
to page 191
a sack-race – a race in which each participant lies his legs in a sack and moves by jumping
to page 192
parsec – a unit of measure of astronomical distance, equal to 3.26 light years, or 19,200,000,000,000 miles
to page 197
a man who has struck gold = a man who has found a treasure
to page 198
They wrung him dry. = They made him tell them everything he knew.
you had the whole thing on a plate = you could easily do whatever you intended to