case that were in the rack to the carriage madame had just left. 38 страница

"Not at all bad and wonderfully pretty (совсем не плоха и удивительно

хорошенькая). She really looked lovely in that second-act dress (она на самом

деле выглядела миленько в том платье для второго акта)."

"I'm not going to wear the dress I wore in the second act (я не буду в том же

платье: «не буду носить то же платье», что было на мне во втором акте).

Charley Deverill has made me another (Чарли Деверил сшил: «сделал» мне

другое)."

adequate ['xdIkwIt] hitch [hItS] wonderful ['wAndqf(q)l]

It was enough if her performance was adequate. Under Michael's business-like

direction everything went off without a hitch, and by ten o'clock Julia and Charles

were sitting in the Grill Room of the Savoy. The first thing she asked him was

what he thought of Avice Crichton.

"Not at all bad and wonderfully pretty. She really looked lovely in that second-act

dress."

"I'm not going to wear the dress I wore in the second act. Charley Deverill has

made me another."

He did not see the slightly humorous glance she gave him (он не заметил:

«увидел» тот слегка веселый взгляд, которым она на него посмотрела), and if

he had (и, если бы он заметил) would not have guessed what it meant (не

догадался бы, что он означал). Michael, having taken Julia's advice (Майкл,

последовав совету Джулии), had gone to a good deal of trouble with Avice

(приложил огромное количество усилий с Эвис). He had rehearsed her by

herself (он репетировал с ней одной) upstairs in his private room (наверху, в

своем личном кабинете) and had given her every intonation and every gesture (и

научил ее: «дал ей» каждой интонации и каждому жесту). He had also, Julia

had good reason to believe (он так же, Джулия имела полное право верить в

это), lunched with her several times and taken her out to supper (обедал с ней

несколько раз и приглашал ее на ужин в ресторан). The result of all this was

that she was playing the part uncommonly well (результатом этого было то, что

она играла свою роль необычайно хорошо). Michael rubbed his hands (Майкл

потирал /свои/ руки).

humorous ['hju:m(q)rqs] intonation ["Intq'neIS(q)n]

uncommonly [An'kOmqnlI]

He did not see the slightly humorous glance she gave him, and if he had would not

have guessed what it meant. Michael, having taken Julia's advice, had gone to a

good deal of trouble with Avice. He had rehearsed her by herself upstairs in his

private room and had given her every intonation and every gesture. He had also,

Julia had good reason to believe, lunched with her several times and taken her out

to supper. The result of all this was that she was playing the part uncommonly

well. Michael rubbed his hands.

"I'm very pleased with her (я очень ею доволен). I think she'll make quite a hit (я

думаю, что она будет настоящим успехом). I've half a mind to give her a

contract (я уже почти решил подписать: «дать» с ней контракт; to have half a

mind to do smth — быть не прочь сделать что-либо)."

"I wouldn't (я бы не стала)," said Julia. "Not till after the first night (до тех пор,

пока не пройдет премьера). You can never really tell (никогда нельзя на самом-

то деле сказать) how a performance is going to pan out (как пройдет спектакль;

to pan out — /зд. разг./ преуспевать, удаваться) till you've got an audience

(пока не будет публики)."

"She's a nice girl and a perfect lady (она милая девушка и истинная:

«совершенная» леди)."

"A nice girl, I suppose, because she's madly in love with you (милая девушка, я

полагаю, из-за того, что она безумно влюблена в тебя), and a perfect lady

because she's resisting your advances till she's got a contract (и истинная леди,

из-за того, что сопротивляется твоим ухаживаниям до тех пор, пока у нее нет:

«она не получила» контракта)."

"Oh, my dear, don't be so silly (о, моя дорогая, не глупи). Why, I'm old enough

to be her father (я достаточно стар, что мог бы быть ее отцом = я ей в отцы

гожусь)."

audience ['O:dIqns] perfect ['pq:fIkt] silly ['sIlI]

"I'm very pleased with her. I think she'll make quite a hit. I've half a mind to give

her a contract."

"I wouldn't," said Julia. "Not till after the first night. You can never really tell how

a performance is going to pan out till you've got an audience."

"She's a nice girl and a perfect lady."

"A nice girl, I suppose, because she's madly in love with you, and a perfect lady

because she's resisting your advances till she's got a contract."

"Oh, my dear, don't be so silly. Why, I'm old enough to be her father."

But he smiled complacently (но он улыбнулся самодовольно). She knew very

well that his love-making went no farther than holding hands (она знала очень

хорошо, что его ухаживания не шли дальше, чем держание за руки) and a kiss

or two in a taxi (и пары: «одного или двух» поцелуев в такси), but she knew

also that it flattered him to imagine (но она знала также, что это льстило ему,

воображать) that she suspected him capable of infidelity (что она подозревала,

что он способен на супружескую неверность).

But now Julia, having satisfied her appetite with proper regard for her figure (но

теперь Джулия, удовлетворив свой аппетит с надлежащим вниманием к

своей фигуре), attacked the subject which was on her mind (приступила к теме,

которая была у нее на уме; to attack — нападать, атаковать, энергично

браться за работу).

"Charles dear, I want to talk to you about Roger (Чарльз дорогой, я хочу

поговорить с тобой о Роджере)."

"Oh yes, he came back the other day, didn't he (о да, он вернулся на днях, не так

ли)? How is he (как он)?"

"My dear, a most terrible thing has happened (дорогой мой, случилась ужасная

вещь). He's come back a fearful prig (он вернулся ужасным педантом) and I

don't know what to do about it (и я не знаю, что с этим делать)."

complacent [kqm'pleIs(q)nt] infidelity ["InfI'delItI] appetite ['xpItaIt]

But he smiled complacently. She knew very well that his love-making went no

farther than holding hands and a kiss or two in a taxi, but she knew also that it

flattered him to imagine that she suspected him capable of infidelity.

But now Julia, having satisfied her appetite with proper regard for her figure,

attacked the subject which was on her mind.

"Charles dear, I want to talk to you about Roger."

"Oh yes, he came back the other day, didn't he? How is he?"

"My dear, a most terrible thing has happened. He's come back a fearful prig and I

don't know what to do about it."

She gave him her version of the conversation (она представила ему свою версию

того разговора). She left out one or two things that it seemed inconvenient to

mention (она опустила пару моментов, которые, как казалось, неудобно

упоминать; to leave (left) out — пропускать, не включать, упускать), but what

she told was on the whole accurate (но что она рассказала было, в целом,

точным).

"The tragic thing is that he has absolutely no sense of humour (самое трагическое

— так это то, что у него абсолютно нет чувства юмора)," she finished

(закончила она).

"After all he's only eighteen (в конце концов, ему всего лишь восемнадцать)."

"You could have knocked me down with a feather (я была настолько потрясена:

«ты бы мог сбить меня с ног с помощью перышка») when he said all those

things to me (когда он говорил все это мне). I felt just like Balaam (я

чувствовала себя почти как Валаам) when his ass broke into light conversation

(когда его ослица разразилась легким = напринужденным разговором)."

She gave him a gay look (она весело взглянула на него), but he did not even

smile (но он даже и не улыбнулся). He did not seem to think her remark as funny

as she did (он, как оказалось, не думал, что ее замечание было таким уж

забавным, как думала она).

"I can't imagine where he got his ideas (не могу представить, где он набрался

/своих/ мыслей). It's absurd to think (нелепо думать) that he could have thought

out all that nonsense for himself (что он мог выдумать всю эту ерунду сам; to

think out — продумать, додумать до конца)."

accurate ['xkjqrqt] remark [rI'mQ:k] idea [aI'dIq]

She gave him her version of the conversation. She left out one or two things that it

seemed inconvenient to mention, but what she told was on the whole accurate.

"The tragic thing is that he has absolutely no sense of humour," she finished.

"After all he's only eighteen."

"You could have knocked me down with a feather when he said all those things to

me. I felt just like Balaam when his ass broke into light conversation."

She gave him a gay look, but he did not even smile. He did not seem to think her

remark as funny as she did.

"I can't imagine where he got his ideas. It's absurd to think that he could have

thought out all that nonsense for himself."

"Are you sure that boys of that age (а ты уверена, что юноши в этом возрасте)

don't think more than we older people imagine (не размышляют больше, чем мы,

старшее поколение: «люди» можем представить)? It's a sort of puberty of the

spirit (своего рода взросление духа; puberty — возмужалость, половая

зрелость) and its results are often strange (и его результаты часто странные)."

"It seems so deceitful of Roger (это кажется таким вероломным со стороны

Роджера) to have harboured thoughts like those all these years (вынашивать

подобные мысли все эти годы; to harbour — становиться в гавань,

приютить, затаить) and never breathed a word about them (и никогда и

словом не обмолвиться о них; to breathe — дышать, жить). He might have

been accusing me (он, может быть, обвиняет меня)." She gave a chuckle (она

хмыкнула; chuckle — тихий смех; хихиканье). "To tell you the truth (сказать

тебе по правде), when Roger was talking to me (когда Роджер говорил со мной)

I felt just like Hamlet's mother (я чувствовала себя матерью Гамлета)." Then

with hardly a break (и затем, без перерыва: «едва ли с перерывом»): "I wonder

if I'm too old to play Hamlet (интересно, не слишком ли я стара, чтобы играть

Гамлета)?"

"Gertrude isn't a very good part, is it (Гертруда — не очень-то хорошая роль,

так ведь)?"

Julia broke into a laugh of frank amusement (Джулия залилась смехом

искреннего изумления).

puberty ['pju:bqtI] harbour ['hQ:bq] chuckle ['tSAk(q)l]

"Are you sure that boys of that age don't think more than we older people imagine?

It's a sort of puberty of the spirit and its results are often strange."

"It seems so deceitful of Roger to have harboured thoughts like those all these

years and never breathed a word about them. He might have been accusing me."

She gave a chuckle. "To tell you the truth, when Roger was talking to me I felt just

like Hamlet's mother." Then with hardly a break: "I wonder if I'm too old to play

Hamlet?"

"Gertrude isn't a very good part, is it?"

Julia broke into a laugh of frank amusement.

"Don't be idiotic, Charles (не будь глупцом, Чарльз). I wouldn't play the Queen

(я не буду играть Королеву). I'd play Hamlet (я буду играть Гамлета)."

"D'you think it's suited to a woman (ты думаешь, что эта /роль/ подходит

женщине)?"

"Mrs. Siddons played it and so did Sarah Bernhardt (миссис Сиддонс играла ее и

Сара Бернар). It would set a seal on my career (это станет венцом: «поставит

печать на» моей карьеры), if you know what I mean (если ты понимаешь, что я

имею в виду). Of course there's the difficulty of the blank verse (конечно,

существует сложность — белый стих)."

"I have heard actors speak it so (я слышал как актеры произносят его, так) that

it was indistinguishable from prose (что он неразличим от прозы)," he answered

(ответил он).

"Yes, but that's not quite the same, is it (да, но это же не одно и тоже, так

ведь)?"

"Were you nice to Roger (ты была мила с Роджером)?"

She was surprised at his going back to that subject so suddenly (она была

удивлена тем, что он вернулся к этой теме так внезапно), but she returned to it

with a smile (но она вернулась к ней с улыбкой).

"Oh, charming (о, очаровательна)."

idiotic ["IdI'OtIk] verse [vq:s] indistinguishable ["IndI'stINgwISqb(q)l]

"Don't be idiotic, Charles. I wouldn't play the Queen. I'd play Hamlet."

"D'you think it's suited to a woman?"

"Mrs. Siddons played it and so did Sarah Bernhardt. It would set a seal on my

career, if you know what I mean. Of course there's the difficulty of the blank

verse."

"I have heard actors speak it so that it was indistinguishable from prose," he

answered.

"Yes, but that's not quite the same, is it?"

"Were you nice to Roger?"

She was surprised at his going back to that subject so suddenly, but she returned to

it with a smile.

"Oh, charming."

"It's hard not to be impatient with the absurdity of the young (трудно не

раздражаться: «не быть нетерпеливой» на нелепость молодых); they tell us

that two and two make four as though it had never occurred to us (они говорят

нам, что два плюс два равняется четыре так, как будто это никогда и не

приходило нам в голову), and they're disappointed if we can't share their surprise

(и они разочарованы, если мы не можем разделить с ними их удивления)

when they have just discovered that a hen lays an egg (когда они только что

открыли, что курица откладывает яйца: «яйцо»). There's a lot of nonsense in

their ranting and raving (есть куча чепухи в их тирадах и несвязных речах:

«бреде»), but it's not all nonsense (но в них не все чепуха). One ought to

sympathize with them (следует сочувствовать им; one — в неопределенно-

личных предложениях); one ought to do one's best to understand (следует

стараться изо всех сил, чтобы понять их; to do one's best — сделать все

возможное, не щадить усилий). One has to remember (надо помнить) how

much has to be forgotten (как многое надо забыть) and how much has to be

learnt (и как многое надо узнать) when for the first time one faces life (когда в

первый раз встречаешься лицом к лицу с жизнью). It's not very easy to give up

one's ideals (не так уж легко отказаться от идеалов), and the brute facts of every

day are bitter pills to swallow (и жестокие факты каждого дня /жизни/ — это

горькие пилюли /которые надо проглотить/). The spiritual conflicts of

adolescence can be very severe (духовные конфликты юности: «отрочества»

могут быть очень жестокими: «суровыми») and one can do so little to resolve

them (и можно сделать так мало, чтобы разрешить их). It may be that in a year

or two (может случиться так, что через год или два) he'll lose sight of the clouds

of glory (он забудет об ореоле славы; cloud — облако, туча; to lose sight of —

потерять, упустить из виду) and accept the chain (и примет оковы: «цепь»). It

may be that he'll find what he's looking for (возможно, он найдет что он ищет),

if not in God, then in art (если не в Боге, так в искусстве)."

absurdity [qb'sq:dItI, qb'zq:dItI] adolescence ["xdq'les(q)ns] cloud [klaVd]

"It's hard not to be impatient with the absurdity of the young; they tell us that two

and two make four as though it had never occurred to us, and they're disappointed

if we can't share their surprise when they have just discovered that a hen lays an

egg. There's a lot of nonsense in their ranting and raving, but it's not all nonsense.

One ought to sympathize with them; one ought to do one's best to understand. One

has to remember how much has to be forgotten and how much has to be learnt

when for the first time one faces life. It's not very easy to give up one's ideals, and

the brute facts of every day are bitter pills to swallow. The spiritual conflicts of

adolescence can be very severe and one can do so little to resolve them. It may be

that in a year or two he'll lose sight of the clouds of glory and accept the chain. It

may be that he'll find what he's looking for, if not in God, then in art."

"I should hate him to be an actor (я бы очень не хотела, чтобы он стал актером;

to hate — ненавидеть, очень сожалеть) if that's what you mean (если ты это

имеешь в виду)."

"No, I don't think he'll fancy that (нет, я не думаю, что ему это понравится)."

"And of course he can't be a playwright (и, конечно, он не может быть

драматургом), he hasn't a sense of humour (у него нет чувства юмора)."

"I dare say he'll be quite content to go into the Foreign Office (я полагаю, он был

бы доволен, пойди он /на работу/ в министерство иностранных дел). It would

be an asset to him there (это было бы его преимуществом там)."

"What would you advise me to do (что ты посоветуешь мне сделать)?"

"Nothing (ничего). Let him be (оставь его в покое). That's probably the greatest

kindness you can do him (это, возможно, самая большая услуга: «доброта»,

которую ты можешь оказать: «сделать» ему)."

"But I can't help being worried about him (но я же не могу не переживать из-за

него)."

"You needn't be (тебе /совершенно/ не надо /волноваться/). Be hopeful

(надейся; hopeful — надеющийся, оптимистичный). You thought you'd only

given birth to an ugly duckling (ты думала, что ты просто родила уродливого

утенка; birth — рождение, роды, происхождение); perhaps he's going to turn

into a white-winged swan (возможно, он превратиться в белокрылого лебедя;

to turn — поворачивать, вращаться, to turn into smb. — превращаться в кого-

либо, становиться кем-либо)."

Charles was not giving Julia what she wanted (Чарльз не давал Джулии того,

чего она хотела). She had expected him to be more sympathetic (она ожидала от

него, что он будет более сочувственным).

duckling ['dAklIN] swan [swOn] sympathetic ["sImpq'TetIk]

"I should hate him to be an actor if that's what you mean."

"No, I don't think he'll fancy that."

"And of course he can't be a playwright, he hasn't a sense of humour."

"I dare say he'll be quite content to go into the Foreign Office. It would be an asset

to him there."

"What would you advise me to do?"

"Nothing. Let him be. That's probably the greatest kindness you can do him."

"But I can't help being worried about him."

"You needn't be. Be hopeful. You thought you'd only given birth to an ugly

duckling; perhaps he's going to turn into a white-winged swan."

Charles was not giving Julia what she wanted. She had expected him to be more

sympathetic.

"I suppose he's getting old, poor dear (я полагаю, что он старее, бедняжка)," she

reflected (размышляла она). "He's losing his grip of things (он утрачивает

контроль над происходящим: «вещам»; grip — схватывание, цепкость, зд.

власть, контроль). He must have been impotent for years (он, должно быть,

был импотентом долгие годы); I wonder it never struck me before (интересно,

что это никогда мне не пришло в голову раньше)."

She asked what the time was (она спросила сколько времени).

"I think I ought to go (я думаю, мне надо идти). I must get a long night's rest (я

должна хорошо отдохнуть: «получить долгий ночной отдых»)."

Julia slept well (Джулия спала хорошо) and when she awoke had at once a

feeling of exultation (и, когда она проснулась, почувствовала немедленно

ликование). Tonight was the first night (сегодня вечером была премьера). It

gave her a little thrill of pleasure to recollect (ей доставило некоторую нервную

дрожь удовольствия — вспомнить) that people had already been assembling at

the pit and gallery doors (что люди уже собирались у дверей партера и галерки;

pit — яма, шахта; зд. партер, особ. задние ряды) when she left the theatre after

the dress-rehearsal (когда она покидала театр после генеральной репетиции),

and now at ten in the morning (и теперь, в десять часов утра) there was probably

already a long queue (там была уже, возможно, длинная очередь).

"Lucky it's a fine day for them (какое счастье: «удачно», сегодня хорошая

погода /для них/), poor brutes (бедняжки)."

impotent ['Impqt(q)nt] exultation ["egzAl'teIS(q)n] queue [kju:]

"I suppose he's getting old, poor dear," she reflected. "He's losing his grip of

things. He must have been impotent for years; I wonder it never struck me before."

She asked what the time was.

"I think I ought to go. I must get a long night's rest."

Julia slept well and when she awoke had at once a feeling of exultation. Tonight

was the first night. It gave her a little thrill of pleasure to recollect that people had

already been assembling at the pit and gallery doors when she left the theatre after

the dress-rehearsal, and now at ten in the morning there was probably already a

long queue.

"Lucky it's a fine day for them, poor brutes."

In bygone years (в прошедшие годы) she had been intolerably nervous (она

бывала невыносимо нервной) before a first night (перед премьерой). She had

felt slightly sick all day (она чувствовала легкую тошноту целый день) and as

the hours passed (и, пока часы проходили) got into such a state (приходила в

такое состояние) that she almost thought she would have to leave the stage (что

она почти что думала, что ей придется оставить сцену). But by now (но к

настоящему времени), after having passed through the ordeal so many times

(после того, как /она/ прошла через эту пытку: «тяжелое испытание» так

много раз), she had acquired a certain nonchalance (она приобрела

определенную беззаботность). Throughout the early part of the day (в течение

утра: «ранней части дня») she felt only happy and mildly excited (она

чувствовала себя только счастливой и слегка: «мягко» возбужденной); it was

not till late in the afternoon that she began to feel ill at ease (и только поздно

днем: «это было не до того момента поздно днем» она начинала чувствовать

себя обеспокоенной/ей становилось не по себе). She grew silent (она

становилась молчаливой) and wanted to be left alone (и хотела остаться: «быть

оставленной» одной). She also grew irritable (она так же становилась

раздражительной), and Michael, having learnt from experience (и Майкл,

наученный опытом), took care to keep out of her way (особо заботился о том,

чтобы не путаться у нее под ногами: «держаться в стороне от ее дороги»).

Her hands and feet got cold (ее руки и ноги становились холодными) and by the

time she reached the theatre (и к тому времени, когда она приезжала в театр)

they were like lumps of ice (они были уже как глыбы льда). But still the

apprehension that filled her (но все же те предчувствия, что переполняли ее)

was not unpleasant (не были неприятными).

acquire [q'kwaIq] nonchalance ['nOnSqlqns] apprehension ["xprI'henS(q)n]

In bygone years she had been intolerably nervous before a first night. She had felt

slightly sick all day and as the hours passed got into such a state that she almost

thought she would have to leave the stage. But by now, after having passed

through the ordeal so many times, she had acquired a certain nonchalance.

Throughout the early part of the day she felt only happy and mildly excited; it was

not till late in the afternoon that she began to feel ill at ease. She grew silent and

wanted to be left alone. She also grew irritable, and Michael, having learnt from

experience, took care to keep out of her way. Her hands and feet got cold and by

the time she reached the theatre they were like lumps of ice. But still the

apprehension that filled her was not unpleasant.

Julia had nothing to do that morning (Джулии было нечего делать тем утром)

but go down to the Siddons for a word-rehearsal at noon (кроме как поехать в

«Сиддонс-театр» на читку: «словесную репетицию» в полдень), so she lay in

bed till late (и поэтому она лежала в кровати допоздна). Michael did not come

back to luncheon (Майкл не приехал назад к ланчу), having last things to do to

the sets (так как ему надо было сделать последние изменения в декорациях),

and she ate alone (и она покушала в одиночестве). Then she went to bed and for

an hour slept soundly (потом она легла в постель и в течение часа проспала

крепко). Her intention was to rest all the afternoon (она собиралась: «ее

намерением было» отдохнуть до полудня); Miss Phillips was coming at six

(мисс Филлипс должна была прийти в шесть) to give her a light massage

(чтобы сделать ей легкий массаж), and by seven she wanted to be at the theatre

(и к семи часам она хотела быть в театре). But when she awoke (но, когда она

проснулась) she felt so much refreshed (она почувствовала себя настолько