Английский язык с У. С. Моэмом. Театр

days she thought she had forgotten. She saw herself as a young, obscure,

struggling actress. It was rather delicious. It needed a gesture, but she could

only think of one: she took off her hat and gave her head a shake.

They talked (они разговаривали). He seemed shy (он казался застенчивым),

much shyer than he had seemed over the telephone (гораздо застенчивее, чем он

казался по телефону); well, that was not to be wondered at (ну, этому нельзя не

удивляться), now she was there (теперь, когда она была здесь) he must be rather

overcome (он, должно быть, был охвачен /чувствами/), and she set herself to

put him at his ease (и она твердо решила успокоить его; to set oneself to do

/doing/ smth. —энергичновзятьсязачто-либо). He told her that his parents

lived at Highgate (он рассказал ей, что его родители жили в Хайгейте), his

father was a solicitor (ее отец был поверенным), and he had lived there too (и

раньше он жил с ними: «тоже там жил»), but he wanted to be his own master

(но захотел быть самому себе хозяином) and now in the last year of his articles

(и теперь, на последнем году его стажировки) he had broken away (он

вырвался /оттуда/) and taken this tiny flat (и снял эту крошечную квартирку).

He was working for his final examination (он готовился к своему последнему

экзамену).

solicitor [sq'lIsItq] article ['Q:tIk(q)l] examination [Ig"zxmI'neIS(q)n]

They talked. He seemed shy, much shyer than he had seemed over the

telephone; well, that was not to be wondered at, now she was there he must be

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rather overcome, and she set herself to put him at his ease. He told her that

his parents lived at Highgate, his father was a solicitor, and he had lived there

too, but he wanted to be his own master and now in the last year of his articles

he had broken away and taken this tiny flat. He was working for his final

examination.

They talked of the theatre (они разговаривали о театре). He had seen her in every

play she had acted in (он видел ее в каждом спектакле, в которых она играла)

since he was twelve years old (с тех пор, как ему исполнилось двенадцать лет).

He told her (он рассказал ей) that once when he was fourteen (как однажды,

когда ему было четырнадцать) he had stood outside the stage door after a

matinee (он стоял у служебного входа в театр после дневного спектакля) and

when she came out (и когда она вышла) had asked her to sign her name in his

autograph-book (попросил ее расписаться: «написать свое имя» в его альбоме

для автографов). He was sweet (он был так мил) with his blue eyes (с такими

голубыми глазами) and pale brown hair (и светло-каштановыми волосами; pale

— бледный, тусклый). It was a pity (как жаль) he plastered it down like that (что

он приглаживал их /бриллиантином/). He had a white skin (у него была белая

кожа) and rather a high colour (и яркий румянец); she wondered if he was

consumptive (она /даже/ подумала, не чахоточный ли он; consumptive —

болеющийтуберкулезом). Although his clothes were cheap (хотя его одежда

была недорогой: «дешевой») he wore them well (он носил ее хорошо), she

liked that (и ей это нравилось), and he looked incredibly clean (и он выглядел

невероятно чистеньким).

autograph ['O:tqgrQ:f] plaster ['plQ:stq] consumptive [kqn'sAmptIv]

They talked of the theatre. He had seen her in every play she had acted in

since he was twelve years old. He told her that once when he was fourteen he

had stood outside the stage door after a matinee and when she came out had

Мультиязыковой проект Ильи Франкаwww.franklang.ru

299

asked her to sign her name in his autograph-book. He was sweet with his blue

eyes and pale brown hair. It was a pity he plastered it down like that. He had