Английский язык с У. С. Моэмом. Театр

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only natural that those two boys should want to play together. From their point of

view I'm an old man, and they think I'll spoil their game. After all the great thing is

that they should have a good time."

Julia had a pang of remorse (Джулия почувствовала /внезапно/ угрызения

совести). Michael was prosy (Майкл был банален: «прозаичен»), near with his

money (с трудом расставался со своими деньгами; near — близкий, зд.разг.

скупой,прижимистый), self-complacent (самодовольный), but how

extraordinarily kind he was (но каким же удивительно добрым он был) and how

unselfish (и каким неэгоистичным)! He was devoid of envy (он был лишен

зависти). It gave him a real satisfaction (/это/ доставляло ему настоящее

удовлетворение), so long as it did not cost money (до тех пор, пока это не

стоило денег), to make other people happy (делать других людей

счастливыми). She read his mind like an open book (она читала его мысли, как

открытую книгу). It was true (было правдой то) that he never had any but a

commonplace thought (все его мысли были банальны: «он никогда не имел

никакой другой мысли, кроме банальной»); on the other hand (с другой

стороны) he never had a shameful one (у никого никогда не было и постыдной

/мысли/). It was exasperating (это было несносно) that with so much to make

him worthy of her affection (что со столькими /положительными качествами/,

которые /должны были/ сделать его достойным ее расположения:

«привязанности»), she should be so excruciatingly bored by him (она так

мучительно скучала с ним: «он ей так надоел»).

remorse [rI'mO:s] unselfish [An'selfIS] excruciating [Ik'skru:SIeItIN]

Julia had a pang of remorse. Michael was prosy, near with his money, self-

complacent, but how extraordinarily kind he was and how unselfish! He was

devoid of envy. It gave him a real satisfaction, so long as it did not cost money, to

make other people happy. She read his mind like an open book. It was true that he

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never had any but a commonplace thought; on the other hand he never had a

shameful one. It was exasperating that with so much to make him worthy of her

affection, she should be so excruciatingly bored by him.

"I think you're a much better man than I am a woman (я думаю, что ты гораздо

лучший мужчина, чем я женщина), my sweet (мой любимый)," she said.

He gave her his good, friendly smile (он одарил ее своей приятной,

дружелюбной улыбкой) and slightly shook his head (и слегка покачал головой).

"No, dear, I had a wonderful profile (нет, дорогая, у меня был прекрасный

профиль), but you've got genius (а у тебя есть талант)."

Julia giggled (Джулия хихикнула). There was a certain fun (это было даже

забавным; certain — определенный, некоторый) to be got out of a man

(разговаривать с человеком; to get out —

зд. произносить, издавать) who

never knew what you were talking about (который никогда не знал, о чем речь

идет: «о чем ты говоришь»). But what did they mean (но что имеют в виду)

when they said an actress had genius (когда говорят, что у актрисы талант)?

Julia had often asked herself (Джулия часто спрашивала себя) what it was that

had placed her (что же /это было/, что поставило ее в положение) at last head

and shoulders above her contemporaries (по крайней мере на голову /и плечи/

выше, чем ее современниц; to stand head and shoulders above smb. — намного

превосходить кого-либо).

profile ['prqVfaIl] genius ['dZi:nIqs] giggle ['gIg(q)l]

"I think you're a much better man than I am a woman, my sweet," she said.

He gave her his good, friendly smile and slightly shook his head.

"No, dear, I had a wonderful profile, but you've got genius."

Julia giggled. There was a certain fun to be got out of a man who never knew what

you were talking about. But what did they mean when they said an actress had

genius? Julia had often asked herself what it was that had placed her at last head

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and shoulders above her contemporaries.

She had had detractors (раньше у нее были хулители). At one time (одно время)

people had compared her unfavourably with some actress or other (люди

сравнивали ее, и не в ее пользу, с той или иной актрисой; unfavourably —

неблагоприятный,неблагосклонный) who at the moment enjoyed the public

favour (которые в

тот момент пользовались: «наслаждались»

благосклонностью публики), but now no one disputed her supremacy (но теперь

никто и не обсуждал ее превосходства). It was true (правда) that she had not the

world-wide notoriety of the film-stars (у нее не было всемирной /сомнительной/

славы звезд кино); she had tried her luck on the pictures (она попытала счастья