Английский язык с У. С. Моэмом. Театр

his grave smile answered her suitably when she said the sort of things she thought

proper to a boy of his age. Julia was puzzled by him. Without talking much he

listened, apparently with attention, to what the rest of them were saying, but she

had an odd feeling that he was occupied with thoughts of his own. He seemed to

observe them with a detached curiosity like that with which he might have

observed animals in a zoo. It was faintly disquieting.

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When the opportunity presented itself (когда представилась возможность) she

delivered the little bit of dialogue (она произнесла небольшую речь: «диалог»;

bit — кусочек, небольшая часть) she had prepared for Dolly's benefit (который

она подготовила для Долли: «ради Долли»; benefit — преимущество, польза).

"Oh, Roger darling (о, Роджер, дорогой), you know your wretched father's busy

tonight (ты знаешь, что твой несчастный отец занят сегодня вечером). I've got

a couple of seats for the second house at the Palladium (я достала два билета:

«парочку мест» на второй сеанс в «Палладиум»; house — зд. представление,

сеанс) and Tom wants you to dine with him at the Cafe Royal (и Том хочет,

чтобы ты пообедал с ним в «Кафе Ройял»)."

"Oh!" He paused for a second (он на секунду замолчал). "All right (ладно)."

She turned to Dolly (она обратилась: «повернулась» к Долли).

"It's so nice for Roger to have somebody like Tom to go about with (так здорово,

что у Роджера есть такой друг: «кто-то», как Том, с которым можно

общаться; to go about — ходить туда и сюда, знаться с кем-либо). They're

great friends, you know (они хорошие: «большие» друзья, ты знаешь)."

dialogue ['daIqlOg] benefit ['benIfIt] Palladium [pq'leIdIqm]

When the opportunity presented itself she delivered the little bit of dialogue she

had prepared for Dolly's benefit.

"Oh, Roger darling, you know your wretched father's busy tonight. I've got a

couple of seats for the second house at the Palladium and Tom wants you to dine

with him at the Cafe Royal."

"Oh!" He paused for a second. "All right."

She turned to Dolly.

"It's so nice for Roger to have somebody like Tom to go about with. They're great

friends, you know."

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Michael gave Dolly a glance (Майкл взглянул на Долли). There was a twinkle in

his eyes (в его глазах был огонек). He spoke (он заговорил).

"Tom's a very decent sort of boy (Том очень порядочный мальчик). He won't let

Roger get into any mischief (он не втянет Роджера ни в какие переделки; to get

into mischief — напроказничать, набедокурить)."

"I should have thought (я /скоре бы/ подумала) Roger would prefer to go about

with his Eton friends (что Роджер предпочел бы общаться со своими друзьями

из Итона)," said Dolly.

"Old cow (старая корова)," thought Julia (думала Джулия). "Old cow."

But when luncheon was over (но, когда ланч закончился) she asked her to come

up to her room (она пригласила ее подняться в ее комнату).

"I'll get into bed (я прилягу в постель) and you can talk to me (и мы сможешь

поговорить: «ты сможешь поговорить со мной») while I'm resting (пока я

отдыхаю). A good old girls' gossip (старые добрые девичьи сплетни), that's

what I want (вот чего я хочу)."

glance [glQ:ns] mischief ['mIstSIf] prefer [prI'fq:]

Michael gave Dolly a glance. There was a twinkle in his eyes. He spoke.

"Tom's a very decent sort of boy. He won't let Roger get into any mischief."

"I should have thought Roger would prefer to go about with his Eton friends," said

Dolly.

"Old cow," thought Julia. "Old cow."

But when luncheon was over she asked her to come up to her room.

"I'll get into bed and you can talk to me while I'm resting. A good old girls' gossip,

that's what I want."

She put her arm affectionately (она положила свою руку нежно) round Dolly's

vast waist (на: «вокруг» широкую талию Долли; vast — огромный,

безбрежный) and led her upstairs (и повела ее наверх). For a while they spoke of

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indifferent things (некоторое время они разговаривали на отвлеченные темы;

indifferent —безразличный,нейтральный), clothes and servants (одежде и

слугах), make-up and scandal (макияже и скандалах); then Julia, leaning on her

elbow (затем Джулия, облокотившись: «опираясь на локоть»), looked at Dolly

with confiding eyes (взглянула на Долли доверчивыми глазами).

"Dolly, there's something I want to talk to you about (Долли, есть кое-что, о чем

я хочу с тобой поговорить). I want advice (мне нужен совет) and you're the only

person in the world (и ты единственный человек в целом мире) whose advice I