Maugham_Theatre_M

Michael took up one of the papers (Майкл взял в руки: «поднял» одну из газет) and looked for his spectacles (и огляделся в поисках очков).

"They've clicked all right, haven't they (они хорошо поладили, не правда ли; to click — щелкать; разг. пользоваться успехом, нравится)?"

"Apparently (по-видимому)."

"I was afraid (я боялся, что) Roger would be rather bored alone here with us (Роджеру будет скучно /одному/ здесь с нами). It'll be fine for him (для него будет здорово) to have someone to play around with (иметь друга: «кого-то» с

которым можно поиграть)."

"Don't you think Roger's rather inconsiderate (тебе не кажется: «ты не думаешь», что Роджер достаточно невнимателен к другим)?"

"You mean about the tennis (ты имеешь в виду теннис)? Oh, my dear, I don't really care if I play or not (ну, дорогая моя, мне на самом деле все равно, буду я играть или нет). It's only natural (/это/ совершенно естественно) that those two boys should want to play together (что те двое /мальчишек/ хотят играть вместе). From their point of view (с их точки зрения) I'm an old man (я старик), and they think I'll spoil their game (и они думают, что я испорчу их игру). After all (в конце концов) the great thing is that they should have a good time (это здорово, что они вместе отлично проведут время)."

pursuit [pq'sju:t] apparently [q'pxrqntlI] inconsiderate ["Inkqn'sId(q)rIt]

Tom leapt to his feet and dashed off with Roger in quick pursuit. Michael took up one of the papers and looked for his spectacles.

"They've clicked all right, haven't they?" "Apparently."

"I was afraid Roger would be rather bored alone here with us. It'll be fine for him to have someone to play around with."

"Don't you think Roger's rather inconsiderate?"

"You mean about the tennis? Oh, my dear, I don't really care if I play or not. It's

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, selfcomplacent, 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

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

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 в кино; picture — картина, рисунок, the pictures — кино), but had achieved no success (но не добилась: «не достигла» успеха); her face on the stage so mobile and expressive (ее лицо, на сцене такое подвижное и выразительное: «мобильное и экспрессивное») for some reason lost on the screen (по какой-то причине терялось на экране), and after one trial (и после одной попытки) she had with Michael's approval (она, с одобрения Майкла) refused to accept any of the offers (она отказывалась принимать любые предложения /в кино/) that were from time to time made her (которые ей время от времени делали). She had got a good deal of useful publicity (она получила хорошую: «много» и

полезную рекламу) out of her dignified attitude (от этого своего отношения /к съемкам в кино/, полного собственного достоинства). But Julia did not envy the film-stars (но Джулия не завидовала звездам экрана); they came and went; she stayed (они приходили и уходили, она оставалась).

detractor [dI'trxktq] supremacy [sq'premqsI] notoriety ["nqVtq'raIqtI]

She had had detractors. At one time people had compared her unfavourably with some actress or other who at the moment enjoyed the public favour, but now no one disputed her supremacy. It was true that she had not the world-wide notoriety

of the film-stars; she had tried her luck on the pictures, but had achieved no success; her face on the stage so mobile and expressive for some reason lost on the screen, and after one trial she had with Michael's approval refused to accept any of the offers that were from time to time made her. She had got a good deal of useful publicity out of her dignified attitude. But Julia did not envy the film-stars; they came and went; she stayed.

When it was possible (когда появлялась возможность: «это было возможно») she went to see the performance of actresses (она шла посмотреть на игру: «выступления» актрис) who played leading parts on the London stage (которые

/тоже/ играли ведущие роли в лондонских театрах: «на лондонской сцене»). She was generous in her praise of them (она была щедра на свою похвалу им) and her praise was sincere (и ее похвала была искренней). Sometimes she honestly thought them so very good (иногда она искренне считала их настолько хорошими /актрисами/) that she could not understand why people made so much fuss over her (что не могла понять, почему она вызывала у людей такой интерес: «такую шумиху»). She was much too intelligent not to know (она была очень умной для того, чтобы не понимать: «не знать») in what estimation the public held her (какую /высокую/ оценка публика давала ей), but she was modest about herself (но она сама скромно оценивала себя). It always surprised her (ее всегда удивляло) when people raved over something she had done (когда люди восхищались /отдельными/ элементами ее игры: «чем-то, что она сделала»; to rave — бредить, быть в исступлении, бесноваться) that came to her so naturally (все это давалось ей настолько естественно: «что приходило к ней так естественно») that she had never thought it possible to do anything else (что ей и в голову не приходило сыграть как-то по-другому = «что она никогда и не думала возможным сделать что-нибудь еще»). The critics admired her variety (критиков восхищало ее разнообразие). They praised especially her capacity (они хвалили особенно ее способность) for insinuating herself into a part (вжиться в роль: «проникнуть в роль»).

ее собственным опытом; fact — факт, событие, явление, истина), her knowledge of technique (ее знанием /актерской/ техники) and her amazing magnetism (и ее удивительным обаянием: «магнетизмом»).

deliberately [dI'lIb(q)rItlI] vague [veIg] enriched [In'rItSt] technique [tek'ni:k]

She was not aware that she deliberately observed people, but when she came to study a new part vague recollections surged up in her from she knew not where, and she found that she knew things about the character she was to represent that she had had no inkling of. It helped her to think of someone she knew or even someone she had seen in the street or at a party; she combined with this recollection her own personality, and thus built up a character founded on fact but enriched with her experience, her knowledge of technique and her amazing magnetism.

People thought (люди думали) that she only acted (что она играла только) during the two or three hours she was on the stage (в течение тех двух или трех часов, что она была на сцене); they did not know (они не знали) that the character she was playing (что образ героини, которую она играла) dwelt in the back of her mind all day long (довлел над ней: «пребывал в глубине ее души» в течение всего дня), when she was talking to others (когда она разговаривала с людьми: «с другими») with all the appearance of attention (с видом полного внимания), or in whatever business she was engaged (или занимаясь своими делами: «или в каком-либо деле, в которое она была вовлечена»). It often seemed to her (ей часто казалось) that she was two persons (что она состояла из двух личностей), the actress, the popular favourite, the best-dressed woman in London (актрисы, популярной любимицы /публики/, самой хорошо одетой женщины в Лондоне), and that was a shadow (и она была тенью); and the woman she was playing at night, and that was the substance (и героини: «женщины», которую она играла вечером, и она была истинной сущностью).

"Damned if I know what genius is (черт меня побери, если я знаю, что такое талант)," she said to herself (сказала она себе). "But I know this (но я точно знаю: «но я знаю это»), I'd give all I have to be eighteen (я бы отдала все, что у меня есть, чтобы /снова/ быть восемнадцатилетней)."

character ['kxrIktq] dwelt [dwelt] shadow ['SxdqV] substance ['sAbstqns]

People thought that she only acted during the two or three hours she was on the stage; they did not know that the character she was playing dwelt in the back of her mind all day long, when she was talking to others with all the appearance of attention, or in whatever business she was engaged. It often seemed to her that she was two persons, the actress, the popular favourite, the best-dressed woman in London, and that was a shadow; and the woman she was playing at night, and that was the substance.

"Damned if I know what genius is," she said to herself. "But I know this, I'd give all I have to be eighteen."

But she knew that wasn't true (но она знала, что это было неправдой). If she were given the chance to go back again (если бы ей представился шанс вернуться снова назад) would she take it (воспользовалась бы она им)? No. Not really (нет, нет, право слово). It was not the popularity the celebrity if you like, that she cared for (не популярностью, если хотите, славой, дорожила она: «волновалась она») nor the hold she had over audiences (не той властью,

которую она имела над публикой), the real love they bore her (не той настоящей любовью, которую они /зрители/ питали к ней; to bear (bore, born)

— переносить, зд. питать, таить чувства), it was certainly not the money this had brought her (и конечно же не деньги, которые ей принесла /ее профессия/); it was the power she felt in herself (это была сила, которую она чувствовала в себе), her mastery over the medium (ее господство над материалом /используемым в искусстве/), that thrilled her (это заставляло ее

трепетать). She could step into a part (она могла взяться за роль; to step —

шагать, ступать), not a very good one perhaps (не очень хорошую роль,

может быть), with silly words to say (с глупыми словами /которые нужно/ говорить), and by her personality (и с помощью /силы/ ее личности), by the dexterity which she had at her finger-tips (с помощью способностей: «ловкости», которыми она владела в совершенстве: «имела на своих кончиках пальцев»; finger-tip — кончик пальца), infuse it with life (наполнить ее жизнью; to infuse — вливать, вселять). There was no one (не было никого) who could do what she could with a part (способного сыграть роль так, как она: «кто мог бы сделать то, что она могла, с ролью»). Sometimes she felt like God (иногда она /даже/ чувствовала себя Богом).

"And besides (и, кроме всего)," she chuckled (усмехнулась она), "Tom wouldn't be born (Том еще тогда не родился бы)."

popularity ["pOpjV'lxrItI] celebrity [sI'lebrItI] medium ['mi:dIqm]

But she knew that wasn't true. If she were given the chance to go back again would she take it? No. Not really. It was not the popularity the celebrity if you like, that she cared for, nor the hold she had over audiences, the real love they bore her, it was certainly not the money this had brought her; it was the power she felt in herself, her mastery over the medium, that thrilled her. She could step into a part, not a very good one perhaps, with silly words to say, and by her personality, by the dexterity which she had at her finger-tips, infuse it with life. There was no one who could do what she could with a part. Sometimes she felt like God.

"And besides," she chuckled, "Tom wouldn't be born."

After all it was very natural (в конце концов, это было совершенно естественно) that he should like to play about with Roger (что он хочет развлекаться вместе с Роджером). They belonged to the same generation (они принадлежали к одному и тому же поколению). It was the first day of his

holiday (это был первый день его отпуска), she must let him enjoy himself (и

она должна позволить ему получать удовольствие); there was a whole fortnight more (целые две недели были впереди). He would soon get sick (скоро ему до чертиков надоест: «ему будет тошнить») of being all the time with a boy of seventeen (проводить все время с мальчишкой семнадцати лет). Roger was sweet, but he was dull (Роджер был мил, но /он был/ туп); she wasn't going to let maternal affection blind her to that (она не собиралась позволить материнской любви: «привязанности» обмануть ее относительно этого; to blind —

ослеплять, затмевать). She must be very careful not to show (она должна быть очень осмотрительной, чтобы не показать /окружающим/) that she was in the least put out (что она была хоть в малейшей степени расстроена: «выбита из колеи»). From the beginning (с самого начала) she had made up her mind (она приняла решение) that she would never make any claim on Tom (что она никогда не предъявит Тому никаких претензий: «требований»); it would be fatal (это будет губительно: «фатально») if he felt that he owed something to her (если он почувствует, что он обязан ей хоть чем-то).

natural ['nxtS(q)rql] belong [bI'lON] generation ["dZenq'reIS(q)n]

After all it was very natural that he should like to play about with Roger. They to the same generation. It was the first day of his holiday, she must let him enjoy himself; there was a whole fortnight more. He would soon get sick of being all the time with a boy of seventeen. Roger was sweet, but he was dull; she wasn't going to let maternal affection blind her to that. She must be very careful not to show that she was in the least put out. From the beginning she had made up her mind that she would never make any claim on Tom; it would be fatal if he felt that he owed something to her.

"Michael, why don't you let that flat in the mews to Tom (Майкл, почему бы тебе не сдать ту квартиру над гаражом: «на конюшне» Тому)? Now that he's passed