Maugham_Theatre_M

"It's ridiculous to suppose that I could have got to my position if I hadn't got sex appeal. What do people come to see an actress for? Because they want to go to bed with her. Do you mean to tell me that I could fill a theatre for three months with a rotten play if I hadn't got sex appeal? What is sex appeal anyway?"

She paused, looking at herself reflectively. "Surely I can act sex appeal. I can act anything."

She began to think of the actresses who notoriously had it (она начала думать об актрисах, которые, как все считали, обладали этой /привлекательностью/; notoriously — общеизвестный, пресловутый; печально известный), of one especially, Lydia Mayne (об одной особенно, Лидии Мейн), whom one always engaged when one wanted a vamp (которую всегда приглашали на роль, если была нужна женщина-вамп; vamp — обольстительница, роковая женщина). She was not much of an actress (она была не особенно хорошей актрисой; not much of — не ахти какой, весьма посредственный), but in certain parts she was wonderfully effective (но в определенных ролях она была удивительно эффектной). Julia was a great mimic (Джулия была хорошей подражательницей; mimic — имитатор, мимический актер), and now she began to do an imitation of Lydia Mayne (и теперь она начала имитировать Лидию Мейн; imitation — подражание, копирование). Her eyelids drooped sensually over her eyes as Lydia's did (ее веки опустились чувственно /на ее глаза/, как это делала Лидия) and her body writhed sinuously in her dress (и ее тело извивалось волнообразно в платье). She got into her eyes the provoking indecency of Lydia's glance (в ее глазах появилась: «она создала в своих глазах» вызывающая непристойность, как во взгляде Лидии) and into her serpentine gestures that invitation which was Lydia's speciality (и в ее извивающихся движениях /появилось/ такое заманивание: «приглашение», которое было фирменным знаком Лидии; serpentine — змеиный, извилистый; speciality — зд. особенность, характерная черта). She began to speak in Lydia's voice (она начала говорить голосом Лидии), with the lazy drawl (в той

ленивой медлительной манере) that made every remark she uttered sound faintly obscene (что заставляла каждое замечание, которое она произносила, звучать слегка непристойным).

notorious [nq(V)'tO:rIqs] vamp [vxmp] sinuous ['sInjVqs] serpentine ['sE:pqntaIn] obscene [qb'si:n]

She began to think of the actresses who notoriously had it, of one especially, Lydia Mayne, whom one always engaged when one wanted a vamp. She was not much of an actress, but in certain parts she was wonderfully effective. Julia was a great mimic, and now she began to do an imitation of Lydia Mayne. Her eyelids drooped sensually over her eyes as Lydia's did and her body writhed sinuously in her dress. She got into her eyes the provoking indecency of Lydia's glance and into her serpentine gestures that invitation which was Lydia's speciality. She began to speak in Lydia's voice, with the lazy drawl that made every remark she uttered sound faintly obscene.

"Oh, my dear man, I've heard that sort of thing so often (о, мой дорогой, я слышу подобные вещи так часто). I don't want to make trouble between you and your wife (я не хочу создавать проблем между вами и вашей женой). Why won't men leave me alone (почему же мужчины не оставят меня в покое: «одну»; alone — в одиночестве, наедине)?"

It was a cruel caricature that Julia gave (это была безжалостная карикатура,

которую Джулия изобразила; cruel — жестокий, бессердечный). It was quite ruthless (она была довольно жестокой; ruthless — безжалостный). It amused her so much that she burst out laughing (ее это так позабавило, что она разразилась смехом).

"Well, there's one thing (ну, все-таки одно /точно/ есть), I may not have any sex appeal (я могу не иметь сексуальной привлекательности), but after seeing my imitation (но, /после того как/ увидев мое подражание) there aren't many people

(не так много людей /останется/) who'd think Lydia had either (которые подумают, что у Лидии она тоже есть; either — зд. также, тоже /в

отрицательных предложениях/)."

It made her feel much better (от этого она почувствовала себя гораздо лучше: «это заставило ее почувствовать гораздо лучше»).

between [bI'twi:n] caricature ['kxrIkqtSVq] ruthless ['ru:TlIs]

"Oh, my dear man, I've heard that sort of thing so often. I don't want to make trouble between you and your wife. Why won't men leave me alone?"

It was a cruel caricature that Julia gave. It was quite ruthless. It amused her so much that she burst out laughing.

"Well, there's one thing, I may not have any sex appeal, but after seeing my imitation there aren't many people who'd think Lydia had either."

It made her feel much better.

26

REHEARSALS began and distracted Julia's troubled mind (начались репетиции и отвлекли растревоженные мысли Джулии). The revival that Michael put on when she went abroad (тот возобновленный спектакль, что Майкл поставил,

когда она уехала за границу) had done neither very well nor very badly (не был ни очень успешным, ни провальным; to do well — зд. процветать,

преуспеть), but rather than close the theatre (но, вместо того чтобы закрыть театр) he was keeping it in the bill till Nowadays was ready (он продолжал держать его на афише, до тех пор, пока «В наши дни» не будет готов). Because he was acting two matinees a week (из-за того, что он играл в двух дневных спектаклях в неделю), and the weather was hot (и погода была

жаркой), he determined that they should take rehearsals easy (он твердо решил,

что им не следует чрезмерно усердствовать с репетициями; to take easy —

относиться спокойно, не волноваться). They had a month before them (у них был еще целый месяц /в запасе/: «перед ними»).

Though Julia had been on the stage so long (хотя Джулия и играла на сцене так долго) she had never lost the thrill she got out of rehearsing (она никогда так и не утратила того нервного возбуждения, которое она получала от репетиций), and the first rehearsal still made her almost sick with excitement (и первые репетиции до сих пор заставляли ее почти что заболевать от волнения). It was the beginning of a new adventure (они были началом нового приключения). She did not feel like a leading lady then (тогда она не чувствовала себя ведущей актрисой), she felt as gay and eager (она чувствовала себя такой же веселой и нетерпеливой) as if she were a girl playing her first small part (как если бы она была молодой актрисой: «девушкой», играющей свою первую маленькую роль). But at the same time she had a delicious sense of her own powers (но в тоже самое время, у нее было восхитительное чувство своих собственных сил). Once more she had the chance to exercise them (еще раз ей выпадал шанс проявить их).

nowadays ['naVqdeIz] delicious [dI'lISqs] exercise ['eksqsaIz]

REHEARSALS began and distracted Julia's troubled mind. The revival that Michael put on when she went abroad had done neither very well nor very badly, but rather than close the theatre he was keeping it in the bill till Nowadays was ready. Because he was acting two matinees a week, and the weather was hot, he determined that they should take rehearsals easy. They had a month before them.

Though Julia had been on the stage so long she had never lost the thrill she got out of rehearsing, and the first rehearsal still made her almost sick with excitement. It was the beginning of a new adventure. She did not feel like a leading lady then, she felt as gay and eager as if she were a girl playing her first small part. But at the

same time she had a delicious sense of her own powers. Once more she had the chance to exercise them.

At eleven o'clock she stepped on to the stage (в одиннадцать часов она вступила на сцену). The cast stood about idly (артисты стояли кто где: «труппа стояла без дела»). She kissed and shook hands with the artists she knew (она поцеловалась и поздоровалась за руку с теми актерами, которых она знала) and Michael with urbanity introduced to her those she did not (и Майкл, вежливо: «с учтивостью» представила ей тех, которых она не /знала/). She greeted Avice Crichton with cordiality (она приветствовала Эвис Крайтон с сердечностью). She told her how pretty she was (она сказала ей, какая та хорошенькая) and how much she liked her hat (и как ей понравилась ее шляпка); she told her about the lovely frocks she had chosen for her in Paris (она рассказала ей о тех прекрасных платьях, что она выбрала для нее в Париже). "Have you seen Tom lately (ты виделась с Томом в последнее время)?" she asked (спросила она).

"No, I haven't (нет, не виделась). He's away on his holiday (он уехал в отпуск)." "Oh, yes. He's a nice little thing, isn't he (он приятный малыш, не правда ли)?" "Sweet (милый)."

The two women smiled into one another's eyes (и две женщины улыбнулись, /глядя/ друг другу в глаза). Julia watched her when she read her part (Джулия наблюдала за ней, когда она читала свою роль) and listened to her intonations (и прислушивалась к ее интонациям). She smiled grimly (она мрачно улыбалась). It was exactly what she had expected (это было именно то, что она ожидала). Avice was one of those actresses (Эвис была одной из тех актрис) who were quite sure of themselves from the first rehearsal (которые были совершенно уверены в себе с самой первой репетиции). She didn't know what was coming to her (она не знала, что ее ожидает). Tom meant nothing to Julia any more (Том больше ничего не значил для Джулии), but she had a score to settle with Avice (но ей осталось еще свести счеты с Эвис; to settle a score —

расплачиваться, платить долг, оплатить за обиду) and she wasn't going to forget it (и она не собиралась забыть об этом). The slut (потаскушка)!

urbanity [q:'bxnItI] cordiality ["kO:dI'xlItI] intonation ["Intq'neIS(q)n]

At eleven o'clock she stepped on to the stage. The cast stood about idly. She kissed and shook hands with the artists she knew and Michael with urbanity introduced to her those she did not. She greeted Avice Crichton with cordiality. She told her how pretty she was and how much she liked her hat; she told her about the lovely frocks she had chosen for her in Paris.

"Have you seen Tom lately?" she asked. "No, I haven't. He's away on his holiday." "Oh, yes. He's a nice little thing, isn't he?" "Sweet."

The two women smiled into one another's eyes. Julia watched her when she read her part and listened to her intonations. She smiled grimly. It was exactly what she had expected. Avice was one of those actresses who were quite sure of themselves from the first rehearsal. She didn't know what was coming to her. Tom meant nothing to Julia any more, but she had a score to settle with Avice and she wasn't going to forget it. The slut!

The play was a modern version of The Second Mrs. Tanqueray (спектакль был современной версией «Вторая миссис Тенкерей»), but with the change of manners of this generation (но, со сменой нравов нынешнего: «этого» поколения) it had been treated from the standpoint of comedy (он трактовался с точки зрения комедии; to treat — обращаться, рассматривать). Some of the old characters were introduced (некоторые из старых героев были введены), and Aubrey Tanqueray, now a very old man, appeared in the second act (и Обри Тенкерей, теперь уже очень старый мужчина, появлялся во втором акте). After Paula's death he had married for the third time (после смерти Полы он

женился в третий раз). Mrs. Cortelyon had undertaken to compensate him for his unfortunate experience with his second wife (миссис Кортельон принялась вознаграждать его за его несчастливый опыт с его второй женой; to undertake

— предпринимать, брать на себя), and she was now a cantankerous and insolent old lady (и она сама была теперь сварливой и высокомерной пожилой дамой).

generation ["dZenq'reIS(q)n] cantankerous [kxn'txNk(q)rqs] insolent ['Insqlqnt]

The play was a modern version of The Second Mrs. Tanqueray, but with the change of manners of this generation it had been treated from the standpoint of comedy. Some of the old characters were introduced, and Aubrey Tanqueray, now a very old man, appeared in the second act. After Paula's death he had married for the third time. Mrs. Cortelyon had undertaken to compensate him for his unfortunate experience with his second wife, and she was now a cantankerous and insolent old lady.

Ellean, his daughter (Эллин, его дочь), and Hugh Ardale had agreed to let bygones be bygones (и Хью Ардейл решили забыть о прошлом; let bygones be bygones — что прошло, то быльем поросло, bygone — пережитое, прошлые обиды), for Paula's tragic death (так как трагическая смерть Полы) had seemed to wipe out the recollection (казалось, стерла воспоминания) of his lapse into extra-conjugal relations (о его «соскальзывании» во внебрачные отношения; lapse — упущение, отклонение от правильного пути); and they had married (и

они поженились). He was now a retired brigadier-general (он был теперь вышедшим в отставку бригадным генералом) who played golf and deplored the decline of the British Empire (который играл в гольф и оплакивал: «сожалел о» падение Британской империи) — "Gad (Бог мой), sir (сэр), I'd stand those damned socialists against a wall (я бы поставил тех чертовых социалистов к стенке: «напротив стенки») and shoot 'em if I had my way (и перестрелял бы

их, если бы я мог поступить по-своему)", whereas Ellean, by this time an elderly woman (в то время как Эллин, к этому времени стареющая женщина), after a prudish youth (после излишне скромной/излишне цепетильной/чопорной молодости) had become gay, modern and plain-spoken (стала веселой,

современной и откровенной).

bygone ['baIgOn] conjugal ['kOndZVg(q)l] deplore [dI'plO:]

Ellean, his daughter, and Hugh Ardale had agreed to let bygones be bygones, for Paula's tragic death had seemed to wipe out the recollection of his lapse into extraconjugal relations; and they had married. He was now a retired brigadier-general who played golf and deplored the decline of the British Empire — "Gad, sir, I'd stand those damned socialists against a wall and shoot 'em if I had my way", whereas Ellean, by this time an elderly woman, after a prudish youth had become gay, modern and plain-spoken.

The character that Michael played was called Robert Humphreys (героя, которого играл Майкл, звали Роберт Хамфри), and like the Aubrey of Pinero's play he was a widower with an only daughter (и, как Обри из пьесы Пинеро, был вдовцом, с единственной дочерью); he had been a consul in China for many years (он прослужил: «был» консулом в Китае долгие годы), and having come into money (и, получив наследство; to come into money — получить деньги,

богатое наследство) had retired (вышел в отставку) and was settling on the estate (и обосновался в поместье), near where the Tanquerays still lived (рядом с которым семья Тенкереев все еще жила), which a cousin had left him (которое /поместье/ кузен оставил ему). His daughter, Honor (его дочь, Онор) (this was the part for which Avice Crichton had been engaged (это была та роль, на которую Эвис Крайтон была ангажирована)), was studying medicine with the intention of practising in India (изучала медицину, с тем намерением, чтобы практиковать в Индии).