Maugham_Theatre_M

saying and, watching them out of the corner of her eye, presently she saw Avice nod and smile. He had asked her to lunch with him. With a contented mind Julia went on studying her part.

27

THEY had been rehearsing for a fortnight (они репетировали уже две недели) when Roger arrived from Austria (когда Роджер вернулся: «приехал» из Австрии). He had been spending a few weeks on a Carinthian lake (он провел несколько недель на Коринфском озере), and after a day or two in London (и, проведя пару дней: «после одного или двух дней» в Лондоне) was to go and stay with friends in Scotland (должен был поехать в гости к друзьям: «поехать и остановиться у друзей» в Шотландию). Since Michael had to dine early to go to the theatre (так как Майклу надо было пообедать пораньше, чтобы ехать в театр) Julia went to meet him by herself (Джулия поехала встречать его одна). When she was dressing, Evie, sniffing as usual told her (когда она одевалась, Эви, шмыгая, как обычно, носом, сказала ей), that she was taking as much pains to make herself look nice (что она прилагала также много усилий, что бы выглядеть красиво; pain — боль, страдание, pains — старания, труды) as if she were going to meet a young man (как если бы она собиралась встретиться с молодым человеком). She wanted Roger to be proud of her (она хотела, чтобы Роджер гордился ей), and certainly she looked very young and pretty in her summer frock (и, действительно, она выглядела очень молодой и хорошенькой в своем летнем платье) as she strolled up and down the platform (пока она прогуливалась взад и вперед по платформе). You would have thought (можно было подумать), but wrongly (но совершенно ошибочно), that she was perfectly unconscious of the attention she attracted (что она совершенно не осознавала, какое внимание она привлекала). Roger, after a month in the

sun, was very brown (Роджер, после месяца /проведенного/ под солнцем, был очень загорелым), but he was still rather spotty (но он был все еще довольно прыщав) and he seemed thinner than when he had left London at the New Year (и

казался тоньше, чем когда он покидал Лондон на Новый Год). She hugged him with exuberant affection (она обняла его с преувеличенной нежностью). He smiled slightly (он слегка улыбнулся).

Scotland ['skOtlqnd] thinner ['TInq] exuberant [Ig'zju:b(q)rqnt]

THEY had been rehearsing for a fortnight when Roger arrived from Austria. He had been spending a few weeks on a Carinthian lake, and after a day or two in London was to go and stay with friends in Scotland. Since Michael had to dine early to go to the theatre Julia went to meet him by herself. When she was dressing, Evie, sniffing as usual, told her that she was taking as much pains to make herself look nice as if she were going to meet a young man. She wanted Roger to be proud of her, and certainly she looked very young and pretty in her summer frock as she strolled up and down the platform. You would have thought, but wrongly, that she was perfectly unconscious of the attention she attracted. Roger, after a month in the sun, was very brown, but he was still rather spotty and he seemed thinner than when he had left London at the New Year. She hugged him with exuberant affection. He smiled slightly.

They were to dine by themselves (они должны были пообедать вдвоем). Julia asked him if he would like to go to a play afterwards or to the pictures (Джулия спросила его, не хочет ли он пойти на спектакль после этого или в кино), but he said he preferred to stay at home (но он сказал, что он предпочел бы остаться дома).

"That'll be much nicer (так будет гораздо приятнее)," she answered (ответила она), "and we'll just talk (и мы просто поболтаем)."

There was indeed a subject (был, на самом деле, некий предмет для разговора)

that Michael had invited her to discuss with Roger (который Майкл просил ее обсудить с Роджером; to invite — приглашать, провоцировать, призывать) when the opportunity arose (когда появится такая возможность; to arise (arose, arisen) — возникать). Now that he was going to Cambridge so soon (теперь,

когда он собирался в Кембридж так рано) he ought to make up his mind what he wanted to do (ему следовало бы решить, чем он хочет заниматься). Michael was afraid that he would drift through his time there (Майкл боялся, что он бездумно проведет там /свое/ время; to drift — дрейфовать, плыть по течению, бездействовать) and then go into a broker's office (и затем отправиться в брокерскую контору) or even on the stage (или даже в театр: «на сцену»). Thinking that Julia had more tact than he (думая, что Джулия обладает большим тактом, чем он сам), and more influence with the boy (и имеет на юношу больше влияния), he had urged her to put before him the advantages of the Foreign Office (он настаивал, чтобы она рассказала ему: «изложила, представила на рассмотрение» о преимуществах /работы в/ Министерстве иностранных дел) and the brilliant possibilities of the Bar (и о блестящих возможностях, что предлагает адвокатура). Julia thought it would be strange (Джулия подумала, что было бы странным) if in the course of two or three hours' conversation (если бы в течении двух или трехчасового разговора) she could not find a way to lead to this important topic (она не смогла бы найти возможность: «путь» подвести к этой важной теме). At dinner she tried to get him to talk about Vienna (во время обеда она пыталась разговорить о Вене). But he was reticent (но он был сдержан: «молчалив»).

prefer [prI'fq:] afraid [q'freId] broker ['brqVkq] influence ['InflVqns] reticent ['retIs(q)nt]

They were to dine by themselves. Julia asked him if he would like to go to a play afterwards or to the pictures, but he said he preferred to stay at home.

"That'll be much nicer," she answered, "and we'll just talk."

There was indeed a subject that Michael had invited her to discuss with Roger when the opportunity arose. Now that he was going to Cambridge so soon he ought to make up his mind what he wanted to do. Michael was afraid that he would drift through his time there and then go into a broker's office or even on the stage. Thinking that Julia had more tact than he, and more influence with the boy, he had urged her to put before him the advantages of the Foreign Office and the brilliant possibilities of the Bar. Julia thought it would be strange if in the course of two or three hours' conversation she could not find a way to lead to this important topic. At dinner she tried to get him to talk about Vienna. But he was reticent.

"Oh, I just did the usual things, you know (о, я просто делал обычные дела,

знаешь ли). I saw the sights (я осматривал достопримечательности) and worked hard at my German (и упорно работал над /своим/ немецким). I knocked about in beer places (я шлялся по пивнушкам: «пивным местам»; to knock —

стучать, ударять, to knock about — слоняться, вести беспутную жизнь). I went to the opera a good deal (я ходил в оперу очень часто)."

She wondered if he had had any love affairs (ей было интересно, были ли у него еще любовные интрижки).

"Anyhow, you haven't come back engaged to a Viennese maiden (в любом случае, ты не вернулся домой, помолвленный с какой-нибудь молодой венкой; maiden — /поэт./ девушка, девица)," she said, thinking to draw him out (сказала она, думая вытащить из него /информацию/; to draw out — зд.

вызывать на разговор, откровенность).

He gave her a reflective, but faintly amused look (он посмотрел на нее задумчивым, но слегка улыбающимся: «забавляющимся» взглядом). You might almost have thought (можно было почти подумать) that he had seen what she was driving at (что он догадался: «увидел», к чему она клонила). It was strange (это было странно); though he was her own son she did not feel quite at home with him (хотя он был ее собственным сыном, она не чувствовала себя с ним как дома).

"No (нет)," he answered (ответил он), "I was too busy to bother with that sort of thing (я был слишком занят, чтобы заниматься: «беспокоить /себя/» такой ерундой: «вещами такого рода»)."

"I suppose you went to all the theatres (/я/ полагаю, что ты ходил во все театры)."

"I went two or three times (я был два или три раза)."

usual ['ju:ZVql, 'ju:Z(q)l] Viennese ["vIq'ni:z] reflective [rI'flektIv]

"Oh, I just did the usual things, you know. I saw the sights and worked hard at my German. I knocked about in beer places. I went to the opera a good deal."

She wondered if he had had any love affairs.

"Anyhow, you haven't come back engaged to a Viennese maiden," she said, thinking to draw him out.

He gave her a reflective, but faintly amused look. You might almost have thought that he had seen what she was driving at. It was strange; though he was her own son she did not feel quite at home with him.

"No," he answered, "I was too busy to bother with that sort of thing." "I suppose you went to all the theatres."

"I went two or three times."

"Did you see anything that would be any use to me (ты видел что-нибудь, что могло бы быть мне полезно)?"

"You know, I never thought about that (ты знаешь, я никогда не думал об этом)."

His answer might have seemed a little ungracious (его ответ мог бы показаться немного невежливым) but that it was accompanied by a smile (но он сопровождался улыбкой), and his smile was very sweet (и его улыбка была очень милой). Julia wondered again (Джулия снова задумалась) how it was that he had inherited so little of Michael's beauty and of her charm (как такое

случилось: «там было», что он унаследовал так мало от красоты Майкла и от ее очарования). His red hair was nice (ее рыжие волосы были красивыми), but his pale lashes gave his face a sort of empty look (но его бледные ресницы придавали его лицу почти пустое выражение; a sort of — нечто вроде). Heaven only knew (одним небесам было известно) where with such a father and such a mother (где, с таким отцом и такой матерью) he had got his rather lumpy figure (он заполучил такую довольно грузную фигуру; lumpy — комковатый,

неуклюжий; lump — глыба, ком; крупный кусок).

ungracious [An'greISqs] inherited [In'herItId] lumpy ['lAmpI]

"Did you see anything that would be any use to me?"

"You know, I never thought about that." His answer might have seemed a little ungracious but that it was accompanied by a smile, and his smile was very sweet. Julia wondered again how it was that he had -inherited so little of Michael's beauty and of her charm. His red hair was nice, but his pale lashes gave his face a sort of empty look. Heaven only knew where with such a father and such a mother he had got his rather lumpy figure.

He was eighteen now (сейчас ему было восемнадцать лет); it was time he fined down (/это было/ самое время ему стать стройнее; to fine — очищаться;

становиться тоньше). He seemed a trifle apathetic (он казался немного апатичным); he had none of her sparkling vitality (у него не было ни капли ее искрящейся энергии); she could picture the vividness (она представляла: «могла описать» ту живость) with which she would have narrated her experiences (с которой она бы рассказывала о своих впечатлениях) if she had just spent six months in Vienna (если бы она только что провела шесть месяцев в Вене). Why, already she had made a story about her stay at St. Malo with Aunt Carrie and her mother (ба, ранее она выдумала историю о том, как она гостила: «о своем пребывании» в Сен-Мало с тетей Кэрри и своей матерью) that made

people roar with laughter (которая заставляла людей хохотать во все горло; to roar — реветь, рычать, вопить, оглушительно хохотать). They all said it was as good as a play (все они говорили, что она /история/ была так же хороша,

как спектакль), and her own impression was that it was much better than most (и

ее собственное впечатление было такое, что ее /история/ была гораздо лучше, чем большинство /спектаклей/). She told it to Roger now (она рассказывала ее теперь Роджеру). He listened with his slow, quiet smile (он слушал со /своей/

вялой: «медленной», спокойной улыбкой); but she had an uneasy feeling (но у нее было такое беспокойное чувство) that he did not think it quite so funny as she did (что он не думал, что история была настолько забавной, как ей казалось: «как она делала»). She sighed in her heart (она вздохнула в душе). Poor lamb, he could have no sense of humour (бедный ягненочек, у него,

должно быть, нет чувства юмора).

apathetic ["xpq'TetIk] sparkling ['spQ:klIN] laughter ['lQ:ftq]

He was eighteen now; it was time he fined down. He seemed a trifle apathetic; he had none of her sparkling vitality; she could picture the vividness with which she would have narrated her experiences if she had just spent six months in Vienna. Why, already she had made a story about her stay at St. Malo with Aunt Carrie and her mother that made people roar with laughter. They all said it was as good as a play, and her own impression was that it was much better than most. She told it to Roger now. He listened with his slow, quiet smile; but she had an uneasy feeling that he did not think it quite so funny as she did. She sighed in her heart. Poor lamb, he could have no sense of humour.

Then he made some remark (затем он сделал какое-то замечание) that led her to speak of Nowadays (которое заставило ее заговорить о /спектакле/ «В наши дни»; to lead — вести, подводить, быть причиной, повлиять). She told him its story (она рассказала ему его сюжет), and explained what she was doing with her

part (и объяснила, как она работала над своей ролью); she talked to him of the cast (она поговорила с ним о составе актеров) and described the sets (и описала декорации). At the end of dinner it suddenly struck her (в конце обеда ей внезапно пришло в голову) that she had been talking entirely of herself and her own interests (что она проговорила исключительно о себе и своих собственных интересах). She did not know how she had been led to do this (она не знала, как так вышло: «как она была заставлена делать это»), and the suspicion flashed across her mind (и такое подозрение пронеслось /молнией/ в

ее голове) that Roger had guided the conversation in that direction (что Роджер повел разговор в таком направлении; to guide — быть проводником,

направлять, стимулировать) so that it should be diverted from him and his affairs (так, чтобы он /разговор/ был отвлечен от него и его дел; to divert —

отклонять, направлять в другую сторону). But she put it aside (но она отбросила эту /мысль/; to put aside — откладывать в сторону, стараться не замечать). He really wasn't intelligent enough for that (он, действительно, не был достаточно умным для этого). It was later when they sat in the drawingroom (/это было/ позже, когда они сидели в гостиной) listening to the radio and smoking (слушали радио и курили), that Julia found the chance to slip in (Джулия нашла возможность: «удобный случай», чтобы вставить в разговор; to slip in — прокрасться, вкрасться, упоминать как бы к случаю), apparently in the most casual fashion (по внешнему виду в совершенно естественной манере), the question she had prepared (тот вопрос, который она заготовила).

suspicion [sq'spIl(q)n] divert [daI'vq:t] intelligent [In'telIdZ(q)nt]

Then he made some remark that led her to speak of Nowadays. She told him its story, and explained what she was doing with her part; she talked to him of the cast and described the sets. At the end of dinner it suddenly struck her that she had been talking entirely of herself and her own interests. She did not know how she had been led to do this, and the suspicion flashed across her mind that Roger had

guided the conversation in that direction so that it should be diverted from him and his affairs. But she put it aside. He really wasn't intelligent enough for that. It was later when they sat in the drawing-room listening to the radio and smoking, that Julia found the chance to slip in, apparently in the most casual fashion, the question she had prepared.

"Have you made up your mind (ты уже решил) what you're going to be yet (кем ты хочешь быть)?"

"No (нет). Is there any hurry (а что, надо поторопиться: «есть какая-то спешка»; hurry — спешка, торопливость)?"

"You know how ignorant I am about everything (ты же знаешь, какая я несведущая во всем; ignorant — невежественный, необразованный, не информированный). Your father says that if you're going to be a barrister (твой отец говорит, что если ты собираешься быть барристером /адвокатом/) you ought to work at law when you go to Cambridge (то тебе следует работать над правоведением, когда ты поступишь: «пойдешь» в Кембридж; law — закон,

право, суд, профессия юриста). On the other hand (с другой стороны), if you fancy the Foreign Office (если тебе больше нравится работа дипломата: «министерство иностранных дел») you should take up modern languages (тебе следует приняться за изучение современных языков; to take up — зд. браться за что-либо, заниматься чем-либо)."

He looked at her for so long (он смотрел на нее так долго), with that queer, reflective air of his (в этой его странной, раздумывающей манере), that Julia had some difficulty (что Джулии было достаточно трудно: «у Джулии были некоторые трудности») in holding her light, playful and yet affectionate expression (сохранить: «удержать» свое легкое, игривое и в тоже время нежное выражение /лица/).

"If I believed in God (если бы я верил в Бога) I'd be a priest (я бы стал священником)," he said at last (сказал он, наконец).

"A priest (священником)?"