Maugham_Theatre_M

(и внезапно, Джулия испытала тошнотворный страх) that he knew that Tom had been her lover (что он знал, что Том был ее любовником). It was impossible, she told herself (это невозможно, говорила она себе), it was only her guilty conscience that made her think so (это /было/ только ее нечистая: «виноватая» совесть, что заставляла ее думать так); at Taplow there had been nothing (в Тэплоу ничего не было); it was incredible that any of the horrid gossip had reached his ears (это было невероятным, что какие-нибудь отвратительные слухи дошли до его ушей); and yet there was something in his expression (и все же, было нечто в его выражении /лица/) that made her certain that he knew (что убедило ее, что он знал /наверняка/; to make certain — удостовериться). She was ashamed (ей было стыдно).

"I only asked him to come down to Taplow (я единственно пригласила его приехать в Тэплоу) because I thought it would be nice for you (из-за того, что я думала, что это было бы прятно для тебя) to have a boy of that age to play around with (иметь юношу твоего возраста, с котором можно было бы поразвлечься)."

"It was (так и было)."

calm [kQ:m] horrid ['hOrId] ashamed [q'SeImd]

He looked at her with his calm, reflective eyes, and on a sudden Julia had a sickening fear that he knew that Tom had been her lover. It was impossible, she told herself, it was only her guilty conscience that made her think so; at Taplow there had been nothing; it was incredible that any of the horrid gossip had reached his ears; and yet there was something in his expression that made her certain that he knew. She was ashamed.

"I only asked him to come down to Taplow because I thought it would be nice for you to have a boy of that age to play around with."

"It was."

There was in his eyes a faint twinkle of amusement (был в его глазах легкий веселый огонек; amusement — забава, развлечение; изумление). She felt desperate (она почувствовала отчаяние). She would have liked to ask him (ей очень бы хотелось спросить у него) what he was grinning at (над чем это он ухмылялся), but dared not (но не посмела); for she knew (так как она знала /над чем/); he was not angry with her (он не сердился на нее), she could have borne that (она могла бы это вынести), he was merely diverted (он просто забавлялся; to divert — отклонять, отводить, зд. развлекать, увеселять). She was bitterly hurt (она была горько обижена). She would have cried (она бы заплакала), but that he would only laugh (но он же просто засмеется). And what could she say to him (и что она могла бы сказать ему)? He believed nothing she said (он не верил ни во что, о чем она говорила). Acting (актерство)! For once she was at a loss (на этот раз она была в замешательстве; for once — в виде исключения; to be at a loss — растеряться, смешаться) how to cope with a situation (как же /ей/ справиться с этой ситуацией). She was up against something (она столкнулась с чем-то; to be up against smth. — встретить отпор) that she did not know (чего она не знала), something mysterious and rather frightening (чем-

то непостижимым и довольно пугающим). Could that be reality (могла ли это быть реальность)?

twinkle ['twINk(q)l] merely ['mIqlI] mysterious [mI'stI(q)rIqs]

There was in his eyes a faint twinkle of amusement. She felt desperate. She would have liked to ask him what he was grinning at, but dared not; for she knew; he was not angry with her, she could have borne that, he was merely diverted. She was bitterly hurt. She would have cried, but that he would only laugh. And what could she say to him? He believed nothing she said. Acting! For once she was at a loss how to cope with a situation. She was up against something that she did not know, something mysterious and rather frightening. Could that be reality?

At that moment they heard a car drive up (в этот момент они услышали, как подъехала машина).

"There's your father (это твой отец)," she exclaimed (воскликнула она).

What a relief (какое облегчение)! The scene was intolerable (сцена была невыносимой), and she was thankful that his arrival must end it (и она была благодарна, что его приезд должен положить ей конец). In a moment Michael, very hearty (через мгновение Майкл, очень радушный), with his chin thrust out and his belly pulled in (с выставленным вперед подбородком и втянутым животом), looking for all his fifty odd years incredibly handsome (выглядевший для своих пятидесяти с лишним лет невероятно красивым), burst into the room (ворвался в комнату) and, in his manly way (и, в своей мужественной манере), thrust out his hand (протянул свою руку) to greet (чтобы поприветствовать), after a six months' absence (после шестимесячного отсутствия), his only begotten son (своего единственного сына; begotten — рожденный; to beget —

производить, рождать; быть отцом).

exclaim [Ik'skleIm] intolerable [In'tOl(q)rqb(q)l] absence ['xbs(q)ns]

At that moment they heard a car drive up. "There's your father," she exclaimed.

What a relief! The scene was intolerable, and she was thankful that his arrival must end it. In a moment Michael, very hearty, with his chin thrust out and his belly pulled in, looking for all his fifty odd years incredibly handsome, burst into the room and, in his manly way, thrust out his hand to greet, after a six months' absence, his only begotten son.

28

THREE days later Roger went up to Scotland (тремя днями позже Роджер уехал в Шотландию). By the exercise of some ingenuity (проявив некоторую изобретательность; exercise — упражнение, осуществление) Julia had managed (Джулия сделала так) that they should not again spend any length of time alone together (что они не смогли снова провести хоть какое-то время наедине /вместе/; length — длина, расстояние, протяженность). When they happened to be by themselves for a few minutes (когда они оказывались наедине на несколько минут) they talked of indifferent things (они говорили об отвлеченных вещах; indifferent — безразличный, нейтральный). Julia was not really sorry to see him go (Джулия не была на самом-то деле расстроена увидеть, что он уезжает). She could not dismiss from her mind (она не могла выбросить из головы; to dismiss — распускать, увольнять) the curious conversation she had had with him (тот странный: «любопытный» разговор, что у нее состоялся с ним). There was one point in particular (был один момент, в

особенности) that unaccountably worried her (что непостижимо беспокоил ее; to account — отчитываться); this was his suggestion that if she went into an empty room (это было его предположение, что если он войдет в пустую комнату) and someone suddenly opened the door (и кто-нибудь внезапно откроет дверь) there would be nobody there (то там никого не окажется). It made her feel very uncomfortable (это заставляло ее чувствовать себя очень неуютно).

ingenuity ["IndZI'nju:ItI] unaccountable ["Anq'kaVntqb(q)l]

THREE days later Roger went up to Scotland. By the exercise of some ingenuity Julia had managed that they should not again spend any length of time alone together. When they happened to be by themselves for a few minutes they talked of indifferent things. Julia was not really sorry to see him go. She could not dismiss from her mind the curious conversation she had had with him. There was one point

in particular that unaccountably worried her; this was his suggestion that if she went into an empty room and someone suddenly opened the door there would be nobody there. It made her feel very uncomfortable.

"I never set out to be a raving beauty (я никогда не считала себя красавицей,

способной свести с ума; to set out — /редк./ претендовать на что-либо; raving — бредовый, буйный, сногсшибательный), but the one thing no one has ever denied me is personality (но единственное, в чем мне никто никогда не отказывал, так это индивидуальность; to deny — отрицать, отвергать, не признавать существование). It's absurd to pretend (это нелепо — делать вид) that because I can play a hundred different parts in a hundred different ways (что из-за того, что я могу сыграть сотню различных ролей сотней различных способов) I haven't got an individuality of my own (что у меня нет своей собственной индивидуальности). I can do that because I'm a bloody good actress (я могу сыграть это потому, что я чертовски хорошая актриса)."

She tried to think what happened to her (она попыталась представить, что случалось с ней) when she went alone into an empty room (когда она заходила одна в пустую комнату).

"But I never am alone (но я никогда не бываю одна), even in an empty room (даже и в пустой комнате). There's always Michael, or Evie, or Charles, or the public (всегда есть Майкл, или Эви, или Чарльз, или публика); not in the flesh, of course (не в плоти, конечно), but in the spirit, as it were (но мысленно: «в душе», так сказать). I must speak to Charles about Roger (я должна поговорить с Чарльзом о Роджере)."

raving ['reIvIN] absurd [qb'sq:d] individuality ["IndI"vIdZV'xlItI]

"I never set out to be a raving beauty, but the one thing no one has ever denied me is personality. It's absurd to pretend that because I can play a hundred different parts in a hundred different ways I haven't got an individuality of my own. I can do

that because I'm a bloody good actress."

She tried to think what happened to her when she went alone into an empty room. "But I never am alone, even in an empty room. There's always Michael, or Evie, or Charles, or the public; not in the flesh, of course, but in the spirit, as it were. I must speak to Charles about Roger."

Unfortunately he was away (к сожалению, его не было на месте; to be away —

отсутствовать). But he was coming back for the dress-rehearsal and the first night (но он должен был вернуться к генеральной репетиции: «репетиции в костюмах» и премьере); he had not missed these occasions for twenty years (он никогда не пропускал эти события за двадцать лет), and they had always had supper together after the dress-rehearsal (и они всегда ужинали вместе после генеральной репетиции). Michael would remain in the theatre (Майкл останется в театре), busy with the lights and so on (занятый освещением и все такое), so that they would be alone (так, что они останутся одни). They would be able to have a good talk (они смогут хорошенько поговорить).

She studied her part (Джулия изучала свою роль). Julia did not deliberately create the character she was going to act by observation (Джулия не намерено создавала героиню, которую она собиралась играть, по наблюдениям); she had a knack of getting into the shoes of the woman she had to portray (она обладала особой способностью забраться в шкуру: «ботинки» той женщины,

что она собиралась изображать) so that she thought with her mind and felt with her senses (так, что она думала ее мыслями и чувствовала ее чувствами). Her intuition suggested to her a hundred small touches (ее интуиция подсказывала ей сотни маленьких черточек: «характерных черт») that afterwards amazed people by their verisimilitude (что впоследствии поражали публику: «людей» своим правдоподобием); but when they asked her where she had got them she could not say (но когда ее спрашивали, где она взяла их, она не могла сказать).

deliberately [dI'lIb(q)rItlI] portray [pO:'treI] verisimilitude ["verIsI'mIlItju:d]

сберегать, экономить). She had no intention of giving all she had to give till the first night (у нее не было никакого желания: «намерения» дать все, что она должна дать, до премьеры).

courageous [kq'reIdZqs] essentially [I'senS(q)lI] hanker ['hxNkq]

Now she wanted to show the courageous yet uneasy breeziness of the Mrs. Marten who played golf and could talk to a man like one good chap to another and yet, essentially a respectable, middle-class woman, hankered for the security of the marriage state.

Michael never liked to have a crowd at a dress-rehearsal, and this time, anxious to keep the secret of the play till the first night, he had admitted besides Charles only the people, photographers and dressmakers, whose presence was necessary. Julia spared herself. She had no intention of giving all she had to give till the first night.

It was enough if her performance was adequate (было достаточным, если ее

исполнение соответствовало требованиям: «было адекватным»). Under Michael's business-like direction (под деловым управлением Майкла) everything went off without a hitch (все прошло без сучка без задоринки; without a hitch — гладко, без задержки, hitch — зд. помеха, препятствие), and by ten o'clock Julia and Charles were sitting in the Grill Room of the Savoy (и уже к десяти часам Джулия и Чарльз сидели в гриль-баре «Савой»). The first thing she asked him was what he thought of Avice Crichton (первое, что она спросила у него /было/, что он думает об Эвис Крайтон).

"Not at all bad and wonderfully pretty (совсем не плоха и удивительно хорошенькая). She really looked lovely in that second-act dress (она на самом деле выглядела миленько в том платье для второго акта)."

"I'm not going to wear the dress I wore in the second act (я не буду в том же платье: «не буду носить то же платье», что было на мне во втором акте). Charley Deverill has made me another (Чарли Деверил сшил: «сделал» мне

другое)."

adequate ['xdIkwIt] hitch [hItS] wonderful ['wAndqf(q)l]

It was enough if her performance was adequate. Under Michael's business-like direction everything went off without a hitch, and by ten o'clock Julia and Charles were sitting in the Grill Room of the Savoy. The first thing she asked him was what he thought of Avice Crichton.

"Not at all bad and wonderfully pretty. She really looked lovely in that second-act dress."

"I'm not going to wear the dress I wore in the second act. Charley Deverill has made me another."

He did not see the slightly humorous glance she gave him (он не заметил: «увидел» тот слегка веселый взгляд, которым она на него посмотрела), and if he had (и, если бы он заметил) would not have guessed what it meant (не догадался бы, что он означал). Michael, having taken Julia's advice (Майкл, последовав совету Джулии), had gone to a good deal of trouble with Avice (приложил огромное количество усилий с Эвис). He had rehearsed her by herself (он репетировал с ней одной) upstairs in his private room (наверху, в своем личном кабинете) and had given her every intonation and every gesture (и

научил ее: «дал ей» каждой интонации и каждому жесту). He had also, Julia had good reason to believe (он так же, Джулия имела полное право верить в это), lunched with her several times and taken her out to supper (обедал с ней несколько раз и приглашал ее на ужин в ресторан). The result of all this was that she was playing the part uncommonly well (результатом этого было то, что она играла свою роль необычайно хорошо). Michael rubbed his hands (Майкл потирал /свои/ руки).

humorous ['hju:m(q)rqs] intonation ["Intq'neIS(q)n]

uncommonly [An'kOmqnlI]

He did not see the slightly humorous glance she gave him, and if he had would not have guessed what it meant. Michael, having taken Julia's advice, had gone to a good deal of trouble with Avice. He had rehearsed her by herself upstairs in his private room and had given her every intonation and every gesture. He had also, Julia had good reason to believe, lunched with her several times and taken her out to supper. The result of all this was that she was playing the part uncommonly well. Michael rubbed his hands.

"I'm very pleased with her (я очень ею доволен). I think she'll make quite a hit (я

думаю, что она будет настоящим успехом). I've half a mind to give her a contract (я уже почти решил подписать: «дать» с ней контракт; to have half a mind to do smth — быть не прочь сделать что-либо)."

"I wouldn't (я бы не стала)," said Julia. "Not till after the first night (до тех пор,

пока не пройдет премьера). You can never really tell (никогда нельзя на самом-

то деле сказать) how a performance is going to pan out (как пройдет спектакль; to pan out — /зд. разг./ преуспевать, удаваться) till you've got an audience (пока не будет публики)."

"She's a nice girl and a perfect lady (она милая девушка и истинная: «совершенная» леди)."

"A nice girl, I suppose, because she's madly in love with you (милая девушка, я

полагаю, из-за того, что она безумно влюблена в тебя), and a perfect lady because she's resisting your advances till she's got a contract (и истинная леди,

из-за того, что сопротивляется твоим ухаживаниям до тех пор, пока у нее нет: «она не получила» контракта)."

"Oh, my dear, don't be so silly (о, моя дорогая, не глупи). Why, I'm old enough to be her father (я достаточно стар, что мог бы быть ее отцом = я ей в отцы гожусь)."