Interested in management.

"I want to run my theatre in as business-like way as a city office," he said.

And he felt (и он чувствовал) that he could more profitably spend his evenings

(что он может с большей выгодой проводить свои вечера), when Julia was

acting (когда Джулия играла /на сцене/), by going to outlying theatres

(отправляясь в расположенные на окраинах театры; outlying — отдаленный,

далекий, находящийся за пределами) and trying to find talent (в попытках

отыскать талант: «и пытаться открыть талант»). He kept a little book (у него

была маленькая книжица) in which he made a note (в которой он делал

пометки) of every actor who seemed to show promise (о каждом актере,

который, как казалось, подавал надежды; promise — обещание, перспектива,

надежда). Then he had taken to directing (затем он занялся режиссурой; to

direct — направлять, руководить, режиссировать). It had always grizzled him

(его всегда раздражало) that directors should ask so much money (что

режиссеры требуют такие большие деньги) for rehearsing a play (за

постановку: «репетицию» спектакля), and of late (и недавно) some of them

(некоторые из них) had even insisted on a percentage on the gross (даже

настаивали на /получении/ процентного вознаграждения от сборов: «валовой

выручки»). At last an occasion came (в конце концов, появилась возможность)

when the two directors Julia liked best (когда два режиссера, которые больше

всего нравились Джулии) were engaged (были /уже/ заняты) and the only other

one she trusted (и единственный оставшийся: «другой», которому она

доверяла) was acting (был занят как актер) and thus could not give them all his

time (и, таким образом, не мог работать с ними все свое время: «не мог дать

им все его время»).

profitably ['prOfItqblI] grizzle ['grIz(q)l] insist [In'sIst] percentage [pq'sentIdZ]

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And he felt that he could more profitably spend his evenings, when Julia was

acting, by going to outlying theatres and trying to find talent. He kept a little

book in which he made a note of every actor who seemed to show promise.

Then he had taken to directing. It had always grizzled him that directors

should ask so much money for rehearsing a play, and of late some of them had

even insisted on a percentage on the gross. At last an occasion came when the

two directors Julia liked best were engaged and the only other one she trusted

was acting and thus could not give them all his time.

"I've got a good mind (я намереваюсь; to have a good mind to — собираться

сделать что-то) to have a shot at it myself (попытать свои силы /в постановке

пьесы/; to have a shot at smth. — сделать попытку, попробовать что-либо),"

said Michael (сказал Майкл).

Julia was doubtful (Джулия сомневалась; to doubt — сомневаться, подвергать

сомнению). He had no fantasy (у него не было фантазии) and his ideas were

commonplace (и его идеи обычно были банальными). She was not sure (она не

была уверена) that he would have authority over the cast (будет ли он

пользоваться авторитетом у труппы). But the only available director (но

единственный доступный /на тот момент/ режиссер) demanded a fee

(потребовал такой гонорар) that they both thought exorbitant (который, как они

оба думали, был чрезмерным) and there was nothing left but to let Michael try (и

ничего /больше/ не оставалось, как позволить Майклу попытаться). He made a

much better job of it (у него получилось гораздо лучше; to make a good job of it

— хорошо справиться с делом) than Julia expected (чем ожидала Джулия). He

was thorough (он был скрупулезным); he worked hard (он работал прилежно и

трудолюбиво). Julia, strangely enough, felt (Джулия, /хотя это было/

достаточно странно, чувствовала) that he was getting more out of her (что он

добивался от нее большего) than any other director had done (чем любой

другой режиссер /добивался/).

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fantasy ['fxntqsI] exorbitant [Ig'zO:bIt(q)nt] thorough ['TArq]

"I've got a good mind to have a shot at it myself," said Michael.

Julia was doubtful. He had no fantasy and his ideas were commonplace. She

was not sure that he would have authority over the cast. But the only available

director demanded a fee that they both thought exorbitant and there was

nothing left but to let Michael try. He made a much better job of it than Julia

expected. He was thorough; he worked hard. Julia, strangely enough, felt that

he was getting more out of her than any other director had done.

He knew what she was capable of (он знал, на что она была способна), and,

familiar with her every inflection (и /он/, знакомый с каждой ее модуляцией

/голоса/), every glance of her wonderful eyes (каждым взглядом ее

удивительных глаз), every graceful movement of her body (каждым

грациозным движением ее тела), he was able to give her suggestions (он

оказался способен давать ей такие советы) out of which she managed to build

up the best performance of her career (из которых ей удалось создать лучшую

роль в ее карьере: «выстроить лучшее исполнение в ее карьере»). With the

cast (с труппой /актеров/) he was at once conciliatory and exacting (он был

одновременно умиротворяющим и требовательным). When tempers were

frayed (когда нервы у всех сдавали: «характеры раздражались,

сталкивались») his good humour (его добродушие), his real kindliness (его

неподдельное: «настоящее» добросердечие), smoothed things over

(сглаживали ситуацию). After that (после этого) there was no question (вопрос

уже не стоял: «не было вопроса») but that he should continue to direct their

plays (но /было решено/, что он должен продолжать режиссировать их

постановки).

inflection [In'flekS(q)n] conciliatory [kqn'sIlIqt(q)rI] continue [kqn'tInju:]

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He knew what she was capable of, and, familiar with her every inflection,

every glance of her wonderful eyes, every graceful movement of her body, he

was able to give her suggestions out of which she managed to build up the best

performance of her career. With the cast he was at once conciliatory and

exacting. When tempers were frayed his good humour, his real kindliness,

smoothed things over. After that there was no question but that he should

continue to direct their plays.

Authors liked him (авторы любили его) because, being unimaginative (так как,

из-за того, что он был лишен воображения), he was forced to let the plays speak

for themselves (он был вынужден разрешить пьесам говорить самим за себя)

and often not being quite sure what they meant (и часто, будучи не совсем

уверенным в том, что они /авторы/ имели в виду) he was obliged to listen to

them (он был вынужден слушать их).

Julia was now a rich woman (Джулия была теперь богатой женщиной). She

could not but admit (она не могла не признать) that Michael was as careful of her

money as of his own (что Майкл был также заботлив в отношении ее денег,

как и своих собственных). He watched her investments (он следил за ее

вложениями) and was as pleased when he could sell stocks at a profit on her

account (и был так же рад, когда ему удавалось: «он мог» продать акции с

прибылью для нее; on smb.'s account — ради кого-либо; account — счет) as if

he had made the money for himself (так, как будто он сделал деньги для себя

самого). He put her down for a very large salary (он назначил ей очень высокую

зарплату), and was proud to be able to say (и гордился тем, что он мог сказать)

that she was the most highly paid actress in London (что она была самой высоко

оплачиваемой актрисой в Лондоне), but when he himself acted (но когда он

играл сам) he never put himself down for a higher salary (он никогда не

записывал себе большую зарплату) than he thought the part was worth (чем он

думал, стоит та или иная роль).

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unimaginative ["AnI'mxdZInqtIv] obliged [q'blaIdZd] investment [In'vestmqnt]

Authors liked him because, being unimaginative, he was forced to let the plays

speak for themselves and often not being quite sure what they meant he was

obliged to listen to them.

Julia was now a rich woman. She could not but admit that Michael was as

careful of her money as of his own. He watched her investments and was as

pleased when he could sell stocks at a profit on her account as if he had made

the money for himself. He put her down for a very large salary, and was

proud to be able to say that she was the most highly paid actress in London,

but when he himself acted he never put himself down for a higher salary than

he thought the part was worth.

When he directed a play (когда он режиссировал постановку) he put down on

the expense account (он относил на расход; to put it on the expense account —

отнести расход за счет фирмы) the fee that a director of the second rank would

have received (гонорар, который получил бы второсортный режиссер). They

shared the expenses of the house (они совместно оплачивали затраты на дом; to

share the expenses — делить расходы, принять участие в расходах) and the

cost of Roger's education (и стоимость обучения: «образования» Роджера).

Roger had been entered for Eton (Роджер был записан в Итон; to enter —

входить, вступать, записывать куда-либо) within a week of his birth (в

течение недели с момента его рождения). It was impossible to deny

(невозможно было отрицать /тот факт/) that Michael was scrupulously fair and

honest (что Майкл бы безупречно справедливым и честным). When Julia

realized how much richer she was than he (когда Джулия поняла, насколько

богаче она была, чем он) she wanted to pay all these expenses herself (она

захотела оплачивать все расходы сама).

"There's no reason why you should (нет никакой причины, чтобы ты /поступала

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так/)," said Michael. "As long as I can pay my whack (пока я могу оплачивать

свою долю) I'll pay it (я буду оплачивать ее). You earn more than I do (ты

зарабатываешь больше, чем я) because you're worth more (потому, что ты

стоишь большего). I put you down for a good salary (я плачу тебе: «положил

тебе» хорошую зарплату) because you draw it (потому, что ты ее

зарабатываешь; to draw — тащить, волочить, зд. получать зарплату,

проценты)."

education ["edjV'keIS(q)n] scrupulously ['skru:pjVlqslI] honest ['OnIst]

When he directed a play he put down on the expense account the fee that a

director of the second rank would have received. They shared the expenses of

the house and the cost of Roger's education. Roger had been entered for Eton

within a week of his birth. It was impossible to deny that Michael was

scrupulously fair and honest. When Julia realized how much richer she was

than he she wanted to pay all these expenses herself.

"There's no reason why you should," said Michael. "As long as I can pay my

whack I'll pay it. You earn more than I do because you're worth more. I put

you down for a good salary because you draw it."

No one could do other than admire the self-abnegation (невозможно было не

восхищаться тем самоотречением: «никто не мог поступить иначе, кроме как

восхищаться его самоотречением») with which he sacrificed himself for her

sake (с которым он принес себя в жертву ради нее; to sacrifice —

жертвовать, приносить в жертву). Any ambition he may have had for himself

(и честолюбивые помыслы, которые он мог иметь бы /относительно себя/) he

had abandoned in order to foster her career (он забросил, только чтобы лелеять

ее карьеру). Even Dolly, who did not like him (даже Долли, которой он не

нравился), acknowledged his unselfishness (признавала его бескорыстие: «не

эгоистичность»). A sort of modesty (некоторая особая скромность) had always

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prevented Julia (не позволяла Джулии) from discussing him with Dolly

(обсуждать его с Долли), but Dolly, with her shrewdness (но Долли, благодаря

своей проницательности), had long seen (уже долгое время наблюдала) how

intensely Michael exasperated his wife (как чрезвычайно Майкл раздражал

свою жену), and now and then (и, время от времени) took the trouble to point out

(брала на себя труд указать ей) how useful he was to her (как полезен он был

для нее). Everybody praised him (все восхваляли его). A perfect husband

(идеальный: «совершеннейший» муж). It seemed to her that none but she knew

(ей казалось, что никто, кроме нее, не знает) what it was like to live with a man

(каково это — жить с человеком) who was such a monster of vanity (который

был просто чудовищно тщеславен: «был монстром тщеславия»).

self-abnegation ["selfxbnI'geIS(q)n] exasperate [Ig'zQ:spqreIt] praise [preIz]

No one could do other than admire the self-abnegation with which he

sacrificed himself for her sake. Any ambition he may have had for himself he

had abandoned in order to foster her career. Even Dolly, who did not like

him, acknowledged his unselfishness. A sort of modesty had always prevented

Julia from discussing him with Dolly, but Dolly, with her shrewdness, had

long seen how intensely Michael exasperated his wife, and now and then took

the trouble to point out how useful he was to her. Everybody praised him. A

perfect husband. It seemed to her that none but she knew what it was like to

live with a man who was such a monster of vanity.

His complacency when he had beaten an opponent at golf (его самодовольствие,

когда он обыгрывал соперника в гольф) or got the better of someone in a

business deal (или одерживал над кем-то верх в деловой сделке; to get the

better of smb. — получить преимущество перед кем-либо) was infuriating

(приводило /ее/ в бешенство). He gloried in his artfulness (он гордился своей

ловкостью). He was a bore, a crashing bore (он был зануда, невыносимый

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зануда; crashing — необыкновенный, исключительный; to crash — с грохотом

разрушать). He liked to tell Julia everything he did (он любил рассказывать

Джулии обо всем, что он делал) and every scheme that passed through his head

(и о каждом замысле, что приходил ему на ум: «проходил через голову»); it

had been charming (это было очаровательным) when merely to have him with

her was a delight (когда просто быть рядом с ним: «иметь его с собой», было

/само по себе/ источником наслаждения), but for years she had found his

prosiness intolerable (но уже многие годы, она считала его будничность

невыносимой). He could describe nothing (он не мог описать ничего) without

circumstantial detail (без самых мельчайших подробностей; circumstantial —

подробный, обстоятельный, несущественный). Nor was he only vain of his

business acumen (он гордился не только своей деловой хваткой: «не был он

только самодоволен своей деловой хваткой»); with advancing years (с

возрастом; to advance in years — стареть, быть в летах; to advance —

продвигаться вперед) he had become outrageously vain of his person (он стал

чрезвычайно самовлюбленным: «самодовольный своей персоной»).

scheme [ski:m] intolerable [In'tOl(q)rqb(q)l] circumstantial ["sq:kqm'stxnS(q)l]

acumen ['xkjVmqn]

His complacency when he had beaten an opponent at golf or got the better of

someone in a business deal was infuriating. He gloried in his artfulness. He

was a bore, a crashing bore. He liked to tell Julia everything he did and every

scheme that passed through his head; it had been charming when merely to

have him with her was a delight, but for years she had found his prosiness