Английский язык с У. С. Моэмом. Театр

"Look at my hair."

He handed her a comb and she ran it through. Then she put on her hat. He

was standing just behind her, and over her shoulder she saw his face with

those eager blue eyes and a faint smile in them.

"And I thought you were such a shy young man," she said to his reflection.

He chuckled.

"When am I going to see you again?"

"Do you want to see me again?"

"Rather."

She thought rapidly (она стремительно размышляла). It was too absurd (это

было слишком нелепым: «абсурдным»), of course she had no intention of seeing

him again (конечно же у нее не было ни малейшего намерения видеть его

снова), it was stupid of her (было глупо с ее стороны) to have let him behave like

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that (позволить ему вести себя таким образом), but it was just as well to

temporize (но все-таки, пожалуй, лучше было потянуть время; to temporize —

выжидать, медлить, пытаться выиграть время). He might be tiresome (он

мог бы стать навязчивым) if she told him (если бы она сказала ему) that the

incident would have no sequel (что подобное больше не повториться; incident

— случай, происшествие, эпизод; sequel — результат, следствие,

продолжение /напр. книги/).

"I'll ring up one of these days (я позвоню на днях: «в один из дней»)."

"Swear (поклянись)."

"On my honour (честное слово)."

"Don't be too long (не тяни; long — долго, длительно, долгое время)."

He insisted on coming down stairs with her (он настоял на том, чтобы

спуститься /по лестнице/ вниз с ней) and putting her into a cab (и посадить ее в

такси). She had wanted to go down alone (она хотела спуститься в

одиночестве), so that she could have a look at the cards (чтобы взглянуть на

карточки) attached to the bells on the lintel (прикрепленным к звонкам у

входной двери; lintel — перемычка окна или двери, притолока).

"Damn it all (черт побери), I ought at least to know his name (я должна, по

крайней мере, знать его имя)."

absurd [qb'sq:d] tiresome ['taIqsqm] damn [dxm]

She thought rapidly. It was too absurd, of course she had no intention of

seeing him again, it was stupid of her to have let him behave like that, but it

was just as well to temporize. He might be tiresome if she told him that the

incident would have no sequel.

"I'll ring up one of these days."

"Swear."

"On my honour."

"Don't be too long."

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304

He insisted on coming down stairs with her and putting her into a cab. She

had wanted to go down alone, so that she could have a look at the cards

attached to the bells on the lintel.

"Damn it all, I ought at least to know his name."

But he gave her no chance (но он не оставил ей шанса). When the taxi drove off

(когда такси отъехало) she sank into one corner of it (она забилась в один из

углов /заднего сиденья/; to sink (sank, sunk) — тонуть, утопать,

погружаться) and gurgled with laughter (и залилась смехом).

"Raped, my dear (изнасилована, моя дорогая). Practically raped (практически

изнасилована). At my time of life (в моем то возрасте). And without so much as

by your leave (и даже не извинился; by your leave — извинение сделанное за

что-либо, сделанное без спроса). Treated me like a tart (обращался со мной как

со шлюхой; tart — фруктовое пирожное; сленг. уличная девка). Eighteenth-

century comedy (комедия восемнадцатого века), that's what it is (вот что это

такое). I might have been a waiting-maid (я могла бы быть горничной). In a

hoop (в /платье/ с кринолином; hoop — обод, обруч), with those funny puffy

things (с теми смешными пышными штуковинами) — what the devil are they

called (как же, черт возьми, они называются)? — that they wore to emphasize

their hips (те, которые они носили, чтобы подчеркнуть бедра), an apron and a

scarf round me neck (в фартуке и с шарфиком на шее)."

gurgle ['gq:g(q)l] rape [reIp] puffy ['pAfI] emphasize ['emfqsaIz]

But he gave her no chance. When the taxi drove off she sank into one corner

of it and gurgled with laughter.

"Raped, my dear. Practically raped. At my time of life. And without so much

as by your leave. Treated me like a tart. Eighteenth-century comedy, that's