Английский язык с У. С. Моэмом. Театр

might be allowed to sit with her (так это /разрешение/, что ему было бы

позволено посидеть с ней) and smoke a cigarette or two (и выкурить сигарету

или парочку) till she wanted to go to bed (до тех пор, пока она не захочет

прилечь отдохнуть: «лечь спать»). She could hardly refuse him that (он вряд ли

могла отказать ему в этом).

privilege ['prIvIlIdZ] trifling ['traIflIN] refuse [rI'fju:z]

Julia continued to protest, but not too much. It was terribly sweet of him. She didn't

know how to thank him. He would not even let her pay for the sleeper. He begged

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her, almost with tears in his eyes, to let him have the great privilege of making her

that trifling present. She had with her only a dressing-bag, in which were her face

creams, her night-dress and her toilet things, and this he put on the table for her.

All he asked was that he might be allowed to sit with her and smoke a cigarette or

two till she wanted to go to bed. She could hardly refuse him that.

The bed was already made up (постель уже была разложена) and they sat down

on it (и они присели на нее). In a few minutes (через несколько минут) the

conductor came back with a bottle of champagne and a couple of glasses

(вернулся проводник с бутылкой шампанского и парой бокалов). It was an

odd little adventure (это было небольшим необычным приключением; odd —

нечетный; случайный, странный) and Julia was enjoying it (и Джулия

получала удовольствие /от него/). It was wonderfully polite of him, all that (это

было необычайно учтиво с его стороны, все это), ah, those foreigners (о, эти

иностранцы), they knew how to treat a great actress (они знали, как вести себя с

великой актрисой; to treat smb — обращаться, обходиться). Of course that

was the sort of thing (конечно же, именно это: «этот сорт вещей, такие вещи»)

that happened to Bernhardt every day (случалось с /Сарой/ Бернар каждый

день). And Siddons (а Сиддонс), when she went into a drawing-room (когда она

входила в гостиную) everyone stood up as though she were royalty (все

вставали, как если бы она была членом королевской семьи). He complimented

her on her beautiful French (он сделал ей комплимент по поводу ее

прекрасного французского). Born in Jersey and educated in France (родилась на

Джерси и получила образование во Франции; to educate — обучать, давать

образование, воспитывать)? Ah, that explained it (о, тогда понятно: «то

объясняет это»). But why hadn't she chosen to act in French (но почему же она

выбрала актерскую карьеру не во Франции: «играть не на французском

языке») rather than in English (а в Англии: «а на английском языке»)? She

would have as great a reputation as Duse (она бы приобрела такую же великую

славу, как Дузе) if she had (если бы она /выбрала французскую сцену/). She

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reminded him of Duse (она напоминала ему Дузе), the same magnificent eyes

and the pale skin (те же самые великолепные глаза и бледная кожа), and in her

acting (и в ее актерской игре) the same emotion (та же самая эмоциональность)

and the wonderful naturalness (и удивительная естественность).

champagne [Sxm'peIn] adventure [qd'ventSq] royalty['rOIqltI]

naturalness ['nxtS(q)rqlnIs]

The bed was already made up and they sat down on it. In a few minutes the

conductor came back with a bottle of champagne and a couple of glasses. It was an

odd little adventure and Julia was enjoying it. It was wonderfully polite of him, all

that, ah, those foreigners, they knew how to treat a great actress. Of course that was

the sort of thing that happened to Bernhardt every day. And Siddons, when she

went into a drawing-room everyone stood up as though she were royalty. He

complimented her on her beautiful French. Born in Jersey and educated in France?

Ah, that explained it. But why hadn't she chosen to act in French rather than in

English? She would have as great a reputation as Duse if she had. She reminded

him of Duse, the same magnificent eyes and the pale skin, and in her acting the

same emotion and the wonderful naturalness.

They half finished the bottle of champagne (они выпили наполовину:

«наполовину прикончили» бутылку шампанского) and Julia realized that it was

very late (и Джулия поняла, что было уже очень поздно).

"I really think I ought to go to bed now (я действительно думаю, что мне

следует уже лечь спать)."

"I'll leave you (я оставлю вас /одну/)."

He got up and kissed her hand (он поднялся и поцеловал ее руку). When he was

gone (когда он ушел) Julia bolted the door (Джулия закрыла дверь на

задвижку) and undressed (и разделась). Putting out all the lights (выключив все

лампы) except the one just behind her head (за исключением одной, прямо над