Английский язык с У. С. Моэмом. Театр

they did Mrs. Alving in Ghosts trying to seduce Pastor Manders. They finished

with a performance that they had given often enough before at theatrical parties to

enable them to do it with effect. This was a Chekhov play in English, but in

moments of passion breaking into something that sounded exactly like Russian.

Julia exercised all her great gift for tragedy, but underlined it with a farcical

emphasis, so that the effect was incredibly funny. She put into her performance the

real anguish of her heart, and with her lively sense of the ridiculous made a mock

of it.

The audience rolled about in their chairs (публика покатывалась /со смеху/ в

креслах; to roll — катить, вертеть); they held their sides (они держались за

бока), they groaned in an agony of laughter (они стонали от неудержимого

смеха: «агонии смеха»). Perhaps Julia had never acted better (возможно,

Джулия никогда не играла лучше). She was acting for Tom and for him alone

(она играла для Тома и только для него одного).

"I've seen Bernhardt and Rejane (я видел Бернар и Режан)," said the Chancellor

(сказал канцлер /казначейства/); "I've seen Duse and Ellen Terry and Mrs.

Kendal (я видел Дузе и Эллен Терри и миссис Кендал). Nunc dimittis (теперь я

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могу спокойно уйти = умереть; Nunc dimittis — /лат./ ныне отпущаеши)."

Julia, radiant, sank back into a chair (Джулия, сияющая, опустилась в кресло)

and swallowed at a draught a glass of champagne (и осушила залпом бокал

шампанского; to swallow — глотать).

"If I haven't cooked Roger's goose I'll eat my hat (если я не испортила Роджеру

обедню: «не расправилась с Роджером», то я съем свою шляпу)," she thought

(думала она).

radiant ['reIdIqnt] draught [drQ:ft]

The audience rolled about in their chairs; they held their sides, they groaned in an

agony of laughter. Perhaps Julia had never acted better. She was acting for Tom

and for him alone.

"I've seen Bernhardt and Rejane," said the Chancellor; "I've seen Duse and Ellen

Terry and Mrs. Kendal. Nunc dimittis."

Julia, radiant, sank back into a chair and swallowed at a draught a glass of

champagne.

"If I haven't cooked Roger's goose I'll eat my hat," she thought.

But for all that (и все же, несмотря на все это) the two lads had gone to play golf

(молодые люди: «двое молодых людей» ушли играть в гольф) when she came

downstairs next morning (когда она спустилась вниз на следующее утро).

Michael had taken the Dennorants up to town (Майкл уже повез Деннорантов в

город). Julia was tired (Джулия чувствовала усталость: «была усталой»). She

found it an effort to be bright and chatty (ей потребовалось приложить усилия,

чтобы быть веселой и разговорчивой) when Tom and Roger came in to lunch

(когда Том и Роджер вернулись: «вошли» к ланчу). In the afternoon the three of

them went on the river (днем, /они/ все втроем пошли к реке), but Julia had the

feeling that they took her (но у Джулии было такое чувство, что они взяли ее),

not because they much wanted to (не потому, что очень этого хотели), but

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because they could not help it (а потому, что не могли этого избежать). She

stifled a sigh when she reflected (она подавила вздох, когда вспоминала:

«размышляла») how much she had looked forward to Tom's holiday (как сильно

она ожидала отпуска Тома). Now she was counting the days that must pass

(теперь она считала дни, которые должны пройти) till it ended (пока он не

закончится).

downstairs ["daVn'steqz] chatty ['tSxtI] stifle ['staIf(q)l]

But for all that the two lads had gone to play golf when she came downstairs next

morning. Michael had taken the Dennorants up to town. Julia was tired. She found

it an effort to be bright and chatty when Tom and Roger came in to lunch. In the

afternoon the three of them went on the river, but Julia had the feeling that they

took her, not because they much wanted to, but because they could not help it. She

stifled a sigh when she reflected how much she had looked forward to Tom's

holiday. Now she was counting the days that must pass till it ended.

She drew a deep breath of relief (она с облегчением вздохнула; to draw a (deep)

breath — сделать глубокий вдох) when she got into the car to go to London

(когда села в машину, чтобы ехать в Лондон). She was not angry with Tom

(она не сердилась на Тома), but deeply hurt (но была глубоко обижена); she

was exasperated with herself (она была вне себя от раздражения; exasperated —

раздраженный, выведенный из себя) because she had so lost control over her

feelings (потому что она настолько потеряла контроль над своими

чувствами). But when she got into the theatre (но, когда она вошла в театр) she

felt that she shook off the obsession of him (она почувствовала, что стряхнула /с