Английский язык с У. С. Моэмом. Театр

While they waited for it she maintained a bright flow of conversation. He scarcely

answered. He looked anxiously at the door. And when the coffee came she drank it

with maddening deliberation. By the time they got in the car he was in a state of

cold fury and he stared silently in front of him with a sulky pout on his mouth.

Julia was not dissatisfied with herself. They reached the theatre two minutes before

the curtain rose and as Julia appeared there was a burst of clapping from the

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audience. Julia, apologizing to the people she disturbed, threaded her way to her

seat in the middle of the stalls. Her faint smile acknowledged the applause that

greeted her beautifully timed entrance, but her downcast eyes modestly disclaimed

that it could have any connexion with her.

The curtain went up (занавес поднялся) and after a short scene (и, после

короткой сцены) two girls came in (вышли две девушки), one very pretty and

young (одна — очень хорошенькая и молодая), the other much older and plain

(и другая — гораздо старше и некрасивая; plain — явный, простой, обычный;

невзрачный). In a minute Julia turned to Tom and whispered (через минуту

Джулия повернулась к Тому и прошептала):

"Which is Avice Crichton, the young one or the old one (которая Эвис Крайтон,

молодая или старая)?"

"The young one (молодая)."

"Oh, of course, you said she was fair, didn't you (о, конечно, ты же сказал, что

она белокурая, не так ли)?"

She gave his face a glance (она взглянула на его лицо). He had lost his sulky

look (он избавился от своего надутого выражения; sulky — надутый,

угрюмый); a happy smile played on his lips (счастливая улыбка играла на его

губах). Julia turned her attention to the stage (Джулия обратила: «повернула»

свое внимание на сцену). Avice Crichton was very pretty (Эвис Крайтон была

очень хорошенькая), no one could deny that (никто не мог этого отрицать),

with lovely golden hair (с очаровательными золотистыми волосами), fine blue

eyes (прекрасными голубыми глазами) and a little straight nose (и небольшим

прямым носиком); but it was a type that Julia did not care for (но это был такой

тип, который совершенно не интересовал Джулию).

"Insipid (неинтересная)," she said to herself (сказала она про себя). "Chorus-

girly (похожа на хористку)."

scene [si:n] whisper ['wIspq] glance [glQ:ns] insipid [In'sIpId]

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586

The curtain went up and after a short scene two girls came in, one very pretty and

young, the other much older and plain. In a minute Julia turned to Tom and

whispered:

"Which is Avice Crichton, the young one or the old one?"

"The young one."

"Oh, of course, you said she was fair, didn't you?"

She gave his face a glance. He had lost his sulky look; a happy smile played on his

lips. Julia turned her attention to the stage. Avice Crichton was very pretty, no one

could deny that, with lovely golden hair, fine blue eyes and a little straight nose;

but it was a type that Julia did not care for.

"Insipid," she said to herself. "Chorus-girly."

She watched her performance for a few minutes (она наблюдала за ее игрой

несколько минут). She watched intently (она наблюдала тщательно), then she

leant back in her stall with a little sigh (затем она откинулась в своем кресле, с

легким вздохом; stall — стойло, ларек, прилавок, stalls — /театр./ кресла

партера).

"She can't act for toffee (она совершенно не умеет играть; toffee — тоффи,

конфета типа ириса)," she decided (решила она).

When the curtain fell (когда занавес упал) Tom turned to her eagerly (Том

повернулся к ней с нетерпением). He had completely got over his bad temper

(он совершенно избавился от своего плохого настроения; to get over —

закончить что-либо, разделаться с чем-либо).

"What do you think of her (что ты думаешь о ней)?"

"She's as pretty as a picture (она хорошенькая, как картинка)."

"I know that (я знаю это). But her acting (но ее игра). Don't you think she's good

(ты не думаешь, что она хороша)?"

"Yes, clever (да, талантлива)."

"I wish you'd come round and tell her that yourself (я хотел бы, чтобы ты зашла

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и сказала ей об этом сама). It would buck her up tremendously (это

чрезвычайно подбодрит ее; to buck up — встряхнуться, оживиться)."

"I (я)?"

intently [In'tentlI] toffee ['tOfI] yourself [jq'self]

She watched her performance for a few minutes. She watched intently, then she

leant back in her stall with a little sigh.