Английский язык с У. С. Моэмом. Театр

спектакля) that she was reminded of a notion that she had first had in St. Malo

(что ей напомнило о той идее, которая пришла ей в голову впервые в Сен-

Мало). The agony that she had suffered when Tom deserted her (те муки,

которые она испытывала, когда Том бросил ее) recalled to her memory Racine's

Phиdre (вызвал в ее памяти «Федру» Расина) which she had studied as a girl

with old Jane Taitbout (которую она изучила, когда была девочкой, со старой

Жанной Тэбу). She read the play again (она перечитала пьесу снова). The

torments that afflicted Theseus' queen were the torments that afflicted her (те

самые муки, что приводили в отчаяние жену: «королеву» Тезея, были теми

же самыми муками, что привели ее в отчаяние), and she could not but think (и

она не могла не думать) that there was a striking similarity in their situations (что

была некая поразительная схожесть в их ситуациях). That was a part she could

act (это была роль, которую она могла сыграть); she knew what it felt like to be

turned down by a young man one had a fancy for (она знала, как это

/почувствовать/, что ты отвергнута молодым человеком, в которого

влюблена).

remind [rI'maInd] torment ['tO:ment] afflict [q'flIkt] similarity ["sImI'lxrItI]

It would certainly be useful to her one of these days. The sight of the dancers seen

through the archway was so much like a scene in a play that she was reminded of a

notion that she had first had in St. Malo. The agony that she had suffered when

Tom deserted her recalled to her memory Racine's Phиdre which she had studied

as a girl with old Jane Taitbout. She read the play again. The torments that afflicted

Theseus' queen were the torments that afflicted her, and she could not but think

that there was a striking similarity in their situations. That was a part she could act;

she knew what it felt like to be turned down by a young man one had a fancy for.

Gosh (ей-богу), what a performance she could give (какую игру может она

Мультиязыковой проект Ильи Франка www.franklang.ru

858

показать)! She knew why in the spring she had acted so badly (она знала отчего

весной она играла настолько плохо) that Michael had preferred to close down

(что Майкл предпочел закрыть /спектакль/); it was because she was feeling the

emotions she portrayed (это было из-за того, что она чувствовала все те

эмоции, что она изображала). That was no good (а это ни куда не годится).

You had to have had the emotions (ты должен испытать эти эмоции), but you

could only play them when you had got over them (но ты сможешь сыграть их

только тогда, когда ты преодолел их). She remembered that Charles had once

said to her (она вспомнила, что однажды Чарльз сказал ей) that the origin of

poetry was emotion recollected in tranquillity (что источник поэзии — в

эмоциях, о которых вспоминаешь в спокойствии). She didn't know anything

about poetry (она ничего не знала о поэзии), but it was certainly true about

acting (но это было определенно правдой в отношении актерской игры).

origin ['OrIdZIn] tranquillity [trxN'kwIlItI] poetry ['pqVItrI]

Gosh, what a performance she could give! She knew why in the spring she had

acted so badly that Michael had preferred to close down; it was because she was

feeling the emotions she portrayed. That was no good. You had to have had the

emotions, but you could only play them when you had got over them. She

remembered that Charles had once said to her that the origin of poetry was emotion

recollected in tranquillity. She didn't know anything about poetry, but it was

certainly true about acting.

"Clever of poor old Charles (умно со стороны старого бедного Чарльза) to get

hold of an original idea like that (додуматься до такой оригинальной идеи; to

get hold of smth. — ухватить, добыть, завладеть, узнать что-либо). It shows

how wrong it is to judge people hastily (это показывает, как неверно судить о

людях опрометчиво). One thinks the aristocracy are a bunch of nitwits (принято

думать, что аристократия — это кучка кретинов), and then one of them

Мультиязыковой проект Ильи Франка www.franklang.ru

859

suddenly comes out with something like that (и затем, один из них выступает с

какой-нибудь /идеей/ вроде этого) that's so damned good it takes your breath

away (которая настолько чертовски хороша, что у тебя даже дух

захватывает)."

But Julia had always felt that Racine had made a great mistake (но Джулия всегда

чувствовала, что Расин допустил большую ошибку) in not bringing on his

heroine till the third act (не выпуская: «не вводя» свою героиню /на сцену/ до

третьего акта).

"Of course I wouldn't have any nonsense like that if I played it (конечно же, я бы

не потерпела такой ерунды, если бы я играла в этом /спектакле/). Half an act

to prepare my entrance if you like, but that's ample (половина акта, чтобы

подготовить мой выход, если вам так угодно, но и этого более чем

достаточно; ample — просторный, обширный)."

judge [dZAdZ] aristocracy ["xrI'stOkrqsI] nitwit ['nIt"wIt] heroine ['herqVIn]