Английский язык с У. С. Моэмом. Театр - Илья Франк

thrown) — бросать, кидать). "By God, what a performance you gave (ей-богу,

как ты играла: «какое представление ты дала»)."

"You weren't so bad yourself, dear (ты и сам-то был не плох, дорогой)."

"That's the sort of part I can play on my head (такие роли: «этот сорт ролей» я

могу играть с закрытыми глазами; to do smth. on one's own head — сделать

что-либо с легкостью, без труда)," he answered carelessly, modest as usual

about his own acting (ответил он беспечно, скромно /оценивая/, как обычно,

свою собственную игру).

"Did you hear them during your long speech (ты слышала их во время твоей

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долгой речи)? That ought to knock the critics (это должно сразить критиков; to

knock — стучать, бить, сбивать)."

"Oh, you know what they are (о, ты же знаешь, какие они). They'll give all their

attention to the blasted play (они уделят все свое внимание этой чертовой

пьесе) and then three lines at the end to me (и затем, три строчки в конце —

мне)."

"You're the greatest actress in the world, darling (ты величайшая актриса в мире,

дорогая), but by God, you're a bitch (но, Бог ты мой, ну ты и сука)."

undertone ['AndqtqVn] critic ['krItIk] blasted ['blQ:stId]

The whole cast had been excellent with the exception of Avice Crichton. Julia

hummed in an undertone as she went into her dressing-room.

Michael followed her in almost at once. "It looks like a winner all right." He threw

his arms round her and kissed her. "By God, what a performance you gave."

"You weren't so bad yourself, dear."

"That's the sort of part I can play on my head," he answered carelessly, modest as

usual about his own acting. "Did you hear them during your long speech? That

ought to knock the critics."

"Oh, you know what they are. They'll give all their attention to the blasted play and

then three lines at the end to me."

"You're the greatest actress in the world, darling, but by God, you're a bitch."

Julia opened her eyes very wide (Джулия распахнула: «открыла» /свои/ глаза

очень широко) in an expression of the most naive surprise (с выражением

самого наивного удивления).

"Michael, what do you mean (Майкл, что ты имеешь в виду)?"

"Don't look so innocent (не изображай невинность: «не выгляди такой

невинной»; to look — смотреть, глядеть, иметь вид). You know perfectly well

(ты знаешь очень хорошо). Do you think you can cod an old trooper like me

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(неужели ты думаешь, что ты можешь одурачить такого старого вояку, как я;

trooper — танкист, кавалерист, солдат-десантник)?"

He was looking at her with twinkling eyes (он смотрел на нее /со/ сверкающими

глазами), and it was very difficult for her not to burst out laughing (и ей было

очень трудно не расхохотаться).

"I am as innocent as a babe unborn (я также невинна, как сущий младенец:

«еще не рожденный младенец»)."

"Come off it (да брось). If anyone ever deliberately killed a performance you

killed Avice's (если кто-нибудь когда-нибудь намеренно погубил чье-либо

выступление, как ты погубила /выступление/ Эвис; to kill — убить, погубить;

провалить, помешать успеху). I couldn't be angry with you (я не могу

сердиться на тебя), it was so beautifully done (это было так красиво сделано)."

naive [nQ:'i:v] innocent ['Inqs(q)nt] unborn ["An'bO:n]

Julia opened her eyes very wide in an expression of the most naive surprise.

"Michael, what do you mean?"

"Don't look so innocent. You know perfectly well. Do you think you can cod an

old trooper like me?"

He was looking at her with twinkling eyes, and it was very difficult for her not to

burst out laughing. "I am as innocent as a babe unborn."

"Come off it. If anyone ever deliberately killed a performance you killed Avice's. I

couldn't be angry with you, it was so beautifully done."

Now Julia simply could not conceal the little smile that curled her lips (теперь

Джулия просто не смогла скрыть легкой улыбки, что скривила ее губы).

Praise is always grateful to the artist (похвала всегда приятна артисту). Avice's

one big scene was in the second act (самая большая сцена Эвис была во втором

акте). It was with Julia (она /сцена/ была вместе с Джулией), and Michael had

rehearsed it so as to give it all to the girl (и Майкл репетировал ее так, что бы

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отдать ее /сцену/ полностью девушке). This was indeed what the play demanded

(это было как раз то, что требовалось по пьесе) and Julia, as always, had in

rehearsals accepted his direction (и Джулия, как всегда, на репетициях

принимала /все/ его указания). To bring out the colour of her blue eyes (чтобы

подчеркнуть цвет ее голубых глаз; to bring out — зд. выявлять,

обнаруживать) and to emphasize her fair hair (и акцентировать:

«подчеркнуть» ее белокурые волосы) they had dressed Avice in pale blue (они

одели Эвис в бледно голубое /платье/). To contrast with this Julia had chosen a

dress of an agreeable yellow (для контраста /с этим/ Джулия выбрала платье

подходящего желтого /цвета/).

praise [preIz] emphasize ['emfqsaIz] agreeable [q'gri:qb(q)l]

Now Julia simply could not conceal the little smile that curled her lips. Praise is

always grateful to the artist. Avice's one big scene was in the second act. It was

with Julia, and Michael had rehearsed it so as to give it all to the girl. This was

indeed what the play demanded and Julia, as always, had in rehearsals accepted his

direction. To bring out the colour of her blue eyes and to emphasize her fair hair

they had dressed Avice in pale blue. To contrast with this Julia had chosen a dress

of an agreeable yellow.

This she had worn at the dress rehearsal (именно в этом платье она была: «это

платье она носила» на генеральной репетиции). But she had ordered another

dress at the same time (но она заказала другое платье, в то же самое время), of

sparkling silver (сверкающего серебряного цвета), and to the surprise of Michael

(и к удивлению Майкла) and the consternation of Avice (и к ужасу Эвис) it was

in this that she made her entrance in the second act (именно в этом /платье/ она

появилась: «осуществила свой выход» во втором акте). Its brilliance (его

блеск), the way it took the light (то, как свет играл на нем: «то, как оно

светилось»), attracted the attention of the audience (привлекло внимание

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публики). Avice's blue looked drab by comparison (голубое платье Эвис

выглядело грязно-серым по сравнению /с платьем Джулии/). When they

reached the important scene they were to have together (когда они дошли до

важной сцены, которую они играли вместе: «которая у них была вместе»)

Julia produced, as a conjurer produces a rabbit from his hat (Джулия извлекла,

как фокусник извлекает кролика из шляпы; to produce — предъявлять,

создавать, производить), a large handkerchief of scarlet chiffon (большой

/носовой/ платок из алого шифона) and with this she played (и с ним она

играла). She waved it (она помахивала им), she spread it out as though to look at

it (она расправляла его, как будто бы для того, чтобы взглянуть на него), she

screwed it up (она скручивала его), she wiped her brow with it (она

прикладывала его ко лбу: «вытирала свой лоб»; brow — бровь; лоб, чело), she

delicately blew her nose (она деликатно сморкалась; to blow (blew, blown) —

дуть, развевать, продувать, прочищать).

sparkling ['spQ:klIN] consternation ["kOnstq'neIS(q)n]

comparison [kqm'pxrIs(q)n] conjurer ['kAndZqrq]

This she had worn at the dress rehearsal. But she had ordered another dress at the

same time, of sparkling silver, and to the surprise of Michael and the consternation

of Avice it was in this that she made her entrance in the second act. Its brilliance,

the way it took the light, attracted the attention of the audience. Avice's blue

looked drab by comparison. When they reached the important scene they were to

have together Julia produced, as a conjurer produces a rabbit from his hat, a large

handkerchief of scarlet chiffon and with this she played. She waved it, she spread it

out as though to look at it, she screwed it up, she wiped her brow with it, she

delicately blew her nose.

The audience fascinated (плененная публика) could not take their eyes away from

the red rag (не могла отвести глаз от красного лоскута; rag — тряпка, отрез

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ткани). And she moved up stage so (и она ушла в глубину сцены; to move up —

пододвинуться, продвинуться) that Avice to speak to her (так, что Эвис, чтобы

говорить с ней) had to turn her back on the audience (была вынуждена

повернуться спиной к публике), and when they were sitting on a sofa together

(и, когда они сидели на диване вместе) she took her hand (она взяла ее за

руку), in an impulsive way that seemed to the public exquisitely natural (так

импульсивно, что показалось публике изысканно естественным), and sitting

well back herself (и, сама сидя откинувшись назад) forced Avice to turn her

profile to the house (вынудила Эвис повернуться профилем ко зрителям). Julia

had noticed early in rehearsals (Джулия заметила еще раньше, на репетициях)

that in profile Avice had a sheep-like look (что в профиль Эвис напоминает

овцу).

fascinate ['fxsIneIt] impulsive [Im'pAlsIv] exquisite [Ik'skwIzIt]

The audience fascinated could not take their eyes away from the red rag. And she

moved up stage so that Avice to speak to her had to turn her back on the audience,

and when they were sitting on a sofa together she took her hand, in an impulsive

way that seemed to the public exquisitely natural, and sitting well back herself

forced Avice to turn her profile to the house. Julia had noticed early in rehearsals

that in profile Avice had a sheep-like look.

The author had given Avice lines to say (автор дал /героине/ Эвис такие строки

/для произнесения/) that had so much amused the cast at the first rehearsal

(которые настолько сильно развеселили актерский состав на первых

репетициях) that they had all burst out laughing (что они все разражались

смехом). Before the audience had quite realized how funny they were (до того,

как публика вполне осознала, насколько забавны они были) Julia had cut in