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

and the books he read. He was tenderly allusive and playfully erudite. He

philosophized without pedantry. He told her that he adored her. They were the

most beautiful love-letters Julia had ever received and for the sake of posterity she

made up her mind to keep them. One day perhaps someone would publish them

and people would go to the National Portrait Gallery and look at her portrait, the

one McEvoy had painted, and sigh when they thought of the sad, romantic love-

story of which she had been the heroine.

Charles had been wonderful to her during the first two weeks of her bereavement

(Чарльз был удивительным /по отношению/ к ней во время первых двух

недель с момента ее ужасной потери), she did not know what she would have

done without him (она не знала, что бы она делала без него). He had always

been at her beck and call (он всегда был всецело в ее распоряжении; to be at

smb.'s beck and call — быть у кого-либо на побегушках, beck — мановение,

сигнал рукой или головой ). His conversation, by taking her into a different world,

had soothed her nerves (его беседа, унося: «забирая» ее в другой мир,

успокоила ее нервы). Her soul had been muddied (ее душа была запачкана; mud

— грязь, слякоть ), and in his distinction of spirit (и в его духовной

исключительности) she had washed herself clean (она очистилась: «отмылась

начисто»). It had rested her wonderfully (ее это удивительно успокоило; to rest

— отдыхать, покоиться, быть спокойным ) to wander about the galleries with

him and look at pictures (бродить по галереям с ним и смотреть на картины).

She had good reason to be grateful to him (у нее была веская: «хорошая»

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причина /для того/, чтобы быть благодарной ему). She thought of all the years

he had loved her (она подумала о всех тех годах, что он любил ее). He had

waited for her now for more than twenty years (теперь он ждал ее уже более

двадцати лет). She had not been very kind to him (она была не очень-то добра к

нему). It would have given him so much happiness to possess her (ему бы

доставило: «это бы доставило ему» так много счастья — обладать ей) and

really it would not have hurt her (и, в действительности, это совсем бы не

навредило ей; to hurt — причинять боль, ранить, причинить вред ).

soothe [su:D] reason ['ri:z(q)n] happiness ['hxpInIs]

Charles had been wonderful to her during the first two weeks of her bereavement,

she did not know what she would have done without him. He had always been at

her beck and call. His conversation, by taking her into a different world, had

soothed her nerves. Her soul had been muddied, and in his distinction of spirit she

had washed herself clean. It had rested her wonderfully to wander about the

galleries with him and look at pictures. She had good reason to be grateful to him.

She thought of all the years he had loved her. He had waited for her now for more

than twenty years. She had not been very kind to him. It would have given him so

much happiness to possess her and really it would not have hurt her.

She wondered why she had resisted him so long (она размышляла, почему же

она сопротивлялась ему так долго). Perhaps because he was so faithful

(возможно, потому что он был таким преданным), because his devotion was so

humble (из-за того, что его преданность была такой застенчивой; humble —

смиренный, скромный, непритязательный ), perhaps only because she wanted to

preserve in his mind the ideal that he had of her (возможно, только из-за того,

что ей хотелось сохранить в его голове тот идеальный образ, каким он ее

представлял: «что он имел о ней»). It was stupid really and she had been selfish

(в действительности это было глупым, и она была эгоистичной). It occurred to

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her with exultation (ей пришла в голову мысль, с ликованием) that she could at

last reward him for all his tenderness (что она может, наконец-то, вознаградить

его за всю его нежность), his patience and his selflessness (его терпение и его

самоотверженность). She had not lost the sense of unworthiness (она еще не

утратила чувство никчемности; unworthiness — низость, недостойность,

отсутствие ценности ) which Michael's great kindness had aroused in her

(которое великодушие Майкла вызвало в ней; to arouse — будить,

возбуждать ), and she was remorseful still (и она до сих пор была полна

раскаяния; remorse — угрызения совести ) because she had been for so long

impatient of him (из-за того, что она долгие годы относилась к нему с

раздражением; to be impatient of smb. — относиться к кому-либо нетерпимо,

с

беспокойством ).

The

desire

for

self-sacrifice

(желание

к

самопожертвованию) with which she left England (с которым она оставляла

Англию) burnt still in her breast with an eager flame (пылало все еще в ее груди

нетерпеливым пламенем; to burn (burnt, burned) — жечь, сжигать, гореть ).

faithful ['feITf(q)l] preserve [prI'zq:v] exultation ["egzAl'teIS(q)n]

She wondered why she had resisted him so long. Perhaps because he was so

faithful, because his devotion was so humble, perhaps only because she wanted to

preserve in his mind the ideal that he had of her. It was stupid really and she had

been selfish. It occurred to her with exultation that she could at last reward him for

all his tenderness, his patience and his selflessness. She had not lost the sense of

unworthiness which Michael's great kindness had aroused in her, and she was

remorseful still because she had been for so long impatient of him. The desire for

self-sacrifice with which she left England burnt still in her breast with an eager

flame.

She felt that Charles was a worthy object for its exercise (она чувствовала, что

Чарльз был стоящим объектом для его проявления; exercise — упражнение,

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осуществление, применение ). She laughed a little, kindly and compassionately

(она легко рассмеялась, по-доброму и с сочувствием), as she thought of his

amazement when he understood what she intended (когда она подумала о его

изумлении, когда он поймет, что она намеревается /сделать/); for a moment he

would hardly be able to believe it (на какое-то мгновение он с трудом сможет

поверить в это; to be able to do smth — мочь, быть в состоянии сделать что-

либо ), and then what rapture, then what ecstasy (и затем — какой восторг, затем

— какой экстаз)! The love that he had held banked up for so many years (та

любовь, что он сдерживал: «держал запруженной» так много лет) would burst

its sluices like a great torrent (прорвет /свои/ шлюзы, как сильный

стремительный поток) and in a flood overwhelm her (и как наводнение:

«потоком» нахлынет на нее; to overwhelm — преодолеть, овладевать,

заливать ). Her heart swelled at the thought of his infinite gratitude (ее сердце

переполнилось чувствами от мысли о его бесконечной благодарности; to

swell — надуваться, увеличиваться ). But still he could hardly believe in his

good fortune (но все еще он с трудом верит в свою счастливую: «добрую»

удачу); and when it was all over (и, когда все будет кончено) and she lay in his

arms (и она будет лежать в его объятиях) she would nestle up to him and

whisper tenderly (она прижмется к нему и прошепчет нежно):

"Was it worth waiting for (этого стоило ждать)?"

"Like Helen, you make me immortal with a kiss (как Елена, ты сделала меня

бессмертным /своим/ поцелуем)."

object ['ObdZekt, -Ikt] gratitude ['grxtItju:d] fortune ['fO:tS(q)n]

She felt that Charles was a worthy object for its exercise. She laughed a little,

kindly and compassionately, as she thought of his amazement when he understood

what she intended; for a moment he would hardly be able to believe it, and then

what rapture, then what ecstasy! The love that he had held banked up for so many

years would burst its sluices like a great torrent and in a flood overwhelm her. Her

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heart swelled at the thought of his infinite gratitude. But still he could hardly

believe in his good fortune; and when it was all over and she lay in his arms she

would nestle up to him and whisper tenderly:

"Was it worth waiting for?"

"Like Helen, you make me immortal with a kiss."

It was wonderful to be able to give so much happiness to a human being (это было

так чудесно — иметь возможность дать столько счастья человеку: