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

потерять, упустить из виду ) and accept the chain (и примет оковы: «цепь»). It

may be that he'll find what he's looking for (возможно, он найдет что он ищет),

if not in God, then in art (если не в Боге, так в искусстве)."

absurdity [qb'sq:dItI, qb'zq:dItI] adolescence ["xdq'les(q)ns] cloud [klaVd]

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"It's hard not to be impatient with the absurdity of the young; they tell us that two

and two make four as though it had never occurred to us, and they're disappointed

if we can't share their surprise when they have just discovered that a hen lays an

egg. There's a lot of nonsense in their ranting and raving, but it's not all nonsense.

One ought to sympathize with them; one ought to do one's best to understand. One

has to remember how much has to be forgotten and how much has to be learnt

when for the first time one faces life. It's not very easy to give up one's ideals, and

the brute facts of every day are bitter pills to swallow. The spiritual conflicts of

adolescence can be very severe and one can do so little to resolve them. It may be

that in a year or two he'll lose sight of the clouds of glory and accept the chain. It

may be that he'll find what he's looking for, if not in God, then in art."

"I should hate him to be an actor (я бы очень не хотела, чтобы он стал актером;

to hate — ненавидеть, очень сожалеть ) if that's what you mean (если ты это

имеешь в виду)."

"No, I don't think he'll fancy that (нет, я не думаю, что ему это понравится)."

"And of course he can't be a playwright (и, конечно, он не может быть

драматургом), he hasn't a sense of humour (у него нет чувства юмора)."

"I dare say he'll be quite content to go into the Foreign Office (я полагаю, он был

бы доволен, пойди он /на работу/ в министерство иностранных дел). It would

be an asset to him there (это было бы его преимуществом там)."

"What would you advise me to do (что ты посоветуешь мне сделать)?"

"Nothing (ничего). Let him be (оставь его в покое). That's probably the greatest

kindness you can do him (это, возможно, самая большая услуга: «доброта»,

которую ты можешь оказать: «сделать» ему)."

"But I can't help being worried about him (но я же не могу не переживать из-за

него)."

"You needn't be (тебе /совершенно/ не надо /волноваться/). Be hopeful

(надейся; hopeful — надеющийся, оптимистичный ). You thought you'd only

given birth to an ugly duckling (ты думала, что ты просто родила уродливого

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утенка; birth — рождение, роды, происхождение ); perhaps he's going to turn

into a white-winged swan (возможно, он превратиться в белокрылого лебедя;

to turn — поворачивать, вращаться, to turn into smb. — превращаться в кого-

либо, становиться кем-либо )."

Charles was not giving Julia what she wanted (Чарльз не давал Джулии того,

чего она хотела). She had expected him to be more sympathetic (она ожидала от

него, что он будет более сочувственным).

duckling ['dAklIN] swan [swOn] sympathetic ["sImpq'TetIk]

"I should hate him to be an actor if that's what you mean."

"No, I don't think he'll fancy that."

"And of course he can't be a playwright, he hasn't a sense of humour."

"I dare say he'll be quite content to go into the Foreign Office. It would be an asset

to him there."

"What would you advise me to do?"

"Nothing. Let him be. That's probably the greatest kindness you can do him."

"But I can't help being worried about him."

"You needn't be. Be hopeful. You thought you'd only given birth to an ugly

duckling; perhaps he's going to turn into a white-winged swan."

Charles was not giving Julia what she wanted. She had expected him to be more

sympathetic.

"I suppose he's getting old, poor dear (я полагаю, что он старее, бедняжка)," she

reflected (размышляла она). "He's losing his grip of things (он утрачивает

контроль над происходящим: «вещам»; grip — схватывание, цепкость, зд.

власть, контроль ). He must have been impotent for years (он, должно быть,

был импотентом долгие годы); I wonder it never struck me before (интересно,

что это никогда мне не пришло в голову раньше)."

She asked what the time was (она спросила сколько времени).

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"I think I ought to go (я думаю, мне надо идти). I must get a long night's rest (я

должна хорошо отдохнуть: «получить долгий ночной отдых»)."

Julia slept well (Джулия спала хорошо) and when she awoke had at once a

feeling of exultation (и, когда она проснулась, почувствовала немедленно

ликование). Tonight was the first night (сегодня вечером была премьера). It

gave her a little thrill of pleasure to recollect (ей доставило некоторую нервную

дрожь удовольствия — вспомнить) that people had already been assembling at

the pit and gallery doors (что люди уже собирались у дверей партера и галерки;

pit — яма, шахта; зд. партер, особ. задние ряды ) when she left the theatre after

the dress-rehearsal (когда она покидала театр после генеральной репетиции),

and now at ten in the morning (и теперь, в десять часов утра) there was probably

already a long queue (там была уже, возможно, длинная очередь).

"Lucky it's a fine day for them (какое счастье: «удачно», сегодня хорошая

погода /для них/), poor brutes (бедняжки)."

impotent ['Impqt(q)nt] exultation ["egzAl'teIS(q)n] queue [kju:]

"I suppose he's getting old, poor dear," she reflected. "He's losing his grip of

things. He must have been impotent for years; I wonder it never struck me before."

She asked what the time was.

"I think I ought to go. I must get a long night's rest."

Julia slept well and when she awoke had at once a feeling of exultation. Tonight

was the first night. It gave her a little thrill of pleasure to recollect that people had

already been assembling at the pit and gallery doors when she left the theatre after

the dress-rehearsal, and now at ten in the morning there was probably already a

long queue.

"Lucky it's a fine day for them, poor brutes."

In bygone years (в прошедшие годы) she had been intolerably nervous (она

бывала невыносимо нервной) before a first night (перед премьерой). She had

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felt slightly sick all day (она чувствовала легкую тошноту целый день) and as

the hours passed (и, пока часы проходили) got into such a state (приходила в

такое состояние) that she almost thought she would have to leave the stage (что

она почти что думала, что ей придется оставить сцену). But by now (но к

настоящему времени), after having passed through the ordeal so many times

(после того, как /она/ прошла через эту пытку: «тяжелое испытание» так

много раз), she had acquired a certain nonchalance (она приобрела

определенную беззаботность). Throughout the early part of the day (в течение

утра: «ранней части дня») she felt only happy and mildly excited (она

чувствовала себя только счастливой и слегка: «мягко» возбужденной); it was

not till late in the afternoon that she began to feel ill at ease (и только поздно

днем: «это было не до того момента поздно днем» она начинала чувствовать

себя обеспокоенной/ей становилось не по себе). She grew silent (она

становилась молчаливой) and wanted to be left alone (и хотела остаться: «быть

оставленной» одной). She also grew irritable (она так же становилась

раздражительной), and Michael, having learnt from experience (и Майкл,

наученный опытом), took care to keep out of her way (особо заботился о том,

чтобы не путаться у нее под ногами: «держаться в стороне от ее дороги»).

Her hands and feet got cold (ее руки и ноги становились холодными) and by the

time she reached the theatre (и к тому времени, когда она приезжала в театр)

they were like lumps of ice (они были уже как глыбы льда). But still the

apprehension that filled her (но все же те предчувствия, что переполняли ее)

was not unpleasant (не были неприятными).

acquire [q'kwaIq] nonchalance ['nOnSqlqns] apprehension ["xprI'henS(q)n]

In bygone years she had been intolerably nervous before a first night. She had felt

slightly sick all day and as the hours passed got into such a state that she almost

thought she would have to leave the stage. But by now, after having passed

through the ordeal so many times, she had acquired a certain nonchalance.

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Throughout the early part of the day she felt only happy and mildly excited; it was

not till late in the afternoon that she began to feel ill at ease. She grew silent and

wanted to be left alone. She also grew irritable, and Michael, having learnt from

experience, took care to keep out of her way. Her hands and feet got cold and by