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

нож)? Not on your life (ни в коем случае). You're a naughty little thing to be so

jealous (ты, гадкая малышка, /разве можно/ быть такой ревнивой). You don't

really think she means anything to me, do you (ты же не думаешь, что она что-

то для меня значит, так)? You ought to know by now (тебе бы уже пора знать:

«тебе следует знать к этому моменту») that you're the only woman in the world

for me (что ты единственная женщина в мире для меня)."

Michael thought that Julia had played this trick (Майкл думал, что Джулия

сыграла такую шутку) on account of the rather violent flirtation he had been

having with Avice (из-за довольно бурного романа, который у него был с

Эвис; flirtation — флирт, ухаживание ), and though, of course, it was hard luck

on Avice (и хотя, конечно же, это было несчастьем для Эвис; hard luck —

горькая судьба, неудачи ) he could not help being a trifle flattered (он не мог не

чувствовать себя слегка польщенным).

damned [dxmd] violent ['vaIqlqnt] flirtation [flq:'teIS(q)n]

"And I was such a damned fool, I thought of giving her a contract," said Michael.

"Why don't you?"

"When you've got your knife into her? Not on your life. You're a naughty little

thing to be so jealous. You don't really think she means anything to me, do you?

You ought to know by now that you're the only woman in the world for me."

Michael thought that Julia had played this trick on account of the rather violent

flirtation he had been having with Avice, and though, of course, it was hard luck

on Avice he could not help being a trifle flattered.

"You old donkey (ты, старый осел)," smiled Julia, knowing exactly what he was

thinking (улыбнулась Джулия, точно зная, о чем он думал) and tickled to death

Мультиязыковой проект Ильи Франка www.franklang.ru

837

at his mistake (и веселилась до упаду над его ошибкой; to tickle — щекотать,

развлекать, угождать; death — смерть ).

"After all, you are the handsomest man in London (в конце концов, ты самый

красивый мужчина в Лондоне)."

"All that's as it may be (все это хорошо; be that as it may — будь что будет, как

бы то ни было ). But I don't know what the author'll say (но я не знаю, что

скажет автор). He's a conceited little ape (он самодовольная обезьянка) and it's

not a bit the scene he wrote (и это совсем не та сцена была, что он написал)."

"Oh, leave him to me (о, оставь его мне). I'll fix him (я улажу с ним; to fix —

укреплять, определять )."

There was a knock at the door (раздался стук в дверь) and it was the author

himself who came in (и это был сам автор, который и вошел в /костюмерную

Джулии/). With a cry of delight (с возгласом: «криком» восторга), Julia went up

to him (Джулия подошла к нему), threw her arms round his neck (обвила

своими руками его шею) and kissed him on both cheeks (и расцеловала его в

обе щеки).

"Are you pleased (вы довольны)?"

"It looks like a success (все выглядит, как успех)," he answered, but a trifle

coldly (ответил он, но слегка холодновато).

ape [eIp] fix [fIks] success [sqk'ses]

"You old donkey," smiled Julia, knowing exactly what he was thinking and tickled

to death at his mistake. "After all, you are the handsomest man in London."

"All that's as it may be. But I don't know what the author'll say. He's a conceited

little ape and it's not a bit the scene he wrote."

"Oh, leave him to me. I'll fix him."

There was a knock at the door and it was the author himself who came in. With a

cry of delight, Julia went up to him, threw her arms round his neck and kissed him

on both cheeks.

Мультиязыковой проект Ильи Франка www.franklang.ru

838

"Are you pleased?"

"It looks like a success," he answered, but a trifle coldly.

"My dear, it'll run for a year (дорогой мой, да она будет идти целый год)." She

placed her hands on his shoulders (она положила руки ему на плечи) and looked

him full in the face (и посмотрела прямо ему в лицо). "But you're a wicked,

wicked man (но вы гадкий, гадкий человек; wicked — злой, нехороший,

противный )."

"You almost ruined my performance (вы почти что разрушили мою игру). When

I came to that bit in the second act (когда я дошла до того места: «куска» во

втором акте) and suddenly saw what it meant (и внезапно увидела, что оно

действительно означает) I nearly broke down (я чуть не провалилась:

«потерпела неудачу»). You knew what was in that scene, you're the author (вы-

то знали, что /именно/ было в той сцене, вы же автор); why did you let us

rehearse it all the time (почему же вы позволили нам репетировать ее все это

время) as if there was no more in it than appeared on the surface (как если бы в

ней не было ничего больше, чем видно на поверхности; to appear —

появляться, показываться )? We're only actors (мы всего лишь актеры), how

can you expect us to — to fathom your subtlety (как вы можете ожидать от нас

/что мы/ сможем — сможем постичь всю вашу утонченность)? It's the best

scene in your play (эта самая лучшая сцена в вашей пьесе) and I almost bungled

it (и я чуть не испортила все дело: «ее»). No one in the world could have written

it but you (никто в мире не смог бы написать ее, кроме вас). Your play's

brilliant (ваша пьеса блестяща), but in that scene there's more than brilliance,

there's genius (но в этой сцене есть нечто большее, чем великолепие, в ней

гениальность)."

shoulder ['SqVldq] wicked ['wIkId] ruin ['ru:In] surface ['sq:fIs]

fathom ['fxD(q)m] subtlety ['sAt(q)ltI]

Мультиязыковой проект Ильи Франка www.franklang.ru

839

"My dear, it'll run for a year." She placed her hands on his shoulders and looked

him full in the face. "But you're a wicked, wicked man."

"You almost ruined my performance. When I came to that bit in the second act and

suddenly saw what it meant I nearly broke down. You knew what was in that

scene, you're the author; why did you let us rehearse it all the time as if there was

no more in it than appeared on the surface? We're only actors, how can you expect

us to — to fathom your subtlety? It's the best scene in your play and I almost

bungled it. No one in the world could have written it but you. Your play's brilliant,

but in that scene there's more than brilliance, there's genius."

The author flushed (автор залился краской). Julia looked at him with veneration

(Джулия смотрела на него с благоговением). He felt shy and happy and proud

(он чувствовал себя смущенным, счастливым и гордым).

("In twenty-four hours the mug'll think (через сутки: «двадцать четыре часа»

этот простофиля будет думать) he really meant the scene to go like that (что он

действительно задумывал, что бы эта сцена выглядела: «была сыграна»

именно так).")

Michael beamed (Майкл сиял).

"Come along to my dressing-room and have a whisky and soda (пойдем в мою

грим-уборную и выпьем по виски с содовой). I'm sure you need a drink after all

that emotion (я уверен, что вам необходимо выпить после всех этих

переживаний; drink — питье, напиток, в т.ч. алкогольный )."

They went out as Tom came in (они вошли, когда вошел Том). Tom's face was

red with excitement (лицо Тома было красным от возбуждения).

"My dear, it was grand (дорогая моя, это было великолепно). You were simply

wonderful (ты была просто удивительна). Gosh, what a performance (Боже, что

за представление)."

"Did you like it (тебе понравилось)? Avice was good, wasn't she (Эвис была

хороша, не так ли)?"

"No, rotten (нет, отвратительна)."

Мультиязыковой проект Ильи Франка www.franklang.ru

840

"My dear, what do you mean (дорогой мой, что ты имеешь в виду)? I thought

she was charming (я думала, что она была очаровательной)."

"You simply wiped the floor with her (да ты просто разбила ее наголову:

«подтерла ею пол»). She didn't even look pretty in the second act (она даже не

выглядела хорошенькой во втором акте)."

Avice's career (Эвис и ее карьера)!

veneration ["venq'reIS(q)n] beam [bi:m] grand [grxnd]

The author flushed. Julia looked at him with veneration. He felt shy and happy and

proud.

("In twenty-four hours the mug'll think he really meant the scene to go like that.")

Michael beamed.

"Come along to my dressing-room and have a whisky and soda. I'm sure you need

a drink after all that emotion."

They went out as Tom came in. Tom's face was red with excitement.

"My dear, it was grand. You were simply wonderful. Gosh, what a performance."

"Did you like it? Avice was good, wasn't she?"

"No, rotten."

"My dear, what do you mean? I thought she was charming."

"You simply wiped the floor with her. She didn't even look pretty in the second

act."

Avice's career!

"I say, what are you doing afterwards (слушай, что ты делаешь позже)?"

"Dolly's giving a party for us (Долли устраивает прием в нашу честь: «для