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

Then he had taken to directing. It had always grizzled him that directors

should ask so much money for rehearsing a play, and of late some of them had

even insisted on a percentage on the gross. At last an occasion came when the

two directors Julia liked best were engaged and the only other one she trusted

was acting and thus could not give them all his time.

"I've got a good mind (я намереваюсь; to have a good mind to — собираться

сделать что-то ) to have a shot at it myself (попытать свои силы /в постановке

пьесы/; to have a shot at smth. — сделать попытку, попробовать что-либо ),"

said Michael (сказал Майкл).

Julia was doubtful (Джулия сомневалась; to doubt — сомневаться, подвергать

сомнению) . He had no fantasy (у него не было фантазии) and his ideas were

commonplace (и его идеи обычно были банальными). She was not sure (она не

была уверена) that he would have authority over the cast (будет ли он

пользоваться авторитетом у труппы). But the only available director (но

единственный доступный /на тот момент/ режиссер) demanded a fee

(потребовал такой гонорар) that they both thought exorbitant (который, как они

оба думали, был чрезмерным) and there was nothing left but to let Michael try (и

ничего /больше/ не оставалось, как позволить Майклу попытаться). He made a

much better job of it (у него получилось гораздо лучше; to make a good job of it

— хорошо справиться с делом ) than Julia expected (чем ожидала Джулия). He

was thorough (он был скрупулезным); he worked hard (он работал прилежно и

трудолюбиво). Julia, strangely enough, felt (Джулия, /хотя это было/

достаточно странно, чувствовала) that he was getting more out of her (что он

добивался от нее большего) than any other director had done (чем любой

другой режиссер /добивался/).

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fantasy ['fxntqsI] exorbitant [Ig'zO:bIt(q)nt] thorough ['TArq]

"I've got a good mind to have a shot at it myself," said Michael.

Julia was doubtful. He had no fantasy and his ideas were commonplace. She

was not sure that he would have authority over the cast. But the only available

director demanded a fee that they both thought exorbitant and there was

nothing left but to let Michael try. He made a much better job of it than Julia

expected. He was thorough; he worked hard. Julia, strangely enough, felt that

he was getting more out of her than any other director had done.

He knew what she was capable of (он знал, на что она была способна), and,

familiar with her every inflection (и /он/, знакомый с каждой ее модуляцией

/голоса/), every glance of her wonderful eyes (каждым взглядом ее

удивительных глаз), every graceful movement of her body (каждым

грациозным движением ее тела), he was able to give her suggestions (он

оказался способен давать ей такие советы) out of which she managed to build

up the best performance of her career (из которых ей удалось создать лучшую

роль в ее карьере: «выстроить лучшее исполнение в ее карьере»). With the

cast (с труппой /актеров/) he was at once conciliatory and exacting (он был

одновременно умиротворяющим и требовательным). When tempers were

frayed (когда нервы у всех сдавали: «характеры раздражались,

сталкивались») his good humour (его добродушие), his real kindliness (его

неподдельное: «настоящее» добросердечие), smoothed things over

(сглаживали ситуацию). After that (после этого) there was no question (вопрос

уже не стоял: «не было вопроса») but that he should continue to direct their

plays (но /было решено/, что он должен продолжать режиссировать их

постановки).

inflection [In'flekS(q)n] conciliatory [kqn'sIlIqt(q)rI] continue [kqn'tInju:]

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He knew what she was capable of, and, familiar with her every inflection,

every glance of her wonderful eyes, every graceful movement of her body, he

was able to give her suggestions out of which she managed to build up the best

performance of her career. With the cast he was at once conciliatory and

exacting. When tempers were frayed his good humour, his real kindliness,

smoothed things over. After that there was no question but that he should

continue to direct their plays.

Authors liked him (авторы любили его) because, being unimaginative (так как,

из-за того, что он был лишен воображения), he was forced to let the plays speak

for themselves (он был вынужден разрешить пьесам говорить самим за себя)

and often not being quite sure what they meant (и часто, будучи не совсем

уверенным в том, что они /авторы/ имели в виду) he was obliged to listen to

them (он был вынужден слушать их).

Julia was now a rich woman (Джулия была теперь богатой женщиной). She

could not but admit (она не могла не признать) that Michael was as careful of her

money as of his own (что Майкл был также заботлив в отношении ее денег,

как и своих собственных). He watched her investments (он следил за ее

вложениями) and was as pleased when he could sell stocks at a profit on her

account (и был так же рад, когда ему удавалось: «он мог» продать акции с

прибылью для нее; on smb.'s account — ради кого-либо; account — счет ) as if

he had made the money for himself (так, как будто он сделал деньги для себя

самого). He put her down for a very large salary (он назначил ей очень высокую

зарплату), and was proud to be able to say (и гордился тем, что он мог сказать)

that she was the most highly paid actress in London (что она была самой высоко

оплачиваемой актрисой в Лондоне), but when he himself acted (но когда он

играл сам) he never put himself down for a higher salary (он никогда не

записывал себе большую зарплату) than he thought the part was worth (чем он

думал, стоит та или иная роль).

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unimaginative ["AnI'mxdZInqtIv] obliged [q'blaIdZd] investment [In'vestmqnt]

Authors liked him because, being unimaginative, he was forced to let the plays

speak for themselves and often not being quite sure what they meant he was

obliged to listen to them.

Julia was now a rich woman. She could not but admit that Michael was as

careful of her money as of his own. He watched her investments and was as

pleased when he could sell stocks at a profit on her account as if he had made

the money for himself. He put her down for a very large salary, and was

proud to be able to say that she was the most highly paid actress in London,

but when he himself acted he never put himself down for a higher salary than

he thought the part was worth.

When he directed a play (когда он режиссировал постановку) he put down on

the expense account (он относил на расход; to put it on the expense account —

отнести расход за счет фирмы ) the fee that a director of the second rank would

have received (гонорар, который получил бы второсортный режиссер). They

shared the expenses of the house (они совместно оплачивали затраты на дом; to

share the expenses — делить расходы, принять участие в расходах ) and the

cost of Roger's education (и стоимость обучения: «образования» Роджера).

Roger had been entered for Eton (Роджер был записан в Итон; to enter —

входить, вступать, записывать куда-либо ) within a week of his birth (в

течение недели с момента его рождения). It was impossible to deny

(невозможно было отрицать /тот факт/) that Michael was scrupulously fair and

honest (что Майкл бы безупречно справедливым и честным). When Julia

realized how much richer she was than he (когда Джулия поняла, насколько

богаче она была, чем он) she wanted to pay all these expenses herself (она

захотела оплачивать все расходы сама).

"There's no reason why you should (нет никакой причины, чтобы ты /поступала

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так/)," said Michael. "As long as I can pay my whack (пока я могу оплачивать

свою долю) I'll pay it (я буду оплачивать ее). You earn more than I do (ты

зарабатываешь больше, чем я) because you're worth more (потому, что ты

стоишь большего). I put you down for a good salary (я плачу тебе: «положил

тебе» хорошую зарплату) because you draw it (потому, что ты ее