Английский язык с У. С. Моэмом. Театр

Франк Илья

When he directed a play he put down on the expense account the fee that a

director of the second rank would have received. They shared the expenses of

the house and the cost of Roger's education. Roger had been entered for Eton

within a week of his birth. It was impossible to deny that Michael was

scrupulously fair and honest. When Julia realized how much richer she was

than he she wanted to pay all these expenses herself.

"There's no reason why you should," said Michael. "As long as I can pay my

whack I'll pay it. You earn more than I do because you're worth more. I put

you down for a good salary because you draw it."

No one could do other than admire the self-abnegation (невозможно

было не

восхищаться тем самоотречением: «никто не мог поступить иначе, кроме как

восхищаться его самоотречением») with which he sacrificed himself for her

sake (с которым он принес себя в жертву ради нее; to sacrifice —

жертвовать, приносить в жертву). Any ambition he may have had for himself

(и честолюбивые помыслы, которые он мог иметь бы /относительно себя/) he

had abandoned in order to foster her career (он забросил, только чтобы лелеять

ее карьеру). Even Dolly, who did not like him (даже Долли, которой он не

нравился), acknowledged his unselfishness (признавала его бескорыстие: «не

эгоистичность»). A sort of modesty (некоторая особая скромность) had always

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prevented Julia (не позволяла Джулии) from discussing him with Dolly

(обсуждать его с Долли), but Dolly, with her shrewdness (но Долли, благодаря

своей проницательности), had long seen (уже долгое время наблюдала) how

intensely Michael exasperated his wife (как чрезвычайно Майкл раздражал

свою жену), and now and then (и, время от времени) took the trouble to point out

(брала на себя труд указать ей) how useful he was to her (как полезен он был

для нее). Everybody praised him (все восхваляли его). A perfect husband

(идеальный: «совершеннейший» муж). It seemed to her that none but she knew

(ей казалось, что никто, кроме нее, не знает) what it was like to live with a man

(каково это — жить с человеком) who was such a monster of vanity (который

был просто чудовищно тщеславен: «был монстром тщеславия»).

self-abnegation ["selfxbnI'geIS(q)n] exasperate [Ig'zQ:spqreIt] praise [preIz]

No one could do other than admire the self-abnegation with which he

sacrificed himself for her sake. Any ambition he may have had for himself he

had abandoned in order to foster her career. Even Dolly, who did not like

him, acknowledged his unselfishness. A sort of modesty had always prevented

Julia from discussing him with Dolly, but Dolly, with her shrewdness, had

long seen how intensely Michael exasperated his wife, and now and then took

the trouble to point out how useful he was to her. Everybody praised him. A

perfect husband. It seemed to her that none but she knew what it was like to

live with a man who was such a monster of vanity.

His complacency when he had beaten an opponent at golf (его

самодовольствие,

когда он обыгрывал соперника в гольф) or got the better of someone in a

business deal (или одерживал над кем-то верх в деловой сделке; to get the

better of smb. — получить преимущество перед кем-либо) was infuriating

(приводило /ее/ в бешенство). He gloried in his artfulness (он гордился своей

ловкостью). He was a bore, a crashing bore (он был зануда, невыносимый

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зануда; crashing — необыкновенный, исключительный; to crash — с грохотом

разрушать). He liked to tell Julia everything he did (он любил рассказывать

Джулии обо всем, что он делал) and every scheme that passed through his head

(и о каждом замысле, что приходил ему на ум: «проходил через голову»); it

had been charming (это было очаровательным) when merely to have him with

her was a delight (когда просто быть рядом с ним: «иметь его с собой», было

/само по себе/ источником наслаждения), but for years she had found his

prosiness intolerable (но уже многие годы, она считала его будничность

невыносимой). He could describe nothing (он не мог описать ничего) without