Английский язык с У. С. Моэмом. Театр
Шрифт:
The sound of his voice and the words told her who it was. It was the blushing
Мультиязыковой проект Ильи Франка www.franklang.ru
291
young man whose name she did not know. Even now, though she had looked
at his card, she could not remember it. The only thing that had struck her was
that he lived in Tavistock Square.
"It was very sweet of you," she answered in her own voice.
"I suppose you wouldn't come to tea with me one day, would you?"
The nerve of it! She wouldn't go to tea with a duchess; he was treating her like
a chorus girl. It was rather funny when you came to think of it.
"I don't know why not."
"Will you really?" his voice sounded eager. He had a pleasant voice.
"When?"
She did not feel at all like going to bed that afternoon (она
чувствовала желания отдыхать: «ложиться в постель» в этот день).
"Today (сегодня)."
"O.K. I'll get away from the office (хорошо, я улизну из офиса). Half-past four (в
половине пятого)? 138, Tavistock Square (Тэвисток-сквер, 138)."
It was nice of him (было очень мило с его стороны) to have suggested that
(предложить именно это). He might so easily have mentioned some fashionable
place (он мог совершенно легко упомянуть какое-нибудь модное местечко)
where people would stare at her (где люди бы пялились на нее). It proved (это
доказывало) that he didn't just want to be seen with her (что он не хотел, чтобы
его просто увидели с ней).
away [q'weI] half [hQ:f] fashionable ['fxS(q)nqb(q)l]
She did not feel at all like going to bed that afternoon.
"Today."
"O.K. I'll get away from the office. Half-past four? 138, Tavistock Square."
It was nice of him to have suggested that. He might so easily have mentioned
some fashionable place where people would stare at her. It proved that he
Мультиязыковой проект Ильи Франка www.franklang.ru
292
didn't just want to be seen with her.
She took a taxi to Tavistock Square (она
was pleased with herself (она была довольна собой). She was doing a good
action (она совершала хороший поступок). It would be wonderful for him in
after years (это будет так удивительно для него, годами позже) to be able to tell
his wife and children that Julia Lambert had been to tea with him (иметь
возможность рассказать его жене и детям, что сама Джулия Лэмберт пила с
ним чай) when he was just a little insignificant clerk in an accountant's office
(когда он был всего лишь незначительным клерком в бухгалтерской
конторе). And she had been so simple and so natural (и она была так проста и
естественна). No one to hear her prattling away (никто, кто слышал, как она
разговаривала; to prattle — щебетать, болтать, журчать) would have
guessed (не догадался бы) that she was the greatest actress in England (что она
была величайшей актрисой Англии). And if they didn't believe him (и, если бы
они ему не поверили) he'd have her photograph to prove it (так у него была ее
фотография, чтобы подтвердить /историю/), signed yours sincerely
(подписанная: «Искренне Ваша»). He'd laugh (он рассмеется) and say that of
course if he hadn't been such a kid (и скажет, что, конечно, если бы он не был
таким молодым: «ребенком») he'd never have had the cheek to ask her (он
никогда бы не набрался храбрости чтобы пригласить ее; to have the cheek —
иметь наглость, дерзость; cheek — щека).
children ['tSIldrqn] insignificant ["InsIg'nIfIkqnt] sincerely [sIn'sIqlI]
She took a taxi to Tavistock Square. She was pleased with herself. She was
doing a good action. It would be wonderful for him in after years to be able to
tell his wife and children that Julia Lambert had been to tea with him when
he was just a little insignificant clerk in an accountant's office. And she had
been so simple and so natural. No one to hear her prattling away would have
Мультиязыковой проект Ильи Франка www.franklang.ru
293
guessed that she was the greatest actress in England. And if they didn't believe