Английский язык с У. С. Моэмом. Театр

Франк Илья

/будут знакомиться/)."

"Call a policeman (позовите полисмена)," said Evie grimly (сказала Эви

мрачно).

"I know a girl (я знаю одну девушку) who was looking in a shop window in Bond

Street (которая смотрела в витрину магазина на Бонд-стрит), a hat shop

(шляпного магазина), and a man came up and asked her if she'd like a hat (и

мужчина подошел, и спросил у нее, не хочет ли она шляпку). I'd love one, she

said (мне бы хотелось одну, сказала она), and they went in and she chose one (и

они вошли и

она выбрала одну) and gave her name and address (и дала свое

имя и адрес), he paid for it on the nail (он оплатил ее, тут же, немедленно; on

the nail — на месте, сразу же), and then she said, thank you so much, and

walked out while he was waiting for the change (и затем она сказала: «спасибо

вам большое», и вышла, пока он ожидал сдачи)."

extraordinary [Ik'strO:d(q)n(q)rI] policeman [pq'li:smqn] change [tSeIndZ]

"I don't know about that. It's rather flattering. You know, it's a most extraordinary

thing, no one ever follows me in the street. I don't remember a man ever having

tried to pick me up."

"Oh well, you walk along Edgware Road one evening. You'll get picked up all

right."

"I shouldn't know what to do if I was."

"Call a policeman," said Evie grimly.

"I know a girl who was looking in a shop window in Bond Street, a hat shop, and a

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man came up and asked her if she'd like a hat. I'd love one, she said, and they went

in and she chose one and gave her name and address, he paid for it on the nail, and

then she said, thank you so much, and walked out while he was waiting for the

change."

"That's what she told you (это то, что она сказал вам)." Evie's sniff was sceptical

(Эви скептически шмыгнула носом: «шмыганье носом Эви было

скептическим»). She gave Julia a puzzled look (она взглянула на Джулию

озабоченно). "What's the idea (в чем дело-то)?"

"Oh, nothing (о, ни в чем). I was only wondering why in point of fact (я просто

размышляла, почему это, фактически) I never have been accosted by a man (ко

мне никогда не приставал никакой мужчина; to accost — заговаривать

с кем-

либо, приставать /особ. к проституткам/). It's not as if I had no sex appeal (не

похоже, чтобы у меня не было сексуальной привлекательности)."

But had she (а была ли: «но имела ли»)? She made up her mind to put the matter

to the test (она твердо решила подвергнуть этот вопрос испытанию).

That afternoon, when she had had her sleep (тем же днем, когда она уже

поспала), she got up, made up a little more than usual (она поднялась,

подкрасилась немного больше, чем обычно), and without calling Evie put on a

dress (и, не позвав Эви, надела платье) that was neither plain nor obviously

expensive (которое не было ни слишком простым, ни явно дорогим) and a red

straw hat with a wide brim (и красную соломенную шляпку с широкими

полями).

"I don't want to look like a tart (я не хочу выглядеть как уличная девка)," she

said as she looked at herself in the glass (сказала она, когда /она/ глядела на себя

в зеркале). "On the other hand (с другой стороны) I don't want to look too

respectable (я не хочу выглядеть слишком приличной: «респектабельной»)."

sceptical ['skeptIk(q)l] accost [q'kOst] obviously ['ObvIqslI]

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"That's what she told you." Evie's sniff was sceptical. She gave Julia a puzzled

look. "What's the idea?"

"Oh, nothing. I was only wondering why in point of fact I never have been

accosted by a man. It's not as if I had no sex appeal."

But had she? She made up her mind to put the matter to the test.

That afternoon, when she had had her sleep, she got up, made up a little more than

usual, and without calling Evie put on a dress that was neither plain nor obviously

expensive and a red straw hat with a wide brim.

"I don't want to look like a tart," she said as she looked at herself in the glass. "On

the other hand I don't want to look too respectable."

She tiptoed down the stairs (она спустилась на цыпочках вниз по ступенькам)

so that no one should hear her (так, чтобы никто не услышал ее) and closed the