Читать интересную книгу Английский язык с У. С. Моэмом. Театр - Илья Франк

They read their papers, and their magazine, did a great deal of sewing for

charitable purposes, played dominoes and listened to the radio that Julia had given

them. Though the Abbe and the Commandant had dined with them every Thursday

for many years they were always in a flutter when Thursday came. The

Commandant, with the sailor's downrightness that they expected of him, did not

hesitate to say so if something was not cooked to his liking, and even the Abbe,

though a saint, had his likes and dislikes.

For instance, he was very fond of sole Normande (например, ему очень

нравилась камбала по-нормандски), but he insisted on its being cooked with the

best butter (но он настаивал на том, чтобы она была приготовлена с самым

лучшим сливочным маслом), and with butter at the price it was since the war that

was very expensive (и с маслом, по той цене /на него/, что установилась со

времен войны, то есть по очень дорогой). Every Thursday morning Aunt Carrie

took the cellar key from the place where she had hidden it (каждый четверг,

утром, тетя Кэрри брала ключ от винного погреба, из тайника: «из того

места, где она его прятала») and herself fetched a bottle of claret from the cellar

(и сама шла и приносила бутылку сухого красного вина /кларет/ из погреба).

She and her sister finished what was left of it by the end of the week (она и ее

сестра выпивали до конца: «заканчивали» то, что оставалось от него к концу

недели).

They made a great fuss of Julia (они страшно суетились из-за Джулии). They

dosed her with tisanes (они пичкали ее питательными /ячменными/ отварами;

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to dose — дозировать, давать определенными дозами), and were anxious that

she should not sit in anything that might be thought a draught (и очень

тревожились, чтобы она не сидела там, где что-нибудь напоминало о

сквозняке). Indeed a great part of their lives was devoted to avoiding draughts (на

самом деле, большая часть их жизни была посвящена избежанию

сквозняков). They made her lie on sofas (они заставляли ее лежать на

диванах/укладывали ее на диваны) and were solicitous that she should cover her

feet (и заботились о том, чтобы она прикрывала ноги; solicitous —

проявляющий заботу, внимательный).

cellar ['selq] claret ['klxrqt] tisane [tI'zxn] draught [drQ:ft]

For instance, he was very fond of sole Normande, but he insisted on its being

cooked with the best butter, and with butter at the price it was since the war that

was very expensive. Every Thursday morning Aunt Carrie took the cellar key from

the place where she had hidden it and herself fetched a bottle of claret from the

cellar. She and her sister finished what was left of it by the end of the week.

They made a great fuss of Julia. They dosed her with tisanes, and were anxious that

she should not sit in anything that might be thought a draught. Indeed a great part

of their lives was devoted to avoiding draughts. They made her lie on sofas and

were solicitous that she should cover her feet.

They reasoned with her about the clothes she wore (они пытались ее убедить

/как опасна/ одежда, которую она носит; to reason — обсуждать,

размышлять, уговаривать). Those silk stockings that were so thin you could see

through them (эти шелковые чулки, которые настолько тонки, что можно

видеть все насквозь); and what did she wear next to her skin (и что ты носишь

под одеждой: «рядом с ее кожей»)? Aunt Carrie would not have been surprised

to learn that she wore nothing but a chemise (тетю Кэрри не удивило бы узнать,

что она не носит ничего, кроме сорочки).

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"She doesn't even wear that (она даже и ее-то не носит)," said Mrs. Lambert

(сказала миссис Лэмберт).

"What does she wear then (что же она тогда носит)?"

"Panties (трусики)," said Julia (сказала Джулия).

"And a soutien-gorge, I suppose (и бюстгальтер, я полагаю; a soutien-gorge (фр)

= brassiere, bra — лифчик)."

"Certainly not (конечно же нет)," cried Julia tartly (вскричала Джулия колко).

"Then, my niece, under your dress you are naked (в таком случае, /моя/

племянница, под платьем ты голая)?"

"Practically (практически)."

"C'est de la folie (/фр., = that is stupid — но это же безумие)," said Aunt Carrie

(сказала тетя Кэрри).

"C'est vraiment pas raisonnable, ma fille (/фр./ = that is really not reasonable, my

daughter — это действительно неразумно, дочь моя)," said Mrs. Lambert

(сказала миссис Лэмберт).

"And without being a prude (и, не будучи ханжой; prude — скромница,

недотрога)," added Aunt Carrie (добавила тетя Кэрри), "I must say that it is

hardly decent (я должна сказать, что вряд ли это прилично)."

reason ['ri:z(q)n] chemise [Sq'mi:z] prude [pru:d]

They reasoned with her about the clothes she wore. Those silk stockings that were

so thin you could see through them; and what did she wear next to her skin? Aunt

Carrie would not have been surprised to learn that she wore nothing but a chemise.

"She doesn't even wear that," said Mrs. Lambert.

"What does she wear then?"

"Panties," said Julia. "And a soutien-gorge, I suppose."

"Certainly not," cried Julia tartly.

"Then, my niece, under your dress you are naked?"

"Practically."

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"C'est de la folie," said Aunt Carrie.

"C'est vraiment pas raisonnable, ma fille," said Mrs. Lambert.

"And without being a prude," added Aunt Carrie, "I must say that it is hardly

decent."

Julia showed them her clothes (Джулия показала им свои наряды), and on the

first Thursday after her arrival (и, в первый четверг после ее приезда) they

discussed what she should wear for dinner (они обсуждали, что ей следует одеть

к обеду). Aunt Carrie and Mrs. Lambert grew rather sharp with one another (тетя

Кэрри и миссис Лэмберт даже повздорили между собой; sharp — зд. колкий,

язвительный, раздражительный). Mrs. Lambert thought that since her daughter

had evening dresses with her (миссис Лэмберт считала: «думала», что так как у

ее дочери были с собой вечерние платья) she ought to wear one (ей и следует

одеть одно из них), but Aunt Carrie considered it quite unnecessary (но тетя

Кэрри полагала, что это совершенно необязательно).

"When I used to come and visit you in Jersey, my dear (когда я бывало

приезжала с визитами к тебе на Джерси), and gentlemen were coming to dinner

(и джентльмены приходили к обеду), I remember you would put on a tea-gown

(я помню, что ты надевала нарядное платье; tea-gown — дамское платье,

надеваемое к чаю, на неофициальный прием)."

"Of course a tea-gown would be very suitable (конечно же, нарядное платье

было бы очень кстати: «подходящим»)."

They looked at Julia hopefully (они посмотрели на Джулию с надеждой). She

shook her head (она покачала головой).

"I would sooner wear a shroud (я скорее надену саван)."

unnecessary [An'nesqs(q)rI] tea-gown ['ti:gaVn] shroud [SraVd]

Julia showed them her clothes, and on the first Thursday after her arrival they

discussed what she should wear for dinner. Aunt Carrie and Mrs. Lambert grew

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rather sharp with one another. Mrs. Lambert thought that since her daughter had

evening dresses with her she ought to wear one, but Aunt Carrie considered it quite

unnecessary.

"When I used to come and visit you in Jersey, my dear, and gentlemen were

coming to dinner, I remember you would put on a tea-gown."

"Of course a tea-gown would be very suitable."

They looked at Julia hopefully. She shook her head.

"I would sooner wear a shroud."

Aunt Carrie wore a high-necked dress of heavy black silk (на тете Кэрри было

закрытое платье из тяжелого черного шелка; high-necked — с воротником-

стойкой), with a string of jet (с бусами из гагата: «с ниткой черного янтаря»),

and Mrs. Lambert a similar one (и на миссис Лэмберт было подобное платье),

but with her lace shawl and a paste necklace (но со /своей/ кружевной шалью и

ожерельем из стразов). The Commandant, a sturdy little man with a much-

wrinkled face (Майор, крепыш: «крепкий маленький человек» с очень

морщинистым лицом), white hair cut en brosse (/фр./ = brush-like — с седыми

волосами, коротко стриженными = стриженными ежиком) and an imposing

moustache dyed a deep black (и внушительными: «производящими сильное

впечатление» усами, окрашенными в густой черный цвет) was very gallant

(был очень галантным), and though well past seventy (и, хотя ему было хорошо

за семьдесят) pressed Julia's foot under the table during dinner (прижимал ногу

Джулии под столом во время обеда). On the way out he seized the opportunity

to pinch her bottom (при выходе /из-за стола/ он не упустил возможность:

«ухватил возможность» ущипнуть ее за зад).

"Sex appeal (сексуальная притягательность)," Julia murmured to herself

(пробормотала Джулия себе) as with dignity she followed the two old ladies into

the parlour (когда она с достоинством следовала за двумя старыми дамами в

маленькую гостиную).

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necklace ['neklIs] moustache [mq'stQ:S] dignity ['dIgnItI] parlour ['pQ:lq]

Aunt Carrie wore a high-necked dress of heavy black silk, with a string of jet, and

Mrs. Lambert a similar one, but with her lace shawl and a paste necklace. The

Commandant, a sturdy little man with a much-wrinkled face, white hair cut en

brosse and an imposing moustache dyed a deep black, was very gallant, and

though well past seventy pressed Julia's foot under the table during dinner. On the

way out he seized the opportunity to pinch her bottom.

"Sex appeal," Julia murmured to herself as with dignity she followed the two old

ladies into the parlour.

They made a fuss of her (они суетливо опекали ее), not because she was a great

actress (не потому, что она была великой актрисой), but because she was in

poor health and needed rest (но из-за того, что у нее было слабое здоровье и

/она/ нуждалась в отдыхе; poor — бедный, низкого качества, плохой). Julia to

her great amazement soon discovered (Джулия, к своему великому изумлению,

вскоре обнаружила) that to them her celebrity was an embarrassment rather than

an asset (что для них ее известность была скорее обузой, чем достоинством;

embarrassment — смущение, замешательство, помеха). Far from wanting to