Английский язык с У. С. Моэмом. Театр

аристократов: «знатных персон») she knew that it was good publicity (она

знала, что это была очень хорошая реклама).

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marquess ['mQ:kwIs] heiress ['eqrIs, 'eqres] profound [prq'faVnd]

connexion [kq'nekS(q)n]

NEXT day Julia had luncheon with Charles Tamerley. His father, the

Marquess of Dennorant, had married an heiress and he had inherited a

considerable fortune. Julia often went to the luncheon parties he was fond of

giving at his house in Hill Street. At the bottom of her heart she had a

profound contempt for the great ladies and the noble lords she met there,

because she was a working woman and an artist, but she knew the connexion

was useful. It enabled them to have first nights at the Siddons, which the

papers described as brilliant, and when she was photographed at week-end

parties among a number of aristocratic persons she knew that it was good

publicity.

There were one or two leading ladies (была еще пара: «одна или две» известных

актрис: «актрис на первые роли»), younger than she (/которые/ были моложе

ее), who did not like her any better (которые ее не любили еще больше) because

she called at least two duchesses (из-за того, что она называла по крайней мере

двух герцогинь) by their first names (по имени: first name — имя, в отличие от

фамилии). This caused her no regret (но это не огорчало ее: «не причиняло

огорчений»; regret — сожаление, раскаяние). Julia was not a brilliant

conversationalist (Джулия не была блестящим собеседником), but her eyes were

so bright (но ее глаза сияли), her manner so intelligent (ее манеры были такими

умными), that once she had learnt the language of society (что, /после того как/

однажды она выучила язык общества) she passed for a very amusing woman (ее

принимали за очень занимательную собеседницу /женщину/; to pass for smb.

— сойти за кого-либо, слыть кем-либо). She had a great gift of mimicry (она

обладала прекрасным даром подражания: «имитирования, мимикрии»), which

ordinarily she kept in check (который она обычно сдерживала; check —

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препятствие, задержка) thinking it was bad for her acting (думая, что это не

идет на пользу: «вредно» для ее актерской игры), but in these circles (но в этих

кругах) she turned it to good account (она извлекала из него пользу; to turn

smth. to (good) account — обратитьчто-либо всвою пользу, account — зд.

выгода, польза) and by means of it (и с его помощью) acquired the reputation of

a wit (приобрела репутации острослова; wit — ум, острословие).

duchesse [dju:'Ses] conversationalist ["kOnvq'seIS(q)nqlIst]

language ['lxNgwIdZ] mimicry ['mImIkrI] ordinarily ['O:d(q)n(q)rIlI]

There were one or two leading ladies, younger than she, who did not like her

any better because she called at least two duchesses by their first names. This

caused her no regret. Julia was not a brilliant conversationalist, but her eyes

were so bright, her manner so intelligent, that once she had learnt the

language of society she passed for a very amusing woman. She had a great gift

of mimicry, which ordinarily she kept in check thinking it was bad for her

acting, but in these circles she turned it to good account and by means of it

acquired the reputation of a wit.

She was pleased that they liked her (ей было приятно, что она нравилась им),

these smart, idle women (этим элегантным, праздным женщинам), but she