Английский язык с У. С. Моэмом. Театр

the Foreign Office (он настаивал, чтобы она рассказала ему: «изложила,

представила на рассмотрение» о преимуществах /работы в/ Министерстве

иностранных дел) and the brilliant possibilities of the Bar (и о блестящих

возможностях, что предлагает адвокатура). Julia thought it would be strange

(Джулия подумала, что было бы странным) if in the course of two or three

hours' conversation (если бы в течении двух или трехчасового разговора) she

could not find a way to lead to this important topic (она не смогла бы найти

возможность: «путь» подвести к этой важной теме). At dinner she tried to get

him to talk about Vienna (во время обеда она пыталась разговорить о Вене).

But he was reticent (но он был сдержан: «молчалив»).

prefer [prI'fq:] afraid [q'freId] broker ['brqVkq] influence ['InflVqns]

reticent ['retIs(q)nt]

They were to dine by themselves. Julia asked him if he would like to go to a play

afterwards or to the pictures, but he said he preferred to stay at home.

"That'll be much nicer," she answered, "and we'll just talk."

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There was indeed a subject that Michael had invited her to discuss with Roger

when the opportunity arose. Now that he was going to Cambridge so soon he ought

to make up his mind what he wanted to do. Michael was afraid that he would drift

through his time there and then go into a broker's office or even on the stage.

Thinking that Julia had more tact than he, and more influence with the boy, he had

urged her to put before him the advantages of the Foreign Office and the brilliant

possibilities of the Bar. Julia thought it would be strange if in the course of two or

three hours' conversation she could not find a way to lead to this important topic.

At dinner she tried to get him to talk about Vienna. But he was reticent.

"Oh, I just did the usual things, you know (о, я просто делал обычные дела,

знаешь ли). I saw the sights (я осматривал достопримечательности) and worked

hard at my German (и упорно работал над /своим/ немецким). I knocked about

in beer places (я шлялся по пивнушкам: «пивным местам»; to knock —

стучать, ударять, to knock about — слоняться, вестибеспутную жизнь). I

went to the opera a good deal (я ходил в оперу очень часто)."

She wondered if he had had any love affairs (ей было интересно, были ли у него

еще любовные интрижки).

"Anyhow, you haven't come back engaged to a Viennese maiden (в любом

случае, ты не вернулся домой, помолвленный с какой-нибудь молодой

венкой; maiden — /поэт./ девушка, девица)," she said, thinking to draw him out

(сказала она, думая вытащить из него /информацию/; to draw out — зд.

вызывать на разговор, откровенность).

He gave her a reflective, but faintly amused look (он посмотрел на нее

задумчивым, но слегка улыбающимся: «забавляющимся» взглядом). You

might almost have thought (можно было почти подумать) that he had seen what

she was driving at (что он догадался: «увидел», к чему она клонила). It was

strange (это было странно); though he was her own son she did not feel quite at

home with him (хотя он был ее собственным сыном, она не чувствовала себя с

ним как дома).

Мультиязыковой проект Ильи Франкаwww.franklang.ru

764

"No (нет)," he answered (ответил он), "I was too busy to bother with that sort of

thing (я был слишком занят, чтобы заниматься: «беспокоить /себя/» такой

ерундой: «вещами такого рода»)."

"I suppose you went to all the theatres (/я/ полагаю, что ты ходил во все

театры)."

"I went two or three times (я был два или три раза)."

usual ['ju:ZVql, 'ju:Z(q)l] Viennese ["vIq'ni:z] reflective [rI'flektIv]

"Oh, I just did the usual things, you know. I saw the sights and worked hard at my

German. I knocked about in beer places. I went to the opera a good deal."

She wondered if he had had any love affairs.

"Anyhow, you haven't come back engaged to a Viennese maiden," she said,

thinking to draw him out.

He gave her a reflective, but faintly amused look. You might almost have thought

that he had seen what she was driving at. It was strange; though he was her own

son she did not feel quite at home with him.

"No," he answered, "I was too busy to bother with that sort of thing."

"I suppose you went to all the theatres."

"I went two or three times."

"Did you see anything that would be any use to me (ты видел что-нибудь, что

могло бы быть мне полезно)?"

"You know, I never thought about that (ты знаешь, я никогда не думал об

этом)."

His answer might have seemed a little ungracious (его ответ мог бы показаться

немного невежливым) but that it was accompanied by a smile (но он

сопровождался улыбкой), and his smile was very sweet (и его улыбка была

очень милой). Julia wondered again (Джулия снова задумалась) how it was that

he had inherited so little of Michael's beauty and of her charm (как такое