Английский язык с У. С. Моэмом. Театр

Margery gave him his black Homburg hat and opened the door for Julia and

Michael to go out. As they entered the office the young man Julia had noticed

turned round and stood up.

"I should like to introduce you to Miss Lambert," said Michael. Then with the

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air of an ambassador presenting an attachй to the sovereign of the court to

which he is accredited: "This is the gentleman who is good enough to put

some order into the mess we make of our accounts."

The young man went scarlet (молодой человек зарделся; scarlet — ярко-

красный, алый, багряный, to blush /to flush, to turn, to go/ scarlet — вспыхнуть,

залитьсярумянцем). He smiled stiffly (он натянуто улыбнулся) in answer to

Julia's warm, ready smile (в ответ на теплую, естественную: «быструю,

готовую» улыбку) and she felt the palm of his hand wet with sweat (и она

почувствовала, что ладонь его руки мокрая от пота; wet — влажный, сырой,

sweat —пот,испарина,потение) when she cordially grasped it (когда она

сердечно пожала: «крепко схватила» ее; cordially — радушно, пылко). His

confusion was touching (его смущение трогало: «было трогательным»;

confusion — смущение, замешательство, путаница). That was how people had

felt (так, должно быть, чувствовали люди; to feel — трогать, чувствовать,

ощущать) when they were presented to Sarah Siddons (когда их представляли

Саре Сиддонс; Сара Сиддонс (1755-1831), самая известная английская

актриса XVIIIвека,особеннопочиталасьзасвоироливпостановках

Шекспира). She thought (она подумала) that she had not been very gracious to

Michael (что была не слишком снисходительна к Майклу; gracious —

милостивый,милосердный,любезный) when he had proposed (когда он

предложил; to propose — предлагать, вносить предложение) asking the boy to

luncheon (позвать этого юношу: «мальчика» к ланчу). She looked straight into

his eyes (она посмотрела прямо ему в глаза: «в его глаза»). Her own were large

(ее собственные /глаза/ были большими), of a very dark brown (/очень/ темно

карие), and starry (и лучистые; starry — звездный, яркий, star — звезда). It was

no effort to her (для нее не представляло никаких усилий: «это не было

усилием для нее»), it was as instinctive as (это было настолько же

естественным: «инстинктивным» как) brushing away a fly (отмахнуться от

мухи; fly — муха) that was buzzing round her (что жужжала вокруг нее; to buzz

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—жужжать,гудеть), to suggest now a faintly amused, friendly tenderness

(предложить теперь слегка приятно удивленную, дружескую нежность).

cordially ['kO:dIqlI] gracious ['greISqs] luncheon ['lAntS(q)n] straight [streIt]

The young man went scarlet. He smiled stiffly in answer to Julia's warm,

ready smile and she felt the palm of his hand wet with sweat when she

cordially grasped it. His confusion was touching. That was how people had felt

when they were presented to Sarah Siddons. She thought that she had not

been very gracious to Michael when he had proposed asking the boy to

luncheon. She looked straight into his eyes. Her own were large, of a very

dark brown, and starry. It was no effort to her, it was as instinctive as

brushing away a fly that was buzzing round her, to suggest now a faintly

amused, friendly tenderness.

"I wonder (мне интересно) if we could persuade you (сможем ли мы уговорить