Английский язык с У. С. Моэмом. Театр - [40]

inspiration.

"Then you must go into management yourself and make me your leading

lady."

He paused. He was not a quick thinker and needed a little time to let a notion

sink into his mind. He smiled.

"You know that's not half a bad idea."

They talked it over at luncheon. Julia did most of the talking while he listened

to her with absorbed interest.

Мультиязыковой проект Ильи Франкаwww.franklang.ru

104

"Of course the only way to get decent parts consistently is to run one's own

theatre," he said. "I know that."

The money was the difficulty (трудность заключалась: «была» в деньгах). They

discussed (они обсудили) how much was the least (насколько большой была

минимальная /сумма/; the least — минимальное количество, самое меньшее)

they could start on (с которой они могли начать; to start on —начинать,

приступатькчему-либо). Michael thought five thousand pounds was the

minimum (Майкл думал, что пять тысяч фунтов стерлингов были тем самым

минимумом). But how in heaven's name (но как черт возьми: «во имя неба»)

could they raise a sum like that (могли они насобирать: «поднять» такую

сумму)? Of course some of those Middlepool manufacturers (конечно,

некоторые из миддлпулских фабрикантов) were rolling in money (купались в

золоте; to roll — катиться, вертеться), but you could hardly expect them (но

вряд ли можно было ожидать от них) to fork out five thousand pounds (что они

отвалят пять тысяч фунтов; to fork out — раскошелиться на что-либо) to start

a couple of young actors (чтобы поддержать пару молодых актеров) who had

only a local reputation (у которых была только местная репутация). Besides,

they were jealous of London (кроме того, они ревниво относились к Лондону;

to be jealous of — ревновать, завидовать, ревниво оберегать).

"You'll have to find (тебе придется найти) your rich old woman (/твою/ богатую

пожилую даму: «старушку»)," said Julia gaily (сказала Джулия весело).

She only half believed (она только наполовину верила) all she had been saying

(всему тому, что она говорила), but it excited her (но ее волновало эта

/возможность/) to discuss a plan (обсуждать план) that would bring her into a

close and constant relation with Michael (который приведет ее к постоянным и

близким отношениям с Майклом). But he was being very serious (но он был

очень серьезен).

thousand ['TaVz(q)nd] manufacturer ["mxnjV'fxktS(q)rq]

Мультиязыковой проект Ильи Франкаwww.franklang.ru

105

reputation ["repjV'teIS(q)n] serious ['sI(q)rIqs]

The money was the difficulty. They discussed how much was the least they

could start on. Michael thought five thousand pounds was the minimum. But

how in heaven's name could they raise a sum like that? Of course some of

those Middlepool manufacturers were rolling in money, but you could hardly

expect them to fork out five thousand pounds to start a couple of young actors

who had only a local reputation. Besides, they were jealous of London.

"You'll have to find your rich old woman," said Julia gaily.

She only half believed all she had been saying, but it excited her to discuss a

plan that would bring her into a close and constant relation with Michael. But

he was being very serious.

"I don't believe (я не верю) one could hope to make a success in London (что кто-

то может надеяться добиться успеха в Лондоне) unless one were pretty well

known already (до тех пор, пока он не станет уже хорошо известным). The

thing to do (что мы должны сделать) would be to act there (так это играть там)

in other managements (у других импресарио) for three or four years first (три

или четыре года для начала); one's got to know the ropes (надо будет узнать все

ходы и выходы; to know the ropes — быть искушеннымв чем-либо; rope —

канат, веревка; методы, приемы работы). And the advantage of that would be

(и положительным моментом: «преимуществом» будет то) that one would

have had time to read plays (что будет время читать пьесы). It would be madness

(было бы сумасшествием) to start in management (начинать свой театр) unless

one had at least three plays (если не иметь по крайней мере три пьесы). One of

them out to be a winner (одна из них обязательно будет успешной:

«победителем»)."

success [sqk'ses] advantage [qd'vQ:ntIdZ] madness ['mxdnIs]

Мультиязыковой проект Ильи Франкаwww.franklang.ru

106

"I don't believe one could hope to make a success in London unless one were

pretty well known already. The thing to do would be to act there in other

managements for three or four years first; one's got to know the ropes. And

the advantage of that would be that one would have had time to read plays. It

would be madness to start in management unless one had at least three plays.

One of them out to be a winner."

"Of course if one did that (конечно, если сделать это), one ought to make a point

of acting together (то следует и особенно подчеркнуть важность того, что мы

играем вместе; to make a point of —обратитьособоевнимание,

удостовериться,взятьзаправило) so that the public got accustomed (так,

чтобы публика привыкла) to seeing the two names on the same bill (видеть два

имени на одной афише; bill — счет, документ, программа, плакат