AFTER a fortnight of rehearsals, Michael was thrown out of the part for

Which he had been engaged, and for three or four weeks was left to kick his

Heels about till something else could be found for him. He opened in due

Course in a play that ran less than a month in New York. It was sent on the

Road; but languished and was withdrawn. After another wait he was given a

Part in a costume play where his good looks shone to such advantage that his

Indifferent acting was little noticed, and in this he finished the season. There

Was no talk of renewing his contract. Indeed the manager who had engaged

Him was caustic in his comments.

 

"Gee (вот это да), I'd give something (я бы отдал все, что угодно) to get even

(/лишь бы/ поквитаться; to get even with smb — свести счеты; even — ровный,

гладкий, уравновешенный, расквитавшийся) with that fellow Langton (с тем

проходимцем: «типом» Лэнгтоном), the son of a bitch (сукин сын)," he said.

"He knew (он знал) what he was doing all right (что он делает, совершенно

отлично /знал/) when he landed me with that stick (когда подсунул мне этого

истукана: «бревно»; to be landed with smth. — получить что-либо

нежелательное в подарок, на хранение; to land — приземлиться, высадиться

на землю; stick — палка, подпорка, разг. человек, тупица, бревно)." Julia wrote

to Michael constantly (Джулия писала Майклу регулярно: «постоянно»), pages

and pages of love and gossip (страницы и страницы /полные/ любви и сплетен),

while he answered once a week (тогда как он отвечал раз в неделю), four pages

exactly (ровно четыре страницы) in a neat, precise hand (аккуратным, ровным

почерком). He always ended up (он всегда заканчивал /письмо/) by sending her

his best love (тем, что посылал ей сердечный привет; to send one's love to smb.

— посылать кому-либо сердечный привет) and signing himself hers very

affectionately (и /фразой/ «очень любящий тебя»; affectionately yours — фраза


 

 


 



 

 

в конце письма — с любовью), but the rest of his letter (но остальное

/содержание/ его письма) was more informative (было более информативным)

than passionate (чем страстным). Yet she awaited its coming (и все же она

ожидала его /письма/ прибытия) in an agony of impatience (с нетерпеливой

агонией; (im)patience — (не)терпение, (не)терпеливость) and read it over and

over again (и перечитывала его снова и снова; over and over again — опять,

снова, много раз подряд). Though he wrote cheerfully (хотя он и писал бодро),

saying little about the theatre (мало упоминая: «говоря» о театре) except that the

parts they gave him were rotten (за исключением того, что роли, которые ему

давали, были ужасными) and the plays in which he was expected to act (и пьесы,

в которых он должен был играть) beneath contempt (/были/ гнусными; to be

beneath contempt — низко пасть, быть смехотворным: «быть ниже

презрения»), news travels in the theatrical world (новости быстро разносятся в

мире театра; to travel — путешествовать, ездить, распространяться), and

Julia knew (и Джулия знала) that he had not made good (что он провалился; to

make good — преуспеть, делать успехи).

 

bitch [bItS] precise [prI'saIs] agony ['xgqnI] beneath [bI'ni:T]

 

"Gee, I'd give something to get even with that fellow Langton, the son of a

bitch," he said. "He knew what he was doing all right when he landed me with

that stick." Julia wrote to Michael constantly, pages and pages of love and

Gossip, while he answered once a week, four pages exactly in a neat, precise

Hand. He always ended up by sending her his best love and signing himself

Hers very affectionately, but the rest of his letter was more informative than

Passionate. Yet she awaited its coming in an agony of impatience and read it

Over and over again. Though he wrote cheerfully, saying little about the

Theatre except that the parts they gave him were rotten and the plays in which

He was expected to act beneath contempt, news travels in the theatrical world,