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They were both acting when the war broke out. To Julia's pride and anguish
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They were both acting when the war broke out. To Julia's pride and anguish
Michael enlisted at once, but with the help of his father, one of whose old
brother officers was an important personage at the War Office, he very soon
got a commission. When he went out to France Julia bitterly regretted the
reproaches she had so often heaped upon him, and made up her mind that if
he were killed she would commit suicide. She wanted to become a nurse so
that she could go out to France too and at least be on the same soil as he, but
he made her understand that patriotism demanded that she should go on
acting, and she could not resist what might very well be his dying request.
Michael thoroughly enjoyed the war (Майкл чрезвычайно наслаждался войной).
He was popular in the regimental mess (он пользовался популярностью: «был
популярен» в полковой столовой), and the officers of the old army (и офицеры
старой гвардии: «армии») accepted him almost at once (приняли его почти что
сразу), even though he was an actor (даже хотя он и был актером), as one of
themselves (как своего: «как одного из их самих»). It was as though the family
of soldiers (было похоже, что семья профессиональных военных: «солдат»)
from which he was born (в которой: «из которой» он родился) had set a seal on
him (отметила его печатью: «поставила на нем печать») so that he fell
instinctively into the manner and way of thinking of the professional soldier (так
что он инстинктивно воспринял манеры и образ мыслей профессионального
военного: «солдата»; to fall in(to) a state — впадать в какое-либо состояние,
оказаться в каком-либо положении). He had tact and a pleasant manner (он
обладал тактом и приятными манерами), and he knew how to pull strings
adroitly (и он знал, как пользоваться связями умело; to pull strings —
использовать свое влияние, пускать в ход связи, to pull — тянуть,
натягивать, string — веревка, бечевка); it was inevitable (было неизбежным)
that he should get on the staff of some general (что он должен был попасть в
штаб к какому-нибудь генералу; staff — штат, персонал, воен. штаб). He
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showed himself possessed of considerable organizing capacity (он обнаружил
владение значительными организаторскими способностями; to show oneself —
проявить себя, оказаться кем-либо) and the last three years of the war (и
последние три года войны) he passed at G. H. Q (он провел в ставке
главнокомандующего; G. H. Q = General Headquarters = штаб-квартира,
ставка, главное командование). He ended it as a major (он закончил /войну в
звании/ майора), with the Military Cross (с военным крестом) and the Legion of
Honour (и Орденом почетного легиона).
thoroughly ['TArqlI] general headquarters ['dZen(q)rql 'hed" kwO: tqz]
major ['meIdZq]
Michael thoroughly enjoyed the war. He was popular in the regimental mess,
and the officers of the old army accepted him almost at once, even though he
was an actor, as one of themselves. It was as though the family of soldiers
from which he was born had set a seal on him so that he fell instinctively into
the manner and way of thinking of the professional soldier. He had tact and a
pleasant manner, and he knew how to pull strings adroitly; it was inevitable
that he should get on the staff of some general. He showed himself possessed
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