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When Michael went away to the war Dolly pressed her to come and live in her
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When Michael went away to the war Dolly pressed her to come and live in her
house in Montagu Square, but Julia, with protestations of extravagant
gratitude, refused in such a way that Dolly, with a sigh and a tear, could only
admire her the more. When Roger was born Julia asked her to be his
godmother.
For some time Michael had been turning over in his mind the possibility that
Dolly de Vries might put up the money they needed, but he was shrewd
enough to know that while she might do it for Julia she would not do it for
him. Julia refused to approach her.
" She's already been so kind to us I really couldn't ask her, and it would be so
humiliating if she refused. "
" It's a good gamble (это хорошая авантюра: «азартная игра»), and even if she
lost the money (и даже если она потеряет деньги) she wouldn't feel it (она этого
не почувствует). I'm quite sure (я полностью уверен) you could get round her
(ты смогла бы обвести ее /вокруг пальца/) if you tried (если бы ты захотела =
попыталась). "
Julia was pretty sure she could too (Джулия тоже была совершенно уверена, что
она смогла бы). Michael was very simple-minded in some ways (Майкл был
очень глуповатым: «бесхитростным» в некоторых отношениях); she did not
feel called upon (она не сочла необходимым; to feel called upon —
чувствовать призвание, потребность, быть призванным) to point out to him
the obvious facts (указать ему на очевидные факты).
But he was not a man who let a thing drop (но он не был человеком, который /с
легкостью/ бросал /идею/; to let drop smth. — выпустить, выронить,
обронить) when he had set his mind to it (когда он сосредоточился на ней).
They were going to Guildford to spend the week-end with Dolly (они ехали в
Гилфорд, чтобы провести выходные: «уик-энд» с Долли), and were driving
down after the Saturday night's performance (и выезжали /за город/ после
субботнего вечернего представления) in the new car (в новой машине) that
Julia had given Michael for his birthday (которую Джулия подарила Майклу на
его день рождения).
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gamble ['gxmb(q)l] simple-minded [" sImp(q)l'maIndId] Saturday ['sxtqdI]
" It's a good gamble, and even if she lost the money she wouldn't feel it. I'm
quite sure you could get round her if you tried. "
Julia was pretty sure she could too. Michael was very simple-minded in some
ways; she did not feel called upon to point out to him the obvious facts.
But he was not a man who let a thing drop when he had set his mind to it.
They were going to Guildford to spend the week-end with Dolly, and were
driving down after the Saturday night's performance in the new car that Julia
had given Michael for his birthday.
It was a warm beautiful night (ночь была теплая и красивая). Michael had
bought options (Майкл купил опционы: «преимущественные права покупки»),
though it wrung his heart to write the cheques (хотя это и разрывало его сердце
— выписывать чеки), on three plays that they both liked (на три пьесы, которые
им обоим понравились), and he had heard of a theatre (и он слышал о театре)
that they could get on reasonable terms (который они могли бы получить на
разумных условиях). Everything was ready for the venture (все было готово для
открытия /нового предприятия/) except the capital (за исключением капитала).
He urged Julia (он убеждал Джулию) to seize the opportunity (воспользоваться
удачным случаем; to seize — хватать, схватить, завладеть) that the week-
end presented (который предлагал этот уик-энд).
" Ask her yourself then (проси ее сам в таком случае: «тогда»), " said Julia
impatiently (сказала Джулия с раздражением: «нетерпеливо»). " I tell you, I'm
not going to (/я/ говорю тебе, я не собираюсь /просить/). "
" She wouldn't do it for me (она не сделает этого для меня). You can twist her
round your little finger (ты же можешь окрутить ее: «обернуть ее вокруг твоего
маленького пальца = мизинца»). "
venture ['ventSq] impatient [Im'peIS(q)nt] twist [twIst]
It was a warm beautiful night. Michael had bought options, though it wrung
his heart to write the cheques, on three plays that they both liked, and he had
heard of a theatre that they could get on reasonable terms. Everything was
ready for the venture except the capital. He urged Julia to seize the
opportunity that the week-end presented.
" Ask her yourself then, " said Julia impatiently. " I tell you, I'm not going to. "
" She wouldn't do it for me. You can twist her round your little finger. "
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" We know a thing or two about financing plays now (теперь мы знаем пару
вещей: «вещь или две» о финансировании постановок). People finance plays
for two reasons (люди финансируют постановки по двум причинам), either
because they want notoriety (либо если они хотят известности), or because
they're in love with someone (либо потому, что они влюблены в кого-то). A lot
of people talk about art (многие люди говорят об искусстве), but you don't often
find them paying out hard cash (но не часто увидишь, как они платят звонкую
монету: «наличные деньги») unless they're going to get something out of it for
themselves (если только они не собираются получить что-нибудь из этого для
себя). "
" Well, we'll give Dolly all the notoriety she wants (ну, мы предоставим: «дадим»
Долли всю известность, которую она хочет). "
" That doesn’t happen to be what she's after (это как раз совсем не то, чего она
хочет; to happen — происходить, случаться, оказываться случайно; to be
after smth — стремиться завладеть чем-либо, покушаться на что-либо). "
" What do you mean (что ты имеешь в виду)? "
" Can't you guess (неужели не можешь догадаться)? "
notoriety [" nqVtq'raIqtI] happen ['hxpqn] guess [ges]
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