fine figure he was still a very handsome man. Since his five years at the war he

had adopted a military bearing, so that if you had not known who he was

(which was scarcely possible, for in one way and another his photograph was

always appearing in the illustrated papers) you might have taken him for an

officer of high rank. He boasted that his weight had not changed since he was

twenty, and for years, wet or fine, he had got up every morning at eight to put

on shorts and a sweater and have a run round Regent's Park.

"The secretary told me (/ваш/ секретарь сказала мне) you were rehearsing this

morning, Miss Lambert (что вы репетировали сегодня утром, Мисс Лэмберт; to

rehearse — репетировать, повторять)," the young man remarked (заметил

молодой человек). "Does that mean (это значит, /что/) you're putting on a new

play (вы ставите новую пьесу)?"

"Not a bit of it (ничего подобного)," answered Michael (ответил Майкл). "We're

playing to capacity (мы играем при переполненных залах; capacity — емкость,

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вместимость; полный сбор, аншлаг)."

"Michael thought we were getting a bit ragged (Майкл посчитал: «подумал» что

мы начинаем играть неслаженно: «становимся слегка небрежными»; ragged

— неровный, шероховатый, небрежный), so he called a rehearsal (и тогда он

созвал /нас на/ репетицию)."

"I'm very glad I did (и я счастлив, что поступил так). I found little bits of

business had crept in (я обнаружил, что появились некоторые элементы:

«маленькие кусочки игры вкрались»; to creep — ползать, красться, to creep

in — вкрасться) that I hadn't given them (которых я им не давал) and a good

many liberties were being taken with the text (и совершенно свободно /они/

распоряжались текстом: «большое множество вольностей было допущено по

отношению к тексту»; to take liberties with smth. — бесцеремонно обращаться

с чем-либо). I'm a great stickler (я ярый сторонник; stickler — защитник,

приверженец; to stick — прилипать; придерживаться /чего-либо/) for saying

the author's exact words (произнесения: «говорения» точных слов автора),

though, God knows (хотя, Бог знает), the words authors write nowadays aren't

much (слова, /которые/ авторы пишут в наше время, не многое из себя

представляют)."

"If you'd like to come and see our play (если вы захотите прийти и посмотреть

наш спектакль)," Julia said graciously (сказала Джулия благосклонно), "I'm

sure Michael will be delighted (я уверена, что Майкл будет рад) to give you

some seats (предоставить вам несколько билетов: «мест»)."

capacity [kq'pxsItI] author ['O:Tq] delighted [dI'laItId]

"The secretary told me you were rehearsing this morning, Miss Lambert,"

the young man remarked. "Does that mean you're putting on a new play?"

"Not a bit of it," answered Michael. "We're playing to capacity."

"Michael thought we were getting a bit ragged, so he called a rehearsal."

"I'm very glad I did. I found little bits of business had crept in that I hadn't

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25

given them and a good many liberties were being taken with the text. I'm a

great stickler for saying the author's exact words, though, God knows, the