лучший мужчина, чем я женщина), my sweet (мой любимый)," she said.

He gave her his good, friendly smile (он одарил ее своей приятной,

дружелюбной улыбкой) and slightly shook his head (и слегка покачал головой).

"No, dear, I had a wonderful profile (нет, дорогая, у меня был прекрасный

профиль), but you've got genius (а у тебя есть талант)."

Julia giggled (Джулия хихикнула). There was a certain fun (это было даже

забавным; certain — определенный, некоторый) to be got out of a man

(разговаривать с человеком; to get out — зд. произносить, издавать) who

never knew what you were talking about (который никогда не знал, о чем речь

идет: «о чем ты говоришь»). But what did they mean (но что имеют в виду)

when they said an actress had genius (когда говорят, что у актрисы талант)?

Julia had often asked herself (Джулия часто спрашивала себя) what it was that

had placed her (что же /это было/, что поставило ее в положение) at last head

and shoulders above her contemporaries (по крайней мере на голову /и плечи/

выше, чем ее современниц; to stand head and shoulders above smb. — намного

превосходить кого-либо).

profile ['prqVfaIl] genius ['dZi:nIqs] giggle ['gIg(q)l]

"I think you're a much better man than I am a woman, my sweet," she said.

He gave her his good, friendly smile and slightly shook his head.

"No, dear, I had a wonderful profile, but you've got genius."

Julia giggled. There was a certain fun to be got out of a man who never knew what

you were talking about. But what did they mean when they said an actress had

genius? Julia had often asked herself what it was that had placed her at last head

Мультиязыковой проект Ильи Франка www.franklang.ru

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and shoulders above her contemporaries.

She had had detractors (раньше у нее были хулители). At one time (одно время)

people had compared her unfavourably with some actress or other (люди

сравнивали ее, и не в ее пользу, с той или иной актрисой; unfavourably —

неблагоприятный, неблагосклонный) who at the moment enjoyed the public

favour (которые в

тот момент пользовались: «наслаждались»

благосклонностью публики), but now no one disputed her supremacy (но теперь

никто и не обсуждал ее превосходства). It was true (правда) that she had not the

world-wide notoriety of the film-stars (у нее не было всемирной /сомнительной/

славы звезд кино); she had tried her luck on the pictures (она попытала счастья

в кино; picture — картина, рисунок, the pictures — кино), but had achieved no

success (но не добилась: «не достигла» успеха); her face on the stage so mobile

and expressive (ее лицо, на сцене такое подвижное и выразительное:

«мобильное и экспрессивное») for some reason lost on the screen (по какой-то

причине терялось на экране), and after one trial (и после одной попытки) she

had with Michael's approval (она, с одобрения Майкла) refused to accept any of

the offers (она отказывалась принимать любые предложения /в кино/) that

were from time to time made her (которые ей время от времени делали). She

had got a good deal of useful publicity (она получила хорошую: «много» и

полезную рекламу) out of her dignified attitude (от этого своего отношения /к

съемкам в кино/, полного собственного достоинства). But Julia did not envy

the film-stars (но Джулия не завидовала звездам экрана); they came and went;

she stayed (они приходили и уходили, она оставалась).

detractor [dI'trxktq] supremacy [sq'premqsI] notoriety ["nqVtq'raIqtI]

She had had detractors. At one time people had compared her unfavourably with