Tender is the night. F. Scott Fitzgerald. Учим английский, читая мировую классику. Елизавета Хундаева
desperately in love with him – I never knew I could feel that way about anybody. And he’s married and I like her too – it’s just hopeless (безнадёжный). Oh, I love him so!»
«I’m curious (мне интересно) to meet him.»
«She invited us to dinner Friday.»
«If you’re in love it ought to make you happy. You ought to (надо, следует) laugh.»
Rosemary looked up and gave a beautiful little shiver (дрожь, трепет) of her face and laughed. Her mother always had a great influence on her.
V
Rosemary went to Monte Carlo nearly as sulkily (надуто, угрюмо, мрачно) as it was possible for her to be. She rode up the rugged (труднопроходимый) hill to La Turbie, to an old Gaumont lot in process of reconstruction, and as she stood by the grilled (огражденный решёткой; с решётчатым ограждением) entrance (вход) waiting for an answer to the message on her card, she might have been looking into Hollywood. The bizarre (странный) débris (осколки, обломки; обрезки; лом) of some recent picture, a decayed (распавшийся; разрушенный) street scene in India, a great cardboard whale (кит), a monstrous tree bearing cherries large as basketballs, bloomed there by exotic dispensation (Божий промысел), autochthonous (автохтонный, местный, коренной) as the pale amaranth (амарант, щирица), mimosa, cork oak (пробковый дуб) or dwarfed (карликовый) pine. There were a quick-lunch shack (будка) and two barnlike (амбар; сарай; подсобное помещение) stages (подмостки, помост; платформа; сцена) and everywhere about the lot (масса, уйма), groups of waiting, hopeful (полный надежды), painted (раскрашенный) faces.
After ten minutes a young man with hair the color of canary (канарейка) feathers (перо) hurried (поспешить) down to the gate (ворота, калитка).
«Come in, Miss Hoyt. Mr. Brady’s on the set (съёмочная площадка), but he’s very anxious to see you (очень хочет увидеться с вами). I’m sorry you were kept waiting, but you know some of these French dames (дамочка) are worse about pushing themselves in – »
The studio manager opened a small door in the blank wall of stage building and with sudden glad familiarity Rosemary followed him into half darkness. Here and there figures spotted the twilight, turning up ashen (пепельно-бледный) faces to her like souls in purgatory (чистилище) watching the passage of a mortal (мертвый) through. There were whispers and soft voices and, apparently from afar, the gentle tremolo (дрожь) of a small organ. Turning the corner made by some flats, they came upon the white crackling (треск; потрескивание) glow (отсвет) of a stage, where a French actor – his shirt front, collar, and cuffs tinted (тонированный) a brilliant pink (розовый) – and an American actress stood motionless (неподвижный) face to face (лицом к лицу). They stared (уставиться) at each other with dogged (упрямый, упорный, настойчивый) eyes, as though (как будто) they had been in the same position for hours (часами); and still for a long time nothing happened, no one moved. A bank (ряд устройств; блок) of lights went off with a savage (дикий) hiss (шипение), went on again; the plaintive (заунывный) tap (стук) of a hammer begged (просить, умолять) admission (пропуск) to nowhere in the distance; a blue face appeared among the blinding (слепящий) lights above, called something unintelligible (не разборчивое) into the upper blackness. Then the silence was broken by a voice in front of Rosemary.
«Baby, you don’t take off the stockings, you can spoil ten more pairs. That dress is fifteen pounds.»
Stepping backward (отступая назад) the speaker ran against Rosemary, whereupon (на что) the studio manager said, «Hey, Earl – Miss Hoyt.»
They were meeting for the first time. Brady was quick and strenuous (напряженный). As he took her hand she saw him look her over from head to foot, a gesture she recognized and that made her feel at home (комфортно), but gave her always a faint (слабый) feeling of superiority (превосходство) to whoever made it. If her person was property (собственнность) she could exercise (осуществлять) whatever advantage was inherent (присущий, неотъемлемый) in its ownership.
«I thought you’d be along any day now,» Brady said, in a voice that was just a little too compelling (неотразимый, мощный, напористый) for private life, and that trailed (тянуть, тащить, волочить) with it a faintly (слегка) defiant (вызывающий; дерзкий, непокорный) cockney (кокни) accent (акцент). «Have a good trip?»
«Yes, but we’re glad to be going home.»
«No-o-o!» he protested. «Stay awhile (недолго) – I want to talk to you. Let me tell you that was some picture of yours – that „Daddy’s Girl.“ I saw it in Paris. I wired the coast right away to see if you were signed (отмечать, подписывать).»
«I just had – I’m sorry.»
«God, what a picture!»
Not wanting to smile in silly (глупый) agreement Rosemary frowned (нахмуриться).
«Nobody wants to be thought of forever (навсегда, навечно) for just one picture,» she said.
«Sure – that’s right. What’re your plans?»
«Mother thought I needed a rest. When I get back we’ll probably either sign up with First National or keep on with Famous.»
«Who’s we?»
«My mother. She decides business matters. I couldn’t do without her (обходиться без неё).»
Again he looked her over completely, and, as he did, something in Rosemary went out to him. It was not liking, not at all the spontaneous (спонтанный, самопроизвольный) admiration she had felt for the man on the beach this morning. It was a click. He desired her and, so far as her virginal (девственный; невинный, непорочный) emotions went, she contemplated (созерцать) a surrender (сдача; капитуляция, уступка) with equanimity (невозмутимость, спокойствие). Yet she knew she would forget him half an hour after she left him – like an actor kissed in a picture.
«Where are you staying?» Brady asked. «Oh, yes, at Gausse’s. Well, my plans are made for this year, too, but that letter I wrote you still stands (в силе). Rather make a picture with you than any girl since Connie Talmadge was a kid (ребёнок).»
«I feel