angry (а если он был сердит) would throw the script down (швырял сценарий на
пол: «вниз») and stamp on it (и топал по нему ногами;
гнева) ran down his cheeks (лились: «бежали вниз» по его щекам).
performance [pq'fO:mqns] bully ['bVlI] laughter ['lQ:ftq]
He worked his company hard. They rehearsed every morning from ten till
two, when he sent them home to learn their parts and rest before the evening's
performance. He bullied them, he screamed at them, he mocked them. He
underpaid them. But if they played a moving scene well he cried like a child,
and when they said an amusing line as he wanted it said he bellowed with
laughter. He would skip about the stage on one leg if he was pleased, and if he
50
was angry would throw the script down and stamp on it while tears of rage
ran down his cheeks.
The company laughed at him (труппа смеялась над ним) and abused him (и
злоупотребляла им = обманывала его;
they could (и делала все, что могла) to please him (чтобы угодить ему:
«доставить ему удовольствие»). He aroused a protective instinct in them (он
вызывал в них желание защищать его: «он пробуждал защитный инстинкт в
них»;
all (так, что все без исключения;
felt (они чувствовали) that they couldn't let him down (что они не могут
подвести его;
Though they said (хотя они и говорили, что) he drove them like slaves (он
обращался с ними как с рабами: «он загружал их работой, как рабов»;
had a moment to themselves (и у них даже никогда не было и момента для
себя), flesh and blood couldn't stand it (/их/ плот и кровь не /могла/ вынести
этого;
gave them a sort of horrible satisfaction (это приносило им: «давало» некое
ужасное удовлетворение) to comply with his outrageous demands
(соответствовать/подчиняться его возмутительным требованиям;
сжимал руку старожила труппы: «старого члена труппы»;
(который получил /всего лишь/ семь фунтов в неделю), and said (и говорил),
by God (ей-богу), laddie (приятель;
stupendous (ты колоссален), the old trooper felt like Charles Kean (старый актер
труппы чувствовал себя совсем как /великий/ Чарльз Кин).
51
abuse [q'bju:s] blood [blAd] outrageous [aVt'reIdZqs] trooper ['tru:pq]
stupendous [stju:'pendqs]
The company laughed at him and abused him and did everything they could
to please him. He aroused a protective instinct in them, so that one and all
they felt that they couldn't let him down. Though they said he drove them like
slaves, and they never had a moment to themselves, flesh and blood couldn't
stand it, it gave them a sort of horrible satisfaction to comply with his