Meanwhile Julia had been playing a succession of important parts and was

Recognized as the best of the younger actresses. Throughout the war the

Theatre was very prosperous, and she profited by being seen in plays that had

Long runs. Salaries went up, and with Michael to advise her she was able to

Extort eighty pounds a week from reluctant managers. Michael came over to

England on his leaves and Julia was divinely happy. Though he was in no

More danger than if he had been sheep-farming in New Zealand, she acted as

Though the brief periods he spent with her were the last days the doomed man

Would ever enjoy on earth.

She treated him (она обращалась с ним так) as though he had just come (как

если бы он только что возвратился) from the horror of the trenches (от ужасов

окопов: «траншей») and was tender, considerate, and unexacting (и была

нежной, внимательной и нетребовательной).

It was just before the end of the war (как раз перед самым окончанием войны)

that she fell out of love with him (она его разлюбила; to fall out of love with smb.

— разлюбить кого-либо).

She was pregnant at the time (она была беременна в это время). Michael had

judged it imprudent (Майкл рассудил, что это было неблагоразумным) to have

a baby just then (завести ребенка именно тогда), but she was nearly thirty (но ей

было почти тридцать) and thought (и думала) that if they were going to have one

at all (что если они собираются иметь /ребенка/ вообще) they ought to delay no

longer (им не следует больше откладывать); she was so well established on the

stage (она занимала такое прочное положение в профессии: «на сцене»;

established — упрочившийся, установившийся, признанный) that she could

afford (что она могла позволить) not to appear for a few months (не появляться

/на публике/ несколько месяцев), and with the possibility that Michael might be

killed at any moment (и с той возможностью, что Майкла могли убить в любой

момент) — it was true he said he was as safe as a house (по правде: «это было

правдой» он говорил, что /он/ был в полнейшей безопасности; as safe as a

house — совершенно надежный, обеспеченный, безопасный), he only said that

to reassure her (он говорил так, только чтобы успокоить ее), and even generals

were killed sometimes (и даже генералов иногда убивают) — if she was to go on

living (если она собирается продолжать жить) she must have a child by him

(она должна иметь ребенка от него).

trench [trentS] unexacting ["AnIg'zxktIN] imprudent [Im'pru:d(q)nt]

She treated him as though he had just come from the horror of the trenches

And was tender, considerate, and unexacting.

It was just before the end of the war that she fell out of love with him.