It was two years later that Jimmie Langton discovered her. She was on tour in

A melodrama that had been successful in London; in the part of an Italian

Adventuress, whose machinations were eventually exposed, she was trying

Somewhat inadequately to represent a woman of forty. Since the heroine, a

Blonde person of mature years, was playing a young girl, the performance

Lacked verisimilitude. Jimmie was taking a short holiday, which he spent in

Going every night to the theatre in one town after another. At the end of the

Piece he went round to see Julia. He was well enough known in the theatrical

World for her to be flattered by the compliments he paid her, and when he

Asked her to lunch with him next day she accepted.

They had no sooner sat down to table (как только они сели за стол: «они не

намного раньше сели за стол») than he went straight to the point (он перешел

сразу прямо к делу: «чем он перешел прямо к делу»).

"I never slept a wink all night (я не сомкнул глаз целую ночь; not to sleep a wink

— глаз не сомкнуть, a wink — моргание, мигание) for thinking of you (так как

думал о тебе)," he said (сказал он).

"This is very sudden (это очень неожиданно). Is your proposal honourable or

dishonourable (ваше предложение честное или бесчестное; honourable —

честный, благородный, с честью)?"

He took no notice (он не обратил внимание на) of the flippant rejoinder (этот

легкомысленный/дерзкий ответ).

"I've been at this game (я живу в этой профессии: «был и есть в этой игре») for

twenty-five years (двадцать пять лет). I've been a call-boy (я вызывал актеров

на сцену; call-boy — мальчик, вызывающий актеров на сцену), a stage-hand (я

был помощником по сцене), a stage-manager (я был помощником режиссера),

an actor (актером), a publicity man (работал сотрудником по связям с

общественностью; publicity — рекламирование), damn it (черт побери), I've

even been a critic (я даже был критиком). I've lived in the theatre (я жил в

театре) since I was a kid (с тех самых пор, когда я был щенком: «ребенком»;

kid — козленок; /разг./ малыш) just out of a board school (только что из

пансиона), and what I don't know about acting (и то, что я не знаю об актерской

игре) isn't worth knowing (не стоит и знать). I think you're a genius (я думаю,

что ты гениальна)."

"It's sweet of you (очень мило с вашей стороны) to say so (говорить так)."

honourable ['On(q)rqb(q)l] rejoinder [rI'dZOIndq] genius ['dZi:nIqs]

They had no sooner sat down to table than he went straight to the point.

"I never slept a wink all night for thinking of you," he said.

"This is very sudden. Is your proposal honourable or dishonourable?"

He took no notice of the flippant rejoinder.

"I've been at this game for twenty-five years. I've been a call-boy, a stage-

Hand, a stage-manager, an actor, a publicity man, damn it, I've even been a