30 лучших рассказов американских писателей. Коллектив авторов

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СКАЧАТЬ my Lord!’ cried Marjorie in desperation ‘You little nut! Girls like you are responsible for all the tiresome colorless marriages; all those ghastly inefficiencies that pass as feminine qualities. What a blow it must be when a man with imagination marries the beautiful bundle of clothes that he’s been building ideals round, and finds that she’s just a weak, whining, cowardly mass of affectations!’

      Bernice’s mouth had slipped half open.

      ‘The womanly woman!’ continued Marjorie. ‘Her whole early life is occupied in whining criticisms of girls like me who really do have a good time.’

      Bernice’s jaw descended farther as Marjorie’s voice rose.

      ‘There’s some excuse for an ugly girl whining. If I’d been irretrievably ugly I’d never have forgiven my parents for bringing me into the world. But you’re starting life without any handicap – ’ Marjorie’s little fist clinched, ‘If you expect me to weep with you you’ll be disappointed. Go or stay, just as you like.’ And picking up her letters she left the room.

      Bernice claimed a headache and failed to appear at luncheon. They had a matinée date for the afternoon, but the headache persisting, Marjorie made explanation to a not very downcast boy. But when she returned late in the afternoon she found Bernice with a strangely set face waiting for her in her bedroom.

      ‘I’ve decided,’ began Bernice without preliminaries, ‘that maybe you’re right about things – possibly not. But if you’ll tell me why your friends aren’t – aren’t interested in me I’ll see if I can do what you want me to.’

      Marjorie was at the mirror shaking down her hair.

      ‘Do you mean it?’

      ‘Yes.’

      ‘Without reservations? Will you do exactly what I say?’

      ‘Well, I – ’

      ‘Well nothing! Will you do exactly as I say?’

      ‘If they’re sensible things.’

      ‘They’re not! You’re no case for sensible things.’

      ‘Are you going to make – to recommend – ’

      ‘Yes, everything. If I tell you to take boxing-lessons you’ll have to do it. Write home and tell your mother you’re going’ to soy another two weeks.

      ‘If you’ll tell me – ’

      ‘All right – I’ll just give you a few examples now. First you have no ease of manner. Why? Because you’re never sure about your personal appearance. When a girl feels that she’s perfectly groomed and dressed she can forget that part of her. That’s charm. The more parts of yourself you can afford to forget the more charm you have.’

      ‘Don’t I look all right?’

      ‘No; for instance you never take care of your eyebrows. They’re black and lustrous, but by leaving them straggly they’re a blemish. They’d be beautiful if you’d take care of them in one-tenth the time you take doing nothing. You’re going to brush them so that they’ll grew straight.’

      Bernice raised the brows in question.

      ‘Do you mean to say that men notice eyebrows?’

      ‘Yes – subconsciously. And when you go home you ought to have your teeth straightened a little. It’s almost imperceptible, still – ’

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      Примечания

      1

      Ohio – the US state in the Midwest (106 125 sq. km), joined the USA after the American Revolutionary War in 1783.

      2

      Indiana – the US state in the Midwest (93 491 sq. km), joined the USA after the American Revolutionary War.

      3

      Sandusky – a city on Lake Erie in northern Ohio, founded by the British in 1745.

      4

      Lake Erie – one of the five Great Lakes on the USA-Canadian border.

      5

      sine qua non – necessary conditions. (Latin)

      6

      St. George and his Dragon – a Christian martyr of the 3d century and the patron saint of England; St. George saved a Libyan king’s daughter from the dragon and killed the monster in return for the promise that the people of Libya would be baptized.

      7

      Alabama – the US state in the south (131 334 sq. km); the first Europeans who came there were the Spanish, the first settlement was founded by the French in 1701; after the war of 1763, the territory was ceded to England.

      8

      the Federal army – the army of the federal government in the American Civil War of 1861–1865 with 11 Southern states.

      9

      the Southern cause – the southern states seceded from the Union in 1860–1861; the Northern and the Southern states had different economies, different attitude to slavery, trade and the very idea of states’ rights.

      10

      Corinth – a city in northeastern Mississippi; the bloody battle took place to the north of the city during the American Civil War.

      11

      the Yanks – Yankees, a nickname of the citizens of New England states; the word was used by Southerners for Northerners and Federal soldiers during the American СКАЧАТЬ