Яков Аракин - Практический курс английского языка 2 курс

prosperous and solid. It was not only the flesh he had put on, but also the clothes, that made him

hard to recognize. He looked like a banker. Anyone would have been proud to be seen off by him.

"Stand back, please!"

The train was about to start and I waved farewell to my friend. Le Ros did not stand back. He

stood clasping in both hands the hands of the young American.

"Stand back, sir. please!"

He obeyed, but quickly darted forward again to whisper some final word. I think there were

tears in her eyes. There certainly were tears in his when, at length, having watched the train out of

sight, he turned round.

He seemed, nevertheless, delighted to see me. He asked me where I had been hiding all these

years: and simultaneously repaid me the half-crown as though it had been borrowed yesterday. He

linked his arm in mine, and walked me slowly along the platform, saying with what pleasure he read

my dramatic criticism every Saturday. I told him, in return, how much he was missed on the stage.

"Ah, yes," he said, "I never act on the stage nowadays."

He laid some emphasis on the word "stage," and I asked him where, then, he did act.

"On the platform," he answered.

"You mean," said I, "that you recite at concerts?"

He smiled.

"This," he whispered, striking his stick on the ground, "is the platform I mean."

"I suppose," he said presently, giving me a light for the cigar which he had offered me, "you

have been seeing a friend off?"

He asked me what I supposed he had been doing. I said that I had watched him doing the

same thing.

"No," he said gravely. "That lady was not a friend of mine. I met her for the first time this

morning, less than half an hour ago, here," and again he struck the platform with his stick.

I confessed that I was bewildered. He smiled.

"You may," he said, "have heard of the Anglo-American Social Bureau."

I had not. He explained to me that of the thousands of Americans who pass through England

there are many hundreds who have no English friends. In the old days they used to bring letters of

introduction. But the English are so inhospitable that these letters are hardly worth the paper they are

written on.

"Americans are a sociable people, and most of them have plenty of money to spend. The

AA.S.B. supplies them with English friends. Fifty per cent of the fees is paid over to the friend. The

other fifty is retained by the AA.S.B. I am not, alas, a director. If I were, I should be a very rich man

indeed. I am only an employee. But even so I do very well. I am one of the seers-off."

I asked for enlightenment.

"Many Americans," he said, "cannot afford to keep friends in England. But they can all

afford to be seen off. The fee is only five pounds (twenty-five dollars) for a single traveller; and

eight pounds (forty dollars) for a party of two or more. They send that in to the Bureau, giving the

date of their departure, and a description by which the seer-off can identify them on the platform.

And then — well, then they are seen off."

"But is it worth it?" I exclaimed,

"Of course it is worth it," said Le Ros. "It prevents them from feeling out of it. It earns them

the respect of the guard. It saves them from being despised bу their fellow-passengers — the people

who are going to be on the boat. Besides, it is a great pleasure in itself. You saw me seeing that

young lady off. Didn't you think I did it beautifully?"

"Beautifully," 1 admitted. "I envied you. There was I —"

"Yes, I can imagine. There were you, shuffling from foot to foot, staring blankly at your

friend, trying to make conversation, I know. That's how I used to be myself, before I studied, and

went into the thing professionally, I don't say I am perfect yet. A railway-station is the most difficult

of all places to act in, as you discovered for yourself."

"But," I said, "I wasn't trying to act. I really felt."

"So did I, my boy," said Le Ros. "You can't act without feeling. Didn't you see those tears in

my eyes when the train started? I hadn't forced them. I tell you I was moved. So were you, I dare say.

But you couldn't have pumped up a tear to prove it. You can't express your feeling. In other words,

you can't act. At any rate," he added kindly, "not in a railway-station."

"Teach me!" I cried.

He looked thoughtfully at me,

"Weil," he said at length, "the seeing-off season is practically over. Yes, I'll give you a course,

I have a good many pupils on hand already; but yes," he said, consulting an ornate note-book, "I

could give you an hour on Tuesdays and Fridays,"

His terms, I confess, are rather high. But 1 do not grudge the investment.

VOCABULARY NOTES

1. serve υt/i 1. служить, е.g. No man can serve two masters. He serves as gardener ( no

article!). He served three years in the army (navy). These shoes have served me two years. A

wooden box served as a table,

2. подавать на стол, е.g. The waiter served the soup, Dinner is served,

3. обслуживать, е.g. There was no one in the shop to serve me.

to serve smb. right, е.g. It serves you right for having disobeyed me.

service n 1.служба, е.g. Не was in active service during the war. He has been in the

Diplomatic Service for three years.

2. обслуживание, е.g. The meals at this restaurant are good but the service is poor. The train

service is good here.

3. услуга, одолжение, е.g. She no longer needs the services of a doctor. My room is at your

service.

servant n слуга, прислуга

2. familiar adj 1. знакомый, привычный, as a familiar voice (face, name, scene,

handwriting, song, melody, tune, scent, smell, etc.)

to be familiar to smb., to be familiar with smth., е.g. You should be familiar with the facts

before you start investigation. He is familiar with many languages. Her face seems familiar to me.

2. близкий, интимный, е.g. Are you on familiar terms with him? Don't be too familiar with

him, he's rather a dishonest man.

3. фамильярный, е.g. Don't you think he is a bit too familiar with her?

familiarity n близкое знакомство, фамильярность

3. impress υt запечатлевать в уме, производить впечатление; to impress smb., е.g. This

book did not impress me at all. I was greatly (deeply) impressed by his acting. What impressed you

most in the play?

impression n впечатление; to make (produce) an impressionon smb., to leave an

impression on smb., e, g. His speech made a strong impression on the audience. Punishment

seemed to make little impression on the child. Tell us about your impressions of England. The group

left a good (poor, favourable) impression on the examiner.

impressive adj производящий (глубокое) впечатление, as an impressive ceremony (sight,

scene, person, gesture, etc.), е.g. The scene was quite impressive.