Marriage of Convenience

A Marriage of Convenience

Proper Names

William Somerset Maugham — Уильям Сомерсет Моэм

Bangkok — Бангкок

Belgian — бельгиец

Monsieur le Gourvemeur (French) — мсье губернатор

Neapolitan — неаполитанский

Figaro — Фигаро (Прим.: популярная французская га­зета)

Cafe de la Paix — кафе де ля Пэ

Geneva — Женева

Juno (Latin) — Юнона (Прим.: супруга Юпитера, богиня брака)

Venus (Latin) — Венера (Прим.: богиня любви и красоты)

Minerva (Latin) — Минерва (Прим.: богиня мудрости)

Vocabulary Notes

1. ... a person of consequence. — ... важная персона.

2. He did look a little like a poodle... — Очень уж он был похож на пуделя ... (Прим.: В данном случае имеет место так называе­мая эмфатическая, т.е. усилительная конструкция. В обычную структуру утвердительного предложения вводится вспомога­тельный глагол. При переводе подобных конструкции на русский употребляются слова типа «именно», «уж», «очень» и т. п. По­добные конструкции неоднократно встречаются в текстах данного учебника).

3. Ours was a marriage of convenience pure and simple. — Наш брак был, без сомнения, браком по расчёту.

4. C'est vrai (French) — Верно.

5. ... with death in my heart. — ... с тяжёлым сердцем.

6. Suddenly I made up my mind. — Неожиданно у меня созрело решение.

7. I gave it up as a bad job. — Я бросил это безнадёжное дело.

8. ... to drive care away ... — ... чтобы развеяться ...

9. At this I entirely lost my temper. — И тут я совсем вышел из себя.

10. ... from women I have never set eyes on? — ... от женщин, которых я в глаза не видел?

11. One can never tell with women. — Кто их разберёт, женщин.

12. mademoiselle — мадемуазель

13. She gave a start. — Она вздрогнула.

14. ... I was on tenterhooks. — ... я был как на иголках.

15. Passion is all very well, but... — Страсть — это прекрасно, но ...

TEXT

A Marriage of Convenience

(Story by W. S. Maugham. Abridged.)

I left Bangkok on a shabby little ship. I had gone on board early in the morning and soon discovered that I was thrown amid the oddest collection of persons I had ever encountered. There were two French traders and a Belgian colonel, an Italian tenor, the American proprietor of a circus with his wife, and a retired French official with his.

The French official had been accompanied on board by the French minister at Bangkok, one or two secretaries and a prince of a royal family. He was evidently a person of consequence.¹ I had heard the captain address him as Monsieur le Gouverneur.

Monsieur le Gouverneur was a little man, well below the ave­rage height, and smally made, with a very ugly little face; he had a bushy grey head, bushy grey eyebrows, and a bushy grey moustache. He did look a little like a poodle² and he had the poodle's soft, in­telligent and shining eyes.

The Governor's wife was a large woman, tall and of a robust build. She towered over her diminutive husband like a skyscraper over a shack. He talked incessantly, with vivacity and wit, and when he said anything amusing her heavy features relaxed into a large fond smile.

In such a small ship having once made the acquaintance of my fellow passengers, it would have been impossible, even had I wished it, not to pass with them every moment of the day that I was not in my cabin.

Talking of one thing and another we watched the day decline, we dined, and then we sat out again on deck under the stars. Soon, influenced perhaps by the night, the Italian tenor, accompanying himself on his guitar began to sing. He had the real Italian voice, and he sang the Neapolitan songs.

I saw that the little French Governor had been holding the hand of his large wife and the sight was absurd and touching.

'Do you know that this is the anniversary of the day on which I first saw my wife?' he said, suddenly breaking the silence. 'It is also the anniversary of the day on which she promised to be my wife. And, which will surprise you, they were one and the same.'

'You see, ours was a marriage of convenience pure and simple.'³

'C'est vrai,'⁴ said the lady. 'But sometimes love comes after marriage and not before, and then it is better. It lasts longer.'

'You see, I had been in the navy, and when I retired I was forty-nine. I was strong and active and I was very anxious to find an occupation. And presently I was sent for by the minister to the Colonies and offered the post of Governor in a certain colony. The minister told me that I must be ready to start in a month. I told him that would be easy for an old bachelor.'

'You are a bachelor?'

'Certainly,' I answered.

'In that case I am afraid I must withdraw my offer. For this posi­tion it is essential that you should be married.'

'It is too long a story to tell you, but the gist of it was that owing to the scandal my predecessor had caused, it had been decided that the next Governor must be a model of respectability. I expostulated. I argued. Nothing would serve. The minister was adamant.'

'Well, think it over/ said the minister. 'If you can find a wife in a month you can go, but no wife no job.'

I walked away from the ministry with death in my heart.⁵ Sud­denly I made up my mind.⁶ I walked to the offices of the Figaro, composed an advertisement, and handed it in for insertion. You will never believe it, but I had four thousand three hundred and sev­enty-two replies. It was an avalanche. It was hopeless, I had less than a month now and I could not see over four thousand aspirants to my hand in that time. I gave it up as a bad job.⁷ I went out of my room hideous with all those photographs and littered papers and to drive care away⁸ went on to the boulevard and sat down at the Cafe de la Paix. After a time I saw a friend passing. My friend stopped and coming up to me sat down.

'What is making you lookso glum?' he asked me.

I was glad to havesomeone in whom I could confide my trou­bles and told him the whole story. He laughed. Controlling his mirth as best he could, he said to me: 'But, my dear fellow, do you really want to marry?' At this I entirely lost my temper.⁹

'You are completely idiotic,' I said. 'If I did not want to marry, do you imagine that I should have spent three days reading love let­ters from women I have never set eyes on?'¹⁰

'Calm yourself and listen to me,' he replied. 'I have a cousin who lives in Geneva. She is Swiss. Her morals are without reproach, she is of a suitable age, a spinster, for she has spent the last fifteen years nursing an invalid mother who has lately died, she is well edu­cated and she is not ugly.'

'There is one thing you forget. What inducement would there be for her to give up her accustomed life to accompany in exile a man of forty-nine who is by no means a beauty?'

When I made this remark to my friend he replied: 'One can never tell with women.¹¹ There is something about marriage that wonderfully attracts them. There would be no harm in asking her. '

'But I do not know your cousin and I don't see how I am to make her acquaintance.'

'I will tell you what to do,' said my friend. 'Go to Geneva and take her a box of chocolates from me. You can have a little talk and then if you do not like the look of her you take your leave and no harm is done.'

That night I took the train to Geneva. No sooner had I arrived than I sent her a letter to say that I was the bearer of a gift from her cousin. Within an hour I received her reply to the effect that she would be pleased to receive me at four o'clock in the afternoon. As the clock struck four I presented myself at the door other house. She was waiting for me. Imagine my surprise to see a young woman with the dignity of Juno, the features of Venus, and in her expres­sion the intelligence of Minerva. I was so taken aback that I nearly dropped the box of chocolates. We talked for a quarter of an hour. And then I said to her.

'Mademoiselle,¹² I must tell you that I did not come here merely to give you a box of chocolates. I came to ask you to do me the ho­nour of marrying me.'

She gave a start.¹³

'But, monsieur, you are mad,' she said.

Then I repeated my offer.

'I will not deny that your offer has come as a surprise. I had not thought of marrying, I have passed the age. I must consult my friends and my family.'

'What have they got to do with it? You are of full age. The mat­ter is pressing. I cannot wait. '

'You are not asking me to say yes or no this very minute? That is outrageous.'

'That is exactly what I am asking.'

'You are quite evidently a lunatic.'

'Well, which is it to be? ' I said. 'Yes or no?'

She shrugged her shoulders. She waited a minute and I was on tenterhooks.¹⁴

'Yes.'

And there she is. We were married in a fortnight and I became Governor of a colony. 'I married a jewel, my dear sirs, one in a thousand.'

He turned to the Belgian colonel.

'Are you a bachelor? If so I strongly recommend you to go to Geneva. It is a nest of the most adorable young women.'

It was she who summed up the story.

'The fact is that in a marriage of convenience you expect less and so you are less likely to be disappointed. Passion is all very well,¹⁵ but it is not a proper foundation for marriage. For two people to be happy in marriage they must be able to respect one another, and their interests must be alike; then if they are decent people and are willing to give and take, to live and let live, there is no reason why their union should not be as happy as ours.' She paused. 'But, of course, my husband is a very remarkable man.'

Comprehension Check

1. What kind of people were there on board the ship?

2. How did the author guess that the Governor was a person of con­ sequence?

3. What did the Governor and his wife look like?

4. How did it happen that the Governor started telling his story?

5. What impulse did the Governor have to marry?

6. Why was it essential for the next Governor to be married?

7. What did the Governor suddenly decide to do?

8. What kind of response did the Governor get after he had handed in the advertisement?

9. Why did he give up reading letters?

10. Where did the Governor meet his friend?

11. What did his friend suggest?

12. Did the Governor agree to follow his advice? How?

13. What impression did the lady produce upon the Governor?

14. What reaction did the lady have to his proposal?

15. Was the Governor persistent? Support your opinion.

16. What happened in the end?

17. What piece of advice did the Governor give to the Belgian colonel?

18. How did the lady sum up the story?

EXERCISES

Exercise 1

Find in the text words similar in meaning to the following:

Nouns:

A human being, an owner, a statesman, getting to know some­one, the celebration of a date, a single man, a post, bad public gossip, a person who strives for getting something, a single lady, stimulus, a present, a madman, a precious stone.

Verbs:

To meet by chance, to travel together with somebody, to call somebody, to cease employment, to take back, to protest, to give to somebody, to finish abruptly, to ask for advice, to give instructions, to summarize.

Adjectives:

In bad condition, bad-looking, full-bodied, tiny, tender, silly, firm, appropriate, urgent, admirable, good enough, moving.

Exercise 2

Explain in other words the following phrases.

To confide troubles, to lose temper, without reproach, of a suitable age, to nurse somebody, to be taken aback, to do someone the honour of marrying him, to be on tenterhooks, to give a start, to come as a surprise, to pass the age, to be of full age, a proper foundation for marriage, a person of conse­quence, an aspirant to someone's hand, to be adamant, a mar­riage of convenience.

Exercise 3

Find in the text the English equivalents for the following Russian words and phrases.

A.

Брак по расчёту; годовщина; составить объявление; претендент(ка) на чью-либо руку; поделиться с кем-либо своими проблемами; любовное послание; подходящего возраста; незамужняя женщина; преподнести коробку конфет от чьего-либо имени; оказать честь выйти замуж; выйти из определённого возраста; быть совершеннолет­ним; один на тысячу; страсть — это прекрасно, но...; хо­рошая основа для брака; быть счастливым в браке; ува­жать друг друга; союз.

В.

Сопровождать; важная персона; обращаться к кому-либо; намного ниже среднего роста; возвышаться над кем-либо; познакомиться; говорить о том, о сём; на палу­бе; нарушить тишину; служить во флоте; ничего не помо­гало; решить; развеяться; изо всех сил; выйти из себя; в глаза не видеть кого-либо; никоим образом; быть удив­лённым; уронить; вздрогнуть; дело безотлагательное; по­жать плечами; быть как на иголках; очень рекомендовать; закончить рассказ.

Exercise 4

Find in the text sentences with the following expressions and read them aloud. Translate them into Russian and let your classmates translate them back into English without a textbook.

to tower over somebody,

with death in one's heart,

to find an occupation,

to lose one's temper,

to relax into a smile,

to be ready to start in a month,

to control one's mirth,

to make up one's mind,

to withdraw one's offer,

to set eyes on somebody,

to be by no means a beauty,

to come as a surprise,

to be on tenterhooks,

no harm to be done,

to get to do with something,

to be less likely.

Exercise 5

Complete the sentences the way the author puts it in the text.

1. Passion is all very well, but...

2. I had gone on board early in the morning and soon discov­ ered that...

3. The Governor's wife was a large woman, tall and ...

4. I saw that the little French Governor had been holding ...

5. 'You see, ours was a marriage ...'

6. In that case I am afraid I must withdraw ...

7. It is too long a story to tell you, but ...

8. I walked to the offices of Figaro ...

9. You will never believe it but ...

10. I was glad to have someone to whom I could ...

11. Her morals are without reproach, she is of...

12. One can never tell with women. There is something about marriage ...

13. If you do not like the look of her...

14. I was so taken aback that...

15. I came to ask you

16. I will not deny ...

17. The fact is that in a marriage

Exercise 6

Translate the following verbal phrases into Russian. Mind the difference in the use of prepositions in the two languages if any.

1. To consult somebody, to address somebody, to pass the age, to shrug one's shoulders, to encounter somebody, to many somebody, to nurse somebody.

2. To sum up, to be taken aback, to give up, to hand in, to sit down, to come up.

Exercise 7

Put in the missing prepositions or postpositions if necessary.

1. I felt deep sorrow and wanted to confide my troubles ... somebody.

2. The children were so much taken ... that they could not speak for a while; then they decided to think it... .

3. You don't need to consult ... anybody, you have already passed ... the age when people depend on others.

4. The best way to drive care ... is to sit... a cafe.

5. One never knows how to address ... young ladies — Miss or Mrs.

6. A lot of people have never set eyes ... skyscrapers.

7. The lady at the table shrugged ... her shoulders and sent... the waiter.

8. Not everyone has enough tolerance to nurse ... elderly peo­ple but those who have, never give it... .

9. I encountered ... my old friend in the street, we went to a cafe and talked ... so many things.

10. The most difficult thing for a young author is to hand ... his manuscript to the editor.

11. Younger people are easily influenced ... all sorts of things they see or hear.

12. When the lady was pleased her lips relaxed ... a smile.

13. Quite often the students are asked to sum ... the story.

14. The tenor sang and his assistant accompanied him ... the guitar

Exercise 8

Translate the sentences into English using the vocabulary of the text.

1. Кто сможет в сорок лет отказаться от привычной жизни и уехать куда-нибудь далеко, чтобы начать всё сначала?

2. Я думаю, не будет никакого вреда, если мы подробно обо всём поговорим.

3. Я прошу ответить сию секунду.

4. Хотя мне хотелось чем-нибудь заняться и мне пред­ложили хорошую работу, я всё же не был готов начать через день.

5. Говорят, Наполеон был намного ниже среднего роста.

6. Решение пришло неожиданно. Я ушел и отправился побродить, чтобы развеяться.

7. Союз двух людей не сбудет счастливым, если они не уважают друг друга.

8. В этой семье каждый год празднуют годовщину свадьбы.

9. Смотреть на супругов, проживших вместе пятьдесят лет — это трогательное зрелище.

10. В этом доме всегда с радостью принимают гостей.

11. Я очень рекомендую Вам отправиться в путешествие на корабле.

12. Спустя какое-то время ко мне подошёл старый приятель.

13. Подавая брачные объявления в газету, люди чаще всего ищут партнёров подходящего возраста.

14. Кто их разберёт, женщин? Они всё делают по-своему.

15. Изо всех сил стараясь сдержать смех, дама в ответ просто пожала плечами.

Exercise 9

Dramatize one of the dialogues between:

1. the narrator and the French Governor;

2. the minister and the prospective Governor;

3. the prospective Governor and his friend;

4. the prospective Governor and his future wife.

Exercise 10

Retell the Governor's story. Сhoose one point.

1. in the third person;

2. in the person of the Governor;

3. in the person of the Governor's wife;

4. in the person of the Governor's friend.

Exercise 11

Discussion points. Сhoose one point.

1. What do you think of the main characters — the Governor and his wife?

2. The characters' appearances are so different. Is it a plus or a minus?

3. Does their story sound true to life, in your opinion? Prove your point.

4. Was it really a marriage of convenience? Could it be a case of love at first sight?

5. Are you for or against marriages of convenience?

6. Do you think acquaintance services and marriage advertise­ments can be of help?

Exercise 12

1. The Governor's wife had been a spinster and he had been a bachelor before they married. What other terms do you know to denote the mari­tal status of a person? Consult the Topical Vocabulary.

an unmarried person —

a person, having a spouse —

a person, who divorced his or her spouse —

2. The characters' marriage is called "a marriage of convenience". What other types of marriages do you know?

marriage, when people love each other —

marriage of people who are distantly related —

marriage of people with different social status —

3. The Governor and his wife celebrated the anniversary of their wedding. Do you know what we call the most often celebrated anniversaries?

25 years of family life —

50 years of family life —

75 years of family life —

Exercise 13

Imagine the following situation. Your parents have chosen a mate for you. They insist that you should marry the person they have found. How would you react? What do you think of arranged marriages in India and other ori­ental countries? Can an arranged marriage work?

Use the following expressions:

It is all very well, but...

One can never tell with ...

What have/has they/it got to do with ...

There would be no harm in ...

I don't see how ...

Imagine my surprise to ...

Even had I wished it ...

No wife, no ...

Exercise 14

Match the English idioms in the left column with their Russian equivalents in the right column. Use them in a proper context.

1. a maiden name А. маменькин сынок

2. extremes meet В. быть под каблуком

3. a mother's boy С. с глаз долой, из сердца вон

4. to be out of hand D. строить глазки

5. to be under smb.'s thumb Е. блудный сын

6. out of sight, out of mind F. плоть и кровь

7. to make eyes at smb. G. жить как кошка с собакой

8. the prodigal son Н. отбиться от рук

9. one's own flesh and blood I. девичья фамилия

10. to lead a cat and a dog life J. противоположности сходятся

Exercise 15

Translate the proverbs given below.

1. Marriages arc made in heaven.

2. Faint heart never won a fair maiden.

3. Birds of a feather flock together.

5. Every family has a skeleton in the cupboard.

6. Spare the rod and spoil the child.

7. When children stand still they have done some ill.

8. Like father like son.

9. A good husband makes a good wife.

10. He that would the daughter win, must with the mother first begin.

11. A tree is known by its fruit.