Случай с трагиком

Знаменитый трагик нигер Олдридж в 1860 году объехал всю Евро­пу. Ему везде сопутствовал успех.

Находясь уже в Северной Америке, он получил приглашение из города Мобилэ, находящегося в южных штатах. Несмотря на то, что этот город был одним из центров расизма, Олдридж все же принял приглашение.

На третий день своего пребывания в Мобилэ, он решил повидать­ся со своим приятелем, жившим в Монтгомери, и взял туда билет первого класса. Кассир на вокзале, узнав знаменитого актера, конеч­но, не подумал сказать ему то, что обыкновенно говорил всем черно­кожим: «Ваше место в вагоне для негров».

Артист вошел в пустой вагон, удобно уселся и погрузился в чте­ние газеты, скрывавшей его лицо. Вагон постепенно наполнялся пас­сажирами. Раздался свисток, и поезд двинулся.

Через некоторое время Олдридж опустил газету. Пассажир, си­девший напротив, вскочил и потребовал, чтобы кондуктор вывел из вагона негра, сказав, что если он этого не сделает, то потеряет ра­боту, т.к. он Франциск Парри — член правления этой дороги.

Вскоре поезд остановился у маленькой сіанции.

—Сэр, вы видите, я должен вас просить... —сказал кондуктор. Так как артист отказался наотрез выйти, то пришлось вывести его из вагона.

Артист стоял на платформе, тяжело дыша. Поезд ушел. К вечеру Олдридж вернулся в Мобилэ, Он был так потрясен происшедшим, что решил немедленно покинуть южные штаты и отправился в театр переговорить с директором. Увидев Олдриджа, директор бросился к нему с радостным криком;

— Это вы, Олдридж? Вы живы? Вы ведь сегодня уехали утром в Монтгомери?

— Да, но одно происшествие, о котором я вам сейчас расскажу, вынудило меня покинуть поезд.

— Так благодарите это происшествие за то, что вы живы. Поезд, в котором вы ехали, потерпел крушение около Монтгомери. Среди пассажиров много убитых. Прочтите в вечерней газете.

Олдридж схватил газету. В списках погибших он прочел имена Франциска Парри и знаменитого трагика Олдриджа...

Questions

1. What was Aldridge? 2. When did he tour Europe? 3. How great was his success in Europe? 4. What invitation did he receive one day? 5. Where did it come from? 6. Why did he accept the invitation in spite of the fact that Mobile, a town in one of the southern states, was a cen­tre of racism? 7. What did he decide to do on the third day of his stay in the town? 8. Where did his friend live? 9. How did he intend to trav­el? 10. Why did the booking-dark make no mention of the "Jim Crow" car? 11. What did Aldridge do on taking his seat in the train? 12. Why didn't his fellow-passengers notice at first that they were travelling in the same car with a Negro? 13. What happened when Aldridge put down his paper? 14. Why did the passenger sitting opposite Aldridge demand that the actor should be immediately thrown out of the car? 15. Why couldn't the porter disobey an order coming from Francisco Parry, a member of the Railroad Board? 16. What happened when the train stopped at a small station? 17. Why did Aldridge refuse flatly to leave the car? 18. What feelings rose in him? 19. How was Aldridge removed from the car? 20. Aldridge was badly shaken by what had hap­pened, wasn't he? 21. Why was it impossible for him to remain in the South after the incident? 22. Why was the director filled with joy to see Aldridge back? 23. What occurred as the train was approaching Montgomery? 24. What did Aldridge read in the evening paper?

Ex. 39. Read and retell the text.

ON TIME

After John O’Нага.

Laura was the first person to take a seat in the Pullman. It was always that way with Laura. Whether for a train, a dentist appoint­ment, the theatre, a dinner-party, Laura was always punctual. In her home town, her friends would look out of their windows, and seeing Laura on her way to a luncheon or other meeting, they would say, "We have plenty of time. Laura's just leaving." Her punctuality meant that she often had to wait for people. In fact, some time ago, she had been kept waiting a very long time. And now here was the man who had made her wait, taking his seat at the other end of the car.

After ten years, she still knew him before she saw his face. She was annoyed with herself because the sight of him made her realize that she still cared. Just in time she pretended to shade her eyes with her hand as he turned around before sitting down.

The train started. Frank was deep in his paper and a dozen Pull­man chairs away from him, Laura was left with her memory of an af­ternoon a decade ago, an afternoon when she had waited, and waited alone. He had arranged to meet her at Luigi's. He had chosen the place with great care, it was a place where no one knew her. "I'll telephone them to expect you, and you go straight through the bar to the last booth. You won't know anybody, but just in case."

When she went into the place, the owner seemed to recognize her. "Yes, lady, you are meeting Mr. Hillman. Right this way, please." He led her to the booth, took her order for the first drink. She had left her bags in the front of the restaurant, and there was not the slight­est doubt in her mind that the owner knew what was going on. He was very polite, very attentive as though every afternoon at four, he greeted young women who were walking out on their husbands because they had fallen madly in love with someone else.

There was admiration but no disrespect in his eyes as he brought her the first drink. The admiration gave way to pity after she had wait­ed two hours and had taken her sixth drink. Then she went home. Frank had tried to get in touch with her, but all his attempts were unsuccess­ful because she had never replied.

"Would you like to have lunch with me in the dining car?" Frank was standing over her with his easy charming smile.

"Why, Frank," she said, pleased that she did not sound as fright­ened as she felt. "Why, yes, thanks." She got up and they went to the diner. They did not speak until they had ordered. She hoped that the years had changed her as little as they had him. He was still very hand­some.

"I'm very pleased," he said.

"Why? At what?"

"That you speak to me. For ten years I've wanted to tell you about that awful day. I know you think I should at least have telephoned. but you never gave me a chance to tell you what happened. Do you know what happened?"

"What happened, Frank?"

"I met with an accident on my way to Luigi's, I was run down by a taxi. When I woke up in the hospital it was too late to call you even if I could have got out of bed, which I didn't for nearly three months."

"Really?" she said.

"And of course there was no one I could ask to phone you. No one else knew."

All at once she saw a way to wipe out the humiliation of those ten years and that one afternoon. '-Frank, I've got to tell you something. 1 wasn't there." She looked at him and, she knew, convincingly.

"What?"

"I never went to the place. I did come to New York. I was going to meet you, but at the last minute I was afraid."

"But, Laura," he said, "when I got out of the hospital, I asked Lui-gi. He said yes, he remembered a lady waiting for me."

"It wasn't I. I just couldn't do it. I couldn't walk out on Bob that way. Then when I went home I was ashamed for being such a coward. That's why I never returned your calls. I was too cowardly."

"You weren't there." He said in a flat voice. "I can't believe it. I can't believe it."

"It worked out better this way," she said. She was heartless, cruel, but she got some comfort out of what she had said.

"Well, I suppose so," he said. He was taking it very well. He couldn't have her see what a hard blow it was for him. "Punctual Laura, on the one occasion when you really should have been on time, you didn't turn up at all."

"Well, better never than late, as they say," she said sweetly.

Ex. 40. Use the following words and phrases in situations.

A Trip

to intend to go on a trip some place; to set a day for the departure; to choose to travel by railway; to make inquiries about smth by phone; to book a return ticket in a sleeping car; to start packing one's luggage; an eventful day; to fuss about smth; to turn one's flat upside down; at smb's suggestion; to take smth along; to be on the safe side; finally; to set out; to take a taxi; to arrive at the station safe; to hire a porter; to pile one's luggage on a truck; to have one's luggage put in a luggage van; to catch sight of smb; to come to seesmboff; towishsmb a comfort­able journey; to be in high spirits; a signal of departure; to pull out of the station; to wave good-bye to smb; to move slowly; to pick up speed; to be out of sight; to settle down to enjoy smth

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