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10. When Delia saw Joe's money
a) she wasn't surprised at all.
b) she was disappointed to see so little.
c) she believed he had sold one of his pictures.
THE SPANISH PAINTER
(after William Taine)
Words:
immediately – мгновенно
respectfully – с уважением
to encourage – поощрять
tremendous – огромный
Part I
The clock had just struck ten when Mendoza’s servant came into
the studio and said to his master: «Mrs. Burtenshaw to see you, sir.»
Mendoza said nothing, but his eyes asked a question which the
servant immediately understood. «She is a – a large lady, sir, with fine
clothes and diamonds in her ears. I do not think she has come to buy a
painting."
"Well," said Mendoza, "from your description of her, it's clear
that she has not come to ask me for money either. As I am not working,
I’ll receive her."
The servant opened the door and invited the lady in. Mendoza
asked her to sit down, and stood waiting. As he looked at her and lis-
tened to her, Mendoza decided that he didn't like her at all. She smiled
at him, but there was no kindness in her eyes; she spoke respectfully,
but her voice was hard, and there were hard lines round her mouth. "I
am sorry that I had to come to see you so early in the morning," she
said. "But I couldn't wait – I simply couldn't. The idea of asking you to
help me came to me during the night. I didn't sleep at all, Mr. Mendoza,
I couldn't close my eyes. Oh, Mr. Mendoza, I am in such a difficult
situation! You have never been a mother, you cannot know what I feel,
14
how frightened I am about my son. But you must help me, I am sure
you are the only man in the world who can."
"It is true," said Mendoza, "that I have never been a mother. But
I know many mothers, and I know that all of them are ready to do any-
thing for their children. Believe me, my dear lady, I’ll help you, if I
can. Perhaps you will tell me how I can be of service to you?"
"Yes, yes!" she cried. "I understand you are busy. But my story
will take only a few minutes. I want to speak to you about my son
Charlie, my only child. He is everything to me – she opened her coat
that had cost, perhaps, a thousand pounds – "he is all that I have in the
world. His dear father died ten years ago, when Charlie was a little boy
of nine. Since then, Charlie has been the main interest of my life, my
whole heart. A wonderful boy, until this idea came to him, the idea of
going in for art —"
"And have you come to ask me to take your son as a pupil?"
Mendoza asked. "Because if that is the purpose of your visit, I am sorry
– "
"No, no, my dear Mr. Mendoza!" she cried. "I don't want that at
all. I want you to let him come and show you his drawings, and then I
want you to tell him that he has no talent. I shall have no rest or peace
as long as that boy continues to dream of becoming an artist. We have
never had such low ideas or such low people in our family. You must
promise to tell him he will never be able to paint."
"I understand," Mendoza said. "Your family is too high and too
proud to have anything to do with painters. But how can I promise you
anything until I have seen your son's work? What if he has a really
great talent? Such a thing is possible, even in your family."
"Oh!" she cried, and now her eyes were full of tears. "If you re-
fuse to help me, what shall I do? You are the only man who can do this
for me, because Charlie admires you more than any other artist. He col-
lects your drawings when they appear in the magazines. He has hun-
dreds of them, if not thousands. One word from you would be more
important to him – I am sure of it – than a whole lecture from any other
artist. If you tell him honestly that his paintings are no good, I am sure
he will not continue his useless study of art. And his mind will be free
to think of the fine, useful career that I want for him."
"And what is that fine career?" asked Mendoza.
10. When Delia saw Joe's money how frightened I am about my son. But you must help me, I am sure
a) she wasn't surprised at all. you are the only man in the world who can."
b) she was disappointed to see so little. "It is true," said Mendoza, "that I have never been a mother. But
c) she believed he had sold one of his pictures. I know many mothers, and I know that all of them are ready to do any-
thing for their children. Believe me, my dear lady, I’ll help you, if I
can. Perhaps you will tell me how I can be of service to you?"
THE SPANISH PAINTER "Yes, yes!" she cried. "I understand you are busy. But my story
(after William Taine) will take only a few minutes. I want to speak to you about my son
Charlie, my only child. He is everything to me – she opened her coat
Words: that had cost, perhaps, a thousand pounds – "he is all that I have in the
immediately – мгновенно world. His dear father died ten years ago, when Charlie was a little boy
respectfully – с уважением of nine. Since then, Charlie has been the main interest of my life, my
to encourage – поощрять whole heart. A wonderful boy, until this idea came to him, the idea of
tremendous – огромный going in for art —"
"And have you come to ask me to take your son as a pupil?"
Part I Mendoza asked. "Because if that is the purpose of your visit, I am sorry
–"
The clock had just struck ten when Mendoza’s servant came into "No, no, my dear Mr. Mendoza!" she cried. "I don't want that at
the studio and said to his master: «Mrs. Burtenshaw to see you, sir.» all. I want you to let him come and show you his drawings, and then I
Mendoza said nothing, but his eyes asked a question which the want you to tell him that he has no talent. I shall have no rest or peace
servant immediately understood. «She is a – a large lady, sir, with fine as long as that boy continues to dream of becoming an artist. We have
clothes and diamonds in her ears. I do not think she has come to buy a never had such low ideas or such low people in our family. You must
painting." promise to tell him he will never be able to paint."
"Well," said Mendoza, "from your description of her, it's clear "I understand," Mendoza said. "Your family is too high and too
that she has not come to ask me for money either. As I am not working, proud to have anything to do with painters. But how can I promise you
I’ll receive her." anything until I have seen your son's work? What if he has a really
The servant opened the door and invited the lady in. Mendoza great talent? Such a thing is possible, even in your family."
asked her to sit down, and stood waiting. As he looked at her and lis- "Oh!" she cried, and now her eyes were full of tears. "If you re-
tened to her, Mendoza decided that he didn't like her at all. She smiled fuse to help me, what shall I do? You are the only man who can do this
at him, but there was no kindness in her eyes; she spoke respectfully, for me, because Charlie admires you more than any other artist. He col-
but her voice was hard, and there were hard lines round her mouth. "I lects your drawings when they appear in the magazines. He has hun-
am sorry that I had to come to see you so early in the morning," she dreds of them, if not thousands. One word from you would be more
said. "But I couldn't wait – I simply couldn't. The idea of asking you to important to him – I am sure of it – than a whole lecture from any other
help me came to me during the night. I didn't sleep at all, Mr. Mendoza, artist. If you tell him honestly that his paintings are no good, I am sure
I couldn't close my eyes. Oh, Mr. Mendoza, I am in such a difficult he will not continue his useless study of art. And his mind will be free
situation! You have never been a mother, you cannot know what I feel, to think of the fine, useful career that I want for him."
"And what is that fine career?" asked Mendoza.
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