It was settled. Frank, with her usual decisiveness, walked out as soon as she an..fantastic
(to finish) her breakfast to send a wire, and three days later Lena Finch look (to arrive).
Frank (to meet) her at the station. She (to be) in deep but not
obtrusive mourning for the recent death of her husband. Frank (not, to see) her for
two years. She (to kiss) her warmly and (to take) a good look at her.
“You (to be) very thin, darling,” she said.
Lena (to smile) bravely.
“I (to be) through a good deal lately. I (to lose) a lot of weight.”
After W. S. Maugham “The Three Fat Women of Antibes”
(Одна из героинь рассказа называла себя мужским именем Frank.)
“Then, what in God’s name (you, to leave) her for?”
“I (to want) to paint.”
I (to look) at him for quite a long time. I (not, to understand).
I thought he was mad. It must be remembered that I was very young, and I (to look)
upon him as a middle-aged man.
“But you (to be) forty.”
“That’s what (to make) me think it was high time to begin.”
“ (you, ever, to paint)? “
“I rather (to want) to be a painter when I (to be) a boy, but my father
(to make) me go into business because he (to say) there was no money in art.
I (to begin) to paint a bit a year ago. For the last year I (to go) to some
classes at night.”
“Was that where you (to go) when Mrs. Strickland thought you (to play)
bridge at your club?”
“That’s it.”
“Why (you, not, to tell) her?”
“I (to prefer) to keep it to myself.”
“Can you paint?”
“Not yet. But I shall. That’s why I (to come) over here. I couldn’t get what I wanted
in London. Perhaps I can here.”
“Do you think it’s likely that a man (to do) any good when he (to start)
at your age? Most men (to begin) painting at eighteen.”
“I can learn quicker that I could when I (to be) eighteen.”
After W. S. Maugham
“The Moon and Sixpence”
One morning when he (to be) in Rhodes a little over a week, he happened to be
coming upstairs as Betty (to walk) along the passage.
“You (never, to show) me your room, Betty,” he said.
“Oh, come in and have a look now. It’s rather nice.”
She (to turn) back and he (to follow) her in. It was over the drawingroom
and nearly as large. It was furnished in the Italian style. The bed was Venetian and beautifully
painted.
“That’s a couch of rather imposing dimensions for a widow lady,” he said facetiously.
“It’s enormous, isn’t it? But it was so lovely, I had to buy it. It (to cost) a fortune.”
His eye (to take) in the bed-table by the side. There (to be) two
or three books on it, a box of cigarettes, and on an ash-tray a briar pipe. Funny! What on earth
(Betty, to have) a pipe by her bed for?”
“Do look at this. Isn’t the painting marvellous? I almost (to cry) when I (to find) it.”
“I suppose that (to cost) a fortune too.”
“I daren’t tell you what I (to pay).”
When they (to leave) the room he (to cast) another glance at the bed-table.
The pipe (to vanish).
