On a cold grey morning of last week

On a cold grey morning of last week I duly turned up at Euston to see off an old friend who was starting for America.
Overnight we had given a farewell dinner, in which sad¬ness was well mingled with festivity.
And now, here we were, stiff and self-conscious on the platform; and framed in the window of the railway-carriage, was the face of our friend; but it was as the face of a strang¬er — a stranger anxious to please, an appealing stranger, an awkward stranger.
"Have you got everything?" asked one of us, breaking the silence.
"Yes, everything," said our friend, with a pleasant nod.
There was a long pause.
One of us, with a nod and a forced smile at the traveller, said:
"Well"
The nod, the smile, and the unmeaning monosyllable were returned conscientiously.
Another pause was broken by one of us with a fit of coughing. It was an obviously assumed fit, but it served to pass the time. There was no sign of the train's departure.
A middle-aged man was talking earnestly to a young lady at the next window but one to ours. His fine profile was vaguely familiar to me. The young lady was evidently Amer¬ican, and he was evidently English; otherwise I should have guessed from his impressive air that he was her father.
In a flash I remembered. The man was Hubert Le Ros. But how he changed since last I saw him! That was seven or eight years ago, in the Strand. He was then (as usual) out of engagement, and borrowed half-a-crown. It seemed a privilege to lend anything to him. He was always magnetic. And why his magnetism had never made him successful on the London stage was always a mystery to me. He was an excel¬lent actor.
It was strange to see him, after all these years here on the platform of Euston, looking so 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. Any¬one 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 simulta¬neously repaid me the half-crown as though it had been bor¬rowed 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 hun¬dreds 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 con¬versation, 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 practi¬cally over. Yes, I'll give you a course, I have a good many pupils on hand already; but yes," he said, consulting an or¬nate 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.

Результаты (русский) 1:

В холодный серый утром на прошлой неделе я должным образом оказался в Euston провожать старый друг, который начиная для Америки.На ночь мы дали прощальный ужин, в котором sad¬ness хорошо смешались с праздником.И теперь, здесь мы были, жесткой и самосознания на платформе; и в рамке в окне железнодорожной перевозки, было лицо нашего друга; но он был в лице strang¬er — незнакомец стремятся угодить, привлекательным незнакомец, неловко незнакомец.«У тебя всё?» спросил один из нас, разорвать завесу молчания.«Да, все, "сказал наш друг, с приятным кивнул.Там была долгая пауза.Один из нас, с поклоном и принудительного улыбкой на путешественник, сказал:«Хорошо»Кивок, улыбка и бессмысленным односложное были возвращены добросовестно.Еще одна пауза был нарушен один из нас с приступе кашля. Это было очевидно себя нужным, но он служил чтобы скоротать время. Существовал никаких признаков отправления поезда.Средовек говорил искренне молодой леди в следующее окно, но один к ours. Его изысканные профиль был мне смутно знакомым. Молодой леди, очевидно, Amer¬ican, и он был явно Английский; в противном случае я должен догадаться из его впечатляющий воздуха, что он был её отец.В мгновение ока я вспомнил. Этот человек был Хуберт Le Ros. Но как он изменил, так как последний раз я видел его! Это было семь или восемь лет назад, в Strand. Он был тогда (как обычно) из участия и взять половину a Корона. Это казалось привилегия, чтобы придать ему ничего. Он всегда был магнитные. И почему его магнетизм был никогда не сделал его успешным на лондонской сцене всегда был для меня загадка. Он был актером excel¬lent.Это было странно видеть его, после всех этих лет на платформе Euston, глядя настолько процветающей и твердых. Это был не только плоть, которую он положил на, но и одежду, которые сделали его трудно признать. Он выглядел как банкир. Any¬One был бы горд быть замеченными его.«Стоять в стороне, пожалуйста!»Поезд был собирается начать, и я махнул прощание к моему другу. Le Ros не отойти. Он стоял, сжимая в обе руки в руки молодого американца.«Стоять в стороне, сэр. ««««Пожалуйста!»Он повиновался, но быстро бросился вперед снова прошептал некоторые заключительное слово. Я думаю, там были слезы на глазах. Безусловно, были слезы в его, когда, в длину, посмотрев на поезд из виду, он превратил раунд.Тем не менее, он, казалось, рад меня видеть. Он спросил меня, где я скрывался все эти годы: и simulta¬neously погашен меня half-crown, как будто это были bor¬rowed вчера. Он связан его руку в шахте и ходил меня медленно вдоль платформы, заявив, с какой радостью он читал мои драматические критики каждую субботу. Я сказал ему, в свою очередь, сколько он был пропущен на сцене. «Ах, да,» он сказал, «Я никогда не действуют на сцене сегодня.»Он заложил некоторые акцент на слове «этапа», и я спросил его, затем, он действовал.«На платформе»,-ответил он.«Значит,» сказал, что я, «что вы читать на концертах?»Он улыбнулся.««Прошептал он, поражает своим посохом о землю, «это платформы, которую я имею в виду.»«Я полагаю,» сказал он в настоящее время, давая мне свет для сигар, которое он предложил мне, «вы были видеть друг?»Он спросил меня, что я должен, что он делал. Я сказал, что я смотрел ему делать то же самое.«Нет,» он говорит серьезно. «Что леди не был моим другом. Я встретил ее в первый раз сегодня утром, меньше, чем полчаса назад, здесь,"и снова он ударил платформы с его палкой.Я признался, что я был в недоумении. Он улыбнулся.«Вы можете», он сказал: «слышали о англо-американского бюро по социальному.»У меня нет. Он объяснил мне, что тысячи американцев, которые проходят через Англии есть много hun¬dreds, которые не имеют Английский друзей. В старые времена они используются для принести письма введения. Но настолько суровый, что эти письма, вряд ли стоит бумаги, они написаны на английский.«Американцы, общительные люди, и большинство из них имеют много денег, чтобы тратить. AA.S.B. снабжает их Английский друзей. Пятьдесят процентов платы выплачивается друга. Другие пятьдесят сохраняется AA.S.B. Я, увы, директор. В случае, я должно быть действительно очень богатым человеком. Я только работник. Но даже так, я делаю очень хорошо. Я один из провидцы 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 con¬versation, 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 practi¬cally over. Yes, I'll give you a course, I have a good many pupils on hand already; but yes," he said, consulting an or¬nate 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.

Результаты (русский) 3:

на холодную грей утром на прошлой неделе я должным образом оказался в Euston, чтобы покинуть старый друг, который начал для америки.
в одночасье мы дали прощальный ужин, в котором грустно ¬ несс был хорошо смешались с праздник.
и сейчас, здесь мы, жесткой и гулять на платформе; и в обрамлении окно железнодорожные перевозки, было лицо нашего друга;