58
Jersey, where her father, a native of that island, practised as a veterinary
surgeon. Her mother's sister was married to a Frenchman, a coal merchant,
Who lived at St. Malo, and Julia had been sent to live with her while she
Attended classes at the local lycee. She learnt to speak French like a
Frenchwoman.
She was a born actress ( ) and it was an
understood thing ( : ) for as long
as she could remember ( / / ) that she was to go on
the stage ( : ). Her aunt, Madame
Falloux ( , ), was "en relations" (
/./) with an old actress ( ) who had been a
societaire of the Comedie Franaise ( = ,
) and who had retired to St. Malo (
: -; to retire ;
) to live on the small pension (
) that one of her lovers had settled on her (
; to settle , , ) when
after many years of faithful concubinage (
: ) they had parted (
). When Julia was a child of twelve ( :
) this actress was a boisterous (
), fat old woman ( ), of more than sixty
( ), but of great vitality (
), who loved food ( ) more than anything else in the
world (, - ). She had a great, ringing laugh (
, ), like a man's ( ), and she talked
in a deep, loud voice ( , ). It was she
who ( : , ) gave Julia her first lessons (
).
59
pension ['penS(q)n] concubinage [kOn'kju:bInIdZ] boisterous ['bOIst(q)rqs]
vitality [vaI'txlItI]
She was a born actress and it was an understood thing for as long as she could
Remember that she was to go on the stage. Her aunt, Madame Falloux, was
"en relations" with an old actress who had been a societaire of the Comedie
Fran aise and who had retired to St. Malo to live on the small pension that
One of her lovers had settled on her when after many years of faithful
Concubinage they had parted. When Julia was a child of twelve this actress
