Julia+and+Dolly+de+Vries

__** Julia and Dolly de Vries. **__ ===Michael and Julia had often joked about the rich old woman who would rail in love with him and set him up in management. He had long since learnt that no rich old woman was to be found to set up in management a young actor whose wife was an actress to whom he was perfectly faithful. In the end the money was found by a rich woman, and not an old one either, but who was interested not in him but in Julia.=== ===Mrs. de Vries was a widow, brie was a short stout woman with a fine Jewish nose and fine Jewish eyes, a great deal of energy, a manner at once effusive and timid, and a somewhat virile air. She had a passion for the stage. When Julia and Michael had decided to try their luck in London Jimmie Langton, to whose rescue she had sometimes come when it looked as though he would be forced to close his repertory theatre, had written to her asking her to do what she could for them. She had seen Julia act in Middlepool. She gave parties so that the young actors might get to know managers, and asked them to stay at her grand house near Guildford, where they enjoyed a luxury they had never dreamt of. She did not much like Michael. Julia accepted the flowers with which Dolly de Vries filled her flat and her dressing-room, she was properly delighted with the presents she gave her, bags, vanity cases, brooches; but Dolly’s generosity was due to anything but admiration for her talent. When Michael went away to the war Dolly pressed her to come and live in her house in Montagu Square, but Julia, with protestations of extravagant gratitude, refused in such a way that Dolly, with a sigh and a tear, could only admire her the more. When Roger was born Julia asked her to be his godmother. She had a big fortune, more than that she knew a lot of famous people. And Michael and Julia understood that Dolly could be usefull for them.=== ===For some time Michael had been turning over in his mind the possibility that Dolly de Vries might put up the money they needed, but he was shrewd enough to know that while she might do it for Julia she wouId not do it for him. Julia refused to approach her.===

Julia understood that Dolly admired her. And when Julia asked her some money for the theatre Dolly agreed to give it to her.
===As soon as Michael had felt himself safe he had tried to buy Dolly de Vries out, but she would not listen to his persuasion and was indifferent to his coldness. For once his cunning found its match. Dolly saw no reason to sell out an investment that seemed sound, and her half share in the partnership kept her in close touch with Julia. But now with great courage he made another effort to get rid of her. Dolly indignantly refused to desert them when they were in difficulties, and he gave it up as a bad job. He consoled himself by thinking that Dolly might leave Roger, her godson, a great deal of money. She had no one belonging to her but nephews in South Africa, and you could not look at her without suspecting that she had a high blood pressure. Meanwhile it was convenient to have the house near Guildford to go to whenever they wished. It saved the expense of having a country house of their own. Dolly became a close friend of Julia and she noticed how intensely Michael exasperated his wife, and now and then took the trouble to point out how useful he was to her.=== ===When Julia fall in love with Tom Fennel people began gossiped. When this gossip reached the ears of Dolly de Vries she laughed. At Julia’s request she had invited Tom to parties and once or twice had him down for a week-end in the country, but she had never paid any attention to him. ). She had many friends in theatrical circles and she began to make inquiries (расспрашивать). She did not at all like what she heard. She did not know what to think. One thing was evident, Julia couldn’t know what was being said about her, and someone must tell her. Not she; she hadn’t the courage Even after all these years she was a little frightened of Julia. Julia was a very good-tempered woman, and though her language was often brusque it was hard to ruffle her; but there was something about her that prevented you from taking liberties with her. Dolly turned the matter over in her mind (обдумывать) for a fortnight, anxiously; she tried to put her own wounded feelings aside and look at it only from the point of view of Julia’s career, and at last she came to the conclusion that Michael must speak to her. She rang Michael up and made an appointment with him (договориться о встрече) at the theatre. Michael liked Dolly as little as she liked him, though for other reasons, and when he heard that she wanted to see him he swore. He was annoyed that he had never been able to induce her to sell out her shares in the management. When Dolly said Machael about the gossips he did not believe. Her eyes were anguished. She understood that that situation can ruin Julia’s career. Michael thought that Dolly cared about her money and he offered her to buy out. But Dolly thought about Julia’s career first of all. She was touched to the quick. She refused him. When she returned home she could not hold back the heavy, painful tears that filled her eyes. She felt old, lonely, unhappy, and desperately jealous.=== ===When Machael said Julia about that gossips Julia understood that it was Dolly who told him that. Julia became very angry, she began to desecrate her. Julia understood that Dolly did not believe her. After all everybody agree to differ.===