A bullet exploded on a tombstone near his head, showering him with fragments. |
Пуля стукнула в надгробие над его головой. |
He crawled to the edge of an open grave. They had deceived him, he thought. All of those nice average normal people. Hadn't they said he was their representative? Hadn't they sworn to protect their own? But no, they loathed him. Why hadn't he seen it? Their hero was the cold, blank-eyed gunman, Thompson, Capone, Billy the Kid, Young Lochinvar, El Cid, Cuchulain, the man without human hopes or fears. They worshiped him, that dead, implacable robot gunman, and lusted to feel his foot in their face. Raeder tried to move, and slid helplessly into the open grave. |
Рэдер добрался до вырытой могилы и сполз в нее. |
He lay on his back, looking at the blue sky. |
Он лежал на спине, глядя в небесную синеву. |
Presently a black silhouette loomed above him, blotting out the sky. |
Вдруг черная фигура нависла над ним, заслонив небо. |
Metal twinkled. |
Звякнул металл. |
The silhouette slowly took aim. |
Фигура целилась в него. |
And Raeder gave up all hope forever. |
Рэдер навсегда распрощался с надеждой. |
"WAIT, THOMPSON!" roared the amplified voice of Mike Terry. |
- Стоп, Томпсон! - голос Майка Терри ревел, усиленный передатчиком. |
The revolver wavered. |
Револьвер дрогнул. |
"It is one second past five o 'clock! |
- Сейчас одна секунда шестого! |
The week is up! JIM RAEDER HAS WON!" |
Неделя истекла! Джим Рэдер победил! |
There was a pandemonium of cheering from the studio audience. |
Из студии донесся нестройный приветственный крик публики. |
The Thompson gang, gathered around the grave, looked sullen. |
Банда Томпсона угрюмо окружила могилу. |
"He's won, friends, he's won!" Mike Terry cried. "Look, look on your screen! |
- Он победил, друзья, он победил! - надрывался Майк Терри. - Смотрите, смотрите на экраны! |
The police have arrived, they're taking the Thompsons away from their victim-the victim they could not kill. |
Прибыли полицейские, они увозят бандитов Томпсона прочь от их жертвы - жертвы, которую они так и не смогли убить. |
And all this is thanks to you, Good Samaritans of America. |
И все это благодаря вам, добрые самаритяне Америки. |
Look folks, tender hands are lifting Jim Raeder from the open grave that was his final refuge. |
Взгляните, друзья мои, бережные руки вынимают Джима Рэдера из могилы, которая была его последним прибежищем. |
Good Samaritan Janice Morrow is there. |
Добрая самаритянка Дженис Морроу тоже здесь. |
Could this be the beginning of a romance? |
Как знать, может, это начало романа? |
Jim seems to have fainted, friends, they're giving him a stimulant. |
Джим, кажется, в обмороке, друзья, они дают ему возбуждающее. |
He's won two hundred thousand dollars! |
Он выиграл двести тысяч долларов! |
Now we'll have a few words from Jim Raeder! " |
А теперь несколько слов скажет сам Джим Рэдер ! |
There was a short silence. |
Последовала короткая пауза. |
"That's odd," said Mike Terry. "Folks, I'm afraid we can't hear from Jim just now. The doctors are examining him. Just one moment..." There was a silence. Mike Terry wiped his forehead and smiled. "It's the strain, folks, the terrible strain. The doctor tells me...Well, folks, Jim Raeder is temporarily not himself. But it's only temporarylJBC is hiring the best psychiatrists and psychoanalysts in the country. We're going to do everything humanly possible for this gallant boy. |
- Странно. - сказал Майк Терри. - Друзья, боюсь, все, что будет в человеческих силах. |
And entirely at our own expense." Mike Terry glanced at the studio clock. "Well, it's about time to sign off folks. |
И все это за наш счет. - Майк Терри бросил взгляд на студийные часы. - А теперь время кончать, друзья. |
Watch for the announcement of our next great thrill show. |
Следите за объявлениями о нашей новой грандиозной программе ужасов. |
And don't worry, I'm sure that very soon we' 11 have Jim Raeder back with us." |
И не расстраивайтесь. Я уверен, что вскоре мы снова увидим Джима Рэдера среди нас. |
Mike Terry smiled, and winked at the audience. |
Майк Терри улыбнулся и подмигнул зрителям. |
"He's bound to get well, friends. |
- Он просто обязан выздороветь. |
After all, we're all pulling for him! |
Ведь мы все ставим на него! |