Сидней Баундс - The Robot Brains [with w_cat]

236 236 Кристиан был доволен. Он сел на пол и съел немного холодного бекона и хлеба с сыром. Все утро он смотрел в окно, но никого не увидел. Днем он поспал несколько часов. "Are the Brains at home?"

237 237 Когда настала ночь, он отправился дальше, и утром был уже около Кембриджа. "I think they are," she answered. "What are you going to do?"

238 238 На доске объявлений он увидел новую газету. Кристиан остановился и посмотрел на первую станицу. Там была его фотография и текст под ней: "I am going to speak to them," he said. "I am sure that they murdered Miller"

239 239 Полиция разыскивает Капитана Артура Кристиана для беседы по поводу перестрелки в Рединге. "Be careful, Sailor!"

240 240 Кристиан - высокий голубоглазый блондин с небольшой бородой. Он вооружен. Полиция полагает, что он может находиться около Кембриджа. Christian pressed her hand.

241 241 Кристиан встревожен. Он решил, что он должен найти укрытие немедленно. Он не должен оставаться на улице в течение дня. "Don't go near the Brains," he said. He turned and walked to the Brains' trailer.

242 242 Он поехал дальше. Скоро он увидел большую афишу: He noiselessly approached the door of the trailer, put his piece of wire into the lock and opened the door.

243 243 Там был рисунок Умников и текст - красными буквами: And again - he saw nobody!

244 244 Пять фунтов получит тот, кто задаст вопрос, на который Умники не смогут ответить. Christian stepped inside and locked the door after himself. He sat down, looking at the door and holding his automatic gun ready. This time he was going to wait till the Brains returned.

245 245 Ниже был адрес Ярмарки. Minutes passed. Christian thought about Fox and Jo: they both believed in him and were ready to help. It was good indeed to have such good friends. Then he thought about the Brains. Maybe now, just at this moment, they were murdering another man, and soon they would return with their murder weapon..

246 246 Кристиан оглянулся. Длинный, местами, поврежденный забор огораживал одну сторону улицы. За забором он увидел сад и старый сарай. Сад зарос сорняком, ясно было, что он заброшен. Кристиан оглянулся опять и убедился, что никто его не видит, затем он взял велосипед и прошел в сад через пролом в заборе. He didn't notice how his eyes closed. He heard some movement and opened his eyes. The Brains were standing before him - but he was sure that the door had not opened. For a long moment the Brains and Christian looked at each other.

Christian pointed his gun at them.

247 247 Дверь сарая был закрыта, но Кристиан легко сломал ее и вошел внутрь. Он сел на пол и немного поел, из своих запасов. "You know why I am here," he said. "Speak - and remember that I can shoot you."

Suddenly Victor, the leader of the Brains, raised his hand. He was holding his murder weapon in it..

248 248 В течение дня он спал. Вечером, в темноте он покинул сарай и пошел к Ярмарке Буркхолдера. Christian jumped to his feet, quick as lightning, caught Victor by his hand and pressed it hard. The weapon fell to the floor, and Christian kicked it under the bed. He pointed his automatic at the Brains again.

"All right-speak!"

249 249 Джо вышла из кухни после позднего ужина и пошла к своему трейлеру. Луны не было и звезды были скрыты облаками. Вокруг никого не было. The Brains were standing and looking at him. Then Victor said quietly: "We must leave."

250 250 Затем она услышала мягкий голос - Джо. "You are not going to leave..." Christian did not finish.

251 251 Она узнала голос Кристиана и остановилась. Each Brain touched the black crystal at his waist - and disappeared. The captain was alone in the trailer, not believing his eyes. It was impossible...

252 252 Здесь не безопасно - прошептала она. - Все под наблюдением полиции в штатском. Fox was right. They could not be human.

253 253 - Я знаю. - Он наклонился к карлице. - Джо, я не убивал Миллера. He put his hand under the bed and took out the weapon of the Brains. It was made of some hard metal.

254 254 - Конечно, - сказала она быстро. - Я не верила этому ни минуту. Скажи, чем я могу помочь. Доктор Фокс был здесь утром, я знаю, где он сейчас. Но полиция следит за ним. It was very important to send the weapon to Miller's chief as quickly as possible. Military Intelligence must understand who their enemies were: beings who could disappear into nothing. But he did not know if the people in Military Intelligence would believe him...

255 255 Кристиан указал на свет, который шел от одного из трейлеров. Christian walked up and down the trailer, thinking. Then he sat down at the table and wrote an account of what had happened at the Cross Keys, how he had got the Brains' weapon, and how the three Brains had disappeared before his eyes.

256 256 - Умники дома? He smoked one of his black cigars while he was reading what he had written. Then he put his account and the weapon into a cardboard box and left the trailer. In the darkness of the night he walked noiselessly to Jo's trailer. He knocked, and Jo opened the door.

257 257 - Думаю, да - ответила она - Что ты хочешь делать? "Can you take this package to Fox?" he asked in a low voice. "Tell him to send it to Miller's chief. Tell him also that I shall be hiding at Girton: he knows that I have friends there.

258 258 - Я собираюсь поговорить с ними - ответил он - Я уверен, что они убили Миллера. "I'll go now," said Jo. "Good luck, Sailor."

259 259 - Будь осторожен, Моряк! Christian went to the place where he had left his bicycle and rode off. Early in the morning, when it was still dark, he arrived at the village of Girton.

260 260 - Кристиан пожал ее руку. He got into his friends' house through the back door. It was quiet in the house, and breakfast was prepared on the table. Christian ate, then lay down on the bed which had been prepared for him.