Илья Франк - Английский язык с Грэмом Грином. Третий человек

Martins said gently and brought out a surface smile (Мартинс сказал мягко и неискренне улыбнулся; to bring — приносить; surface — поверхность; smile — улыбка ): "I have to call them sheriffs (я долженназывать их шерифами)."

"Been in America (были в Америке)?" It was a silly conversation (это был дурацкий разговор).

"No. Is this an interrogation (это допрос)?"

"Just interest (просто интерес)."

"Because if Harry was that kind of racketeer (потому что если Гарри был таким преступником), I must be one too (я должен быть таким тоже = я, должно быть, такой же). We always worked together (мы всегда работали вместе)."

"I daresay he meant to cut you in (я полагаю, что он хотел: «имел в виду» вовлечь вас; to daresay — полагать, думать, считать; to cut — резать; to cut in — вмешиваться; /эл./ включать )—somewhere in the organisation (куда-нибудь в организацию). I wouldn't be surprised (я бы не был удивлен) if he had meant to give you the baby to hold (если он бы хотел дать вам подержать ребенка = впутать в это дело, спихнуть ответственность). That was his method at school (это был его метод в школе)—you told me (/как/ вы рассказали мне; to tell — рассказывать ), didn't you (не так ли)? And, you see (и, вы видите), the headmaster was getting to know a thing or two (директор /всегда/ узнавал что-нибудь: «вещь или две» = получал ту или иную информацию; headmaster — директор школы )."

"You are running true to form (вы прямо-таки шьете дело; form — форма; судимость, "полицейское досье" ), aren't you (не так ли)? I suppose there was some petty racket going on (я полагаю, имело место какое-нибудь мелкое мошенничество; to suppose — допускать, думать, полагать, предполагать; to go on — происходить, продолжаться: «идти дальше» ) with petrol (с бензином) and you couldn't pin it on anyone (и вы не могли прицепить его на кого-либо; pin — булавка, кнопка, шпилька; to pin — прикалывать, прикреплять ), so you've picked a dead man (так что вы выбрали/подцепили мертвого человека; to pick — собирать, снимать /плоды/, рвать, срывать /цветы, фрукты/; выбирать, отбирать, подбирать ). That's just like a policeman (это очень похоже на полицейского). You're a real policeman, I suppose (вы настоящий полицейский, я полагаю)?"

"Yes, Scotland Yard (да, Скотленд-Ярд), but they've put me into a Colonel's uniform (но они засунули меня в униформу полковника) when I'm on duty (когда я на службе)."

He was between me and the door now (он был теперь между мной и дверью). I couldn't get away from the table (я не мог отойти прочь от стола) without coming into range (без того, чтобы попасть в досягаемость /возможного удара/), I'm no fighter (я вовсе не боец: «я никакой боец»), and he had six inches of advantage anyway (и у него было шесть дюймов преимущества в любом случае). I said, "It wasn't petrol (это был не бензин)."

"Tyres, saccharin (шины, сахарин)... why don't you policemen catch a few murderers (почему вы, полицейские, не поймаете нескольких убийц) for a change (для разнообразия)?"

"Well, you could say (ну, вы могли бы сказать = можно сказать) that murder was part of his racket (что убийство было частью его махинаций)."

whistle [wIsl], familiar [fq'mIlIq], signature ['sIgnICq], caught [kO:t], attention [q'tenS(q)n], dangerous ['deInG(q)rqs], physical ['fIzIk(q)l], courage ['kArIG], situation ["sItju'eIS(q)n], accident ['xksId(q)nt], racketeer ["rxkI'tIq], measure ['meZq], advantage [q'dvRntIG], organisation ["O:gqnaI'zeIS(q)n], colonel ['kq:nl], petrol ['petr(q)l], racket ['rxkIt]

He whistled a tune—it was oddly familiar to me. "I always remember that. I saw Harry write it. Just in a couple of minutes on the back of an envelope. That was what he always whistled when he had something on his mind. It was his signature tune." He whistled the tune a second time, and I knew then who had written it—of course it wasn't Harry. I nearly told him so, but what was the point? The tune wavered and went out. He stared down into his glass, drained what was left and said, "It's a damned shame to think of him dying the way he did."

"It was the best thing that ever happened to him," I said.

He didn't take in my meaning at once: he was a little hazy with the drinks. "The best thing?"

"Yes."

"You mean there wasn't any pain?"

"He was lucky in that way, too."

It was my tone of voice and not my words that caught Martins' attention. He asked gently and dangerously—I could see his right hand tighten, "Are you hinting at something?"

There is no point at all in showing physical courage in all situations: I eased my chair far enough back to be out of reach of his fist. I said, "I mean that I had his case completed at police headquarters. He would have served a long spell—a very long spell—if it hadn't been for the accident."

"What for?"

"He was about the worst racketeer who ever made a dirty living in this city."

I could see him measuring the distance between us and deciding that he couldn't reach me from where he sat. Rollo wanted to hit out: but Martins was steady, careful. Martins, I began to realise, was dangerous. I wondered whether after all I had made a complete mistake: I couldn't see Martins being quite the mug that Rollo had made out. "You're a policeman?" he asked.

"Yes."

"I've always hated policemen. They are always either crooked or stupid."

"Is that the kind of books you write?"

I could see him edging his chair round to block my way out. I caught the waiter's eye and he knew what I meant—there's an advantage in always using the same bar for interviews.

Martins said gently and brought out a surface smile: "I have to call them sheriffs."

"Been in America?" It was a silly conversation.

"No. Is this an interrogation?"

"Just interest."

"Because if Harry was that kind of racketeer, I must be one too. We always worked together."

"I daresay he meant to cut you in—somewhere in the organisation. I wouldn't be surprised if he had meant to give you the baby to hold. That was his method at school—you told me, didn't you? And, you see, the headmaster was getting to know a thing or two."

"You are running true to form, aren't you? I suppose there was some petty racket going on with petrol and you couldn't pin it on anyone, so you've picked a dead man. That's just like a policeman. You're a real policeman, I suppose?"

"Yes, Scotland Yard, but they've put me into a Colonel's uniform when I'm on duty."