Илья Франк - Английский язык с Грэмом Грином. Третий человек

The wind had risen again (ветер поднялся снова; to rise ), but it had brought no snow (но он не принес никакого снега): it came icily off the Danube (он пришел пронизывающе с Дуная; ice — лед ) and in the little grassy square by the café (и на маленькой, покрытой травой: «травянистой» площади у кафе; grass — трава ) it whipped up the snow (он взбивал вверх снег) like the surf on top of a wave (словно пену на гребне волны; surf — прибой; буруны ). There was no heating in the café (в кафе не было никакого отопления) and Martins sat warming each hand in turn (и Мартинс сидел, грея каждую руку по очереди) on a cup of ersatz coffee (на чашке суррогатного кофе)—innumerable cups (неисчислимые чашки). There was usually one of my men in the café with him (в том кафе с ним был обычно один из моих людей), but I changed them every twenty minutes or so irregularly (но я менял их каждые двадцать минут или вроде того, нерегулярно). More than an hour passed (прошло больше часа): Martins had long given up hope (Мартинс давно оставил надежду) and so had I (и я тоже), where I waited at the end of a phone (где я ждал на /другом/ конце телефона) several streets away (за несколько улиц от того места), with a party of the sewer police (с нарядом канализационной полиции) ready to go down (готовый спуститься) if it became necessary (если это стало бы необходимым). We were luckier than Martins (мы были удачливее, чем Мартинс) because we were warm in our great boots up to the thighs (потому что нам было тепло в наших огромных ботинках вверх до бедер) and our reefer jackets (и наших плотных куртках; reefer — бушлат ). One man had a small searchlight about half as big again as a car headlight strapped to his breast (у одного человека был маленький фонарь примерно наполовину такой большой, как автомобильная фара, примотанный к его груди) and another man carried a brace of Roman candles (а другой человек нес пачку римских свечей = бенгальских огней). The telephone rang (телефон зазвонил; to ring ). It was Martins (это был Мартинс). He said, "I'm perishing with cold (я погибаю от холода). It's a quarter past one (сейчас четверть второго: «четверть после одного»). Is there any point (есть какой-нибудь смысл) in going on with this (в том, чтобы продолжать это)?"

"You shouldn't telephone (вы не должны звонить). You must stay in sight (вы должны оставаться в поле зрения)."

"I've drunk seven cups of this filthy coffee (я выпил семь чашек этого паршивого кофе; filthy — запачканный, немытый, замаранный, нечистый; отвратительный; filth — грязь ). My stomach won't stand much more (мой желудок не выдержит много больше)."

"He can't delay much longer (он не может откладывать много дольше) if he's coming (если он /вообще/ придет). He won't want to run into the two o'clock patrol (он не захочет натолкнуться на двухчасовой патруль). Stick it another quarter of an hour (продержитесь еще одну: «другую» четверть часа), but keep away from the telephone (но держитесь подальше: «прочь» от телефона)."

Martins' voice said suddenly (Мартинса голос сказал внезапно), "Christ, he's here (Боже, он здесь). He's (он…)—" and then the telephone went dead (и затем телефон замолк; dead — мертвый ). I said to my assistant (я сказал моему помощнику): "Give the signal to guard all manholes (дай сигнал охранять все люки)," and to my sewer police (и моим канализационным полицейским): "We are going down (мы спускаемся вниз)."

embarrassment [Im'bxrqsmqnt], considerable [kqn'sId(q)rqbl], patronage ['pxtrqnIG], ought [O:t], allegiance [q'li:G(q)ns], abruptly [q'brAptlI], obscurity [qb'skjuqrItI], method ['meTqd], evasion [I'veIZ(q)n], coffee ['kOfI], zero ['zIqrqu], square ['skweq], innumerable [I'nju:m(q)rqbl], irregular [I'regjulq], filthy ['fIlTI], stomach ['stAmqk]

ALL THE FIRST arrangements went to plan. We delayed arresting Winkler, who had returned from the second bezirk, until after Cooler had been warned. Martins enjoyed his short interview with Cooler. Cooler greeted him without embarrassment and with considerable patronage. "Why, Mr. Martins, it's good to see you. Sit down. I'm glad everything went off all right between you and Colonel Calloway. A very straight chap Calloway."

"It didn't," Martins said.

"You don't bear any ill will, I'm sure, about my letting him know about you seeing Koch. The way I figured it was this—if you were innocent you'd clear yourself right away, and if you were guilty, well, the fact that I liked you oughtn't to stand in the way. A citizen has his duties."

"Like giving false evidence at an inquest."

Cooler said: "Oh, that old story. I'm afraid you are riled at me, Mr. Martins. Look at it this way—you as a citizen, owing allegiance ..."

"The police have dug up the body. They'll be after you and Winkler. I want you to warn Harry ..."

"I don't understand."

"Oh, yes, you do." And it was obvious that he did. Martins left him abruptly. He wanted no more of that kindly tired humanitarian face.

It only remained then to bait the trap. After studying the map of the sewer system I came to the conclusion that a café anywhere near the main entrance of the great Sewer which was placed in what Martins had mistakenly called a newspaper kiosk would be the most likely spot to tempt Lime. He had only to rise once again through the ground, walk fifty yards, bring Martins back with him, and sink again into the obscurity of the sewers. He had no idea that this method of evasion was known to us: he probably knew that one patrol of the sewer police ended before midnight, and the next did not start till two, and so at midnight Martins sat in the little cold café in sight of the kiosk drinking coffee after coffee. I had lent him a revolver: I had men posted as close to the kiosk as I could, and the sewer police were ready when zero hour struck to close the manholes and start sweeping the sewers inwards from the edge of the city. But I intended if I could to catch him before he went underground again. It would save trouble—and risk to Martins. So there, as I say, in the café Martins sat.

The wind had risen again, but it had brought no snow: it came icily off the Danube and in the little grassy square by the café it whipped up the snow like the surf on top of a wave. There was no heating in the café and Martins sat warming each hand in turn on a cup of ersatz coffee—innumerable cups. There was usually one of my men in the café with him, but I changed them every twenty minutes or so irregularly. More than an hour passed: Martins had long given up hope and so had I, where I waited at the end of a phone several streets away, with a party of the sewer police ready to go down if it became necessary. We were luckier than Martins because we were warm in our great boots up to the thighs and our reefer jackets. One man had a small searchlight about half as big again as a car headlight strapped to his breast and another man carried a brace of Roman candles. The telephone rang. It was Martins. He said, "I'm perishing with cold. It's a quarter past one. Is there any point in going on with this?"