Эрих Ремарк - All Quiet on the Western Front / На Западном фронте без перемен. Книга для чтения на английском языке

Next in line comes Himmelstoss, hungry for revenge. His boots are gleaming in the sun.

We stand up. The sergeant major puffs, ‘Where’s Tjaden?’

None of us knows, of course. Himmelstoss glares angrily at us. ‘Of course you know, you lot. You just don’t want to tell us. Come on, out with it. [143] Come on, out with it (разг.) – Ну, выкладывайте ’

The CSM looks all round him, but Tjaden is nowhere to be seen. He tries a different tack. ‘Tjaden is to present himself at the orderly room in ten minutes.’

With that he clears off, with Himmelstoss in his wake [144] in his wake – вслед за ним .

‘I’ve got a feeling that a roll of barbed-wire is going to fall on to Himmelstoss’s legs when we’re on wiring fatigues again,’ reckons Kropp.

‘We’ll get a good bit of fun out of him yet,’ laughs Muller.

That’s the extent of our ambition now: taking a postman down a peg or two [145] taking a postman down a peg or two – сбить спесь с почтальона …

I go off to the hut to warn Tjaden, so that he can disappear.

We shift along a bit, then lie down again to play cards. Because that is what we are good at: playing cards, swearing and making war. Not much for twenty years – too much for twenty years.

Half an hour later Himmelstoss is back. Nobody takes any notice of him. He asks where Tjaden is. We shrug our shoulders. ‘You lot were supposed to look for him.’

‘What do you mean “you lot”?’ asks Kropp.

‘Well, you lot here —’

‘I should like [146] I should like (устар.) – глагол “should” используется для обозначения будущего времени to request, Corporal Himmelstoss, that you address us in an appropriate military fashion,’ says Kropp, sounding like a colonel.

Himmelstoss is thunderstruck. ‘Who’s addressing you any other way?’

‘You, Corporal Himmelstoss, sir.’

‘Me?’

‘Yes.’

It is getting to him. He looks suspiciously at Kropp because he hasn’t any idea of what he is talking about. At all events, he loses confidence and backs down. ‘Didn’t you lot find him?’

Kropp lies back in the grass and says, ‘Have you ever been out here before, Corporal Himmelstoss, sir?’

‘That is quite irrelevant, Private Kropp,’ says Himmelstoss, ‘and I demand an answer.’

‘Right,’ says Kropp and gets up. ‘Have a look over there, Corporal, sir, where the little white clouds are. That’s the flak going for the aircraft. That’s where we were yesterday. Five dead, eight wounded. And that was actually an easy one. So the next time we go up the line [147] Go up the line – уходить на фронт , Corporal, sir, the platoons will all parade in front of you before they die, click their heels and request in proper military fashion “Permission to fall out, sir! Permission to fall down dead, sir! [148] permission to fall out, permission to fall down dead – разрешите идти, разрешите отправиться на тот свет ” People like you are all we need out here, Corporal, sir.’

He sits down again and Himmelstoss shoots off like a rocket.

‘Three days CB,’ reckons Kat.

‘Next time I’ll let him have it,’ I tell Albert.

That is the end of the matter for now. Instead, there is a hearing during the evening roll call [149] there is a hearing during the evening roll call – на вечерней проверке проводится дознание . Our lieutenant, Bertinck, is sitting in the orderly room and he has us brought in one after the other.

I have to appear as a witness, and I explain why Tjaden blew up. The story about wetting the bed makes an impression. Himmelstoss is fetched in and I repeat my statement.

‘Is that true?’ Bertinck asks Himmelstoss.

He fidgets a bit and eventually has to admit that it is, once Kropp has told the same story.

‘Why did none of you report this at the time?’ asks Bertinck.

We say nothing. He must know himself how much effect a complaint about something as trivial as that would have had in the army. Can you make complaints in the army at all? Anyway, he gets the point, gives Himmelstoss a dressing-down and makes it clear to him that the front is no parade-ground. Then it is Tjaden’s turn for a stronger version – he gets a full-blown sermon [150] full-blown sermon – читать нотации по полной and three days’ open arrest. Bertinck has a twinkle in his eye when he sentences Kropp to one day. ‘Has to be done,’ he tells him with a tone of regret. He’s a decent chap.

Open arrest is quite pleasant. The jail was once a chicken-run; both of them can have visitors and we agree at once to go and see them. Close arrest would have meant a cellar somewhere. They used to lash you to a tree, but that isn’t allowed any more. Sometimes we get treated quite like human beings.

When Tjaden and Kropp have been behind the chicken-wire for an hour we go and visit them. Tjaden crows with delight when he sees us. Then we play cards well into the night. Tjaden wins, of course, the lucky bastard.

When roll call is over Kat says to me, ‘How do you fancy roast goose?’

‘Not a bad idea,’ I reply.

We climb on to a munitions convoy [151] munitions convoy – машина с боеприпасами . The ride costs us two cigarettes. Kat has taken careful note of the place. The shed belongs to the headquarters of some regiment. I decide that I will fetch the goose, and I get instructions on how to do it. The shed is behind the wall, and only barred with a wooden peg [152] barred with a wooden peg – закрыт на деревянный колышек .

Kat cradles his hands for me, I put my foot in and scramble up over the wall. Meanwhile Kat keeps a look-out.

I wait for a few moments to let my eyes get used to the dark, then pick out where the shed is. I creep towards it very quietly, grope for the peg, take it out and open the door.

I can make out two white shapes. Two geese. That’s a nuisance; if you grab one, the other one will make a racket. So it’ll have to be both of them – it should work, if I’m quick.

I make a jump for them. I get one of them straight away, then a couple of seconds later the other one. I bang their heads against the wall like a madman, trying to stun them. But I obviously don’t use enough force. The beasts hiss and beat out all round them with their wings and their feet. I fight on grimly, but my God, geese are strong! They tug at me and I stumble this way and that. In the dark these white things have become terrifying, my arms have sprouted wings and I’m almost afraid that I’ll take off into the skies, just as if I had a couple of observation balloons in my hands.

And then the noise starts; one of them has got some air into his throat and sounds off like an alarm clock. Before I can do anything about it I hear noises coming towards me from outside, something shoves me and I’m lying on the ground listening to angry growling. A dog. I look to one side, and he makes for my throat [153] he makes for my throat – он норовит вцепиться мне в горло . I lie still at once and pull my chin down into my collar.

It’s a bull mastiff. After an eternity it draws its head back and sits down beside me. But whenever I try to move, it growls. I think for a moment. The only thing I can do is try and get hold of my service revolver. At all events I have to get out of here before anyone comes. Inch by inch I move my hand along.