Илья Франк - Английский язык с Грэмом Грином. Третий человек

"Did you hear a scream?"

"Only the brakes, Herr Martins."

It occurred to Martins that there was nothing—except the word of Kurtz and Cooler and the driver—to prove that in fact Harry had been killed at that precise moment. There was the medical evidence, but that could not prove more than that he had died say within a half hour, and in any case the medical evidence was only as strong as Dr. Winkler's word: that clean controlled man creaking among his crucifixes.

"Herr Martins, it just occurs to me—you are staying in Vienna?"

"Yes."

"If you need accommodation and spoke to the authorities quickly, you might secure Herr Lime's flat. It is a requisitioned property."

"Who has the keys?"

"I have them."

"Could I see the flat?"

"Ilse, the keys."

Herr Koch led the way into the flat that had been Harry's. In the little dark hall there was still the smell of cigarette smoke—the Turkish cigarettes that Harry always smoked. It seemed odd that a man's smell should cling in the folds of curtains so long after the man himself had become dead matter, a gas, a decay. One light, in a heavily beaded shade, left them in semi-darkness, fumbling for door handles.

The living room was completely bare—it seemed to Martins too bare. The chairs had been pushed up against the walls: the desk at which Harry must have written was free from dust or any papers. The parquet reflected the light like a mirror. Herr Koch opened a door and showed the bedroom: the bed neatly made with clean sheets. In the bathroom not even a used razor blade indicated that a few days ago a living man had occupied it. Only the dark hall and the cigarette smell gave a sense of occupation.

"You see (вы видите)," Herr Koch said, "it is quite ready for a newcomer (она есть совершенно готова для нового жильца; newcomer — новоприбывший, приезжий ). Ilse has cleaned up (Илзе прибралась)."

That, she certainly had done (это она точно сделала). After a death there should have been more litter left than this (после /чьей-либо/ смерти должно было быть оставлено больше сора, чем это = должно было остаться больше сора). A man can't go suddenly and unexpectedly on his longest journey without forgetting this or that (человек не может уйти внезапно и неожиданно в свое самое длинное путешествие, без того чтобы забыть = не забыв при этом это или то = что-нибудь), without leaving a bill unpaid (не оставив неоплаченный счет), an official form unanswered (незаполненный официальный бланк; form — форма; бланк; анкета; to answer — отвечать ), the photograph of a girl (фотографию девушки). "Were there no papers, Herr Koch (не было никаких бумаг, герр Кох)?"

"Herr Lime was always a very tidy man (герр Лайм был всегда очень аккуратный человек). His waste-paper basket was full and his brief case (его корзина для бумаг была полна, и его портфель /тоже/; waste-paper — макулатура; waste — растрата; отходы /производства/; basket — корзина ), but his friend fetched that away (но его друг унес это прочь)."

"His friend (его друг)?"

"The gentleman with the toupee (господин с паричком)."

It was possible, of course (было возможно, конечно), that Lime had not taken the journey so unexpectedly (что Лайм не предпринял путешествие так неожиданно; to take — брать ), and it occurred to Martins (и Мартинсу пришло в голову) that Lime had perhaps hoped he would arrive in time to help (что Лайм, возможно, надеялся, что он приедет вовремя, чтобы помочь). He said to Herr Koch, "I believe my friend was murdered (я полагаю, что мой друг был убит)."

"Murdered (убит)?" Herr Koch's cordiality was snuffed out by the word (сердечность герра Коха была потушена этим словом = его сердечность словно погасили; to snuff — снимать нагар /со свечи/; to snuff out — потушить /свечу/, ср.: snuff out the candles, it's time to go to bed — потушите свечи, время спать ). He said, "I would not have asked you in here (я бы не пригласил вас сюда внутрь = зайти) if I had thought you would talk such nonsense (если бы я подумал, что вы будете говорить такую чушь: «бессмыслицу»; sense — смысл )."

"All the same your evidence may be very valuable (все равно, ваши показания могут быть очень ценными; value — ценность )."

"I have no evidence (у меня нет никаких данных; evidence — очевидность; факты, данные; доказательство, подтверждение; свидетельство; /юр./ улика; свидетельское показание ). I saw nothing (я ничего не видел). I am not concerned (меня это не касается: «я не затронут»; to concern — касаться, иметь отношение, интересовать ). You must leave here at once please (вы должны уйти здесь = отсюда немедленно, пожалуйста). You have been very inconsiderate (вы были очень неосмотрительны; inconsiderate — неосмотрительный, опрометчивый; невнимательный к другим: to be inconsiderate of others — ни с кем не считаться; to consider — рассматривать, обсуждать; взвешивать, обдумывать, продумывать )." He hustled Martins back through the hall (он вытолкал Мартинса обратно через прихожую; to hustle — толкать, пихать, давить; гнать вперед; подгонять, подталкивать ): already the smell of the smoke was fading a little more (запах дыма уже исчезал немного больше; to fade — вянуть, увядать /о растениях и т. п./; постепенно исчезать, расплываться, растворяться ). Herr Koch's last word before he slammed his own door to was (последнее слово герра Коха, прежде чем он захлопнул свою собственную дверь = дверь в свою квартиру , было) "It's no concern of mine (это не моя забота)." Poor Herr Koch (бедный герр Кох)! We do not choose our concerns (мы не выбираем наши заботы). Later when I was questioning Martins closely I said to him (позже, когда я допрашивал Мартинса подробно, я сказал ему; closely — близко; вплотную, тесно; внимательно, тщательно ), "Did you see anybody at all on the stairs (вы видели кого-нибудь вообще на лестнице: «ступеньках»), or in the street outside (или на улице снаружи)?"

"Nobody (никого)." He had everything to gain by remembering some chance passer-by (ему было очень на руку вспомнить какого-то случайного прохожего: «он имел выиграть все, вспомнив/если бы вспомнил…»), and I believed him (и я поверил ему). He said, "I noticed myself how quiet and dead the whole street looked (я заметил/обратил внимание сам, как тихо и мертво выглядела целая улица = какой тихой и /словно/ вымершей выглядела вся улица). Part of it had been bombed, you know (часть ее /ранее/ бомбили, вы знаете = видите ли), and the moon was shining on the snow slopes (и луна сияла на снежных склонах; slope — наклон, уклон; скат, склон ). It was so very silent (было так тихо). I could hear my own feet creaking in the snow (я мог слышать, как скрипят в снегу мои ноги; foot — ступня )."

journey ['Gq:nI], photograph ['fqutqgrRf], basket ['bRskIt], valuable ['vxljuqbl], hustle [hAsl]

"You see," Herr Koch said, "it is quite ready for a newcomer. Use has cleaned up."

That, she certainly had done. After a death there should have been more litter left than this. A man can't go suddenly and unexpectedly on his longest journey without forgetting this or that, without leaving a bill unpaid, an official form unanswered, the photograph of a girl. "Were there no papers, Herr Koch?"

"Herr Lime was always a very tidy man. His waste-paper basket was full and his brief case, but his friend fetched that away."

"His friend?"

"The gentleman with the toupee."

It was possible, of course, that Lime had not taken the journey so unexpectedly, and it occurred to Martins that Lime had perhaps hoped he would arrive in time to help. He said to Herr Koch, "I believe my friend was murdered."

"Murdered?" Herr Koch's cordiality was snuffed out by the word. He said, "I would not have asked you in here if I had thought you would talk such nonsense."

"All the same your evidence may be very valuable."

"I have no evidence. I saw nothing. I am not concerned. You must leave here at once please. You have been very inconsiderate." He hustled Martins back through the hall: already the smell of the smoke was fading a little more. Herr Koch's last word before he slammed his own door to was "It's no concern of mine." Poor Herr Koch! We do not choose our concerns. Later when I was questioning Martins closely I said to him, "Did you see anybody at all on the stairs, or in the street outside?"

"Nobody." He had everything to gain by remembering some chance passer-by, and I believed him. He said, "I noticed myself how quiet and dead the whole street looked. Part of it had been bombed, you know, and the moon was shining on the snow slopes. It was so very silent. I could hear my own feet creaking in the snow."

"Of course it proves nothing (конечно, это ничего не доказывает). There is a basement (там есть подвал; basement — базис, основание, фундамент, цоколь; подвал; /полу/подвальный этаж; цокольный этаж /часть здания, лежащая ниже уровня земли/ ) where anybody who had followed you could have hidden (где кто угодно, кто следовал за вами, мог бы спрятаться; to hide — прятаться )."

"Yes."

"Or your whole story may be phony (или ваша целая = вся ваша история может быть ложнойой; phony — ложный, поддельный; фальшивый; дутый )."