Илья Франк - Английский язык с Грэмом Грином. Третий человек

rare [req], brush [brAS], cavernous ['kxv(q)nqs], adventure [qd'ventSq], account [q'kaunt], voyage ['vOIIG], Thames [temz], tributary ['trIbjut(q)rI], current ['kAr(q)nt], debris ['deIbri:], quiet ['kwaIqt], orange ['OrInG], disturb [dIs'tq:b]

What had happened was this. Martins was still on the telephone to me when Harry Lime came into the café. I don't know what he heard, if he heard anything. The mere sight of a man wanted by the police and without friends in Vienna speaking on the telephone would have been enough to warn him. He was out of the café again before Martins had put down the receiver. It was one of those rare moments when none of my men was in the café. One had just left and another was on the pavement about to come in. Harry Lime brushed by him and made for the kiosk. Martins came out of the café and saw my men. If he had called out then it would have been an easy shot, but it was not, I suppose, Lime, the penicillin racketeer who was escaping down the street; it was Harry.

He hesitated just long enough for Lime to put the kiosk between them: then he called out "That's him," but Lime had already gone to ground.

What a strange world unknown to most of us lies under our feet: we live above a cavernous land of waterfalls and rushing rivers, where tides ebb and flow as in the world above. If you have ever read the adventures of Allan Quartermain and the account of his voyage along the underground river to the city of Milosis, you will be able to picture the scene of Lime's last stand. The main sewer, half as wide as the Thames, rushes by under a huge arch, fed by tributary streams: these streams have fallen in waterfalls from higher levels and have been purified in their fall, so that only in these side channels is the air foul. The main stream smells sweet and fresh with a faint tang of ozone, and everywhere in the darkness is the sound of falling and rushing water. It was just past high tide when Martins and the policeman reached the river: first the curving iron staircase, then a short passage so low they had to stoop, and then the shallow edge of the water lapped at their feet. My man shone his torch along the edge of the current and said, "He's gone that way," for just as a deep stream when it shallows at the rim leaves an accumulation of debris, so the sewer left in the quiet water against the wall a scum of orange peel, old cigarette cartons and the like, and in this scum Lime had left his trail as unmistakably as if he had walked in mud. My policeman shone his torch ahead with his left hand, and carried his gun in his right. He said to Martins, "Keep behind me, sir, the bastard may shoot."

"Then why the hell should you be in front?" "It's my job, sir." The water came halfway up their legs as they walked: the policeman kept his torch pointing down and ahead at the disturbed trail at the sewer's edge. He said, "The silly thing is the bastard doesn't stand a chance. The manholes are all guarded and we've cordoned off the way into the Russian zone. All our chaps have to do now is to sweep inwards down the side passes from the manholes." He took a whistle out of his pocket and blew, and very far away here and again there came the notes of the reply. He said, "They are all down here now. The sewer police I mean. They know this place just as I know the Tottenham Court Road. I wish my old woman could see me now," he said, lifting his torch for a moment to shine it ahead, and at that moment the shot came. The torch flew out of his hand and fell in the stream. He said, "God blast the bastard."

"Are you hurt (вы ранены)?"

"Scraped my hand (поцарапало мою руку), that's all (это есть все). Here (вот), take this other torch, sir (возьмите этот другой фонарь, сэр), while I tie my hand up (пока я перевяжу свою руку). Don't shine it (не зажигайте его). He's in one of the side passages (он в одном из боковых коридоров)." For a long time (в течение долгого времени) the sound of the shot went on reverberating (звук выстрела продолжал: «шел дальше» отражаться): when the last echo died a whistle blew ahead of them (когда последнее эхо умерло, свисток дунул = просвистел впереди от них), and Martins' companion blew an answer (и Мартинса товарищ свистнул в ответ).

Martins said, "It's an odd thing (странная вещь)—I don't even know your name (я не знаю даже вашего имени)."

"Bates, sir (Бэйтс, сэр)." He gave a low laugh in the darkness (он издал тихий смешок в темноте): "This isn't my usual beat (это не мой обычный район обхода). Do you know the Horseshoe, sir (вы знаете Подкову, сэр)?"

"Yes."

"And the Duke of Grafton (а Толчок: «герцога Графтонского»)?"

"Yes."

"Well, it takes a lot to make a world (ну, нужно многое, чтобы составить мир; it takes — требуется )."

Martins said, "Let me come in front (позвольте мне пойти вперед). I don't think he'll shoot at me (я не думаю, что он выстрелит в меня), and I want to talk to him (и я хочу поговорить с ним)."

"I had orders to look after you, sir, careful (я получил приказ смотреть за вами, сэр, осторожно)."

"That's all right (все в порядке)." He edged round Bates (он пробрался вокруг Бэйтса), plunging a foot deeper in the stream as he went (при этом: «когда он шел» погрузившись на один фут глубже в поток). When he was in front he called out (когда он оказался впереди, он выкрикнул), "Harry," and the name set up an echo (и это имя вызвало: «устроило» эхо), "Harry, Harry, Harry!" that travelled down the stream (которое распространилось вдоль потока) and woke a whole chorus of whistles in the darkness (и разбудило целый хор свистков в темноте). He called again (он снова позвал), "Harry. Come out (выходи). It's no use (в этом нет никакой пользы = это бесполезно)."

A voice startlingly close (голос, пугающе близкий) made them hug the wall (заставил их прижаться к стене; to hug — крепко держать, сжимать в объятиях ). "Is that you, old man (это ты, старина)?" it called (позвал/крикнул он /голос/). "What do you want me to do (что ты хочешь от меня: «чтобы я сделал»)?"

"Come out (выходи). And put your hands above your head (и подними руки над головой)."

"I haven't a torch, old man (у меня нет фонаря, старик). I can't see a thing (я ничего не вижу)."

"Be careful, sir (будьте осторожны, сэр)," Bates said.

"Get flat against the wall (прижмитесь к стене: «сделайся плоским против стены»). He won't shoot at me ( он не выстрелит в меня)," Martins said. He called (он крикнул), "Harry, I'm going to shine the torch (Гарри, я собираюсь зажечь фонарь). Play fair (действуй честно: «играй честно») and come out (и выходи). You haven't got a chance (у тебя нет ни одного шанса)." He flashed the torch on (он зажег фонарь), and twenty feet away (и в двадцати футах от него), at the edge of the light and the water (на границе света и воды) Harry stepped into view (Гарри ступил в поле зрения). "Hands above the head, Harry (руки над головой, Гарри)." Harry raised his hand and fired (Гарри поднял свою руку и выстрелил). The shot ricochetted against the wall a foot from Martins' head (выстрел срикошетил по стене в футе от головы Мартинса), and he heard Bates cry out (и он услышал, как вскрикнул Бэйтс). At the same moment (в тот же момент) a searchlight from fifty yards away lit the whole channel (фонарь /находящийся/ на расстоянии пятидесяти ярдов, осветил целый канал; to light ), caught Harry in its beams (поймал Гарри в свои лучи), Martins (Мартинса), the staring eyes of Bates slumped at the water's edge (широко раскрытые глаза Бэйтса, тяжело опустившегося у края воды; to slump — проваливаться /в болото, трясину/; шлепаться в воду ) with the sewage washing to his waist (со сточной водой, плещущейся = подступающей к его поясу). An empty cigarette carton (пустая сигаретная коробка) wedged into his armpit (вплыла в его подмышку; to wedge — вклиниваться ) and stayed (и осталась /там/). My party had reached the scene (мой отряд достиг места действия: «сцены»).

Martins stood dithering there above Bates' body (Мартинс стоял, дрожа, там, над трупом Бэйтса; to dither — вибрировать, трястись; дрожать, ежиться ), with Harry Lime halfway between us (с Гарри Лаймом посередине: «на полпути» между нами). We couldn't shoot for fear of hitting Martins (мы не могли стрелять из страха подстрелить Мартинса; to hit — ударить; попасть /в цель/ ), and the light of the searchlight dazzled Lime (а свет фонарика ослепил Лайма). We moved slowly on (мы медленно двинулись дальше), our revolvers trained for a chance (с нашими револьверами наготове на всякий случай; train — тренировать, готовить; наводить /орудие, объектив и т. п./ ), and Lime turned this way and that way like a rabbit dazzled by headlights (а Лайм поворачивал туда и сюда, словно кролик, ослепленный фарами): then suddenly he took a flying jump (затем внезапно он прыгнул с разбега: «взял летящий прыжок») into the deep central rushing stream (в глубокий центральный несущийся поток). When we turned the searchlight after him he was submerged (когда мы повернули фонарь за ним, он был погружен), and the current of the sewer carried him rapidly on (и течение канализации несло его быстро дальше), past the body of Bates (мимо тела Бэйтса), out of the range of the searchlight into the dark (за пределы досягаемости фонаря во тьму). What makes a man (что заставляет человека), without hope (без надежды), cling to a few more minutes of existence (цепляться за несколько больше минут существования)? Is it a good quality or a bad one (есть это хорошее качество или плохое)? I have no idea (не знаю: «я не имею никакого понятия»).