"A thousand (тысячу)."
victim ['vIktIm], landscape ['lxnskeIp], pity ['pItI], hesitation ["hezI'teIS(q)n], calculate ['kxlkjuleIt], afford [q'fO:d], income ['InkAm], ambitious [xm'bISqs], shove [SAv], simplicity [sIm'plIsItI], influence ['Influqns], serious ['sIqrIqs], Hungary ['hANg(q)rI], infinite ['InfInIt], complacent [kqm'pleIs(q)nt], arrange [q'reInG], bullet ['bulIt], wound /рана/ [wu:nd]
Martins said, "Have you ever visited the children's hospital? Have you seen any of your victims?"
Harry took a look at the toy landscape below and came away from the door. "I never feel quite safe in these things," he said. He felt the back of the door with his hand, as though he were afraid that it might fly open and launch him into that iron-ribbed space. "Victims?" he asked. "Don't be melodramatic, Rollo, look down there," he went on, pointing through the window at the people moving like black flies at the base of the Wheel. "Would you really feel any pity if one of those dots stopped moving—for ever? If I said you can have twenty thousand pounds for every dot that stops, would you really, old man, tell me to keep my money—without hesitation? or would you calculate how many dots you could afford to spare? Free of income tax, old man. Free of income tax." He gave his boyish conspiratorial smile, "It's the only way to save nowadays."
"Couldn't you have stuck to tyres?"
"Like Cooler? No, I've always been ambitious. "But they can't catch me, Rollo, you'll see. I'll pop up again. You can't keep a good man down." The car swung to a standstill at the highest point of the curve and Harry turned his back and gazed out of the window. Martins thought: one good shove and I could break the glass, and he pictured the body dropping among the flies. He said, "You know the police are planning to dig up your body: what will they find?"
"Harbin," Harry replied with simplicity. He turned away from the window and said, "Look at the sky."
The car had reached the top of the Wheel and hung there motionless, while the stain of the sunset ran in streaks over the wrinkled papery sky beyond the black girders.
"Why did the Russians try to take Anna Schmidt?"
"She had false papers, old man."
"I thought perhaps you were just trying to get her here—because she was your girl? Because you wanted her?"
Harry smiled. "I haven't all that influence."
"What would have happened to her?"
"Nothing very serious. She'd have been sent back to Hungary. There's nothing against her really. She'd be infinitely better off in her own country than being pushed around by the British police."
"She hasn't told them anything about you."
"She's a good little thing," Harry repeated with complacent pride.
"She loves you."
"Well, I gave her a good time while it lasted."
"And I love her."
"That's fine, old man. Be kind to her. She's worth it. I'm glad." He gave the impression of having arranged everything to everybody's satisfaction. "And you can help to keep her mouth shut. Not that she knows anything that matters."
"I'd like to knock you through the window."
"But you won't, old man. Our quarrels never last long. You remember that fearful one in the Monaco, when we swore we were through. I'd trust you anywhere, Rollo. Kurtz tried to persuade me not to come but I know you. Then he tried to persuade me to, well, arrange an accident. He told me it would be quite easy in this car."
"Except that I'm the stronger man."
"But I've got the gun. You don't think a bullet wound would show when you hit that ground?" Again the car began to move, sailing slowly down, until the flies were midgets, were recognisable human beings. "What fools we are, Rollo, talking like this, as if I'd do that to you—or you to me." He turned his back and leant his face against the glass. One thrust ... "How much do you earn a year with your Westerns, old man?"
"A thousand."
"Taxed (облагаемую налогами; tax — налог; to tax — облагать налогом). I earn thirty thousand free (я зарабатываю тридцать тысяч чистыми: «свободными»). It's the fashion (таков стиль/способ действия; fashion — форма, очертания; покрой /об одежде/; манера /поведения, держать себя/; способ действия; мода, стиль). In these days, old man, nobody thinks in terms of human beings (в эти дни, старик, никто не думает с точки зрения: «в терминах» человеческих существ), Governments don't (правительства не делают /этого/), so why should we (так почему должны мы)? They talk of the people and the proletariat (они говорят о людях и пролетариате), and I talk of the mugs (а я говорю о простофилях). It's the same thing (это та же самая вещь). They have their five year plans (у них свои пятилетние планы) and so have I (и у меня тоже)."
"You used to be a Catholic (ты когда-то был католиком)."
"Oh, I still believe, old man (о, я все еще верю, старина). In God and Mercy and all that (в Бога, и в Милосердие, и все такое). I'm not hurting anybody's soul by what I do (я не задеваю/не обижаю чью-либо душу тем, что я делаю). The dead are happier dead (мертвецы счастливее, будучи мертвыми). They don't miss much here, poor devils (они не упускают многого здесь, бедные черти = что им здесь терять, бедняжкам)," he added with that odd touch of genuine pity (добавил он со странным налетом настоящей жалости), as the car reached the platform (когда кабинка достигла платформы) and the faces of the doomed-to-be-victims (и лица будущих жертв: «приговоренных быть жертвами»), the tired pleasure-hoping Sunday faces (усталые, предвкушающие удовольствие воскресные лица; pleasure — удовольствие, to hope — надеяться), peered in at them (уставились внутрь на них = уставились на них снаружи). "I could cut you in, you know (я мог бы включить тебя, ты знаешь). It would be useful (это бы было полезно). I have no one left in the Inner City (у меня нет никого, кто бы остался во Внутреннем Городе)."
"Except Cooler (кроме Кулера)? And Winkler (и Винклера)?"
"You really mustn't turn policeman (ты действительно не должен становиться: «обернуться» полицейским), old man (старина)." They passed out of the car (они вышли наружу из кабинки) and he put his hand again on Martins' elbow (и он снова положил свою руку на локоть Мартинса). "That was a joke, I know you won't (это была шутка, я знаю, что ты не станешь). Have you heard anything of old Bracer recently (ты слышал что-нибудь о старом Брейсере в последнее время)?"
"I had a card at Christmas (я получил открытку на Рождество)."
"Those were the days, old man (вот это были деньки, старина). Those were the days. I've got to leave you here (я должен покинуть тебя здесь). We’ll see each other (мы увидим друг друга: «каждый другого»)—some time (когда-нибудь). If you are in a jam (если ты окажешься в неприятном положении; jam — сжатие, зажатие, сжимание; защемление; неловкая ситуация, затруднительное положение), you can always get me at Kurtz's (ты всегда можешь найти меня у Куртца)." He moved away and turning (он двинулся прочь и, обернувшись) waved the hand he had had the tact not to offer (помахал рукой, которую он имел такт не предложить): it was like the whole past moving off under a cloud (это было так, словно целое прошлое = все прошлое целиком двигалось прочь под тучей). Martins suddenly called after him (Мартинс внезапно крикнул ему вслед), "Don't trust me, Harry (не доверяй мне, Гарри)," but there was too great a distance now between them (но между ними было уже: «теперь» слишком большое расстояние) for the words to carry (чтобы слова донеслись; to carry — везти, перевозить; доставлять).
government ['gAvnmqnt], recently ['ri:sntlI], suddenly ['sAdnlI]
"Taxed. I earn thirty thousand free. It's the fashion. In these days, old man, nobody thinks in terms of human beings, Governments don't, so why should we? They talk of the people and the proletariat, and I talk of the mugs. It's the same thing. They have their five year plans and so have I."
"You used to be a Catholic."
"Oh, I still believe, old man. In God and Mercy and all that. I'm not hurting anybody's soul by what I do. The dead are happier dead. They don't miss much here, poor devils," he added with that odd touch of genuine pity, as the car reached the platform and the faces of the doomed-to-be-victims, the tired pleasure-hoping Sunday faces, peered in at them. "I could cut you in, you know. It would be useful. I have no one left in the Inner City."
"Except Cooler? And Winkler?"
"You really mustn't turn policeman, old man." They passed out of the car and he put his hand again on Martins' elbow. "That was a joke, I know you won't. Have you heard anything of old Bracer recently?"
"I had a card at Christmas."
"Those were the days, old man. Those were the days. I've got to leave you here. We’ll see each other—some time. If you are in a jam, you can always get me at Kurtz's." He moved away and turning waved the hand he had had the tact not to offer: it was like the whole past moving off under a cloud. Martins suddenly called after him, "Don't trust me, Harry," but there was too great a distance now between them for the words to carry.
15
ANNA WAS AT the theatre (Анна была в театре)," Martins told me, "for the Sunday matinee (для воскресного утреннего представления). I had to see the whole thing through a second time (мне пришлось увидеть эту целую вещь от начала до конца: «сквозь» второй раз). About a middle-aged pianist (про средних лет пианиста) and an infatuated girl (и потерявшую голову девушку; infatuated — влюбленный до безумия; ослепленный, поглупевший от любви, ср.: infatuated with a passion — ослепленный страстью) and an understanding (и понимающую)—a terribly understanding (ужасно понимающую)—wife (жену). Anna acted very badly (Анна играла очень плохо)—she wasn't much of an actress at the best of times (она мало что представляла как актриса /даже/ в лучшие времена). I saw her afterwards in her dressing-room (я навестил ее потом в ее гримерной), but she was badly fussed (но она была ужасно нервной/озабоченной; fuss — суета, беспокойство из-за пустяков; нервное состояние, возбужденное состояние). I think she thought I was going to make a serious pass at her all the time (я полагаю, она подумала, что я собирался делать серьезные заходы к ней все время), and she didn't want a pass (а она не хотела ухаживаний; pass — пасс, движение рук /гипнотизера, фокусника, жонглера/; to make a pass at smb. — делать выпад против кого-л.; делать попытки ухаживания). I told her Harry was alive (я сказал ей, что Гарри жив)—I thought she'd be glad (я подумал, что она будет рада) and that I would hate to see how glad she was (и что мне очень не понравится увидеть, какой радостной она будет; to hate — ненавидеть), but she sat in front of her make-up mirror (но она сидела напротив своего гримировального зеркала; to make up — краситься, make-up — грим) and let the tears streak the grease paint (и позволила слезам прочертить грим) and I wished after that (и я пожелал после этого = и после этого я бы даже лучше хотел) she had been glad (чтобы она была рада). She looked awful (она выглядела ужасно) and I loved her (и я любил ее). Then I told her about my interview with Harry (затем я рассказал ей о моем свидании с Гарри), but she wasn't really paying much attention (но она не обращала большого: «действительно» внимания) because when I'd finished she said (потому что, когда я закончил она сказала), "I wish he was dead (лучше бы он был мертв; to wish — желать)."
"He deserves to be (он заслуживает быть мертвым = заслуживает смерти)."
"I mean he would be safe then (я имею в виду, что он был бы в безопасности тогда)—from everybody (от всех)."
I asked Martins (я спросил Мартинса), "Did you show her the photographs I gave you (вы показывали ей те фотографии, которые я вам дал)—of the children (детей)?"
"Yes. I thought it's got to be kill or cure this time (я подумал, это должно быть пан или пропал: «убить или вылечить» на этот раз).
She's got to get Harry out of her system (она должна выбросить Гарри из своего мира: «системы»). I propped the pictures up among the pots of grease (я расставил фотографии среди баночек с гримом; to prop up — подпирать). She couldn't avoid seeing them (она не могла избежать того, чтобы видеть их). I said, 'The police can't arrest Harry unless they get him into this zone (полиция не может арестовать Гарри, если только = пока они не заманят его в эту зону), and we've got to help (и мы должны помочь)!"
