Английский язык с Грэмом Грином. Третий человек

Herr Koch exchanged glances with his wife. "The inquest is over, Use. There is no harm. You can trust my judgment. The gentleman is a friend. Yes, I saw the accident, but you are the only one who knows. When I say that I saw it, perhaps I should say that I heard it. I heard the brakes put on and the sound of the skid, and I got to the window in time to see them carry the body to the house."

"But didn't you give evidence?"

"It is better not to be mixed up in such things. My office cannot spare me. We are short of staff, and of course I did not actually see ..."

"But you told me yesterday how it happened."

"That was how they described it in the papers."

"Was he in great pain?"

"He was dead. I looked right down from my window here and I saw his face. I know when a man is dead. You see, it is, in a way, my business. I am the head clerk at the mortuary."

"But the others say that he did not die at once."

"Perhaps they don't know death as well as I do."

"He was dead, of course, when the doctor arrived. He told me that."

"He was dead at once. You can take the word of a man who knows."

"I think, Herr Koch, that you should have given evidence."

"One must look after oneself, Herr Martins. I was not the only one who should have been there."

"How do you mean?"

"There were three people who helped to carry your friend to the house."

"I know—two men and the driver."

"The driver stayed where he was. He was very much shaken, poor man."

"Three men ..." It was as though suddenly fingering that bare wall his fingers had encountered not so much a crack perhaps but at least a roughness that had not been smoothed away by the careful builders.

"Can you describe the men?"

But Herr Koch was not trained to observe the living: only the man with the toupee had attracted his eyes—the other two were just men, neither tall nor short, thick nor thin. He had seen them from far above foreshortened, bent over their burden: they had not looked up, and he had quickly looked away and closed the window, realising at once the wisdom of not being seen himself.

"There was no evidence I could really give, Herr Martins."

No evidence (никаких данных), Martins thought (подумал Мартинс), no evidence! He no longer doubted that murder had been done (он больше не сомневался, что было совершено убийство). Why else had they lied about the moment of death (почему еще они лгали о моменте смерти = какая могла быть другая причина лгать…; to lie — лгать)? They wanted to quieten with their gifts of money (они хотели унять/заставить замолчать их денежными подарками: «дарами денег»; quiet — тихий, бесшумный, неслышный; молчащий; молчаливый; спокойный) and their plane ticket (и их самолетным билетом) the only two friends Harry had in Vienna (единственных двух друзей, (которые были у Гарри в Вене). And the third man (а третий человек)? Who was he (кто он был)?

He said, "Did you see Herr Lime go out (вы видели, как герр Лайм выходил)?"

"No."

"Did you hear a scream (вы слышали крик)?"

"Only the brakes, Herr Martins (только тормоза, герр Мартинс)."

It occurred to Martins (Мартинсу пришло в голову) that there was nothing (что не было ничего)—except the word of Kurtz and Cooler and the driver (кроме слов Куртца, Кулера и водителя)—to prove that in fact Harry had been killed at that precise moment (чтобы доказать, что в действительности Гарри был убит именно в этот момент; precise — точный). There was the medical evidence (были медицинские показания), but that could not prove more (но они не могли доказать больше) than that he had died say within a half hour (чем что он умер, скажем, в пределах получаса; within — внутри), and in any case (и, в любом случае) the medical evidence was only as strong as Dr. Winkler's word (медицинские показания были только так сильны, как слово доктора Винклера = были не более чем утверждение доктора Винклера): that clean controlled man creaking among his crucifixes (этого чистого, сдержанного: «контролируемого» человека, поскрипывающего среди своих распятий).

"Herr Martins, it just occurs to me (герр Мартинс, мне приходит в голову = я только сейчас подумал)—you are staying in Vienna (вы останетесь/пробудете /какое-то время/ в Вене; to stay — останавливаться, жить; гостить; оставаться, задержаться /где-л./)?"

"Yes."

"If you need accommodation and spoke to the authorities quickly (если вы нуждаетесь в жилье и поговорили бы с властями быстро; accommodation — помещение; жилье; стол и ночлег; приют, убежище), you might secure Herr Lime's flat (вы могли бы получить квартиру герра Лайма). It is a requisitioned property (это реквизированная собственность)."

"Who has the keys (у кого ключи)?"

"I have them (у меня)."

"Could I see the flat (я мог бы увидеть квартиру)?"

"Ilse, the keys (Илзе, ключи)."