"It's as far back as we have got so far (это так далеко назад, как мы добрались пока что = насколько мы могли проследить, кто руководит)."
"You see he was always apt to jump before he looked (видите ли, он был всегда склонен прыгнуть прежде, чем он посмотрел)."
I didn't contradict him (я не возражал ему), though that wasn't the impression he had before given of Lime (хотя это не было тем впечатлением, которое ему до этого дали о Лайме). He was searching round for some comfort (он искал немного утешения;
"Suppose (предположим)," he said, "someone had got a line on him (кто-то получил сведения о нем: «получил линию на него»), forced him into this racket (втянул: «принудил» его в эту аферу), as you forced Harbin to doublecross (как вы принудили Харбина к предательству своих;
"It's possible (это возможно)."
"And they murdered him in case he talked when he was arrested (и они убили его, на случай если он заговорил бы, когда он был бы арестован)."
"It's not impossible (это не невозможно)."
"I'm glad they did (я рад, что они /это/ сделали)," he said. "I wouldn't have liked to hear Harry squeal (мне бы не понравилось услышать, как Гарри доносит: «услышать Гарри стучать»)." He made a curious little dusting movement with his hand on his knee (он сделал забавное маленькое стряхивающее движение своей рукой по своему колену) as much as to say (как бы говоря: «так много, как чтобы сказать»), "That's that (так-то вот;
"I'd rather you didn't (я бы предпочел, чтобы вы не делали /этого/;
"I see (понятно)," he said hopelessly (сказал он безнадежно).
"When we've found the third man (когда мы найдем третьего человека)..." I said.
"I'd like to hear him squeal (хотел бы я услышать, как он пищит = как он расколется)," he said. "The bastard (ублюдок). The bloody bastard (проклятый ублюдок;
doublecross ['dAbl'krOs], arrest [q'rest], curious ['kjuqrIqs], issue ['ISu:], contradict ["kOntrq'dIkt], ['], ['], ['], ['], ['], ['], ['], ['], ['], ['], ['], ['], ['], ['], ['], [']
He said slowly, "Are you certain that he was the real boss?"
"It's as far back as we have got so far."
"You see he was always apt to jump before he looked."
I didn't contradict him, though that wasn't the impression he had before given of Lime. He was searching round for some comfort.
"Suppose," he said, "someone had got a line on him, forced him into this racket, as you forced Harbin to doublecross ..."
"It's possible."
"And they murdered him in case he talked when he was arrested."
"It's not impossible."
"I'm glad they did," he said. "I wouldn't have liked to hear Harry squeal." He made a curious little dusting movement with his hand on his knee as much as to say, "That's that." He said, "I'll be getting back to England."
"I'd rather you didn't just yet. The Austrian police would make an issue if you tried to leave Vienna at the moment. You see, Cooler's sense of duty made him call them up too."
"I see," he said hopelessly.
"When we've found the third man ..." I said.
"I'd like to hear him squeal," he said. "The bastard. The bloody bastard."
11