I said to Anna (я сказал Анне): "Get out of the car (выходите из машины)." I put a packet of

cigarettes in the Russian's hand (я сунул пачку сигарет в руку русского), said (сказал), "Have

a good smoke (желаю вам хорошо покурить)," waved my hand to the others (помахал моей

рукой остальным), gave a sigh of relief (издал вздох облегчения) and that incident was closed

(и этот инцидент был исчерпан: «закрыт»).

Austrian [`o:strıən], Dunkirk [dΛn`kə:k], sigh [saı]

When the M.P. went back to Anna's room a dispute was raging. Anna had told the American that

she had Austrian papers (which was true) and that they were quite in order (which was rather

stretching the truth). The American told the Russian in bad German that they had no right to

arrest an Austrian citizen. He asked Anna for her papers and when she produced them, the

Russian took them.

"Hungarian," he said, pointing at Anna. "Hungarian," and then flourishing the papers, "bad bad."

The American, whose name was O'Brien, said, "Give the goil back her papers," which the

Russian naturally didn't understand. The American put his hand on his gun, and Corporal

Starling said gently, "Let it go, Pat."

"If those papers ain't in order we got a right to look."

"Just let it go. Well see the papers at H.Q."

"The trouble about you British is you never know when to make a stand."

"Oh, well," Starling said—he had been at Dunkirk, but he knew when to be quiet.

The driver put on his brakes suddenly: there was a road block. You see I knew they would have

to pass this military post. I put my head in at the window and said to the Russian, haltingly, in his

own tongue: "What are you doing in the British zone?"

He grumbled that it was "Orders."

"Whose orders? Let me see them." I noted the signature—it was useful information. I said, "This

tells you to pick up a certain Hungarian national and war criminal who is living with faulty

Мультиязыковой проект Ильи Франка www.franklang.ru

157

papers in the British zone. Let me see the papers."

He started on a long explanation. I said, "These papers look to me quite in order, but I'll

investigate them and send a report of the result to your colonel. He can, of course, ask for the

extradition of this lady at any time. All we want is proof of her criminal activities."

I said to Anna: "Get out of the car." I put a packet of cigarettes in the Russian's hand, said, "Have

a good smoke," waved my hand to the others, gave a sigh of relief and that incident was closed.

13

WHILE MARTINS told me how he went back to Anna's and found her gone (пока Мартинс

рассказывал мне как он пошел назад к Анне и нашел ее ушедшей), I did some hard thinking

(я напряженно думал). I wasn't satisfied with the ghost story (я не был убежден историей о

привидении) or the idea that the man with Harry Lime's features had been a drunken illusion

(или мыслью что человек с чертами (лица) Гарри Лайма был пьяной иллюзией). I took out

two maps of Vienna and compared them (я вынул «наружу» две карты Вены и сравнил их): I

rang up my assistant (я позвонил моему помощнику) and keeping Martins silent with a glass of

whisky (и держа Мартинса молчащим при помощи стакана виски) asked him (спросил его)