Into the cafй. 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 cafй again before Martins had put down the receiver. It was one

of those rare moments when none of my men was in the cafй. 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 cafй 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

Мультиязыковой проект Ильи Франка www.franklang.ru

192

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 (есть 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 мою

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 впереди от

них), and Martins' companion blew an answer (и Мартинса товарищ свистнул в ответ).

Martins said (Мартинс сказал), "It's an odd thing (это странная вещь)—I don't even know your

Мультиязыковой проект Ильи Франка www.franklang.ru

193

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 есть мой обычный район обхода). Do you know

the Horseshoe, sir (вы знаете Подкову, сэр)?"

"Yes (да)."

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

"Yes (да)."

"Well, it takes a lot to make a world (ну, это берет много: «кучу» чтобы составить мир)."

Martins said (Мартинс сказал), "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 (погружаясь одним футом глубже в поток

пока он шел). When he was in front he called out (когда он оказался впереди, он выкрикнул),

"Harry (Гарри)," and the name set up an echo (и это имя вызвало: «устроило» эхо), "Harry,

Harry, Harry!" that travelled down the stream (которое распространилось вдоль: «вниз»

потока) and woke a whole chorus of whistles in the darkness (и разбудило целый хор

свистков в темноте). He called again (он позвал снова), "Harry (Гарри). Come out (выходи).

It's no use (это есть никакая польза = это бесполезно)."

A voice startlingly close (голос пугающе близкий) made them hug the wall (заставил их

прижаться к стене: «держаться стены»). "Is that you, old man (это ты, старик)?" it called (он

позвал). "What do you want me to do (что хочешь ты чтобы я сделал)?"

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

головой)."

"I haven't a torch, old man (я не имею фонаря, старик). I can't see a thing (я не могу увидеть

(ни) единой вещи)."

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

"Get flat against the wall (прижмись к стене: «сделайся плоским против стены»). He won't

shoot at me ( он не выстрелит в меня)," Martins said (Мартинс сказал). He called (он позвал),

"Harry (Гарри), I'm going to shine the torch (я собираюсь зажечь фонарь). Play fair (действуй

честно: «играй честно») and come out (и выходи). You haven't got a chance (ты не имеешь

(ни) одного шанса)." He flashed the torch on (он зажег фонарь), and twenty feet away (и в

двадцати футах прочь), at the edge of the light and the water (на границе света и воды) Harry

Мультиязыковой проект Ильи Франка www.franklang.ru

194

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 Бэйтс

вскрикнул). At the same moment (в тот же момент) a searchlight from fifty yards away lit the

whole channel (фонарь от пятидесяти ярдов прочь = на расстоянии… осветил целый

канал), 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) with the sewage washing to his waist (со сточной водой

плещущейся к его поясу). An empty cigarette carton (пустая сигаретная коробка) wedged