In the girl's apartment he switched on all the lights. He searched the

place from wall to wall. His eyes and thick fingers moved without

apparent haste, and without ever lingering or fumbling or going back,

from one inch of their fields to the next, probing, scrutinizing, testing

with expert certainty. Every drawer, cupboard, cubbyhole, box, bag,

trunk — locked or unlocked — was opened and its contents subjected to

examination by eyes and fingers.

Every piece of clothing (каждый предмет одежды; piece — кусок, часть,

штука) was tested by hands (была проверена руками) that felt for (которые

ощупывали в поисках) telltale bulges (предательские выпуклости) and

Мультиязыковой проект Ильи Франка www.franklang.ru

302

ears (и ушами) that listened for the crinkle of paper (которые слушали /в

надежде услышать/ шелест бумаги) between pressing fingers (между

сжимающими пальцами). He stripped the bed of bedclothes (он снял белье

с кровати). He looked under rugs (он посмотрел под коврами) and at the

under side (и с нижней стороны) of each piece of furniture (каждого

предмета мебели). He pulled down blinds (он опустил вниз шторы; to pull

–тянуть, тащить) to see (чтобы увидеть) that nothing had been rolled up

in them (что ничего не было скручено в них) for concealment (для

утаивания). He leaned through windows (он перегнулся через окна) to see

that nothing hung below them (чтобы увидеть, что ничего не висит под

ними) on the outside (снаружи).

crinkle ['krINk(q)l] bed-clothes ['bedklqVDz, -klqVz]

concealment [kqn'si:lmqnt]

Every piece of clothing was tested by hands that felt for telltale bulges

and ears that listened for the crinkle of paper between pressing fingers.

He stripped the bed of bedclothes. He looked under rugs and at the under

side of each piece of furniture. He pulled down blinds to see that nothing

had been rolled up in them for concealment. He leaned through windows

to see that nothing hung below them on the outside.

He poked with a fork into powder (он ткнул вилкой в пудру; powder —

порошок) and cream-jars (и баночки с кремом) on the dressing-table (на

туалетном столике). He held atomizers (он держал пульверизаторы) and

bottles (и бутылочки) up against the light (против света). He examined

dishes and pans (он проверил блюда и кастрюли) and food and food-

containers (и еду, и контейнеры для еды). He emptied the garbage-can (он

опустошил мусорное ведро) on spread sheets of newspaper (на

разложенных листах газеты). He opened the top of the flush-box (он

Мультиязыковой проект Ильи Франка www.franklang.ru

303

открыл крышку сливного бачка) in the bathroom (в ванной), drained the

box (осушил бачок; to drain — отводить, откачивать), and peered down

into it (и всматривался туда). He examined (он осмотрел) and tested the

metal screens (и проверил металлические экраны) over the drains of

bathtub (над водостоком ванны), wash-bowl (таз), sink (раковину), and

laundry tub (и кадку для стирки).

powder ['paVdq] atomizer ['xtqmaIzq] garbage ['gQ:bIdZ]

He poked with a fork into powder and cream-jars on the dressing-table.

He held atomizers and bottles up against the light. He examined dishes

and pans and food and food-containers. He emptied the garbage-can on

spread sheets of newspaper. He opened the top of the flush-box in the

bathroom, drained the box, and peered down into it. He examined and

tested the metal screens over the drains of bathtub, wash-bowl, sink, and

laundry tub.

He did not find the black bird (он не нашел черной птицы). He found

nothing (он не нашел ничего) that seemed to have any connection with a

black bird (что казалось имеющим какую-либо связь с черной птицей).

The only piece of writing (единственный документ; writing — писание,

записка) he found (который он нашел) was a week-old receipt (была

квитанция недельной давности) for the month's apartment-rent (за

месячную арендную плату за квартиру ) Brigid O'Shaughnessy had paid

(которую заплатила Бриджит О’Шонесси). The only thing he found

(единственная вещь, которую он нашел) that interested him enough

(которая заинтересовала его достаточно) to delay his search (чтобы

задержать/отложить его обыск) while he looked at it (пока он смотрел на

нее) was a double-handful (были две пригоршни) of rather fine jewelry

(довольно красивых украшений) in a polychrome box (в разноцветном

Мультиязыковой проект Ильи Франка www.franklang.ru

304

ящичке) in a locked dressing-table-drawer (в закрытом ящике туалетного

стола).

connection [kq'nekS(q)n] thing [TIN] polychrome ['pOlIkrqVm]

He did not find the black bird. He found nothing that seemed to have

any connection with a black bird. The only piece of writing he found was

a week-old receipt for the month's apartment-rent Brigid O'Shaughnessy

had paid. The only thing he found that interested him enough to delay his

search while he looked at it was a double-handful of rather fine jewelry