Английский язык с Крестным Отцом
Шрифт:
file onus to that (за это бы никто не бросил в него камень; rank-and-file – члены
какой-либо организации /исключая руководителей или офицеров/, рядовые члены;
onus – бремя; ответственность, долг ['uns]). But that he had taken the dirtiest of
dirty money; murder and drugs money. And in the morality of policemen, this was
unforgivable.
Hagen understood that the policeman believes in law and order in a curiously
innocent way. He believes in it more than does the public he serves. Law and order is,
Мультиязыковой
after all, the magic from which he derives his power, individual power which he
cherishes as nearly all men cherish individual power. And yet there is always the
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smoldering resentment (тлеющее, теплящееся негодование, возмущение, чувство
обиды [ri'zentmnt]) against the public he serves. They are at the same time his ward
(опека, подопечный) and his prey (добыча). As wards they are ungrateful, abusive
(оскорбительный, бранный; /здесь/ оскорбляющие ['bju:siv]; to abuse ['bju:z] –
оскорблять, ругать) and demanding. As prey they are slippery and dangerous, full of
guile (обман, хитрость, вероломство [gail]). As soon as one is in the policeman's
clutches (когти, лапы) the mechanism of the society the policeman defends marshals
(выстраивать /войска/) all its resources to cheat him of his prize. The fix is put in by
politicians. Judges give lenient (мягкий, снисходительный [‘li:njnt]) suspended
sentences to the worst hoodlums. Governors of the States and the President of the
United States himself give full pardons, assuming that respected lawyers have not
already won his acquittal (оправдание /юр./ ['kwitl]). After a time the cop learns. Why
should he not collect the fees these hoodlums are paying? He needs it more. His
children, why should they not go to college? Why shouldn't his wife shop in more
expensive places? Why shouldn't he himself get the sun with a winter vacation in
Florida? After all, he risks his life and that is no joke.
But usually he draws the line against accepting dirty graft. He will take money to let a
bookmaker operate. He will take money from a man who hates getting parking tickets or
speeding tickets. He will allow call girls and prostitutes to ply their trade; for a
consideration. These are vices natural to a man. But usually he will not take a payoff for
drugs, armed robberies, rape, murder and other assorted (смешанный) perversions. In
his mind these attack the very core (сердцевина) of his personal authority and cannot
be countenanced (countenance [‘kauntinns] –
countenance – не показывать вида; to countenance – терпеть, одобрять,
санкционировать).
The murder of a police Captain was comparable to regicide (цареубийство
['redGisaid]). But when it became known that McCluskey had been killed while in the
company of a notorious narcotics peddler, when it became known that he was
suspected of conspiracy to murder, the police desire for vengeance began to fade. Also,
after all, there were still mortgage (заклад, ипотека; закладная ['mo:gidG]) payment to
be made, cars to be paid off, children to be launched (to launch – бросать, метать;
запускать /ракету/) into the world. Without their "sheet" money (деньги, получаемые
по списку /с нарушителей закона, кормящихся на их участке/); sheet – простыня;
Мультиязыковой проект Ильи Франка www.franklang.ru
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лист бумаги, печатный лист), policemen had to scramble (карабкаться, продираться,
бороться за обладание) to make ends meet. Unlicensed peddlers were good for lunch
money. Parking ticket payoffs came to nickels and dimes (nickel – монета в 5 центов;
dime – монета в 10 центов). Some of the more desperate even began shaking down
suspects (homosexuals, assaults (assault – нападение; изнасилование ['so:lt]) and
batteries (battery – побои, оскорбление действием /юр./) in the precinct squad rooms
(в полицейских участках; squad [skwod] – /воен./ группа, команда /здесь – на
дежурстве/). Finally the brass relented (начальство смягчилось; brass [br:s] –
латунь, желтая медь; начальство, старший офицер /воен. жарг/). They raised the
prices and let the Families operate. Once again the payoff sheet (список выплат) was
typed up by the precinct bagman (странствующий торговец; коммивояжер /здесь
имеется в виду (насмешливо) полицейский, собирающий свою «долю»/), listing
every man assigned to the local station and what his cut was each month. Some
semblance of social order was restored.
It had been Hagen's idea to use private detectives to guard Don Corleone's hospital
room. These were, of course, supplemented by the much more formidable soldiers of
Tessio's regime. But Sonny was not satisfied even with this. By the middle of February,