Мальтийский сокол. Английский язык с Д. Хэмметом.
Шрифт:
"Yes?"
settled ['setld] emperor ['emp(q)rq] count [kaVnt]
"No."
"Well, sir, he did, and they settled in Crete. And they stayed there for seven years, until r 530 when they persuaded the Emperor Charles V to give them" — Gutman held up three puffy fingers and counted them — "Malta, Gozo, and Tripoli."
"Yes?"
"Yes, sir (да, сэр), but with these conditions (но с такими условиями): they were to pay the Emperor (они должны были платить императору) each year (каждый год) the tribute of one (дань в виде одного)" — he held up a finger (он поднял палец) — "falcon (сокола) in acknowledgment (в признание того) that Malta was still under Spain (что Мальта все еще находится под Испанией), and if they ever left the island (и если они когда-нибудь
"Yes (да)."
condition [kqn'dIS(q)n] tribute ['trIbju:t] island ['aIlqnd]
"Yes, sir, but with these conditions: they were to pay the Emperor each year the tribute of one" — he held up a finger — "falcon in acknowledgment that Malta was still under Spain, and if they ever left the island it was to revert to Spain. Understand? He was giving it to them, but not unless they used it, and they couldn't give or sell it to anybody else."
"Yes."
The fat man looked over his shoulders (толстяк посмотрел через свои плечи) at the three closed doors (на три закрытые двери), hunched his chair (толкнул свое кресло) a few inches nearer Spade's (на несколько дюймов ближе к креслу Спейда), and reduced his voice (и понизил свой голос; to reduce — снижать, сокращать) to a husky whisper (до сиплого шепота): "Have you any conception (вы имеете какое-нибудь представление) of the extreme (об исключительном), the immeasurable (безмерном), wealth of the Order (богатстве Ордена) at that time (в то время)?"
"If I remember (если я помню)," Spade said, "they were pretty well fixed (они были очень хорошо обеспечены; to fix — укреплять, зд. устраиваться)."
inch [IntS] husky ['hAskI] pretty ['prItI]
The fat man looked over his shoulders at the three closed doors, hunched his chair a few inches nearer Spade's, and reduced his voice to a husky whisper: "Have you any conception of the extreme, the immeasurable, wealth of the Order at that time?"
"If I remember," Spade said, "they were pretty well fixed."
Gutman smiled indulgently (Гутман снисходительно улыбнулся). "Pretty well, sir (/сказать/ очень хорошо, сэр), is putting it mildly (/значит сказать/ это очень мягко)." His whisper became lower (его шепот стал ниже) and more purring (и более мурлыкающим). "They were rolling in wealth, sir (они катались в богатстве, сэр). You've no idea (вы не представляете). None of us has any idea (никто из нас не представляет). For years (годами) they had preyed on the Saracens (они грабили сарацин), had taken nobody knows what (собрали никто не знает сколько) spoils of gems (драгоценных камней; spoil— военная добыча, трофей), precious metals (драгоценных металлов), silks (шелка), ivories (слоновой кости) — the cream of the cream of the East (сливки сливок Востока). That is history, sir (это история, сэр). We all know (мы все знаем) that the Holy Wars to them (что Святые Войны для них), as to the Templars (как и для тамплиеров), were largely a matter of loot (были, в основном, делом ограбления; largely — в значительной степени; почти совершенно: «широко»).
wealth [welT] sir [sq:, sq] ivory ['aIv(q)rI]
Gutman smiled indulgently. "Pretty well, sir, is putting it mildly." His whisper became lower and more purring. "They were rolling in wealth, sir. You've no idea. None of us has any idea. For years they had preyed on the Saracens, had taken nobody knows what spoils of gems, precious metals, silks, ivories — the cream of the cream of the East. That is history, sir. We all know that the Holy Wars to them, as to the Templars, were largely a matter of loot.
"Well, now (ну, итак), the Emperor Charles (император Карл) has given them Malta (отдал им Мальту), and all the rent he asks (и вся арендная плата, которую он просит) is one insignificant bird (это одна незначительная птица) per annum (в год), just as a matter of form (только формальность: «для формы»). What could be more natural (что могло быть более естественно) than for these immeasurably wealthy Knights (чем, для этих безмерно богатых рыцарей) to look around (подыскать) for some way (некий способ) of expressing their gratitude (выражения их благодарности)? Well, sir (ну так, сэр), that's exactly what they did (это именно то, что они сделали), and they hit on the happy thought (и они наткнулись на счастливую мысль; to hit — ударять, попадать) of sending Charles for the first year's tribute (чтобы послать Чарльзу в качестве платы за первый год), not an insignificant live bird (не незначительную живую птицу), but a glorious golden falcon (а великолепного золотого сокола) encrusted from head to foot (инкрустированного с головы до ног) with the finest jewels (с самыми прекрасными драгоценными камнями) in their coffers (/которые нашлись/ в их сундуках). And (и) — remember, sir (вы помните, сэр) — they had fine ones (у них были прекрасные камни), the finest out of Asia (самые прекрасные со всей Азии)." Gutman stopped whispering (Гутман перестал шептать). His sleek dark eyes (его блестящие темные глаза) examined Spade's face (изучали лицо Спейда), which was placid (которое было безмятежным). The fat man asked (толстяк спросил): "Well, sir, what do you think of that (ну, сэр, что вы думаете об этом)?"
per annum [pqr'xnqm] gratitude ['grxtItju:d] glorious ['glO:rIqs]
"Well, now, the Emperor Charles has given them Malta, and all the rent he asks is one insignificant bird per annum, just as a matter of form. What could be more natural than for these immeasurably wealthy Knights to look around for some way of expressing their gratitude? Well, sir, that's exactly what they did, and they hit on the happy thought of sending Charles for the first year's tribute, not an insignificant live bird, but a glorious golden falcon encrusted from head to foot with the finest jewels in their coffers. And — remember, sir — they had fine ones, the finest out of Asia." Gutman stopped whispering. His sleek dark eyes examined Spade's face, which was placid. The fat man asked: "Well, sir, what do you think of that?"
"I don't know (я не знаю)."
The fat man smiled complacently (толстяк любезно, обходительно улыбнулся). "These are facts (это факты), historical facts (исторические факты), not schoolbook history (не учебник истории), not Mr. Wells's history (не история мистера Уэллса), but history nevertheless (но, как бы то ни было, история)." He leaned forward (он наклонился вперед). "The archives of the Order (архивы ордена) from the twelfth century on (с двенадцатого века) are still at Malta (все еще на Мальте). They are not intact (они не нетронуты), but what is there (но то что там есть) holds no less than three (содержит, не мене трех)" — he held up three fingers (он поднял вверх три пальца) — "references (ссылок) that can't be to anything else (которые не могут быть на что-то другое еще) but this jeweled falcon (чем на этого, украшенного драгоценностями сокола).
schoolbook ['sku:lbVk] nevertheless ["nevqDq'les] reference ['ref(q)rqns]
"I don't know."
The fat man smiled complacently. "These are facts, historical facts, not schoolbook history, not Mr. Wells's history, but history nevertheless." He leaned forward. "The archives of the Order from the twelfth century on are still at Malta. They are not intact, but what is there holds no less than three" — he held up three fingers — "references that can't be to anything else but this jeweled falcon.
In J. Delaville Le Roulx's (в /книге/ Ж. Делавиль Ле Ру) Les Archives de l'Ordre de Saint-Jean («Архивы ордена Св. Иоанна») there is a reference to it (есть ссылка на это) — oblique (косвенная) to be sure (конечно), but a reference still (но все же ссылка). And the unpublished (а неопубликованная ) — because unfinished (– потому что незаконченная) at the time of his death (ко времени его смерти) — supplement to Paoli's (приложение к /книге/ Паоли) Del l'origine ed instituto del sacro militar ordine («О происхождении и устройстве священного военного ордена») has a clear and unmistakable statement (имеет ясное и безошибочное утверждение) of the facts (о фактах) I am telling you (которые я вам рассказываю)."