Innumerable cups (неисчислимые чашки). There was usually one of my men in the cafй with

him (был обычно один из моих людей в том кафе с ним), but I changed them every twenty

minutes or so irregularly (но я менял их каждые двадцать минут или вроде того

нерегулярно). More than an hour passed (прошло больше часа): Martins had long given up

hope (Мартинс давно оставил надежду) and so had I (и я тоже), where I waited at the end of a

phone (где я ждал на (другом) конце телефона) several streets away (за несколько улиц

прочь), with a party of the sewer police (с нарядом канализационной полиции) ready to go

down (готовый пойти вниз) if it became necessary (если это стало (бы) необходимым). We

were luckier than Martins (мы были удачливее чем Мартинс) because we were warm in our

great boots up to the thighs (потому что нам было тепло в наших огромных ботинках вверх

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до бедер) and our reefer jackets (и наших плотных куртках; reefer – бушлат;

теплосохраняющий). One man had a small searchlight about half as big again as a car headlight

strapped to his breast (один человек имел маленький фонарь примерно наполовину такой

большой опять как автомобильная фара примотанный к его груди) and another man carried

a brace of Roman candles (а другой человек нес пачку римских свечей). The telephone rang

(телефон зазвонил; to ring – звонить). It was Martins (это был Мартинс). He said (он

сказал), "I'm perishing with cold (я погибаю от холода). It's a quarter past one (сейчас

четверть второго: «одна четверть после одного»). Is there any point (есть какой-нибудь

смысл) in going on with this (в (том чтобы) продолжать это)?"

"You shouldn't telephone (вы не должны звонить). You must stay in sight (вы должны

оставаться в поле зрения)."

"I've drunk seven cups of this filthy coffee (я выпил семь чашек этого паршивого кофе). My

stomach won't stand much more (мой желудок не выдержит много больше)."

"He can't delay much longer (он не может откладывать много дольше) if he's coming (если

он (вообще) придет). He won't want (он не захочет) to run into the two o'clock patrol

(натолкнуться на двухчасовой патруль). Stick it another quarter of an hour (продержись еще

одну: «другую» четверть часа), but keep away from the telephone (но держись подальше:

«прочь» от телефона)."

Martins' voice said suddenly (Мартинса голос сказал внезапно), "Christ, he's here (Боже, он

здесь). He's (он есть)—" and then the telephone went dead (и затем телефон замолк; dead –

мертвый). I said to my assistant (я сказал моему помощнику): "Give the signal to guard all

manholes (дай сигнал охранять все люки)," and to my sewer police (и моим

канализационным полицейским): "We are going down (мы спускаемся вниз)."

ought [o:t], allegiance [ə`li:dʒ(ə)ns], zero [`zıərəu]

ALL THE FIRST arrangements went to plan. We delayed arresting Winkler, who had returned

from the second bezirk, until after Cooler had been warned. Martins enjoyed his short interview

with Cooler. Cooler greeted him without embarrassment and with considerable patronage. "Why,

Mr. Martins, it's good to see you. Sit down. I'm glad everything went off all right between you

and Colonel Calloway. A very straight chap Calloway."

"It didn't," Martins said.

"You don't bear any ill will, I'm sure, about my letting him know about you seeing Koch. The

way I figured it was this—if you were innocent you'd clear yourself right away, and if you were

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guilty, well, the fact that I liked you oughtn't to stand in the way. A citizen has his duties."

"Like giving false evidence at an inquest."

Cooler said: "Oh, that old story. I'm afraid you are riled at me, Mr. Martins. Look at it this way—

you as a citizen, owing allegiance ..."

"The police have dug up the body. They'll be after you and Winkler. I want you to warn Harry

..."

"I don't understand."

"Oh, yes, you do." And it was obvious that he did. Martins left him abruptly. He wanted no more

of that kindly tired humanitarian face.

It only remained then to bait the trap. After studying the map of the sewer system I came to the

conclusion that a cafй anywhere near the main entrance of the great Sewer which was placed in

what Martins had mistakenly called a newspaper kiosk would be the most likely spot to tempt

Lime. He had only to rise once again through the ground, walk fifty yards, bring Martins back

with him, and sink again into the obscurity of the sewers. He had no idea that this method of

evasion was known to us: he probably knew that one patrol of the sewer police ended before

midnight, and the next did not start till two, and so at midnight Martins sat in the little cold cafй

in sight of the kiosk drinking coffee after coffee. I had lent him a revolver: I had men posted as

close to the kiosk as I could, and the sewer police were ready when zero hour struck to close the

manholes and start sweeping the sewers inwards from the edge of the city. But I intended if I

could to catch him before he went underground again. It would save trouble—and risk to

Martins. So there, as I say, in the cafй Martins sat.

The wind had risen again, but it had brought no snow: it came icily off the Danube and in the

little grassy square by the cafй it whipped up the snow like the surf on top of a wave. There was

no heating in the cafй and Martins sat warming each hand in turn on a cup of ersatz coffee—