Английский язык с Грэмом Грином 13 страница

"And this gentleman (а этот джентльмен)?" the policeman asked (спросил полицейский).

"It's Mr. Benjamin Dexter (это мистер Бенджамин Декстер)," the young man said (молодой человек сказал).

"Lavatory (туалет). Is there a lavatory (есть тут туалет)?" Martins said.

"I understood a Mr. Rollo Martins came here in one of your cars (я понял /так/ = насколько мне известно, некий мистер Ролло Мартинс приехал сюда в одной из ваших машин; to understand — понимать)."

"A mistake (ошибка). An obvious mistake (явная ошибка)."

"Second door on the left (вторая дверь налево)," the young man said (сказал молодой человек).

Martins grabbed his coat from the cloakroom as he went (Мартинс схватил в охапку свое пальто из гардероба пока он шел) and made down the stairs (и направился вниз по лестнице). On the first floor landing (на лестничной клетке второго: «первого» этажа) he heard someone mounting the stairs (он услышал, как кто-то взбирается по лестнице) and looking over saw Paine (и, глянув, увидел Пейна)—whom I had sent to identify him (которого я послал, чтобы опознать его). He opened a door at random (он открыл дверь наугад) and shut it behind him (и захлопнул ее за собой; to shut — закрывать, запирать, затворять). He could hear Paine going by (он мог слышать Пейна, проходящего мимо). The room where he stood (комната, где он стоял) was in darkness (была во тьме): a curious moaning sound made him turn and face whatever room it was (странный стонущий звук заставил его повернуться к комнате, какой бы они ни была = все же посмотреть вглубь этой неизвестной комнаты; to face — сталкиваться с чем-л., смотреть в лицо; face — лицо).

He could see nothing and the sound had stopped (он не мог ничего видеть, а звук прекратился). He made a tiny movement and once more it started (он сделал малейшее движение, и он возобновился: «снова начался»; tiny — очень маленький, крошечный; once more — еще раз), like an impeded breath (похожий на затрудненное дыхание; to impede — мешать, препятствовать, быть помехой чему-л., задерживать; затруднять). He remained still and the sound died away (он оставался спокоен, и звук замер). Outside somebody called "Mr. Dexter, Mr. Dexter." (снаружи кто-то позвал «мистер Декстер, мистер Декстер») Then a new sound started (тогда начался новый звук). It was like somebody whispering (это был похоже на то, словно кто-то шептал /что-то/)—a long continuous monologue in the darkness (долгий, продолжительный монолог в темноте). Martins said, "Is anybody there (тут есть кто-нибудь)?" and the sound stopped again (и звук снова прекратился). He could stand no more of it (он не мог больше выдержать этого). He took out his lighter (он достал свою зажигалку). Footsteps went by and down the stairs (шаги прошли мимо и вниз по лестнице). He scraped and scraped at the little wheel and no light came (он крутил и крутил: «скреб и скреб» маленькое колесико, и никакой свет не появился). Somebody shifted in the dark (кто-то двинулся в темноте; to shift — перемещать/ся/; передвигать/ся/) and something rattled in mid-air like a chain (и что-то прогремело в воздухе, похожее на цепь; to rattle — трещать, грохотать; греметь /посудой, ключами и т. п./; дребезжать; сильно стучать). He asked once more with the anger of fear (он спросил еще раз, с яростью страха), "Is anybody there (тут есть кто-нибудь)?" and only the click click of metal answered him (и только «клик-клик» /щелканье/ металла ответило ему; to click — щелкать, издавать щелкающий звук).

Martins felt desperately for a light switch (Мартинс пощупал отчаянно в поисках выключателя; to feel — чувствовать; щупать; light — свет; источник света) first to his right hand and then to his left (сперва по его правую руку и потом по его левую). He did not dare go farther (он не осмелился пойти дальше) because he could no longer locate his fellow occupant (потому что он не мог больше: «дольше» определять местонахождение своего соседа: «товарищеского обитателя»; fellow — приятель, товарищ, коллега, собрат; /прил./ принадлежащий к той же группе, имеющий нечто общее; occupant — житель; жилец; обитатель): the whisper, the moaning, the click had all stopped (шепот, стон, позвякивание все прекратились). Then he was afraid that he had lost the door (тогда он был испуган, что он потерял дверь; to lose) and felt wildly for the knob (и пощупал дико = нервно, быстро в поисках дверной ручки). He was far less afraid of the police than he was of the darkness (он был гораздо меньше боялся полиции, чем темноты), and he had no idea of the noise he was making (и он не имел представления о шуме, который производил).

Paine heard it from the bottom of the stairs and came back (Пейн услышал его /шум/ с нижней части лестницы и вернулся; bottom — низ, нижняя часть). He switched on the landing light (он включил на лестничной клетке свет; to switch on — включать), and the glow under the door gave Martins his direction (и отблеск под дверью дал = указал Мартинсу его направление). He opened the door (он открыл дверь) and was smiling weakly (и слабо улыбался) as Paine turned back to take a second look at the room (когда Пейн повернулся назад, чтобы второй раз посмотреть на комнату). The eyes of a parrot chained to a perch stared beadily back at him (глаза попугая, прикованного /цепочкой/ к жердочке, уставились, как бусины, назад на него = встретили его взгляд; bead — бусина). Paine said respectfully (Пейн сказал уважительно), "We were looking for you, sir (мы искали вас, сэр). Colonel Calloway wants a word with you (полковник Кэллоуэй хочет слово = поговорить с вами)."

"I lost my way (я заблудился: «потерял мой путь»; to lose — терять)," Martins said.

"Yes, sir. We thought that was what had happened (мы подумали, что случилось именно это; to think — думать)."

 

collect [kq'lekt], delight [dI'laIt], compliment ['kOmplImqnt], curtsey ['kq:tsI], distinct [dIs'tINkt], irritation ["IrI'teIS(q)n], complacent [kqm'pleIs(q)nt], speculative ['spekjulqtIv], argument ['Rgjumqnt], relic ['relIk], lavatory ['lxvqt(q)rI], impede [Im'pi:d], breath [breT], continuous [kqn'tInjuqs], monologue ['mOn(q)lOg]

 

Martins took his pen and wrote: "From B. Dexter, author of The Lone Rider of Santa Fé," and the young man read the sentence and blotted it with a puzzled expression. As Martins sat down and started signing Benjamin Dexter's title pages, he could see in a mirror the young man showing the inscription to Crabbin. Crabbin smiled weakly and stroked his chin, up and down, up and down. "B. Dexter, B. Dexter, B. Dexter." Martins wrote rapidly—it was not after all a lie. One by one the books were collected by their owners: little half sentences of delight and compliment were dropped like curtseys—was this what it was to be a writer? Martins began to feel distinct irritation towards Benjamin Dexter. The complacent tiring pompous ass, he thought, signing the twenty-seventh copy of The Curved Prow. Every time he looked up and took another book he saw Crabbin's worried speculative gaze. The members of the Institute were beginning to go home with their spoils: the room was emptying. Suddenly in the mirror Martins saw a military policeman. He seemed to be having an argument with one of Crabbin's young henchmen. Martins thought he caught the sound of his own name. It was then he lost his nerve and with it any relic of commonsense. There was only one book left to sign: he dashed off a last "B. Dexter" and made for the door. The young man, Crabbin and the policeman stood together at the entrance.

"And this gentleman?" the policeman asked.

"It's Mr. Benjamin Dexter," the young man said.

"Lavatory. Is there a lavatory?" Martins said.

"I understood a Mr. Rollo Martins came here in one of your cars."

"A mistake. An obvious mistake."

"Second door on the left," the young man said.

Martins grabbed his coat from the cloakroom as he went and made down the stairs. On the first floor landing he heard someone mounting the stairs and looking over saw Paine—whom I had sent to identify him. He opened a door at random and shut it behind him. He could hear Paine going by. The room where he stood was in darkness: a curious moaning sound made him turn and face whatever room it was.

He could see nothing and the sound had stopped. He made a tiny movement and once more it started, like an impeded breath. He remained still and the sound died away. Outside somebody called "Mr. Dexter, Mr. Dexter." Then a new sound started. It was like somebody whispering—a long continuous monologue in the darkness. Martins said, "Is anybody there?" and the sound stopped again. He could stand no more of it. He took out his lighter. Footsteps went by and down the stairs. He scraped and scraped at the little wheel and no light came. Somebody shifted in the dark and something rattled in mid-air like a chain. He asked once more with the anger of fear, "Is anybody there?" and only the click click of metal answered him.

Martins felt desperately for a light switch first to his right hand and then to his left. He did not dare go farther because he could no longer locate his fellow occupant: the whisper, the moaning, the click had all stopped. Then he was afraid that he had lost the door and felt wildly for the knob. He was far less afraid of the police than he was of the darkness, and he had no idea of the noise he was making.

Paine heard it from the bottom of the stairs and came back. He switched on the landing light, and the glow under the door gave Martins his direction. He opened the door and smiling weakly as Paine turned back to take a second look at the room. The eyes of a parrot chained to a perch stared beadily back at him. Paine said respectfully, "We were looking for you, sir. Colonel Calloway wants a word with you."

"I lost my way," Martins said.

"Yes, sir. We thought that was what had happened."

 

 

I HAD KEPT A very careful record of Martins' movements (я вел очень тщательную запись передвижений Мартинса; to keep — хранить) from the moment I knew (с того момента, как я узнал) that he had not caught the plane home (что он не сел на самолет домой; to catch — ловить; успеть, попасть /на поезд и т. п./). He had been seen with Kurtz (он был увиден = его видели с Куртцем), and at the Josefstadt Theatre (и в Йозефштадтском театре): I knew about his visit to Dr. Winkler and to Cooler (я знал о его визите к доктору Винклеру и к Кулеру), his first return to the block where Harry had lived (его первом возвращении к дому, где жил Гарри). For some reason my man lost him between Cooler's and Anna Schmidt's flats (по какой-то причине мой человек потерял его между квартирами Кулера и Анны Шмидт): he reported that Martins had wandered widely (он сообщил, что Мартинс бродил далеко: «широко»), and the impression we both got (и впечатление, которое мы оба получили; to get — получить) was that he had deliberately thrown off his shadower (было, что он нарочно оторвался от своего преследователя; to throw — бросать; to throw off — сбросить, отбросить). I tried to pick him up at Sacher's Hotel and just missed him (я старался подобрать его в Отеле Захера и только-только пропустил его = разминулся с ним на совсем небольшое время).

Events had taken a disquieting turn (события приняли тревожный поворот; to disquiet — беспокоить, волновать, тревожить; quiet — тихий, спокойный), and it seemed to me that the time had come for another interview (и мне показалось, что время пришло для еще одной: «другой» беседы). He had a lot to explain (ему надо было: «он имел» много объяснить).

I put a good wide desk between us (я поставил хороший широкий письменный стол между нами) and gave him a cigarette (и дал ему сигарету): I found him sullen but ready to talk (я нашел его угрюмым, но готовым разговаривать), within strict limits (внутри строгих пределов = не выходя за определенные рамки). I asked him about Kurtz (я спросил его о Куртце) and he seemed to me to answer satisfactorily (и он показался мне ответить удовлетворительно = кажется, он ответил удовлетворительно). I then asked him about Anna Schmidt (затем я спросил его об Анне Шмидт) and I gathered from his reply that he must have been with her after visiting Cooler (и я понял: «собрал» из его ответа, что он должен был быть с ней после посещения Кулера = должно быть, был…): that filled in one of the missing points (это заполнило одно из недостающих мест; point — точка). I tried him with Dr. Winkler (я попробовал его с доктором Винклером), and he answered readily enough (и он ответил достаточно охотно). "You've been getting around (вы слонялись вокруг)," I said, "quite a bit (довольно много). And have you found out anything about your friend (и обнаружили ли вы что-либо о вашем друге)?"

"Oh yes," he said. "It was under your nose but you didn't see it (это было под вашим носом, но вы не видели этого)."

"What (что /именно/)?"

"That he was murdered (что он был убит)." That took me by surprise (это удивило меня: «захватило меня врасплох»): I had at one time played with the idea of suicide (я одно время играл с идеей самоубийства), but I had ruled even that out (но я исключил даже это; to rule out — вычеркивать; исключать).

"Go on (продолжайте: «идите дальше»)," I said. He tried to eliminate from his story all mention of Koch (он постарался убрать из своей истории всякое упоминание о Кохе), talking about an informant who had seen the accident (говоря об информанте, который видел несчастный случай). This made his story rather confusing (это сделало его историю довольно путаной), and I couldn't grasp at first (и я не мог понять: «ухватить» сперва) why he attached so much importance to the third man (почему он приписывал так много важности третьему человеку; to attach — прикреплять /клеем и т. п./; прилагать, прикладывать /to/; прикреплять, связывать /о чем-л. нематериальном/; придавать, приписывать).

"He didn't turn up at the inquest (он не объявился при расследовании; to turn up — внезапно появляться: «поворачивать, выворачиваться наверх»), and the others lied to keep him out (и другие лгали, чтобы не впутывать его: «сохранить его снаружи»)."

"Nor did your man turn up (но и ваш человек не появился)—I don't see much importance in that (я не вижу большой важности в этом). If it was a genuine accident (если это был настоящий несчастный случай; genuine — истинный, подлинный, неподдельный), all the evidence needed was there (все нужные данные были там; to need — нуждаться). Why get the other chap in trouble (зачем втягивать другого парня в неприятности)? Perhaps his wife thought he was out of town (возможно, его жена думала, что он был не в городе): perhaps he was an official absent without leave (возможно, он был чиновником, находящимся в самовольной отлучке: «отсутствующий без позволения»)—people sometimes take unauthorised trips to Vienna from places like Klagenfurt (люди иногда совершают недозволенные путешествия в Вену из таких мест, как Клагенфурт). The delights of the great city (радости большого города), for what they are worth (чего бы они ни стоили; worth — стоящий /сколько-либо/)."

"There was more to it than that (в этом было больше, чем /только/ это = тут крылось нечто большее). The little chap who told me about it (маленький человек, который рассказал мне об этом)—they've murdered him (они убили его). You see (вы видите) they obviously didn't know what else he had seen (они очевидно не знали, что еще он видел)."

"Now we have it (теперь мы имеем это = теперь понятно; to have it — найти решение, ответ, догадаться)," I said. "You mean Koch (вы имеете в виду Коха)."

"Yes."

"As far as we know (насколько мы знаем) you were the last person to see him alive (вы были последним человеком, который видел его живым)." I questioned him then (я расспросил его тогда), as I've written (как я написал), to find out if he had been followed to Koch's by somebody who was sharper than my man and had kept out of sight (чтобы понять, был ли он: «если он был» преследуем к Коху кем-то, кто был сообразительнее: «острее» моего человека и держался подальше от глаз: «вне вида»). I said, "The Austrian police are anxious to pin this on you (австрийская полиция очень хочет повесить это на вас; anxious — озабоченный, беспокоящийся; сильно желающий). Frau Koch told them how disturbed her husband was by your visit (фрау Кох рассказала им, как встревожен был ее муж вашим посещением). Who else knew about it (кто еще знал об этом)?"

"I told Cooler (я рассказал Кулеру)." He said excitedly (сказал он взволнованно; to excited — взволнованный, возбужденный; to excite — возбуждать; призывать к деятельности, побуждать, стимулировать; вызывать /эмоциональный отклик, какие-либо чувства/; пробуждать /интерес и т. п./), "Suppose immediately I left (предположим, как только я ушел) he telephoned the story to someone (он рассказал по телефону историю кому-то)—to the third man (третьему человеку). They had to stop Koch's mouth (они должны были: «они имели» остановить рот Коха)."

"When you told Cooler about Koch (когда вы рассказали Кулеру про Коха), the man was already dead (этот человек был уже мертв). That night he got out of bed (той ночью он вылез из кровати), hearing someone (услышав кого-то), and went downstairs (и пошел вниз по лестнице)...."

"Well, that rules me out (ну, это исключает меня). I was in Sacher's (я был в Захере)."

"But he went to bed very early (но он пошел в постель очень рано). Your visit brought back the migraine (ваш визит вернул: «принес назад» мигрень). It was soon after nine (это было вскоре после девяти) that he got up (когда он встал). You returned to Sacher's at 9:30 (вы вернулись в Захер в 9:30). Where were you before that (где были вы до того)?"

He said gloomily (он сказал мрачно), "Wandering round (бродил) and trying to sort things out (и пытался разобраться во всем: «рассортировать вещи»)."

"Any evidence of your movements (какое-либо доказательство ваших передвижений)?"

"No."

 

record ['rekO:d], movement ['mu:vmqnt], disquiet [dIs'kwaIqt], explain [Iks'pleIn], eliminate [I'lImIneIt], attach [q'txtS], unauthorised [An'O:TqraIzd]

 

I HAD KEPT A very careful record of Martins' movements from the moment I knew that he had not caught the plane home. He had been seen with Kurtz, and at the Josefstadt Theatre: I knew about his visit to Dr. Winkler and to Cooler, his first return to the block where Harry had lived. For some reason my man lost him between Cooler's and Anna Schmidt's flats: he reported that Martins had wandered widely, and the impression we both got was that he had deliberately thrown off his shadower. I tried to pick him up at Sacher's Hotel and just missed him.

Events had taken a disquieting turn, and it seemed to me that the time had come for another interview. He had a lot to explain.

I put a good wide desk between us and gave him a cigarette: I found him sullen but ready to talk, within strict limits. I asked him about Kurtz and he seemed to me to answer satisfactorily. I then asked him about Anna Schmidt and I gathered from his reply that he must have been with her after visiting Cooler: that filled in one of the missing points. I tried him with Dr. Winkler, and he answered readily enough. "You've been getting around," I said, "quite a bit. And have you found out anything about your friend?"

"Oh yes," he said. "It was under your nose but you didn't see it."

"What?"

"That he was murdered." That took me by surprise: I had at one time played with the idea of suicide, but I had ruled even that out.

"Go on," I said. He tried to eliminate from his story all mention of Koch, talking about an informant who had seen the accident. This made his story rather confusing, and I couldn't grasp at first why he attached so much importance to the third man.

"He didn't turn up at the inquest, and the others lied to keep him out."

"Nor did your man turn up—I don't see much importance in that. If it was a genuine accident, all the evidence needed was there. Why get the other chap in trouble? Perhaps his wife thought he was out of town: perhaps he was an official absent without leave—people sometimes take unauthorised trips to Vienna from places like Klagenfurt. The delights of the great city, for what they are worth."

"There was more to it than that. The little chap who told me about it—they've murdered him. You see they obviously didn't know what else he had seen."

"Now we have it," I said. "You mean Koch."

"Yes."

"As far as we know you were the last person to see him alive." I questioned him then, as I've written, to find out if he had been followed to Koch's by somebody who was sharper than my man and had kept out of sight. I said, "The Austrian police are anxious to pin this on you. Frau Koch told them how disturbed her husband was by your visit. Who else knew about it?"

"I told Cooler." He said excitedly, "Suppose immediately I left he telephoned the story to someone—to the third man. They had to stop Koch's mouth."

"When you told Cooler about Koch, the man was already dead. That night he got out of bed, hearing someone, and went downstairs...."

"Well, that rules me out. I was in Sacher's."

"But he went to bed very early. Your visit brought back the migraine. It was soon after nine that he got up. You returned to Sacher's at 9:30. Where were you before that?"

He said gloomily, "Wandering round and trying to sort things out."

"Any evidence of your movements?"

"No."

 

I wanted to frighten him (я хотел напугать его), so there was no point in telling him (так что не было смысла в том, чтобы рассказывать ему) that he had been followed all the time (что за ним следили все /это/ время: «он был преследуем…»). I knew that he hadn't cut Koch's throat (я знал, что он не перерезал Коху горло), but I wasn't sure (но я не был уверен) that he was quite so innocent as he made out (был ли он совсем таким невинным, каким он старался казаться; to make out — делать вид; притворяться; дать понять). The man who owns the knife is not always the real murderer (человек, у которого нож: «который обладает ножом», не всегда настоящий убийца).

"Can I have a cigarette (могу я выкурить сигарету)?"

"Yes."

He said, "How did you know that I went to Koch's (как вы узнали, что я пошел к Коху на квартиру)? That was why you pulled me here, wasn't it (поэтому: «это было почему» вы затащили меня сюда, верно/не так ли)?"

"The Austrian police (австрийская полиция)..."

"They hadn't identified me (она не опознала меня: «они не опознали меня»)."

"Immediately you left Cooler's, he telephoned to me (как только вы оставили = ушли от Кулера, он позвонил ко мне)."

"Then that lets him out (тогда это исключает его). If he had been concerned (если бы он был замешан), he wouldn't have wanted to tell you my story (он бы не захотел рассказывать вам мою историю)—to tell Koch's story (рассказывать историю Коха), I mean (я имею в виду)."

"He might assume (он мог решить: «принять, понять») that you were a sensible man and would come to me with your story (что вы были разумным человеком и пришли бы ко мне с вашей историей) as soon as you learned of Koch's death (как только: «так скоро как» вы узнали о смерти Коха). By the way (кстати), how did you learn of it (как вы узнали о ней)?"

He told me promptly and I believed him (он рассказал мне немедленно, и я поверил ему). It was then I began to believe him altogether (это было тогда /что/ = именно тогда я начал доверять ему вообще; to begin — начинать). He said, "I still can't believe Cooler's concerned (я все еще не могу поверить, что Кулер замешан). I'd stake anything on his honesty (я бы поставил что угодно на его честность; stake — столб, кол; стойка; to stake — /карт./ делать ставку). He's one of those Americans with a real sense of duty (он один из тех американцев с настоящим чувством долга = у которых есть…)."

"Yes," I said, "he told me about that when he phoned (он сказал мне об этом, когда он позвонил). He apologised for it (он извинился за это). He said it was the worst of having been brought up to believe in citizenship (он сказал, что это было самое худшее из того, чтобы быть воспитанным верить в гражданственность= самое худшее из воспитания гражданственности; to bring up — воспитать). He said it made him feel a prig (он сказал, что это заставляло его чувствовать себя педантом). To tell you the truth Cooler irritates me (сказать вам правду, Кулер раздражает меня). Of course he doesn't know that I know about his tyre deals (конечно, он не знает, что я знаю о его сделках с шинами; tyre — шина; deal — сделка)."

"Is he in a racket, too, then (тогда он тоже в мошенничестве)?"

"Not a very serious one (не очень серьезном). I daresay he's salted away twenty-five thousand dollars (я полагаю, что он припрятал: «засолил прочь» двадцать пять тысяч долларов; to daresay — полагать, думать, считать: «осмелиться утверждать»). But I'm not a good citizen (но я не хороший гражданин). Let the Americans look after their own people (пусть американцы смотрят за своими собственными людьми)."

"I'm damned (будь я проклят = черт побери)." He said thoughtfully (проговорил он задумчиво), "Is that the kind of thing Harry was up to (это то, чем занимался Гарри; kind — разновидность; to be up to — делать /как правило, что-л. плохое/)?"

"No. It was not so harmless (это было не так безвредно; harm — вред; убыток, урон, ущерб; зло)."

 

innocent ['Inqs(q)nt], identify [aI'dentIfaI], assume [q'sju:m], apologise [q'pOlqGaIz]

 

I wanted to frighten him, so there was no point in telling him that he had been followed all the time. I knew that he hadn't cut Koch's throat, but I wasn't sure that he was quite so innocent as he made out. The man who owns the knife is not always the real murderer.

"Can I have a cigarette?"

"Yes."

He said, "How did you know that I went to Koch's? That was why you pulled me here, wasn't it?"

"The Austrian police..."

"They hadn't identified me."

"Immediately you left Cooler's, he telephoned to me."

"Then that lets him out. If he had been concerned, he wouldn't have wanted to tell you my story—to tell Koch's story, I mean."

"He might assume that you were a sensible man and would come to me with your story as soon as you learned of Koch's death. By the way, how did you learn of it?"

He told me promptly and I believed him. It was then I began to believe him altogether. He said, "I still can't believe Cooler's concerned. I'd stake anything on his honesty. He's one of those Americans with a real sense of duty."

"Yes," I said, "he told me about that when he phoned. He apologised for it. He said it was the worst of having been brought up to believe in citizenship. He said it made him feel a prig. To tell you the truth Cooler irritates me. Of course he doesn't know that I know about his tyre deals."

"Is he in a racket, too, then?"

"Not a very serious one. I daresay he's salted away twenty-five thousand dollars. But I'm not a good citizen. Let the Americans look after their own people."

"I'm damned." He said thoughtfully, "Is that the kind of thing Harry was up to?"

"No. It was not so harmless."

 

He said, "You know this business (вы знаете это дело)—Koch's death has shaken me (смерть Коха потрясла меня). Perhaps Harry did get mixed up in something pretty bad (возможно, Гарри действительно оказался замешанным в чем-то очень плохом; pretty — миловидный, прелестный, хорошенький; симпатичный, приятный; привлекательный /о человеке; обык. о женщине или ребенке/; довольно, достаточно, в значительной степени). Perhaps he was trying to clear out again (возможно, он пытался снова выйти из игры; to clear out — очищать; /разг./ внезапно уйти, уехать), and that's why they murdered him (и именно поэтому они убили его)."

"Or perhaps (или, возможно)," I said, "they wanted a bigger cut off the spoils (они хотели больший кусок от добычи). Thieves fall out (воры ссорятся; thief — вор; to fall out — скандалить, ссориться)."