“Yeah, and there's a sign that says for sale by owner in the window (да, и в окне табличка с надписью “ПРОДАЕТСЯ ВЛАДЕЛЬЦЕМ”).”
perfectly ['pWfIktlI], lawn [lLn], owner ['qunq]
“Yeah,” I said through my numb lips. I didn't know the story, but I knew perfectly well that I didn't want to hear it, didn't want to hear any story this man might have to tell. That one's famous. Ahead of us the road leaped forward like a road in an old black-and-white movie.
“Yeah it is, fucking famous. So the kid's looking for a car and he sees an almost brand-new Cadillac on this guy's lawn.”
“I said I —”
“Yeah, and there's a sign that says for sale by owner in the window.”
There was a cigarette parked behind his ear (за ухом у него была сигарета). He reached for it (он потянулся за ней), and when he did (и когда он /это/ сделал), his shirt pulled up in the front (его рубашка приподнялась спереди). I could see another puckered black line there (и я увидел там еще одну сморщенную черную линию), more stitches (больше стежков). Then he leaned forward to punch in the cigarette lighter (затем он наклонился вперед, чтобы нажать на прикуриватель) and his shirt dropped back into place (и его рубашка опустилась на место).
“Kid knows he can't afford no Cadillac-car (парень знает, что не может позволить себе “кадиллак”; can afford — бытьвсостояниипозволитьсебе), can't get within a shout of a Caddy (не может находиться в пределах слышимости о “Кэдди”; shout — крик, возглас), but he's curious, you know (но ему любопытно, ты знаешь)? So he goes over to the guy and says (итак, он подходит к парню и говорит), ‘How much does something like that go for (сколько стоит что-то вроде этого: «за сколько что-то вроде этого уйдет»)?’ And the guy, he turns off the hose he's got — cause he's washin the car, you know (а парень, значит, отключает шланг, который он держит, потому что моет машину) — and he says, ‘Kid, this is your lucky day (парень, сегодня твой счастливый день). Seven hundred and fifty bucks and you drive it away (семьсот пятьдесят баксов и ты уезжаешь на нем).’ ”
ear [Iq], pucker ['pAkq], afford [q'fLd]
There was a cigarette parked behind his ear. He reached for it, and when he did, his shirt pulled up in the front. I could see another puckered black line there, more stitches. Then he leaned forward to punch in the cigarette lighter and his shirt dropped back into place.
“Kid knows he can't afford no Cadillac-car, can't get within a shout of a Caddy, but he's curious, you know? So he goes over to the guy and says, ‘How much does something like that go for?’ And the guy, he turns off the hose he's got — cause he's washin the car, you know — and he says, ‘Kid, this is your lucky day. Seven hundred and fifty bucks and you drive it away.’ ”
The cigarette lighter popped out (прикуриватель выскочил). Staub pulled it free and pressed the coil to the end of his cigarette (вытащил его и поднес спираль к концу сигареты). He drew in smoke (он втянул дым; to draw in) and I saw little tendrils come seeping out between the stitches holding the incision on his neck closed (и я увидел маленькие завитки = струйки, сочащиеся из швов, стягивающих разрез на его шее: «держащих закрытым/сомкнутым разрез на шее»).
“The kid, he looks in through the driver's side window (парень, он смотрит сквозь боковое стекло /со стороны/ водителя) and sees there's only seventeen thou on the odometer (и видит, что на счетчике пробега только семнадцать тысяч; thou = thousand). He says to the guy, ‘Yeah, sure, that's as funny as a screen door in a submarine (ну да, это так же смешно, как москитная сетка на подводной лодке; screen — экран, ширма; screen door — screen door сетчатаядверь/рамаснатянутойнанеесеткойдлязащитыотнасекомых, навешиваетсявпроемевходнойдвери/).’ The guy says, ‘No joke, kid, pony up the cash and it's yours (никаких шуток, приятель, расплачивайся наличными, и она твоя; to pony up — /разг./ расплачиваться, оплачивать). Hell, I'll even take a check, you got a honest face (черт, я даже возьму чек, у тебя честное лицо).’ And the kid says...”
incision [In'sIZ(q)n], submarine ["sAbmq'rJn], honest ['OnIst]
The cigarette lighter popped out. Staub pulled it free and pressed the coil to the end of his cigarette. He drew in smoke and I saw little tendrils come seeping out between the stitches holding the incision on his neck closed.
“The kid, he looks in through the driver's side window and sees there's only seventeen thou on the odometer. He says to the guy, ‘Yeah, sure, that's as funny as a screen door in a submarine.’ The guy says, ‘No joke, kid, pony up the cash and it's yours. Hell, I'll even take a check, you got a honest face.’ And the kid says...”
I looked out the window (я выглянул в окно). I had heard the story before, years ago (я все-таки слышал эту историю прежде, много лет назад), probably while I was still in junior high (наверно, когда еще ходил в младшую среднюю школу; junior high /school/ — младшая средняя школа /включает 7-9 классы средней школы/). In the version I'd been told the car was a Thunderbird instead of a Caddy (в версии, которую рассказывали мне, машина была “тандерберд”, а не “кэдди”), but otherwise everything was the same (но в остальном все было тем же самым). The kid says I may only be seventeen but I'm not an idiot (мне, может, только семнадцать, но я не идиот), no one sells a car like this (никто не продает машину, как эта), especially one with low mileage (особенно с маленьким пробегом; mileage — расстояние в милях; пробег), for only seven hundred and fifty bucks (всего за семьсот пятьдесят баксов). And the guy tells him he's doing it because the car smells (а парень говорит ему, что он делает это, потому что машина пахнет), you can't get the smell out (запах нельзя вывести; to get out — выходить; вынимать), he's tried and tried and nothing will take it out (он пытался и пытался, но ничто его не убирает; to take out — вынимать; выводить). You see he was on a business trip (дело в том, что он был в командировке: «поездке по делам»), a fairly long one, gone for at least (довольно длительной, уехал по крайней мере)...
“… a coupla weeks,” the driver was saying (на пару недель, — говорил /мой/ водитель;coupla — /разг., искаженное couple of/ пара; несколько). He was smiling the way people do when they're telling a joke that really slays them (он улыбался так, как улыбаются люди, когда рассказывают шутку, которая по-настоящему сражает их = от которой они сами покатываются со смеху; to slay — убивать; сражать). “And when he comes back (а когда он возвращается), he finds the car in the garage and his wife in the car (он находит машину в гараже, а свою жену в машине), she's been dead practically the whole time he's been gone (она была мертва практически все время, пока его не было /дома/). I don't know if it was suicide or a heart attack or what (я не знаю, было ли это самоубийство, или сердечный приступ, или что-то еще), but she's all bloated up (но она раздулась) and the car, it's full of that smell (а машина вся полна этого запаха) and all he wants to do is sell it, you know (и все, что он хочет, это продать ее).” He laughed (он засмеялся). “That's quite a story, huh (славная история, что скажешь; quite a — исключительный, необычный; заслуживающий внимания)?”
“Why wouldn't he call home (почему он не позвонил домой)?” It was my mouth, talking all by itself (это произнес мой рот, сам по себе: «это был мой рот, говорящий сам по себе»). My brain was frozen (мой мозг застыл). “He's gone for two weeks on a business trip (он уехал на две недели в командировку) and he never calls home once to see how his wife's doing (и ни разу не позвонил домой, чтобы узнать, как дела у его жены)?”
mileage ['maIlIG], garage ['gxrRZ], suicide ['sjuIsaId]
I looked out the window. I had heard the story before, years ago, probably while I was still in junior high. In the version I'd been told the car was a Thunderbird instead of a Caddy, but otherwise everything was the same. The kid says I may only be seventeen but I'm not an idiot, no one sells a car like this, especially one with low mileage, for only seven hundred and fifty bucks. And the guy tells him he's doing it because the car smells, you can't get the smell out, he's tried and tried and nothing will take it out. You see he was on a business trip, a fairly long one, gone for at least...
“... a coupla weeks,” the driver was saying. He was smiling the way people do when they're telling a joke that really slays them. “And when he comes back, he finds the car in the garage and his wife in the car, she's been dead practically the whole time he's been gone. I don't know if it was suicide or a heart attack or what, but she's all bloated up and the car, it's full of that smell and all he wants to do is sell it, you know.” He laughed. “That's quite a story, huh?”
“Why wouldn't he call home?” It was my mouth, talking all by itself. My brain was frozen. “He's gone for two weeks on a business trip and he never calls home once to see how his wife's doing?”
“Well (ну),” the driver said, “that's sorta beside the point (смысл не в этом: «это вроде как вне сути/смысла = к делу не относится»; sorta — /разг., искаж. sort of/ как бы, вроде; point — точка; пункт; суть, смысл), wouldn't you say (так ведь)? I mean hey, what a bargain — that's the point (я имею в виду, что за сделка, вот в чем суть; bargain — торговая сделка; выгодная покупка; дешево купленная вещь). Who wouldn't be tempted (кто бы не соблазнился)? After all, you could always drive the car with the fuckin windows open, right (в конце концов, можно всегда вести машину, с открытыми, к черту, окнами, верно)? And it's basically just a story (и, вообще, это просто история). Fiction (выдумка). I thought of it because of the smell in this car (я подумал о ней из-за запаха в машине). Which is fact (что является фактом).”
Silence (тишина). And I thought (и я подумал): He's waiting for me to say something (он ждет, чтобы я сказал что-то), waiting for me to end this (ждет, чтобы я закончил это). And I wanted to (и я хотел /сделать это/). I did (правда хотел). Except... what then (но… что потом)? What would he do then (что он сделает потом)?
basically ['beIsIk(q)lI], fiction ['fIkS(q)n], silence ['saIlqns]
“Well,” the driver said, “that's sorta beside the point, wouldn't you say? I mean hey, what a bargain — that's the point. Who wouldn't be tempted? After all, you could always drive the car with the fuckin windows open, right? And it's basically just a story. Fiction. I thought of it because of the smell in this car. Which is fact.”
Silence. And I thought: He's waiting for me to say something, waiting for me to end this. And I wanted to. I did. Except... what then? What would he do then?
He rubbed the ball of his thumb over the button on his shirt (он потер подушечкой большого пальца значок на рубашке), the one reading i rode the bullet at thrill village, laconia (тот, на котором написано “я катался на Пуле в деревне развлечений в Лаконии”). I saw there was dirt under his fingernails (я увидел грязь под ногтями его пальцев). “That's where I was today (вот где я был сегодня),” he said. “Thrill Village (в деревне развлечений). I did some work for a guy (я делал кое-какую работу для /одного/ парня) and he gave me an all-day pass (и он дал мне билет на целый день; pass — проход; пропуск; контрамарка, бесплатный билет). My girlfriend was gonna go with me (моя подружка собиралась пойти со мной; gonna = going to), but she called and said she was sick (но она позвонила и сказала, что больна), she gets these periods that really hurt sometimes (у нее /опять/ эти месячные, которые иногда по-настоящему/очень болят; period — период; цикл; /мн. ч./ менструация), they make her sick as a dog (от них она чувствует себя совсем погано: «они делают ее больной как собака»). It's too bad, but I always think, hey, what's the alternative (это очень плохо, но я всегда думаю, какова же альтернатива)? No rag at all, right, and then I'm in trouble, we both are (она вся на взводе, верно, и тогда у меня проблемы, у нас обоих /проблемы/; rag — лоскут; тряпье; to lose one's rag — разозлиться, выйтиизсебя; trouble — беспокойство; неприятность).” He yapped, a humorless bark of sound (он испустил короткий смешок — невеселый звук, похожий на лай; to yap — взвизгнуть; лаять, тявкать; bark — лай; лающийзвук; резкийилиотрывистыйзвук). “So I went by myself (и я поехал один). No sense wasting an all-day pass (никакого смысла терять билет на целый день; to waste — терятьдаром; тратитьвпустую). You ever been to Thrill Village (ты когда-нибудь был в деревне развлечений)?”
fingernail ['fINgqneIl], alternative [Ll'tWnqtIv], yap [jxp]
He rubbed the ball of his thumb over the button on his shirt, the one reading i rode the bullet at thrill village, laconia. I saw there was dirt under his fingernails. “That's where I was today,” he said. “Thrill Village. I did some work for a guy and he gave me an all-day pass. My girlfriend was gonna go with me, but she called and said she was sick, she gets these periods that really hurt sometimes, they make her sick as a dog. It's too bad, but I always think, hey, what's the alternative? No rag at all, right, and then I'm in trouble, we both are. He yapped, a humorless bark of sound. So I went by myself. No sense wasting an all-day pass. You ever been to Thrill Village?”
“Yes,” I said. “Once (один раз). When I was twelve (когда мне было двенадцать).”
“Who'd you go with (с кем ты ходил)?” he asked. “You didn't go alone, did you (ты ходил не один, правда)? Not if you were only twelve (нет, если тебе было только двенадцать).”
I hadn't told him that part, had I (я не рассказывал ему эту часть = про возраст, ведь так)? No. He was playing with me, that was all (он играл со мной, вот и все), swatting me idly back and forth (лениво перебрасывая меня взад и вперед; to swat — ударять; бить /сильным ударом/). I thought about opening the door and just rolling out into the night (я подумывал о том, чтобы открыть дверь и просто выкатиться в ночь), trying to tuck my head into my arms before I hit (старясь спрятать голову в руках, прежде чем ударюсь; to tuck — подгибать, подворачивать; подбирать под себя; засовывать, прятать), only I knew he'd reach over and pull me back before I could get away (но я знал, что он потянется за мной и втянет обратно /в машину/, прежде чем я смогу выбраться). And I couldn't raise my arms, anyway (и я не мог поднять руки в любом случае). The best I could do was clutch my hands together (лучшее, что я мог сделать = все, что я мог, — это сжимать руки вместе).
idly ['aIdlI], raise [reIz], anyway ['enIweI]
“Yes, I said. Once. When I was twelve.”
“Who'd you go with?” he asked. “You didn't go alone, did you? Not if you were only twelve.”
I hadn't told him that part, had I? No. He was playing with me, that was all, swatting me idly back and forth. I thought about opening the door and just rolling out into the night, trying to tuck my head into my arms before I hit, only I knew he'd reach over and pull me back before I could get away. And I couldn't raise my arms, anyway. The best I could do was clutch my hands together.
“No,” I said. “I went with my dad (я ходил/ездил с отцом). My dad took me (отец отвел/возил меня).
“Did you ride the Bullet (ты катался на “Пуле”)? I rode that fucker four times (я катался на этой чертовой штуке четыре раза). Man! It goes right upside down (это круто, она прямо переворачивается; to go upside down — переворачиваться вверх дном)!” He looked at me and uttered another empty bark of laughter (он посмотрел на меня и издал еще один пустой смешок, похожий на лай). The moonlight swam in his eyes (лунный свет заполнял его глаза: «плавал в его глазах»; to swim), turning them into white circles (превращая их в белые круги), making them into the eyes of a statue (превращая их в глаза статуи). And I understood he was more than dead (и я понял, что он был не просто мертвый: «больше, чем мертвый»); he was crazy (он был сумасшедший). “Did you ride that, Alan (ты катался на ней, Алан)?”
right [raIt], utter ['Atq], statue ['stxtjH]
“No,” I said. “I went with my dad. My dad took me.”
“Did you ride the Bullet? I rode that fucker four times. Man! It goes right upside down!” He looked at me and uttered another empty bark of laughter. The moonlight swam in his eyes, turning them into white circles, making them into the eyes of a statue. And I understood he was more than dead; he was crazy. “Did you ride that, Alan?”
I thought of telling him he had the wrong name (я думал = собирался сказать ему, что он назвал неправильное имя), my name was Hector (мое имя Гектор), but what was the use (но какой смысл; use — использование; польза, толк)? We were coming to the end of it now (сейчас мы подходили к концу /всего/ этого = к развязке).
“Yeah,” I whispered (прошептал). Not a single light out there except for the moon (ни единого огонька снаружи, кроме /света/ луны). The trees rushed by (деревья проносились мимо), writhing like spontaneous dancers at a tent-show revival (извиваясь, как стихийные танцоры на сектантском молитвенном собрании; tent show — циркшапито; revival — возрождение; духовноепробуждение/особенновпротестантизме/; tent-show revival — молитвенноесобраниеевангелистовидр., сопровождаемоесостояниемвозбуждения, музыкой, танцами, раньшечастоустраивалисьподбрезентовымитентами). The road rushed under us (дорога проносилась под нами). I looked at the speedometer (я посмотрел на спидометр) and saw he was up to eighty miles an hour (и увидел, что он разогнался до восьмидесяти миль в час). We were riding the bullet right now, he and I (мы ехали на пуле прямо сейчас, он и я); the dead drive fast (мертвецы ездят быстро). “Yeah, the Bullet (да, “Пуля”). I rode it (я ездил на ней).”
except [Ik'sept], revival [rI'vaIv(q)l], speedometer [spI'dOmItq]
I thought of telling him he had the wrong name, my name was Hector, but what was the use? We were coming to the end of it now.
“Yeah,” I whispered. Not a single light out there except for the moon. The trees rushed by, writhing like spontaneous dancers at a tent-show revival. The road rushed under us. I looked at the speedometer and saw he was up to eighty miles an hour. We were riding the bullet right now, he and I; the dead drive fast. “Yeah, the Bullet. I rode it.”
Nah (не-а), he said. He drew on his cigarette (он затянулся сигаретой), and once again I watched the little trickles of smoke escape from the stitched incision on his neck (и снова я наблюдал, как маленькие струйки дыма стекают из зашитого разреза на его шее; to escape — бежать; ускользать). “You never (ты никогда). Especially not with your father (и тем более не с твоим отцом). You got into the line, all right (ты стоял в очереди: «становился в очередь», согласен), but you were with your ma (но ты бы с твоей мамой). The line was long (очередь была длинной), the line for the Bullet always is (очередь на “Пулю” всегда такая), and she didn't want to stand out there in the hot sun (и она не хотела стоять там под жарким солнцем). She was fat even then (она была толстой даже тогда), and the heat bothered her (и плохо переносила жару: «жара беспокоила ее»; to bother — надоедать; беспокоить; донимать). But you pestered her all day, pestered pestered pestered (но ты допекал ее целый день, допекал, допекал, допекал), and here's the joke of it, man (и вот в чем шутка, приятель) — when you finally got to the head of the line, you chickened (когда ты наконец добрался до начала очереди, ты струсил; head — голова; источник; начало;chicken — цыпленок, курица; трус). Didn't you (не так ли)?”
I said nothing (я не сказал ничего). My tongue was stuck to the roof of my mouth (мой язык пристал к небу; the roof of the mouth — небо; roof — крыша).
escape [Is'keIp], bother ['bODq], tongue [tAN]
“Nah,” he said. He drew on his cigarette, and once again I watched the little trickles of smoke escape from the stitched incision on his neck. “You never. Especially not with your father. You got into the line, all right, but you were with your ma. The line was long, the line for the Bullet always is, and she didn't want to stand out there in the hot sun. She was fat even then, and the heat bothered her. But you pestered her all day, pestered pestered pestered, and here's the joke of it, man — when you finally got to the head of the line, you chickened. Didn't you?”
I said nothing. My tongue was stuck to the roof of my mouth.
His hand stole out (его рука скользнула /ко мне/; to steal — воровать, красть; делать что-либо незаметно; прокрасться, проскользнуть), the skin yellow in the light of the Mustang's dashboard lights (/ее/ кожа желтая в свете лампочек приборного щитка “мустанга”), the nails filthy (ногти грязные), and gripped my locked hands (и схватила мои сомкнутые руки). The strength went out of them when he did (сила ушла из них, когда он /это/ сделал = как только он прикоснулся к ним) and they fell apart like a knot that magically unties itself at the touch of the magician's wand (и они расцепились, как узел, который волшебным /образом/ развязывается сам от прикосновения палочки волшебника; to fall apart — разваливаться; расходиться; разъединяться; tie — лента, веревка, шнурок/длязавязывания/). His skin was cold and somehow snaky (его кожа была холодной и какой-то змеиной; snake — змея).
“Didn't you?”
“Yes,” I said. I couldn't get my voice much above a whisper (я не мог заставить свой голос звучать громче шепота). “When we got close and I saw how high it was (когда мы подошли ближе, и я увидел, как это высоко)... how it turned over at the top (как она переворачивается наверху) and how they screamed inside when it did (и как они = люди кричат внутри, когда она /это/ делает)... I chickened out (я струсил). She swatted me (она ударила меня), and she wouldn't talk to me all the way home (и не хотела разговаривать со мной по дороге домой). I never rode the Bullet (я никогда не катался на “Пуле”). Until now, at least (до сих пор, по крайней мере).”
filthy ['fIlTI], knot [nOt], magician [mq'GIS(q)n]
His hand stole out, the skin yellow in the light of the Mustang's dashboard lights, the nails filthy, and gripped my locked hands. The strength went out of them when he did and they fell apart like a knot that magically unties itself at the touch of the magician's wand. His skin was cold and somehow snaky.
“Didn't you?”
“Yes,” I said. I couldn't get my voice much above a whisper. “When we got close and I saw how high it was... how it turned over at the top and how they screamed inside when it did... I chickened out. She swatted me, and she wouldn't talk to me all the way home. I never rode the Bullet. Until now, at least.”
“You should have, man (ты должен был = тебеследовалопопробовать, приятель). That's the best one (она лучшая). That's the one to ride (на ней стоит прокатиться). Nothin else is as good, at least not there (ничто другое не сравнится с ней, по крайней мере там). I stopped on the way home and got some beers at that store by the state line (я остановился по пути домой и купил немного пива в том магазине у границы штата). I was gonna stop over my girlfriend's house (я собирался остановиться у дома моей подружки), give her the button as a joke (отдать ей этот значок шутки ради).” He tapped the button on his chest (он похлопал значок на своей груди), then unrolled his window and flicked his cigarette out into the windy night (затем опустил окно и выбросил сигарету в ветреную ночь; flick — щелчок; резкоедвижение). “Only you probably know what happened (только = но ты, наверно, знаешь, что случилось).”
store [stL], beer [bIq], chest [Cest]
“You should have, man. That's the best one. That's the one to ride. Nothin else is as good, at least not there. I stopped on the way home and got some beers at that store by the state line. I was gonna stop over my girlfriend's house, give her the button as a joke.” He tapped the button on his chest, then unrolled his window and flicked his cigarette out into the windy night. “Only you probably know what happened.”
Of course I knew (конечно, я знал). It was every ghost story you'd ever heard, wasn't it (такой была каждая история о привидениях, /какие/ ты когда-либо слышал, не так ли)? He crashed his Mustang (он разбился на на своем “мустанге”) and when the cops got there (и когда полицейские добрались туда) he'd been sitting dead in the crumpled remains (он сидел мертвый в смятых остатках /машины/) with his body behind the wheel and his head in the backseat (его тело за рулем, а его голова на заднем сидении), his cap turned around backwards and his dead eyes staring up at the roof (кепка повернута назад, а его мертвые глаза пристально смотрят на крышу), and ever since you see him on Ridge Road when the moon is full and the wind is high (и с тех пор вы видите его на Ридж-роуд, когда луна полная, а ветер сильный: «высокий»), wheee-oooo, we will return after this brief word from our sponsor (мы вернемся после краткого слова от = выступления нашего спонсора). I know something now that I didn't before (теперь я знал что-то, чего не знал раньше) — the worst stories are the ones you've heard your whole life (самые страшные: «плохие» истории те, которые слышишь всю жизнь). Those are the real nightmares (это настоящие кошмары).