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E-Books (english-e-reader), Man from the South (1)

Man from the South (1)

It was almost six o'clock, so I thought I'd buy a beer and go out and sit by the swimming pool and have a little evening sun.

I went to the bar and got the beer and carried it outside and wandered down the garden. It was a fine garden and there were plenty of chairs around the pool. There were white tables and huge brightly coloured umbrellas and sunburned men and women sitting around in bathing suits. In the pool itself there were three or four girls and about a dozen boys, all splashing about and making a lot of noise and throwing a large rubber ball at one another.

I stood watching them. The girls were English girls from the hotel. I didn't know about the boys, but they sounded American, and I thought they were probably young sailors from the American ship which had arrived in harbour that morning.

I went over and sat down under a yellow umbrella where there were four empty seats, and I poured my beer and settled back comfortably with a cigarette. It was pleasant to sit and watch the bathers splashing about in the green water.

The American sailors were getting on nicely with the English girls. They'd reached the point where they were diving under the water and pulling the girls up by their legs.

Just then I noticed a small old man walking quickly around the edge of the pool. He was beautifully dressed in a white suit and a cream-coloured hat, and as he walked he was looking at the people and the chairs.

He stopped beside me and smiled. I smiled back.

'Excuse me please, but may I sit here?'

'Certainly,' I said. 'Go ahead.'

He inspected the back of the chair for safety, then he sat down and crossed his legs.

'A fine evening,' he said. 'They are all fine evenings here in Jamaica.' I couldn't tell if his accent was Italian or Spanish, but I felt sure he was some sort of a South American. He was old, too, when you looked at him closely. Probably around sixty-eight or seventy.

'Yes,' I said. 'It's wonderful here, isn't it?'

'And who are all these? These are not hotel people.' He was pointing at the bathers in the pool.

'I think they're American sailors,' I told him.

'Of course they are Americans. Who else in the world is going to make as much noise as that? You are not American, no?'

'No,' I said. 'I am not.'

Suddenly one of the young sailors was standing in front of us. He was still wet from the pool and one of the English girls was standing there with him.

'Are these chairs free?' he said.

'Yes,' I answered.

'Mind if I sit down?'

'Go ahead.'

'Thanks,' he said. He had a towel in his hand, and when he sat down he unrolled it and produced a packet of cigarettes and a lighter. He offered the cigarettes to the girl but she refused; then he offered them to me and I took one. The old man said, 'Thank you, no, but I think I will have a cigar.' He took a cigar out of his pocket, then he produced a knife and cut the end off it.

'Here, let me give you a light.' The American boy held up his lighter.

'That will not work in this wind.'

'Sure it'll work. It always works.'

The old man removed the cigar from his mouth, moved his head to one side and looked at the boy.

'Always?' he said slowly.

'Sure, it never fails. Not with me anyway.'

'Well, well. So you say this famous lighter never fails. Is that what you say?'

'Sure,' the boy said. 'That's right.' He was about nineteen or twenty, with pale skin and a rather sharp nose. He was holding the lighter in his hand, ready to turn the little wheel. He said, 'I promise you it never fails.'

'One moment, please.' The hand that held the cigar came up high, as if it were stopping traffic. 'Now just one moment.' He had a curiously soft voice and kept looking at the boy all the time. He smiled. 'Shall we not make a little bet on whether your lighter lights?'

'Sure, I'll bet,' the boy said. 'Why not?'

'You like to bet?'

'Sure, I'll always bet.'

The man paused and examined his cigar, and I must say I didn't much like the way he was behaving. It seemed he was trying to embarrass the boy, and at the same time I had the feeling he was enjoying a private little secret.

He looked up again at the boy and said slowly, 'I like to bet, too. Why don't we have a bet on this thing? A big bet.'

'Now wait a minute,' the boy said. 'I can't do that. But I'll bet you a dollar. I'll even bet you ten, or whatever the money is over here.' The old man waved his hand again. 'Listen to me. Let's have some fun. We make a bet. Then we go up to my room here in the hotel where there's no wind, and I bet you cannot light this famous lighter of yours ten times one after another without missing once.'

'I'll bet I can,' the boy said.

'All right. Good. We make a bet, yes?'

'Sure, I'll bet you ten dollars.'

'No, no. I am a rich man and I am a sporting man also. Listen to me. Outside the hotel is my car. It's a very fine car. An American car from your country. Cadillac-'

'Now, wait a minute.' The boy leaned back and laughed. 'I can't offer you anything like that. This is crazy.'

'It's not crazy at all. You strike the lighter successfully ten times and the Cadillac is yours. You'd like to have this Cadillac, yes?' 'Sure, I'd like to have a Cadillac.' The boy was still smiling.

'All right. Fine. We make a bet and I offer my Cadillac.'

'What do I offer?'

The old man said, 'I never ask you, my friend, to bet something that you cannot afford. You understand?'

'So what do I bet?'

'I'll make it easy for you, yes?'

'OK. You make it easy.'

'Some small thing you can afford to give away, and if you did lose it you would not feel too bad. Right?'

'Like what?'

'Like, perhaps, the little finger on your left hand.'

'My what?' The boy stopped smiling.

'Yes. Why not? You win, you take the car. You lose, I take the finger.'

'I don't understand. How do you mean, you take the finger?'

'I chop it off'

'That's crazy. I think I'll just bet ten dollars.'

'Well, well, well,' the old man said. 'I do not understand. You say it lights but you will not bet. Then we forget it, yes?'

The boy sat quite still, staring at the bathers in the pool. Then he remembered that he hadn't lit his cigarette. He put it between his lips, opened the lighter and turned the wheel. It lit and burned with a small, steady, yellow flame, and the way he held his hands meant that the wind didn't get to it at all.

'Could I have a light, too?' I said.

'God, I'm sorry, I forgot you didn't have one.'

He stood up and came over to light my cigarette. There was a silence then, and I could see that the old man had succeeded in disturbing the boy with his ridiculous suggestion. He was sitting there very still, obviously tense. Then he started moving about in his seat, and rubbing his chest and stroking the back of his neck. Finally he placed both hands on his knees and began tapping his fingers against them. Soon he was tapping with one of his feet, too.

'Now just let me check I understand,' he said at last. 'You say we go up to your room and if I make this lighter light ten times one time after another I win a Cadillac. If it misses just once then I lose the little finger of my left hand. Is that right?'

'Certainly. That is the bet. But I think you are afraid.'

'What do we do if I lose? Do I have to hold my finger out while you chop it off?'

'Oh, no! That would not be good. And you might refuse to hold it out. What I would do is tie one of your hands to the table before we started, and I would stand there with a knife ready to chop the moment your lighter missed.'

'How old is the Cadillac?'

'How old? It is last year's. Quite a new car. But I see you are not a betting man. Americans never are.'

The boy paused for a moment and he glanced first at the English girl, then at me. 'Yes,' he said suddenly. 'I'll bet you.'

'Good!' The old man clapped his hands together. 'Fine,' he said. 'We will do it now. And you, sir.' He turned to me. 'You would perhaps be good enough to, what do you call it, to - to referee.'

'Well,' I said, 'I think it's a crazy bet. I don't like it very much.'

'Neither do I,' said the English girl. It was the first time she'd spoken. 'I think it's a stupid, ridiculous bet.'

'Are you serious about cutting off this boy's finger if he loses?' I said.

'Certainly I am. Also about giving him my Cadillac if he wins. Come now. We will go to my room. Would you like to put on some clothes first?' he said to the boy.

'No,' the boy answered. 'I'll come like this.' Then he turned to me. 'I'd consider it a favour if you'd come along as a referee.'

'All right,' I said. 'I'll come along but I don't like the bet.'

'You come, too,' he said to the girl. 'You come and watch.'

The old man led the way back through the garden to the hotel. He was excited now and that seemed to make him walk with more energy. 'Would you like to see the car first? It's just here.' He took us to a pale-green Cadillac.

'There it is. The green one. You like?'

'That's a nice car,' the boy said.

'All right. Now we will go up and see if you can win her.'

We all went up the stairs and into a large pleasant double bedroom. There was a woman's dress lying across the bottom of one of the beds.

'First,' he said, 'let's have a little drink.'

The drinks were on a small table in the far corner, all ready to be poured, and there was ice and plenty of glasses. He began to pour the drinks, and then he rang the bell and a little later there was a knock at the door and a maid came in.

'Ah!' he said, putting down the bottle and giving her a pound note. 'You will do something for me now please. We are going to play a little game in here and I want you to go off and find for me two - no, three things. I want some nails, I want a hammer, and I want a big knife, a butcher's knife which you can borrow from the kitchen. You can get these, yes?'

'A butcher's knife!' The maid opened her eyes wide. 'You mean a real butcher's knife?'

'Yes, of course. Come on now, please. You can find those things surely for me.'

'Yes, sir, I'll try. I'll try to get them.' And she went.

The old man handed round the drinks. We stood there drinking: the boy; the English girl, who watched the boy over the top of her glass all the time; the little old man with the colourless eyes standing there in his elegant white suit, drinking and looking at the girl. I didn't know what to think about it all. The man seemed serious about the bet and he seemed serious about the business of cutting off the finger. But what would we do if the boy lost? Then we'd have to rush him to hospital in the Cadillac that he hadn't won. It would all be a stupid, unnecessary thing in my opinion.


Man from the South (1) Mann aus dem Süden (1) Hombre del Sur (1) Homme du Sud (1) 南から来た男(1) 남쪽에서 온 남자 (1) Człowiek z Południa (1) Homem do Sul (1) Человек с юга (1) Людина з Півдня (1) 来自南方的人(一)

It was almost six o'clock, so I thought I'd buy a beer and go out and sit by the swimming pool and have a little evening sun. 六時近くだったので、ビールを買って外に出てプールのそばに座って、少し夕陽を浴びようと思いました。 거의 6시가 다 되어서 맥주 한 잔 사서 수영장에 나가서 저녁 햇살을 쬐고 싶었어요. Было уже почти шесть часов, и я решил купить пива и пойти посидеть у бассейна, чтобы немного понежиться на вечернем солнце.

I went to the bar and got the beer and carried it outside and wandered down the garden. 私はバーに行ってビールを手に入れ、それを外に運び、庭をさまよった。 Я подошел к бару, взял пиво, вынес его на улицу и побрел по саду. Bara gidip birayı aldım ve dışarı çıkarıp bahçede dolaştım. It was a fine garden and there were plenty of chairs around the pool. それは素晴らしい庭で、プールの周りにはたくさんの椅子がありました。 Прекрасный сад и множество шезлонгов вокруг бассейна. Güzel bir bahçeydi ve havuzun etrafında bol miktarda sandalye vardı. There were white tables and huge brightly coloured umbrellas and sunburned men and women sitting around in bathing suits. 白いテーブルと鮮やかな色の巨大な傘、そして日焼けした男性と女性が水着を着て座っていました。 Beyaz masalar, kocaman parlak renkli şemsiyeler ve mayolarıyla etrafta oturan güneş yanığı kadın ve erkekler vardı. In the pool itself there were three or four girls and about a dozen boys, all splashing about and making a lot of noise and throwing a large rubber ball at one another. プール自体には、3人か4人の女の子と、約12人の男の子がいて、全員が水しぶきを上げて大きな音を立て、大きなゴム製のボールを互いに投げ合っていました。 수영장에는 서너 명의 여자아이와 열댓 명의 남자아이가 있었는데, 모두 물보라를 일으키며 큰 소리를 내며 서로에게 커다란 고무공을 던졌습니다. В самом бассейне было три-четыре девочки и около десятка мальчиков, все они плескались, шумели и перебрасывали друг другу большой резиновый мяч. Havuzun içinde üç ya da dört kız ve bir düzine kadar erkek vardı; hepsi de su sıçratıyor, gürültü yapıyor ve birbirlerine büyük bir lastik top atıyorlardı.

I stood watching them. Durup onları izledim. The girls were English girls from the hotel. Девушки были англичанками из отеля. Kızlar oteldeki İngiliz kızlardı. I didn't know about the boys, but they sounded American, and I thought they were probably young sailors from the American ship which had arrived in harbour that morning. 나는 그 소년들에 대해 잘 몰랐지만 미국인처럼 들렸고 아마도 그날 아침에 항구에 도착한 미국 선박의 젊은 선원들이라고 생각했습니다.

I went over and sat down under a yellow umbrella where there were four empty seats, and I poured my beer and settled back comfortably with a cigarette. 空いている席が4つある黄色い傘の下に腰を下ろし、ビールを注いでたばこで気持ちよく落ち着きました。 빈자리가 네 개나 있는 노란 파라솔 밑에 가서 맥주를 따르고 담배를 피우며 편안하게 자리를 잡았습니다. Я подошел и сел под желтый зонтик, где было четыре свободных места, налил себе пива и удобно устроился с сигаретой. Oraya gittim ve dört boş koltuğun olduğu sarı bir şemsiyenin altına oturdum, biramı doldurdum ve bir sigarayla rahatça arkama yaslandım. It was pleasant to sit and watch the bathers splashing about in the green water. 座って、入浴者が緑の水に飛び散るのを見るのは楽しかったです。 앉아서 푸른 물속에서 물장구를 치는 수영객들을 보는 것도 즐거웠습니다. Oturup yeşil suda yüzenleri seyretmek çok keyifliydi.

The American sailors were getting on nicely with the English girls. アメリカ人の船員はイギリス人の女の子とうまくやっていた。 미국 선원들은 영국 소녀들과 잘 어울리고 있었습니다. Американские моряки прекрасно ладили с английскими девушками. They'd reached the point where they were diving under the water and pulling the girls up by their legs. Sie hatten den Punkt erreicht, an dem sie unter das Wasser tauchten und die Mädchen an den Beinen nach oben zogen. 彼らは水中に潜り、女の子を足で引き上げるところまで来ていました。 그들은 물속으로 잠수하여 소녀들의 다리를 잡아 끌어올리는 지경에 이르렀습니다. Они дошли до того, что стали нырять под воду и вытаскивать девушек за ноги. Suyun altına daldıkları ve kızları bacaklarından tutup yukarı çektikleri noktaya ulaşmışlardı.

Just then I noticed a small old man walking quickly around the edge of the pool. ちょうどその時、私は小さな老人がプールの端を素早く歩いているのに気づきました。 В этот момент я заметил маленького пожилого человека, быстро идущего по краю бассейна. He was beautifully dressed in a white suit and a cream-coloured hat, and as he walked he was looking at the people and the chairs. 彼は白いスーツとクリーム色の帽子を身に着けていて、歩いていると人と椅子を見ていました。

He stopped beside me and smiled. I smiled back.

'Excuse me please, but may I sit here?' 「すみませんが、ここに座ってもよろしいですか?」

'Certainly,' I said. 'Go ahead.' Fahren Sie fort. "Pokračuj."

He inspected the back of the chair for safety, then he sat down and crossed his legs. 彼は安全のために椅子の背もたれを点検し、それから座って足を組んだ。 Он осмотрел спинку кресла на предмет безопасности, затем сел и скрестил ноги.

'A fine evening,' he said. 「いい夜だ」と彼は言った。 'They are all fine evenings here in Jamaica.' 「ここジャマイカでは、みんな晴れた夜です。」 '자메이카에서는 모두 좋은 저녁입니다.' "Здесь, на Ямайке, все вечера прекрасны". I couldn't tell if his accent was Italian or Spanish, but I felt sure he was some sort of a South American. 彼の訛りがイタリア語なのかスペイン語なのかはわかりませんでしたが、彼はある種の南米人だと確信していました。 그의 억양이 이탈리아인인지 스페인 사람인지는 알 수 없었지만 남미 사람인 것만은 확실했습니다. Я не мог определить, какой у него акцент - итальянский или испанский, но был уверен, что он какой-то южноамериканский. He was old, too, when you looked at him closely. あなたが彼をよく見ると、彼も年をとっていました。 자세히 보면 그분도 나이가 많으셨어요. Probably around sixty-eight or seventy. おそらく約68または70。

'Yes,' I said. 'It's wonderful here, isn't it?' 「ここは素晴らしいですね」

'And who are all these? 'そして、これらすべては誰ですか? '이 사람들은 다 누구죠? 'А кто все эти люди? These are not hotel people.' これらはホテルの人ではありません。 He was pointing at the bathers in the pool. 彼はプールの海水浴客を指さしていた。 Он показывал на купающихся в бассейне.

'I think they're American sailors,' I told him.

'Of course they are Americans. Who else in the world is going to make as much noise as that? 世界の他の誰がそれと同じくらい騒ぐつもりですか? 이 세상에 이만큼 시끄러운 사람이 또 있을까요? Кто еще в мире может наделать столько шума? You are not American, no?' あなたはアメリカ人ではありませんね」 Вы не американец, нет?

'No,' I said. 「いいえ」と私は言いました。 'I am not.' 「私はそうではありません。」

Suddenly one of the young sailors was standing in front of us. 突然、若い船乗りの一人が私たちの前に立っていました。 Вдруг один из молодых матросов оказался перед нами. He was still wet from the pool and one of the English girls was standing there with him. 彼はまだプールで濡れていて、イギリス人の女の子の一人が彼と一緒に立っていました。

'Are these chairs free?' 「これらの椅子は無料ですか?」 he said.

'Yes,' I answered.

'Mind if I sit down?' 「座ってもいいですか?」 "Не возражаете, если я присяду?

'Go ahead.' 'Давай'.

'Thanks,' he said. He had a towel in his hand, and when he sat down he unrolled it and produced a packet of cigarettes and a lighter. 彼は手にタオルを持っていて、座ったときにそれを広げて、タバコとライターのパケットを作りました。 В руках у него было полотенце, и когда он сел, то, развернув его, достал пачку сигарет и зажигалку. He offered the cigarettes to the girl but she refused; then he offered them to me and I took one. 彼は少女にタバコを差し出したが、彼女は拒否した。それから彼は私にそれらを提供し、私はそれを取りました。 The old man said, 'Thank you, no, but I think I will have a cigar.' 老人は言った、「ありがとう、いや、でも私は葉巻を持っていると思う」。 Старик сказал: "Спасибо, нет, но я, пожалуй, выкурю сигару". He took a cigar out of his pocket, then he produced a knife and cut the end off it. 彼はポケットから葉巻を取り出し、それからナイフを作り、それの端を切り落としました。 Он достал из кармана сигару, затем достал нож и отрезал от нее конец.

'Here, let me give you a light.' 「ここで、私はあなたに光を与えましょう。」 "Вот, давайте я вам дам прикурить". The American boy held up his lighter. アメリカ人の少年はライターを持ち上げた。 Американский мальчик поднял зажигалку.

'That will not work in this wind.' 「それはこの風ではうまくいきません。」 'При таком ветре это не сработает'.

'Sure it'll work. 「確かにそれはうまくいくでしょう。 'Конечно, все получится. It always works.'

The old man removed the cigar from his mouth, moved his head to one side and looked at the boy. 老人は葉巻を口から外し、頭を片側に動かして男の子を見ました。 노인은 입에서 시가를 빼고 고개를 한쪽으로 움직여 소년을 바라보았다. Старик вынул сигару изо рта, сдвинул голову на одну сторону и посмотрел на мальчика.

'Always?' '항상?' he said slowly.

'Sure, it never fails. 「確かに、それは決して失敗しません。 '물론 실패한 적은 없습니다. Конечно, никогда не подводит. Not with me anyway.' とにかく私と一緒ではありません。」 어차피 나랑은 아니야. Не со мной, во всяком случае".

'Well, well. So you say this famous lighter never fails. Sie sagen also, dass dieses berühmte Feuerzeug nie versagt. だからあなたはこの有名なライターは決して失敗しないと言います。 이 유명한 라이터는 절대 고장 나지 않는다고 하셨죠? Is that what you say?' それはあなたの言うことですか?」 Вы так говорите?

'Sure,' the boy said. 'That's right.' He was about nineteen or twenty, with pale skin and a rather sharp nose. 彼は約19歳か20歳で、肌は青白く、鼻はかなり鋭い。 Ему было лет девятнадцать-двадцать, с бледной кожей и довольно острым носом. He was holding the lighter in his hand, ready to turn the little wheel. 彼はライターを手に持っていて、小さなホイールを回す準備ができていました。 그는 라이터를 손에 들고 작은 바퀴를 돌릴 준비를 하고 있었습니다. Он держал в руке зажигалку, готовый повернуть маленькое колесико. He said, 'I promise you it never fails.' 彼は言った、「私はあなたにそれが決して失敗しないことを約束します。」 Он сказал: "Я обещаю, что это никогда не подведет".

'One moment, please.' 'ちょっと待ってください。' The hand that held the cigar came up high, as if it were stopping traffic. 葉巻を持っていた手が、まるで交通を止めているかのように高く上がった。 Рука, державшая сигару, поднялась высоко вверх, как будто останавливая движение. 'Now just one moment.' 「ちょっと待って」 He had a curiously soft voice and kept looking at the boy all the time. Er hatte eine seltsam sanfte Stimme und sah den Jungen die ganze Zeit an. 彼は不思議なほど柔らかな声で、ずっと男の子を見つめていました。 У него был удивительно мягкий голос, и он все время смотрел на мальчика. He smiled. 彼は微笑みました。 'Shall we not make a little bet on whether your lighter lights?' 「ライターが点灯するかどうかに少し賭けてみませんか?」 '라이터에 불이 들어오는지 내기를 해볼까요?' Не заключить ли нам небольшое пари на то, зажжется ли ваша зажигалка?

'Sure, I'll bet,' the boy said. Конечно, я ставлю, - сказал мальчик. 'Why not?' 'なぜだめですか?'

'You like to bet?' 「あなたは賭けるのが好きですか?」

'Sure, I'll always bet.'

The man paused and examined his cigar, and I must say I didn't much like the way he was behaving. Der Mann hielt inne und untersuchte seine Zigarre, und ich muss sagen, dass mir sein Verhalten nicht besonders gefiel. 男は立ち止まって葉巻を調べました、そして私は彼の振る舞いがあまり好きではなかったと言わなければなりません。 그 남자는 잠시 멈춰서 시가를 살폈는데, 저는 그의 행동 방식이 그다지 마음에 들지 않았습니다. Мужчина приостановился, рассматривая свою сигару, и должен сказать, что мне не очень понравилось, как он себя вел. It seemed he was trying to embarrass the boy, and at the same time I had the feeling he was enjoying a private little secret. It seemed he was trying to embarrass the boy, and at the same time I had the feeling he was enjoying a private little secret. 彼はその少年を困らせようとしているようで、同時に私は彼が私的な小さな秘密を楽しんでいるように感じました。 소년을 당황하게 하려는 것 같았고, 동시에 소년이 사적인 비밀을 즐기고 있다는 느낌이 들었습니다. Казалось, что он пытается смутить мальчика, и в то же время у меня было ощущение, что он наслаждается маленькой личной тайной.

He looked up again at the boy and said slowly, 'I like to bet, too. Why don't we have a bet on this thing? これに賭けてみませんか? 이걸로 내기를 해보는 건 어떨까요? Почему бы нам не сделать ставку на эту вещь? A big bet.' 大きな賭けです。

'Now wait a minute,' the boy said. Подождите минутку, - сказал мальчик. 'I can't do that. '私はそれを行うことはできません。 Я не могу этого сделать. But I'll bet you a dollar. しかし、私はあなたにドルを賭けます。 Но я готов поспорить на доллар. I'll even bet you ten, or whatever the money is over here.' 私はあなたに10、またはここにあるお金が何であれ賭けます。」 10달러를 걸 수도 있고, 여기 돈이 얼마든 걸 수도 있습니다. Я даже ставлю десять, или сколько там у вас стоит". The old man waved his hand again. The old man waved his hand again. 'Listen to me. '내 말 들어보세요. Let's have some fun. 재미있게 즐겨보세요. Давайте повеселимся. We make a bet. Then we go up to my room here in the hotel where there's no wind, and I bet you cannot light this famous lighter of yours ten times one after another without missing once.' それから風のないこのホテルの私の部屋に行って、あなたのこの有名なライターに 10 回続けて 1 回も火をつけられないに違いないわ」 그런 다음 바람이 없는 호텔 내 방으로 올라가서 그 유명한 라이터를 한 번도 놓치지 않고 열 번 연속으로 불을 붙일 수 없을 것 같다'고 말했습니다. Затем мы поднимаемся в мой номер здесь, в отеле, где нет ветра, и я готов поспорить, что ты не сможешь зажечь эту свою знаменитую зажигалку десять раз одну за другой, ни разу не промахнувшись".

'I'll bet I can,' the boy said. "Не сомневаюсь, что смогу", - сказал мальчик.

'All right. Good. We make a bet, yes?'

'Sure, I'll bet you ten dollars.' 「もちろん、10ドル賭けるよ」

'No, no. I am a rich man and I am a sporting man also. 私は金持ちで、スポーツマンでもあります。 저는 부자이면서 스포츠맨이기도 합니다. Listen to me. Outside the hotel is my car. It's a very fine car. An American car from your country. Cadillac-'

'Now, wait a minute.' The boy leaned back and laughed. その少年は身を乗り出して笑った。 Мальчик откинулся назад и засмеялся. 'I can't offer you anything like that. 「私はあなたにそのようなものを提供することはできません。 Я не могу предложить вам ничего подобного. This is crazy.'

'It's not crazy at all. 「それはまったくクレイジーではありません。 You strike the lighter successfully ten times and the Cadillac is yours. ライターを 10 回たたくと、キャデラックはあなたのものです。 Если вы ударите по зажигалке десять раз, то Cadillac будет вашим. You'd like to have this Cadillac, yes?' このキャデラックが欲しいですよね?」 이 캐딜락을 갖고 싶지 않으세요?' 'Sure, I'd like to have a Cadillac.' The boy was still smiling.

'All right. Fine. We make a bet and I offer my Cadillac.'

'What do I offer?' '무엇을 제공할까요?' 'Что я предлагаю?'

The old man said, 'I never ask you, my friend, to bet something that you cannot afford. 老人は言った、「私の友人、あなたに、あなたが買う余裕のない何かを賭けるように頼むことは決してありません。 그 노인은 '친구여, 나는 당신이 감당할 수 없는 것을 걸라고 부탁하지 않습니다. You understand?'

'So what do I bet?'

'I'll make it easy for you, yes?' 「私はあなたのためにそれを簡単にします、そうですか?」 '내가 쉽게 해줄게, 알았지?' 'Я облегчу тебе задачу, да?'

'OK. You make it easy.' あなたはそれを簡単にします。 Ты делаешь это легко".

'Some small thing you can afford to give away, and if you did lose it you would not feel too bad. 「あなたが与えることができるいくつかの小さなもの、そしてあなたがそれを失ったとしてもあなたはそれほど悪く感じることはないでしょう。 '작은 물건은 나눠줄 수 있고, 잃어버려도 크게 상심하지 않을 수 있습니다. 'Какая-нибудь мелочь, которую можно позволить себе отдать, а если и потеряешь, то не сильно расстроишься. Right?'

'Like what?' 'どのような?'

'Like, perhaps, the little finger on your left hand.' 「おそらく、左手の小指のように。」

'My what?' '私の何?' The boy stopped smiling.

'Yes. Why not? You win, you take the car. You lose, I take the finger.'

'I don't understand. How do you mean, you take the finger?' どういう意味ですか、あなたは指を取りますか?」 Как это - взять палец?

'I chop it off' 'I chop it off' 「私はそれを切り落とす」 'Я его отрезаю'

'That's crazy. I think I'll just bet ten dollars.' 10 ドルだけ賭けてみようと思います。

'Well, well, well,' the old man said. 'I do not understand. You say it lights but you will not bet. あなたはそれが点灯すると言いますが、あなたは賭けません。 불이 들어온다고 하지만 내기는 하지 않습니다. Вы говорите, что он горит, но не ставите. Then we forget it, yes?' それなら忘れますね」 Тогда мы забудем об этом, да?

The boy sat quite still, staring at the bathers in the pool. The boy sat quite still, staring at the bathers in the pool. 少年はじっと座って、プールの入浴者を見つめていました。 Then he remembered that he hadn't lit his cigarette. それから彼は自分のタバコに火をつけていなかったことを思い出した。 그러다 담배에 불을 붙이지 않았다는 사실을 기억했습니다. Потом он вспомнил, что не зажег сигарету. He put it between his lips, opened the lighter and turned the wheel. It lit and burned with a small, steady, yellow flame, and the way he held his hands meant that the wind didn't get to it at all. It lit and burned with a small, steady, yellow flame, and the way he held his hands meant that the wind didn't get to it at all. それは小さくて安定した黄色い炎で点灯して燃えました、そして彼が彼の手を握った方法は風がまったくそれに到達しなかったことを意味しました。 작고 꾸준한 노란 불꽃으로 불이 붙고 타오르는데, 그가 손을 잡은 방식 덕분에 바람이 전혀 닿지 않았습니다. Он горел небольшим ровным желтым пламенем, и то, как он держал его в руках, означало, что ветер совсем не доставал до него.

'Could I have a light, too?' 「私もライトを頂けますか?」 '나도 조명을 가질 수 있을까요?' "Можно мне тоже прикурить? I said.

'God, I'm sorry, I forgot you didn't have one.' 「神様、ごめんなさい、あなたが持っていなかったことを忘れました。」 'Боже, прости, я забыл, что у тебя его нет'.

He stood up and came over to light my cigarette. Он встал и подошел, чтобы прикурить мою сигарету. There was a silence then, and I could see that the old man had succeeded in disturbing the boy with his ridiculous suggestion. Dann herrschte Stille, und ich konnte sehen, dass es dem alten Mann gelungen war, den Jungen mit seinem lächerlichen Vorschlag zu verstören. その時は沈黙があり、その老人は彼のばかげた提案で少年を邪魔することに成功したことがわかりました。 Наступила тишина, и я понял, что старику удалось растревожить мальчика своим нелепым предложением. He was sitting there very still, obviously tense. He was sitting there very still, obviously tense. 彼は非常に静かに、明らかに緊張してそこに座っていました。 Он сидел очень спокойно, явно напряженный. Then he started moving about in his seat, and rubbing his chest and stroking the back of his neck. Then he started moving about in his seat, and rubbing his chest and stroking the back of his neck. それから彼は自分の席で動き始め、胸をこすり、首の後ろをなでました。 Затем он начал двигаться на своем сиденье, растирать грудь и поглаживать шею. Finally he placed both hands on his knees and began tapping his fingers against them. 最後に、彼は両手を膝の上に置き、指を膝に叩き始めました。 마침내 그는 양손을 무릎에 얹고 손가락으로 무릎을 두드리기 시작했습니다. Наконец он положил обе руки на колени и стал постукивать по ним пальцами. Soon he was tapping with one of his feet, too. すぐに彼も片方の足で叩きました。

'Now just let me check I understand,' he said at last. 「今、私が理解していることを確認させてください」と彼はついに言った。 "이제 내가 이해했는지 확인해 보겠습니다." 그가 마지막으로 말했습니다. "Теперь просто дайте мне проверить, что я понял", - сказал он наконец. 'You say we go up to your room and if I make this lighter light ten times one time after another I win a Cadillac. 「あなたは私たちがあなたの部屋に上がると言います、そして私がこれを次々に10回軽くするならば、私はキャデラックに勝ちます。 If it misses just once then I lose the little finger of my left hand. Если он промахнется хотя бы раз, то я лишусь мизинца левой руки. Is that right?'

'Certainly. '물론이죠. Конечно. That is the bet. それが賭けです。 На это и делается ставка. But I think you are afraid.' しかし、私はあなたが恐れていると思います。

'What do we do if I lose? 「負けたらどうしよう。 'Что мы будем делать, если я проиграю? Do I have to hold my finger out while you chop it off?' あなたがそれを切り落とす間、私は指を出さなければなりませんか?」 '손가락을 자르는 동안 손가락을 내밀어야 하나요?' Я должен держать палец вытянутым, пока вы его отрезаете?

'Oh, no! That would not be good. それは良くないでしょう。 Это было бы нехорошо. And you might refuse to hold it out. Und Sie könnten sich weigern, es auszuhalten. そして、あなたはそれを保持することを拒否するかもしれません. 그리고 당신은 그것을 거부할 수도 있습니다. И вы можете отказаться от его проведения. What I would do is tie one of your hands to the table before we started, and I would stand there with a knife ready to chop the moment your lighter missed.' 시작하기 전에 한 손을 테이블에 묶어두고 라이터를 놓치는 순간 칼을 들고 서서 자를 준비를 했어요. Я бы привязал одну твою руку к столу, прежде чем мы начнем, и стоял бы там с ножом, готовый отрезать в тот момент, когда твоя зажигалка промахнется".

'How old is the Cadillac?' '캐딜락은 몇 살인가요?'

'How old? It is last year's. 작년과 동일합니다. Это прошлогодний вариант. Quite a new car. 꽤 새 차네요. But I see you are not a betting man. しかし、あなたは賭け屋ではないようです。 Но я вижу, что вы не любитель делать ставки. Americans never are.' Американцы никогда не бывают такими".

The boy paused for a moment and he glanced first at the English girl, then at me. Мальчик на мгновение приостановился и посмотрел сначала на англичанку, потом на меня. 'Yes,' he said suddenly. 'I'll bet you.'

'Good!' The old man clapped his hands together. 'Fine,' he said. 'We will do it now. Мы сделаем это сейчас. And you, sir.' И вы, сэр". He turned to me. 'You would perhaps be good enough to, what do you call it, to - to referee.' 「あなたはおそらく、それを何と呼んでいるのか、審判をするのに十分だろう.」 '당신은 아마도 심판으로, 뭐라고 해야 할까요?' 'Вы, возможно, были бы достаточно хороши, чтобы, как вы это называете, судить'.

'Well,' I said, 'I think it's a crazy bet. I don't like it very much.' Мне это не очень нравится".

'Neither do I,' said the English girl. 「私もね」とイギリス人の女の子は言いました。 "Я тоже", - сказала англичанка. It was the first time she'd spoken. Это был первый раз, когда она заговорила. 'I think it's a stupid, ridiculous bet.'

'Are you serious about cutting off this boy's finger if he loses?' Willst du dem Jungen wirklich den Finger abschneiden, wenn er verliert? I said.

'Certainly I am. Also about giving him my Cadillac if he wins. А также о том, чтобы подарить ему мой Cadillac, если он победит. Come now. Идемте. We will go to my room. Would you like to put on some clothes first?' 最初に服を着ますか? Не хотите ли сначала одеться? he said to the boy.

'No,' the boy answered. 'I'll come like this.' 「こうやって来ます」 'Я приду вот так'. Then he turned to me. 'I'd consider it a favour if you'd come along as a referee.' Ich würde es als einen Gefallen betrachten, wenn Sie als Schiedsrichter mitkommen würden. 「レフリーとして来てくれたら、ありがたいと思います。」 '당신이 심판으로 와주면 부탁을 들어줄게요.' Я буду считать за услугу, если вы придете в качестве судьи".

'All right,' I said. 'I'll come along but I don't like the bet.' 「一緒に行くけど、賭けは好きじゃない」

'You come, too,' he said to the girl. 'You come and watch.'

The old man led the way back through the garden to the hotel. He was excited now and that seemed to make him walk with more energy. Он был возбужден, и это, казалось, придавало ему больше энергии. 'Would you like to see the car first? It's just here.' He took us to a pale-green Cadillac. Он подвел нас к бледно-зеленому "Кадиллаку".

'There it is. The green one. Зеленый. You like?'

'That's a nice car,' the boy said.

'All right. Now we will go up and see if you can win her.' さあ、あなたが彼女を勝ち取ることができるかどうか見てみましょう。 이제 올라가서 당신이 그녀를 이길 수 있는지 보겠습니다.

We all went up the stairs and into a large pleasant double bedroom. 私たちは皆、階段を上って大きく快適なダブルベッドルームに入りました。 Мы все поднялись по лестнице и вошли в большую приятную спальню с двуспальной кроватью. There was a woman's dress lying across the bottom of one of the beds. 침대 바닥에 한 여성의 드레스가 놓여 있었습니다. На дне одной из кроватей лежало женское платье.

'First,' he said, 'let's have a little drink.'

The drinks were on a small table in the far corner, all ready to be poured, and there was ice and plenty of glasses. 음료는 저쪽 구석에 있는 작은 테이블에 준비되어 있었고, 얼음과 잔도 충분히 준비되어 있었습니다. На маленьком столике в дальнем углу стояли напитки, готовые к разливу, лед и множество стаканов. He began to pour the drinks, and then he rang the bell and a little later there was a knock at the door and a maid came in.

'Ah!' he said, putting down the bottle and giving her a pound note. 彼はそう言って、ボトルを置き、彼女にポンド札を渡しました。 그는 병을 내려놓고 1파운드짜리 지폐를 건네며 말했습니다. сказал он, откладывая бутылку и протягивая ей фунтовую купюру. 'You will do something for me now please. 「今、私のために何かしてください。 'Ты сделаешь что-нибудь для меня сейчас, пожалуйста. We are going to play a little game in here and I want you to go off and find for me two - no, three things. 私たちはここでちょっとしたゲームをするつもりです。そこから出て行って、私のために 2 つ、いや、3 つのことを見つけてほしいのです。 여기서 작은 게임을 할 건데, 가서 두 가지, 아니 세 가지를 찾아주세요. Мы сыграем здесь в небольшую игру, и я хочу, чтобы вы пошли и нашли для меня две - нет, три вещи. I want some nails, I want a hammer, and I want a big knife, a butcher's knife which you can borrow from the kitchen. Мне нужны гвозди, молоток и большой нож, мясницкий нож, который можно взять на кухне. You can get these, yes?' Вы можете получить их, да?

'A butcher's knife!' The maid opened her eyes wide. 'You mean a real butcher's knife?'

'Yes, of course. Come on now, please. You can find those things surely for me.' Вы можете найти эти вещи, конечно, для меня".

'Yes, sir, I'll try. I'll try to get them.' And she went.

The old man handed round the drinks. 老人は飲み物を回した。 Старик раздал напитки. We stood there drinking: the boy; the English girl, who watched the boy over the top of her glass all the time; the little old man with the colourless eyes standing there in his elegant white suit, drinking and looking at the girl. 私たちはそこに立って飲んでいました。いつもグラス越しに男の子を見守っていたイギリス人の女の子。色のない目をした小柄な老人がエレガントな白いスーツを着て立ち、酒を飲みながら少女を見つめていた。 우리는 거기 서서 술을 마시고 있었습니다: 소년, 잔 너머로 소년을 계속 바라보던 영국 소녀, 우아한 흰색 정장을 입고 서서 술을 마시며 소녀를 바라보던 무색 눈동자의 작은 할아버지. Мы стояли и пили: мальчик; англичанка, которая все время наблюдала за мальчиком поверх своего бокала; маленький старичок с бесцветными глазами, который стоял в своем элегантном белом костюме, пил и смотрел на девочку. I didn't know what to think about it all. 私はそれについて何を考えるべきかわかりませんでした。 Я не знал, что и думать обо всем этом. The man seemed serious about the bet and he seemed serious about the business of cutting off the finger. But what would we do if the boy lost? Но что бы мы делали, если бы мальчик проиграл? Then we'd have to rush him to hospital in the Cadillac that he hadn't won. 그러면 당첨되지 않은 캐딜락을 타고 병원으로 급히 달려가야 했습니다. Тогда пришлось бы срочно везти его в больницу в Cadillac, который он не выиграл. It would all be a stupid, unnecessary thing in my opinion. 私の意見では、それはすべてばかげた、不必要なことです。 제 생각에는 모두 어리석고 불필요한 일입니다. На мой взгляд, все это было бы глупой и ненужной затеей.