Время жить и время умирать (Ремарк) - страница 123

No one could trust anyone else any longer.Никому нельзя было доверять.
They were all afraid of one another.Все боялись друг друга.
Very likely your parents are safe somewhere."Вероятно, твои родители где-нибудь в безопасном месте.
Graeber was breathing more calmly.Гребер вздохнул с облегчением.
"Didn't you see them at all?"- А вы их видели?
"Once on the street.- Как-то раз на улице.
But it must be four or five weeks ago.Но это было больше месяца назад.
There was still some snow on the ground then.Тогда еще лежал снег.
It was before the raids."До налетов.
"How did they look?- И как они выглядели?
Were they well?"Они были здоровы?
Loose did not reply at once.Лоозе ответил не сразу.
"Yes, I guess they were," he said then and swallowed.- По-моему, да, - ответил он, наконец, и опять словно что-то проглотил с трудом.
Graeber was suddenly ashamed.Греберу вдруг стало стыдно.
He realized that it was frivolous in such surroundings to ask whether or not a person had been well four weeks ago; here you asked about the survivors and the dead, and nothing else.Он понял, что в такой обстановке не спрашивают, был человек месяц назад здоров или нет, - здесь спрашивают только: жив он или мертв - и больше ни о чем.
"I am sorry," he said in embarrassment.- Простите меня, - смущенно сказал он.
Loose shook his head tiredly.Лоозе покачал головой.
"Forget it, Ernst. Today each can think only of himself.- Брось, Эрнст, нынче каждый думает только о себе.
There is too much unhappiness in the world-"Слишком много горя на свете...
Graeber stepped out into the street.Гребер вышел на улицу.
It had been dismal and dead when he had gone into the Harmony Club-now all at once it appeared brighter, and life had not entirely died out of it.Когда он направлялся в филармонию, эта улица была угрюма и мертва, теперь же ему вдруг показалось, что она светлее, и жизнь на ней не совсем замерла.
He no longer saw only the ruined houses; he now saw the growing trees too. Two dogs were at play, and the sky was moist and blue.Он уже видел не только разрушенные дома: он видел и распускающиеся деревья, и двух играющих собак, и влажное синее небо.
His parents were not dead; they were only missing.Его родители живы; они только пропали без вести.
An hour earlier when the one-armed clerk had told him this, the news had been desolating and almost unbearable; now it had mysteriously transformed itself into hope. He knew that it was only so because for an instant he had believed his parents were no longer alive-but what needed less nourishment than hope? And from what incomprehensible roots it could draw it!