I said, "My name's Calloway."
"Martins," he said.
"You were a friend of Lime?"
"Yes." Most people in the last week would have hesitated before they admitted quite so much.
"Been here long?"
"I only came this afternoon from England. Harry had asked me to stay with him. I hadn't heard."
"Bit of a shock?"
"Look here," he said, "I badly want a drink, but I haven't any cash—except five pounds sterling. I'd be awfully grateful if you'd stand me one."
It was my turn to say "Of course." I thought for a moment and told the driver the name of a small bar in the Kartnerstrasse. I didn't think he'd want to be seen for a while in a busy British bar full of transit officers and their wives. This bar—perhaps because it was exorbitant in its prices—seldom had more than one self-occupied couple in it at a time. The trouble was too that it really only had one drink—a sweet chocolate liqueur that the waiter improved at a price with cognac, but I got the impression that Martins had no objection to any drink so long as it cast a veil over the present, and the past. On the door was the usual notice saying the bar opened at 6 till 10, but one just pushed the door and walked through the front rooms. We had a whole small room to ourselves; the only couple were next door, and the waiter who knew me left us alone with some caviar sandwiches. It was lucky that we both knew that I had an expense account.
Martins said over his second quick drink, "I'm sorry, but he was the best friend I ever had."
I couldn't resist saying, knowing what I knew, and because I was anxious to vex him—one learns a lot that way, "That sounds like a cheap novelette."
He said quickly, "I write cheap novelettes."
I had learnt something anyway. Until he had had a third drink, I was under the impression that he wasn't an easy talker: but I felt fairly certain that he was one of those who turn unpleasant after their fourth glass.
I said, "Tell me about yourself—and Lime (расскажите мне о вас самих — и Лайме)."
"Look here (послушайте: «смотрите сюда»)," he said, "I badly need another drink (я отчаянно: «плохо» нуждаюсь в еще одном: «другом» напитке), but I can't keep on scrounging on a stranger (но я не могу постоянно клянчить у незнакомца; to keep on — продолжать; to scrounge — воровать, красть; попрошайничать, побираться). Could you change me a pound or two into Austrian money (могли бы вы поменять мне фунт или два на австрийские деньги)?"
"Don't bother about that (не беспокойтесь об этом)," I said and called the waiter (и позвал официанта). "You can treat me (вы можете угостить меня) when I come to London on leave (когда я приеду в Лондон на отпуск). You were going to tell me how you met Lime (вы собирались рассказать мне, как вы познакомились с Лаймом)?"