Английский с Г. К. Честертоном. Рассказы об отце Брауне

 “I know nothing about English generals, Father Brown,” answered the large man, laughing, “though a little about English policemen. I only know that you have dragged me a precious long dance to all the shrines of this fellow, whoever he is. One would think he got buried in six different places. I’ve seen a memorial to General St. Clare in Westminster Abbey. I’ve seen a ramping equestrian statue of General St. Clare on the Embankment. I’ve seen a medallion of St. Clare in the street he was born in, and another in the street he lived in; and now you drag me after dark to his coffin in the village churchyard. I am beginning to be a bit tired of his magnificent personality, especially as I don’t in the least know who he was. What are you hunting for in all these crypts and effigies?”

“I am only looking for one word (я ищу только одно слово; to look for – искать; разыскивать),” said Father Brown. “A word that isn’t there (слово, которого здесь нет).”

“Well (ну, и),” asked Flambeau; “are you going to tell me anything about it (вы собираетесь мне что-нибудь об этом рассказать)?”

“I must divide it into two parts (/свой рассказ/ я должен разделить на две части),” remarked the priest (заметил священник; to remark – замечать; делать замечание; высказываться

). “First there is what everybody knows (первое – это то, что знают все); and then there is what I know (и затем есть то, что знаю /только/ я). Now, what everybody knows is short and plain enough (то, что знают все, /можно изложить/ коротко и достаточно ясно). It is also entirely wrong (но также это полностью неверно).”

“Right you are (ладно),” said the big man called Flambeau cheerfully (весело сказал большой человек по имени Фламбо). “Let’s begin at the wrong end (давайте начнем не с того конца; wrong end – не тем концом, не с того конца; wrong – неправильный, неверный). Let’s begin with what everybody knows, which isn’t true (давайте начнем с того, что знают все, и что является неправдой).”

 “I am only looking for one word,” said Father Brown. “A word that isn’t there.”

“Well,” asked Flambeau; “are you going to tell me anything about it?”

“I must divide it into two parts,” remarked the priest. “First there is what everybody knows; and then there is what I know. Now, what everybody knows is short and plain enough. It is also entirely wrong.”

“Right you are,” said the big man called Flambeau cheerfully. “Let’s begin at the wrong end. Let’s begin with what everybody knows, which isn’t true.”