The Third Man (Excerpts)

Graham Greene

Somewhere behind the cake stall a man was whistling, and Martins knew the tune. He turned and waited. Was it fear or excitement that made his heart beat—or just the memories that tune ushered in, for life had always quickened when Harry came, came just as he came now, as though nothing much had happened, nobody had been lowered into a grave or found with cut throat in a basement, came with his amused, deprecating, take-it-or-leave-it manner—and of course one always took it.

"Harry."

"Hullo, Rollo."

Don't picture Harry Lime as a smooth scoundrel. He wasn't that. The picture I have of him on my files is an excellent one: he is caught by a street photographer with his stocky legs apart, big shoulders a little hunched, a belly that has known too much good food for too long, on his face a look of cheerful rascality, a geniality, a recognition that his happiness will make the world's day. Now he didn't make the mistake of putting out a hand that might have been rejected, but instead just patted Martins on the elbow and said, "How are things?"

We've got to talk, Harry.

Of course.

Alone.

We couldn't be more alone than here.

He had always known the ropes, and even in the smashed pleasure park he knew them, tipping the woman in charge of the Wheel, so that they might have a car to themselves.

He said, "Lovers used to do this in the old days, but they haven't the money to spare, poor devils, now," and he looked out of the window of the swaying, rising car at the figures diminishing below with what looked like genuine commiseration.

Very slowly on one side of them the city sank; very slowly on the other the great cross-girders of the Wheel rose into sight. As the horizon slid away the Danube became visible, and the piers of the Reichsbrucke lifted above the houses. "Well," Harry said, "it's good to see you, Rollo."

I was at your funeral.

That was pretty smart of me, wasn't it?

Not so smart for your girl. She was there too—in tears.

She's a good little thing, Harry said. "I'm very fond of her."

I didn't believe the police when they told me about you.

Harry said, "I wouldn't have asked you to come if I'd known what was going to happen, but I didn't think the police were on to me."

Were you going to cut me in on the spoils?

I've never kept you out of anything, old man, yet. He stood with his back to the door as the car swung upwards, and smiled back at Rollo Martins, who could remember him in just such an attitude in a secluded corner of the school-quad, saying, "I've learned a way to get out at night. It's absolutely safe. You are the only one I'm letting in on it." For the first time Rollo Martins looked back through the years without admiration, as he thought: He's never grown up.

Marlowe's devils wore squibs attached to their tails: evil was like Peter Pan—it carried with it the horrifying and horrible gift of eternal youth.

Martins said, "Have you ever visited the children's hospital? Have you seen any of your victims?"

Harry took a look at the toy landscape below and came away from the door. "I never feel quite safe in these things," he said. He felt the back of the door with his hand, as though he were afraid that it might fly open and launch him into that iron-ribbed space. "Victims?" he asked. "Don't be melodramatic, Rollo. Look down there," he went on, pointing through the window at the people moving like black flies at the base of the Wheel. "Would you really feel any pity if one of those dots stopped moving—for ever? If I said you can have twenty thousand pounds for every dot that stops, would you really, old man, tell me to keep my money—without hesitation? Or would you calculate how many dots you could afford to spare? Free of income tax, old man. Free of income tax." He gave his boyish conspiratorial smile. "It's the only way to save nowadays."

Couldn't you have stuck to tyres?

Like Cooler? No, Fve always been ambitious.

You are finished now. The police know everything.

But they can't catch me, Rollo, you'll see. I'll pop up again. You can't keep a good man down.

The car swung to a standstill at the highest point of the curve and Harry turned his back and gazed out of the window. Martins thought: One good shove and I could break the glass, and he pictured the body falling, falling, through the iron struts, a piece of carrion dropping among the flies. He said, "You know the police are planning to dig up your body. What will they find?"

Harbin, Harry replied with simplicity. He turned away from the window and said, "Look at the sky."

The car had reached the top of the Wheel and hung there motionless, while the stain of the sunset ran in streaks over the wrinkled papery sky beyond the black girders.

Why did the Russians try to take Anna Schmidt?

She had false papers, old man.

Who told them?

The price of living in this zone, Rollo, is service. I have to give them a little information now and then.

I thought perhaps you were just trying to get her here—because she was your girl? Because you wanted her?

Harry smiled. "I haven't all that influence."

What would have happened to her?

Nothing very serious. She'd have been sent back to Hungary. There's nothing against her really. A year in a labour camp perhaps. She'd be infinitely better off in her own country than being pushed around by the British police.

She hasn't told them anything about you.

She's a good little thing, Harry repeated with satisfaction and pride.

She loves you.

Well, I gave her a good time while it lasted.

And I love her.

That's fine, old man. Be kind to her. She's worth it. I'm glad. He gave the impression of having arranged everything to everybody's satisfaction. "And you can help to keep her mouth shut. Not that she knows anything that matters."

I'd like to knock you through the window.

But you won't, old man. Our quarrels never last long. You remember that fearful one in the Monaco, when we swore we were through. I'd trust you anywhere, Rollo. Kurtz tried to persuade me not to come, but I know you. Then he tried to persuade me to, well, arrange an accident. He told me it would be quite easy in this car."

Except that I'm the stronger man.

But I've got the gun. You don't think a bullet wound would show when you hit that ground? Again the car began to move, sailing slowly down, until the flies were midgets, were recognizable human beings. "What fools we are, Rollo, talking like this, as if I'd do that to you—or you to me." He turned his back and leaned his face against the glass. One thrust. ... "How much do you earn a year with your Westerns, old man?"

A thousand.

Taxed. I earn thirty thousand free. It's the fashion.

In these days, old man, nobody thinks in terms of human beings. Governments don't, so why should we? They talk of the people and the proletariat, and I talk of the mugs. It's the same thing. They have their five-year plans and so have I.

You used to be a Catholic.

Oh, I still believe, old man. In God and mercy and all that. I'm not hurting anybody's soul by what I do. The dead are happier dead. They don't miss much here, poor devils, he added with that odd touch of genuine pity, as the car reached the platform and the faces of the doomed-to-be-victims, the tired pleasure-hoping Sunday faces, peered in at them. I could cut you in, you know. It would be useful. I have no one left in the Inner City."

Except Cooler? And Winkler?

You really mustn't turn policeman, old man. They passed out of the car and he put his hand again on Martins' elbow. "That was a joke: I know you won't. Have you heard anything of old Bracer recently?"

I had a card at Christmas.

Those were the days, old man. Those were the days. I've got to leave you here. We'll see each other sometime. If you are in a jam, you can always get me at Kurtz's. He moved away and, turning, waved the hand he had had the tact not to offer: it was like the whole past moving off under a cloud. Martins suddenly called after him, "Don't trust me, Harry," but there was too great a distance now between them for the words to carry.

第三人（节选）

格雷厄姆·格林

蛋糕摊后有个人在吹着口哨，马丁斯熟悉这个曲子。他转过身来等待着。是什么让他的心怦怦直跳，是恐惧，是激动，或者仅仅是那首曲子唤起了他对往事的回忆？因为每当哈里一来，生活节奏便会加快。每次来都和这次一样，仿佛什么事情都不曾发生，没有人被埋进坟墓或是被发现在地下室里被割断了喉咙。他来了，看上去很高兴，玩世不恭，一副爱理不理的样子——当然总会有人理他。

“哈里！”

“你好，罗洛！”

不要把哈里·莱姆想象成一个处事圆滑的无赖。他并不是那样的人。我的档案夹里有一张他的照片，照得很棒：这是一位街头摄影师抓拍到的，哈里叉开着粗壮的双腿，宽阔的肩膀微微耸起，腆起长期享用美味佳肴的肚子，脸上一副兴高采烈的流氓神情，一副友好的样子，仿佛觉得他的幸福将使世人的生活生色不少似的。现在他没有冒失地把手伸过来，害怕那样会遭到拒绝，所以只是拍了拍马丁斯的胳膊肘说近来怎么样？”

“我们得谈谈，哈里。”

“当然。”

“单独谈谈。”

“这儿没有别人。”

他素谙做事的规则，甚至在这个破败的游乐场里他也熟知其中的一些门道。他给了那个看管摩天轮的妇女一点小费，这样他们就可以独自占用一个座舱。

他说过去那些情侣们总这样做，但他们现在没有闲钱了，可怜的家伙。”他透过摇晃着正在上升的座舱的窗户向外看，地上的人正在逐渐变小，他的脸上流露出像是真切的怜悯之情。

在他们的一侧，这座城市正在慢慢下沉；而另一侧，摩天轮的巨大十字支架正在上升，进入他们的视野中。随着地平线的慢慢消失，多瑙河依稀可见，雷克斯布鲁克大桥的桥墩远远高出了屋顶。“啊，”哈里说，“很高兴见到你，罗洛。”

“我参加了你的葬礼。”

“我那样做很聪明，是不是？”

“对于你的女朋友来说，就不那么聪明了。她也去了——泪流满面。”

“她是个不错的女孩，“哈里说，“我很喜欢她。”

“当警察把你的事告诉我时，我没有相信他们的话。”

哈里说：“那时，假如我事先知道要发生什么事，我就不会要你来了，但我没有想到警察在追查我。”

“你当时是打算要分给我一部分赃物吗？”

“我从来也没瞒过你任何事情，老兄。”座舱摇晃着上升，哈里背对着门站在那里，用微笑回敬了罗洛·马丁斯。这使罗洛想起了以前在学校的某个僻静角落，哈里以同样的神情说我发现了一条在夜里可以出去的路，绝对安全。你是我唯一透露这个秘密的人。”平生第一次，罗洛·马丁斯不加赞赏地回顾那过去的岁月，他想：他永远也长不大。

马洛笔下的魔鬼尾巴上总是绑着爆竹：邪恶就像彼得·潘——它带着永恒青春所具有的那种天赋，令人恐怖。

马丁斯说你去过儿童医院吗？看过你的无辜受害者吗？”

哈里看了一眼地面上像玩具一样小的景物后离开了舱门。“我从不觉得这些东西是安全的，”他说。他用手摸了一下门背，好像生怕门会一下子打开，将他抛进钢架密布的半空中。“受害者？”他问道。“不要危言耸听，罗洛，往下看。”他透过窗户，指着摩天轮下像黑色苍蝇一样移动的人们。“如果其中一个黑点停止了活动——永远停止——你真的会感到一点同情吗？如果我说每让一个黑点停止运动，你就可以得到两万英镑，老兄，你真的会毫不犹豫地告诉我把钱收起来吗？还是说你会算算究竟舍得绕过几个黑点？免交个人所得税，老兄，不上所得税。”他脸上露出孩子似的诡秘的微笑。“这是当今唯一的攒钱方式。”

“你就不能一直做轮胎生意吗？”

“像库勒那样？不，我一直都想干大事。”

“你现在完蛋了。警察对一切都了如指掌。”

“但他们抓不到我的，罗洛。你等着看吧。我会重出江湖的，能人是压制不住的。”

座舱摇摇摆摆地升到轨道的最顶部，停了下来，哈里转过身去盯着窗外。马丁斯心想：如果我猛推一把，就能把玻璃打碎。他似乎看见那身体往下落呀，落呀，穿过钢铁支架，就像一块腐肉落到了苍蝇堆里。他说你知道警察正计划着要挖出你的尸体。他们会发现什么呢？”

“哈宾，”哈里简单地回答。他从窗户那儿转过身来说看看天空。”

座舱已经到了摩天轮的顶部，悬在那里一动不动。这时，黒色钢架之外落日的余辉散射在空中，像褶皱纸涂上了色彩。

“为什么俄国人千方百计要带走安娜·施密特？”

“她手上有假证件，老兄。”

“谁告诉他们的？”

“罗洛，在这个地区生存的代价是要提供服务。我得不时地向他们提供一些情报。”

“我原以为你也许在设法把她弄到这里来——因为她是你的女人？或者因为你需要她？”

哈里微笑着说我没有那么大的能耐。”

“那她会怎么样呢？”

“没什么严重的。她会被送回匈牙利。没有对她不利的确凿证据。只不过或许要在劳教所待一年。她在自己的国家待着绝对要比被英国警察差来遣去强得多。”

“她没有告诉他们任何关于你的情况。”

“她是一个不错的姑娘，”哈里既得意又自豪地重复道。

“她爱你。”

“嗯，我们在一起的时候，我让她快乐过。”

“而我爱她。”

“那就好，老兄。一定要对她好一些。她值得你爱。我很高兴。”他那样子好像已经安排好了一切，而且皆大欢喜。“你可以帮着让她守口如瓶。这倒不是因为她知道任何重要的信息。”

“我真想把你踢到窗外去。”

“但你不会的，老兄。我们的争吵从来不会持续很长时间的。你还记得在摩纳哥的那次激烈的争吵吗？当时我们发誓要断绝关系。罗洛，无论到哪里，我都会相信你的。库尔茨曾试图劝说我不要来，但是我了解你。后来，他又试图劝说我，哦，策划一场事故。他告诉我在这样的座舱里做这件事非常容易。”

“只可惜我比你强壮得多。”

“但我有手枪。你认为当你重重地落到地面时，子弹的伤口会显露出来吗？”这时，座舱开始慢慢向下移动，直到地面的那些苍蝇变成了小矮人，又成了可以分辩的人。“罗洛，我们说这些话真是愚蠢，好像我真的会对你那样做，或是你会对我那样做似的。”他转过身去，脸贴在窗户的玻璃上。只要猛一推……“老兄，你为西方服务一年赚多少钱？”

“一千英镑。”

“是税后的数吧。我挣三万英镑，而且不用交税。这是潮流。”

如今，老兄，没有人从人的角度来思考问题了。政府都不这样做了，我们为什么还要这样呢？政府谈论人民和无产阶级，我谈论傻瓜，都是一回事。他们有他们的五年计划，我也有我的五年计划。”

“你曾经是个天主教徒。”

“哦，我现在仍然保持着这种信仰，老兄。我相信上帝、仁慈以及所有这些。我的行为不会伤害任何人的灵魂。那些死人离开这个世界会更快乐。可怜鬼们，他们并不十分留恋这里，”他接着说，语气怪怪的，带有一丝真切的同情。这时座舱已回到了发送平台，那些注定要成为受害者的人们的面孔，那些疲倦的在周日寻求快乐的人们的面孔都朝向他俩，一双双眼睛正从外面盯着他们。“我本可以让你获得一些战利品的，你知道。那会有用的。我在城里没有别人了。”

“除了库勒？还有温克勒？”

“你真的绝对不能报告警察，老兄。”他们走出座舱，哈里再次把手放在马丁斯的胳膊肘上。“开玩笑的，我知道你不会的。你最近听到任何关于老布雷瑟的消息了吗？”

“圣诞节时我收到了他的一张贺卡。”

“这些事情都过去了，老兄。过去的事情就让它过去吧。我得在这儿跟你分开了。以后再见吧。如果你遇到困难，可以到库尔茨家找我。”他走开了，又转过身来，挥了挥那始终没有主动伸出的手：好像过去所有的一切都在疑虑中消散了。马丁斯突然在后面喊道“不要相信我，哈里。”但是，他们俩之间的距离太大，声音已传不到哈里的耳朵里了。

Key Words:

smooth   [smu:ð]  

adj. 平稳的，流畅的，安祥的，圆滑的，搅拌均匀的，可

amused  [ə'mju:zd]      

adj. 有趣的

wheel     [wi:l]

n. 轮子，车轮，方向盘，周期，旋转

tune [tju:n]     

n. 曲调，调子，和谐，协调，调整

vt. 调

stall [stɔ:l]      

n. 货摊，摊位，厩，畜栏，（飞行器）失速

basement      ['beismənt]    

n. 根基，地下室

n.（新英格兰）特别

scoundrel      ['skaundrəl]   

n. 无赖 adj. 无赖的

cheerful  ['tʃiəfəl]   

adj. 高兴的，快乐的

elbow     ['elbəu]  

n. 手肘，急弯，扶手

v. 用手肘推开，推挤

recognition    [.rekəg'niʃən] 

n. 认出，承认，感知，知识

diminishing          

v. 减少；衰减；递减；削弱…的权势（diminish的

spare      [spɛə]     

adj. 多余的，闲置的，备用的，简陋的

commiseration      [kə,mizə'reiʃən]     

n. 怜悯，同情

wheel     [wi:l]

n. 轮子，车轮，方向盘，周期，旋转

absolutely      ['æbsəlu:tli]   

adv. 绝对地，完全地;独立地

smart      [smɑ:t]   

adj. 聪明的，时髦的，漂亮的，敏捷的，轻快的，整洁的

admiration     [.ædmə'reiʃən]      

n. 钦佩，赞赏

haven     ['heivn]  

n. 港口，避难所，安息所 v. 安置 ... 于港中，

genuine  ['dʒenjuin]     

adj. 真正的，真实的，真诚的

visible     ['vizəbl]  

adj. 可见的，看得见的

hesitation       [.hezi'teiʃən]  

n. 犹豫

melodramatic [,melədrə'mætik]  

adj. 情节剧的；戏剧似的；夸张的

ambitious      [æm'biʃəs]    

adj. 有雄心的，有抱负的，野心勃勃的

landscape      ['lændskeip]  

n. 风景，山水，风景画

v. 美化景观

calculate ['kælkjuleit]   

v. 计算，估计，核算，计划，认为

eternal    [i'tə:nəl]  

adj. 永久的，永恒的

n. 永恒的事

base [beis]     

n. 基底，基础，底部，基线，基数，(棒球)垒，[化]碱

spare      [spɛə]     

adj. 多余的，闲置的，备用的，简陋的

pity  ['piti]      

n. 同情，怜悯，遗憾，可惜

v. 同情，怜悯

wheel     [wi:l]

n. 轮子，车轮，方向盘，周期，旋转

carrion    ['kæriən]

n. 腐肉 adj. 腐肉的，以腐肉为生的

stain       [stein]    

n. 污点，瑕疵，染料，着色剂

v. 玷污，弄

motionless     ['məuʃənlis]   

adj. 不动的，静止的

simplicity [sim'plisiti]     

n. 单纯，简朴

curve      [kə:v]     

n. 曲线，弯曲，弧线，弯曲物

wheel     [wi:l]

n. 轮子，车轮，方向盘，周期，旋转

shove     [ʃʌv]

n. 推，挤

v. 推挤，放置，撞

haven     ['heivn]  

n. 港口，避难所，安息所 v. 安置 ... 于港中

except     [ik'sept]  

vt. 除，除外

prep. & conj.

fearful     ['fiəfəl]    

adj. 担心的，可怕的

thrust     [θrʌst]    

n. 推力，刺，力推

v. 插入，推挤，刺

impression     [im'preʃən]    

n. 印象，效果

recognizable  ['rekəgnaizəbl]      

adj. 可认识的，可承认的，可辨别的

pride      [praid]   

n. 自豪，骄傲，引以自豪的东西，自尊心

persuade [pə'sweid]     

vt. 说服，劝说

satisfaction     [.sætis'fækʃən]     

n. 赔偿，满意，妥善处理，乐事，确信

arrange  [ə'reindʒ]

vt. 安排，整理，计划，改编(乐曲)

pity  ['piti]      

n. 同情，怜悯，遗憾，可惜

v. 同情，怜悯

tact  [tækt]    

n. 机智，手法

mercy     ['mə:si]   

n. 怜悯，宽恕，仁慈，恩惠

genuine  ['dʒenjuin]     

adj. 真正的，真实的，真诚的

except     [ik'sept]  

vt. 除，除外

prep. & conj.

platform ['plætfɔ:m]    

n. 平台，站台，月台，讲台，(政党的)政纲

参考资料：

现代大学英语精读(第2版)第三册:U11B The Third Man-Excerpts(6)_大学教材听力 - 可可英语