The man with the scar

Chapter 1

It was on account of the scar that I first noticed him¹, for it ran, broad and red, from his temple to his chin. This scar spoke of a terrible wound. It was unexpected on that round, fat and good-humored face. He had small features² and his face went odd­ly³ with his large and fat body. He was a powerful man of more than common height⁴.

I never saw him in anything but a very shabby grey suit, a khaki shirt and an old sombrero. He was far from clean. He used to come into the Pa­lace Hotel at Guatemala City every day at cocktail time and tried to sell lottery tickets. I never saw anyone buy, but now and then⁵ I saw him offered a drink⁶. He never refused it. He walked among the tables, pausing at each table, with a little smile offered the lottery tickets. And when no notice was taken of him⁷ with the same smile passed on. I think he was for the most part⁸ a little drunk.

I was standing at the bar one evening with an acquaintance when the man with the scar came up. I shook my head as for the twentieth time since my arrival he held out his lottery tickets to me. But my companion greeted him, kindly.

"How is life, general?"

"Not so bad. Business is not too good, but it might be worse."

"What will you have, general?"

"A brandy."

He drank it and put the glass back on the bar. He nodded to my acquaintance.

"Thank you."

Then he turned away and offered his tickets to the men who were standing next to us.

"Who is your friend?" I asked. "That's a terrific scar on his face."

"It doesn't add to his beauty, does it? He's an ex­ile from Nicaragua. He's not a bad fellow. I give him a few pesos now and then. He took part in a rebel­lion and was general of the rebellious troops.

They captured him together with his staff, and tried him by court-martial⁹. Such things are usual­ly done without delay in these countries, you know, and he was sentenced to be shot¹⁰ at dawn. I think he knew what was coming to him¹¹ when he was caught.

He spent the night in jail and he and the others, there were five of them altogether, passed the time playing poker. They used matches for chips. He told me he'd never had such bad luck^l2 in his life: he lost and lost all the time¹³. When the day broke¹⁴ and the soldiers came into the cell to fetch them for exer-cution he had lost more matches than a man could use in a life-time."

Notes

¹ It was on account of the scar that I first noticed him — Из-за шрама я и заметил его впервые

² Не had small features — У него были мелкие черты лица

³ his face went oddly — его лицо странно не соответствовало

⁴ of more than common height — выше среднего роста

⁵ now and then — изредка

³ I saw him offered a drink — я видел, как ему пред­лагали выпить

⁷ to take no notice of smb. — не обращать вниманияа кого-л.

⁸ for the most part — чаще всего

⁹ They captured him... and tried by court-martial. — Его поймали и судили военным судом.

¹⁰ he was sentenced to be shot — его приговорили к растрелу

¹¹ what was coming to him — что его ждет

¹² bad luck — невезение, неудача

¹³ he lost and lost all the time — он все время проигрывал

¹⁴ When the day broke — когда рассвело

EXERCISES

1. Find in the text the following words and expres­sions and translate them into Russian:

used to come; now and then; for the most part; to shake one's head; to greet smb.; to nod to smb.; to turn away; an exile; to take part in; to capture smb.; to have bad luck

2. Fill in the missing words. Translate the sentences into Russian:

1) This scar spoke of a terrible...

2) He was a... man of more than common height.

3) I shook my... as for the twentieth time since my arrival he held out his... tickets to me.

4) He took... in a rebellion and was general of the... troops.

5) He was sentenced to be... at dawn.

3. Number the (acts below in the order in which theycome in the story:

He took part in a rebellion.

I was standing at the bar one evening with an acquaintance when the man with the scar came up.

He used to come into the Palace Hotel at Guate­mala City every day.

It was on account of the scar that I first noticed him.

He spent the night in jail.

4. Find and read aloud the sentences which:

a) describe the appearance of the man with the scar;

b) tell about his occupation at Palace Hotel;

c) tell who the man with the scar was;

d) explain why he was captured and tried by court-martial.

5. Answer the questions:

1) How did the man with the scar look like?

2) What did he do at the Palace Hotel?

3) Who was the man with the scar? Where did he come from?

4) Why was he captured and tried by the court?

5) How did he pass the time in jail?

Chapter 2

They led him into the courtyard of the jail and placed against a wall, the five of them side by side with the firing squad facing them. There was a pause and our friend asked the officer commanding the squad what the devil they were keeping him wait­ing for^l. The officer said that the general comman­ding the troops wished to attend the exercution and they awaited his arrival.

"Then I have time to smoke another cigarette," said our friend.

But he had hardly lit it when the general came into the courtyard. The usual formalities were per­formed and the general asked the condemned men whether there was anything they wished before the exercution took place. Four of the five shook their heads, but our friend spoke.

"Yes, I should like² to say good-bye to my wife."

"Good," said the general, "I have no objection to that³. Where is she?"

"She is waiting at the prison door."

"Then it will not cause a delay of more than five minutes."

"Hardly that⁴, Senor General."

"Have him placed on one side."

Two soldiers advanced and between them the condemned rebel⁵ walked to the spot indicated. The officer in command of the firing squad on a nod from the general⁶ gave an order and four men fell. The officer went up to them and into one who was still alive emptied his revolver. Our friend finished his cigarette.

There was a little stir at the gateway. A woman came into the courtyard, with quick steps, and then her hand on her heart, stopped suddenly. She gave a cry⁷ and with outstretched arms ran forward.

"Caramba,⁸" said the general.

She was in black, with a veil over her hair, and her face was dead white. She was hardly more than a girl, a slim creature, with little regular features and enormous eyes. Her loveliness was such that as she ran even the indifferent soldiers who looked at her gave a gasp of surprise⁹.

The rebel advanced a step or two to meet her. She threw herself into his arms and with a cry of passion: 'soul of my heart,' he pressed his lips to hers. And at the same moment he drew a knife from his ragged shirt — I haven't a notion how he had managed to keep it — and stabbed her in the neck¹⁰. Then he threw his arms round her and once more pressed his lips, to hers.

It happened so quickly that many didn't know what had occured, but others gave a cry of horror¹¹, they sprang forward and seized him. They laid the girl on the ground and stood round watching her. The rebel knew where he was striking and it was im­possible to stop the blood. In a moment the officer who had been kneeling by her side rose.

"She's dead," he whispered.

The rebel crossed himself.

"Why did you do it?" asked the general.

"I loved her."

A sort of sigh passed through those men¹² crow­ded together and they looked with strange faces at the murderer. The general stared at him for a while¹³ in silence.

"It was a noble gesture," he said at last, "I cannot exercute this man. Take my car and drive him to the frontier. I honour you¹⁴, Senor, as one brave man must honour another."

And between the two soldiers without a word the rebel marched to the waiting car.

My friend stopped and for a little while I was si­lent. I must explain that he was a Guatemaltecan and spoke to me in Spanish. I have translated what he told me as well as I could.

"But how then did he get the scar?" I asked at last.

"Oh, that was due¹⁵ to a bottle that burst when he was opening it. A bottle of ginger ale."

"I never liked it," said I.

Notes

¹ what the devil they were keeping him waiting for — какого дьявола его заставляют ждать

² I should like — я хотел бы

³ I have no objection to that — я не возражаю против этого

⁴ hardly that — (зд.) даже меньше

⁵ the condemned rebel — осужденный мятежник

⁶ on a nod from the general — по знаку (по кивку головы) генерала

⁷ to give a cry — вскрикнуть

⁸ caramba — исп. черт возьми

⁹ gave a gasp of surprise — ахнули от удивления

¹⁰ stabbed her in the neck — нанес ей удар в шею

¹² but the others gave a cry of horror — у других вырвался крик ужаса

¹² a sort of sigh passed through those men — что-то вроде вздоха вырвалось у этих людей

¹³ for a while — некоторое время

¹⁴ I honour you — я чту вас

¹⁵ due to — благодаря

EXERCISES

1. Give English equivalents of the following words and expressions. Read aloud the sentences in which they are used in the text:

заставлять ждать; присутствовать на казни; не возражать; осужденный мятежник; отдать при­каз; вскрикнуть; ахнуть от удивления; броситься в объятия; схватить кого-либо; пристально по­смотреть; благородный жест; чтить кого-либо

2. Find the correct ending:

1) The officer said that the general commanding the troops wanted:

— to speak to the condemned men;

— to ask about their wishes before the exercution;

— to attend the exercution.

2) With a cry of passion: 'soul of my heart' he

— threw his arms round her;

— pressed his lips to hers;

— drew a knife from his shirt.

3) He got the scar due to

— a bottle that burst when he was opening it;

— a strike by a sabre;

— a fragment of a shell.

3. Agree or disagree with the following statements:

1) The general commanding the troops wished to attend the exercution.

2) The man with the scar said to the general he would like to say good-bye to his wife.

3) The general had objection to that.

4) The rebel's wife was very young, slim, with little regular features and enormous eyes.

5) The rebel stabbed his wife in the neck because he was sentenced to death.

6) The general gave an order to exercute this man.

4. Answer the questions:

1) Why was the exercution delayed for a while?

2) What did the general ask the condemned men about?

3) What was the rebel's answer to the general's proposal?

4) Where did the rebel's wife wait?

5) How did she look like?

6) Did they meet in the prison's courtyard?

7) What occurred during this meeting?

8) Why did the general decide to release the rebel?

9) How did he get the scar?

5. Why do you think the rebel killed his wife? Find and read the explanation of the fact in the text.

6. Do you agree with the general's decision to re­lease the rebel? Find this fragment in the text and read it aloud.

7. Retell the story on the part of: a) the man with the scar; b) the general.

8. What is your attitude to the man with the scar? Do you respect him or do you dislike him? Why?

S. MAUGHAM

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