-
Главная
-
- Книги
-
- Авторы
-
- Эрих Мария Ремарк
-
- Три товарища
-
- Стр. 1/18
Three comrades
The
sky
was
yellow
as
brass
,
not
yet
hidden
by
the
smoke
from
the
chimney
stacks
.
Behind
the
roofs
of
the
factory
the
radiance
was
especially
bright
.
The
sun
must
be
just
rising
.
I
looked
at
my
watch
;
not
eight
o
’
clock
.
A
quarter
of
an
hour
too
early
.
Still
I
opened
the
gate
,
and
put
the
petrol
pump
in
readiness
.
There
was
always
a
car
or
two
passing
at
that
hour
wanting
a
fill
.
Suddenly
I
heard
behind
me
a
harsh
,
high
-
pitched
squeaking
—
like
the
sound
of
a
rusty
hoist
being
turned
somewhere
down
under
the
earth
.
I
stood
still
and
listened
.
I
walked
back
across
the
yard
to
the
workshop
and
cautiously
opened
the
door
.
A
ghost
—
stumbling
about
in
the
gloom
!
It
had
a
dirty
white
cloth
wound
about
its
head
,
its
skirt
was
hitched
up
to
give
its
knees
clearance
;
it
had
a
blue
apron
,
a
pair
of
thick
slippers
,
and
was
wielding
a
broom
;
it
weighed
around
fourteen
stone
,
and
was
in
fact
our
charwoman
,
Matilda
Stoss
.
I
stood
watching
her
.
With
all
the
grace
of
a
hippopotamus
,
she
made
her
way
staggering
among
the
radiators
,
singing
in
a
hollow
voice
as
she
went
"
the
Song
of
the
Bold
Hussar
.
"
On
the
bench
by
the
window
stood
two
cognac
bottles
,
one
of
them
almost
empty
.
Last
night
they
had
been
full
.
I
had
forgotten
to
lock
them
away
.
"
But
Frau
Stoss
!
"
I
protested
.
The
singing
stopped
;
the
broom
dropped
to
the
floor
.
The
beatific
smile
died
away
.
Now
it
was
my
turn
to
be
the
ghost
.
"
Holy
Jesus
!
"
exclaimed
Matilda
,
staring
at
me
with
bleary
eyes
.
"
I
wasn
’
t
expecting
you
yet
.
"
"
That
doesn
’
t
surprise
me
.
Did
it
taste
good
?
"
"
Sure
and
it
did
.
But
this
is
so
awkward
,
Herr
Lohkamp
.
"
She
wiped
her
hand
across
her
mouth
.
"
I
just
can
’
t
understand
—
"
