The Master and Margarita / Мастер и Маргарита. Книга для чтения на английском языке

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The escort lifted their spears and, with their metal-shod caligГ¦[87 - caligГ¦ – калиги][88 - caligГ¦: The Latin term for the boots worn by Roman soldiers. (Комментарий Р?. Беспалова)] pounding rhythmically, they walked from the balcony into the garden, and the secretary followed them.

The silence on the balcony was for some time broken only by the song of the water in the fountain. Pilate could see the disc of water swelling at the top of the pipe, its edges breaking off[89 - to break off – ломаться]and dropping down in little streams[90 - to drop down in little streams – стекать тонкими струйками].

The prisoner was the first to speak:

“I can see that something bad has happened because of my talking with that young man from Kiriath. I have a premonition, Hegemon, that he will suffer some misfortune, and I feel very sorry for him.”

"I think,” replied the Procurator with a strange grin, "there is someone else in the world you ought to feel more sorry for than Judas of Kiriath, and who will have a much worse time of it than Judas! And so, Marcus the Rat-Catcher, a cold and confirmed butcher; the people who, as I can see” – the Procurator indicated Yeshua’s disfigured face – “beat you for your sermons; the villains Dismas and Gestas, who, with their gang, killed four soldiers; and finally the filthy traitor Judas – they’re all good people?”

“Yes,” replied the prisoner.

“And the kingdom of truth will come?”

“It will, Hegemon,” replied Yeshua with conviction.

“It will never come!” Pilate suddenly shouted in such a terrible voice that Yeshua staggered backwards[91 - to stagger backwards – отшатнуться]. Thus, many years before in the Valley of the Virgins, Pilate had shouted to his horsemen the words: “Cut them down! Cut them down. Rat-Catcher the giant’s been caught!” Once more he raised his voice, cracked by commands, yelling out the words so they could be heard in the garden: “Criminal! Criminal! Criminal!”

And then, lowering his voice, he asked:

“Yeshua Ha-Nozri, do you believe in any gods?”

“There’s just one God,” replied Yeshua.

“Then pray to him! Pray as hard as you can! Stills.” – at this point Pilate’s voice sank – “it won’t help.