Flying finish / Бурный финиш. Книга для чтения на английском языке

And that I did, because I liked being alone. Specifically I liked being alone in a tiny noisy efficient little capsule at 25,000 revs[54 - revs – сокр. от revolutions, обороты (двигателя)] a minute, four thousand five hundred feet above sea level, speed over the ground one hundred and ten miles an hour, steady on a course 313 degrees, bound northwest towards the sea and a Scottish island.

I found Islay itself without trouble, and tuned my radio to the frequency – 118.

5 – of Port Ellen airfield.

I said, �Port Ellen tower this is Golf Alpha Romeo[55 - Golf Alpha Romeo – международное военное обозначение букв алфавита] Kilo November, do you read[56 - do you read – (воен.) слышите меня? как слышно?]?’

A Scots accent crackled back, �Golf Kilo November, good-afternoon, go ahead.’

�Kilo November is approaching from the south-east, range fifteen miles, request joining instructions, over[57 - over – (воен.

) конец связи].’

�Kilo November is cleared to join right base for runway zero four, QFE 998 millibars. Surface wind zero six zero, ten knots, call field in sight.’

Following his instructions I flew in and round the little airfield on the circuit, cut the engine, turned into wind, glided in at eighty, touched down, and taxied across to the control tower to report.

After eating in a snack bar I went for a walk by the sea, breathing the soft Atlantic air, and forgot to look for some heather to take back with me.

The island lay dozing in the sun, shut up close because it was Sunday. It was peaceful and distant and slowed the pulse; soul’s balm if you stayed three hours, devitalising if you stayed for life[58 - soul’s balm if you stayed three hours, devitalising if you stayed for life – (разг.) бальзам для души – часа на три, и вечная спячка, если тут жить].

The gold had already gone from the day when I started back, and I flew contentedly along in the dusk and the dark, navigating by compass and checking my direction by the radio beacons over which I passed. I dropped down briefly at Carlisle to refuel, and uneventfully returned to Lincolnshire, landing gently and regretfully on the well-known field.