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"And there wasn't (а там не было)?"

"Oh, no, there was nobody up there (о, нет, там наверху никого не было). They went out earlier in the evening (они ушли раньше вечером)."

hesitate ['hezIteIt] hospital ['hOspItl] earlier ['q:lIq]

The young man replied, "No," darting a quick glance at Spade. Then he looked away, hesitated, looked at Spade again, and murmured: "A funny thing happened in connection with them this evening, Mr. Spade. Somebody called the Emergency Hospital and told them there was a sick girl up there."

"And there wasn't?"

"Oh, no, there was nobody up there. They went out earlier in the evening."

Spade said: "Well, these practical-jokers (ну, эти шутники) have to have their fun (должны развлекаться). Thanks (спасибо)."

He went to a telephone-booth (он подошел к телефону-автомату), called a number (набрал номер), and said: "Hello. Mrs. Perine (миссис Пирайн)? ... Is Effie there (Эффи там)? ... Yes, please... Thanks.

"Hello, angel (привет, ангел)! What's the good word (чего хорошего)? Fine (отлично), fine! Hold it (не торопись). I'll be out in twenty minutes (я буду через двадцать минут)... Right (хорошо)."

practical ['prxktIk(q)l] joker ['dZqVkq] booth [bu:D]

Spade said: "Well, these practical-jokers have to have their fun. Thanks."

He went to a telephone-booth, called a number, and said: "Hello.

Mrs. Perine? ... Is Effie there? ... Yes, please... Thanks.

"Hello, angel! What's the good word? Fine, fine! Hold it. I'll be out in twenty minutes... Right."

Half an hour later (спустя полчаса) Spade rang the doorbell (Спейд позвонил в дверной звонок) of a two-story brick building (двухэтажного кирпичного здания) in Ninth Avenue (на Девятой авеню). Effie Perine opened the door (Эффи Пирайн открыла дверь). Her boyish face was tired and smiling (ее мальчишеское лицо было усталым и улыбающимся). "Hello, boss (привет, босс)," she said. "Enter (входи)." She said in a low voice (она сказала тихим голосом): "If Ma says anything to you, Sam (если мама скажет тебе что-нибудь, Сэм), be nice to her (будь с ней милым). She's all up in the air (она вне себя; to be up in the air — «висетьввоздухе»)." Spade grinned reassuringly (Спейд обнадеживающе улыбнулся; to grin — скалить зубы; осклабиться; ухмыляться) and patted her shoulder (и похлопал ее по плечу).

She put her hands on his arm (она положила свои ладони на его руку). "Miss O'Shaughnessy?"

door-bell ['dO:bel] voice [vOIs] reassuring ["ri:q'SV(q)rIN]

Half an hour later Spade rang the doorbell of a two-story brick building in Ninth Avenue. Effie Perine opened the door. Her boyish face was tired and smiling. "Hello, boss," she said. "Enter." She said in a low voice: "If Ma says anything to you, Sam, be nice to her. She's all up in the air." Spade grinned reassuringly and patted her shoulder.

She put her hands on his arm. "Miss O'Shaughnessy?"

"No," he growled (проворчал он). "I ran into a plant (меня обвели вокруг пальца; plant— зд. обман, надувательство, мошенничество). Are you sure it was her voice (ты уверена, что это был ее голос)?"

"Yes."

He made an unpleasant face (он сделал недовольное лицо). "Well, it was hooey (это была ерунда)."

She took him into a bright living-room (она ввела его в светлую гостиную), sighed (вздохнула), and slumped down on one end of a Chesterfield (и тяжело опустилась на край большого мягкого дивана /«честерфилд»/), smiling cheerfully up at him (радостно улыбаясь ему) through her weariness (сквозь свою усталость).

He sat beside her and asked (он сел рядом с ней и спросил): "Everything went OK (все прошло хорошо)? Nothing said about the bundle (ничего не сказано о свертке)?"

unpleasant [An'plez(q)nt] weariness ['wI(q)rInIs] bundle [bAndl]

"No," he growled. "I ran into a plant. Are you sure it was her voice?"

"Yes."

He made an unpleasant face. "Well, it was hooey."

She took him into a bright living-room, sighed, and slumped down on one end of a Chesterfield, smiling cheerfully up at him through her weariness.

He sat beside her and asked: "Everything went OK? Nothing said about the bundle?"

"Nothing (ничего). I told them (я сказала им то) what you told me to tell them (что ты мне велел сказать им), and they seemed to take it for granted (и они, казалось, приняли как само собой разумеющееся то) that the phone-call had something to do with it (что телефонный звонок как-то связан с этим), and that you were out (и что ты ушел) running it down (на розыски)."

"Dundy there (Данди там /был/)?"

"No. Hoff and O'Gar and some others (Хофф и О’Гэр и некоторые другие) I didn't know (которых я не знаю). I talked to the Captain too (я разговаривала с капитаном тоже)."

"They took you down to the Hall (они возили тебя в управление)?"

"Oh, yes, and they asked me loads of questions (и они задали мне кучу вопросов; load — груз, бремя, нагрузка), but it was all (но все это было) — you know (ты знаешь) — routine (формальностью: «рутиной»)."

load [lqVd] question ['kwestS(q)n] routine [ru:'ti:n]

"Nothing. I told them what you told me to tell them, and they seemed to take it for granted that the phone-call had something to do with it, and that you were out running it down."

"Dundy there?"

"No. Hoff and O'Gar and some others I didn't know. I talked to the Captain too."

"They took you down to the Hall?"

"Oh, yes, and they asked me loads of questions, but it was all — you know — routine."

Spade rubbed his palms together (Спейд потер свои ладони друг об друга). "Swell (прекрасно)," he said and then frowned (сказал он, а потом нахмурился), "though I guess (хотя, я думаю) they'll think up plenty (они придумают много чего) to put to me (чтобы задать мне) when we meet (когда мы встретимся). That damned Dundy will (этот проклятый Данди будет), anyway (во всяком случае), and Bryan (и Брайан)." He moved his shoulders (он двинул своими плечами). "Anybody you know (кто-нибудь, кого ты знаешь), outside of the police (не из полиции), come around (заходил)?"

"Yes." She sat up straight (она села прямо). "That boy (тот парень) — the one who brought the message from Gutman (тот, который принес сообщение от Гутмана) — was there (был там). He didn't come in (он не вошел), but the police left the corridor-door open (но полиция оставила коридорную дверь открытой) while they were there (пока они были там) and I saw him standing there (и я видела его стоящим там)."

move [mu:v] saw [sO:] standing ['stxndIN]

Spade rubbed his palms together. "Swell," he said and then frowned, "though I guess they'll think up plenty to put to me when we meet. That damned Dundy will, anyway, and Bryan." He moved his shoulders. "Anybody you know, outside of the police, come around?"

"Yes." She sat up straight. "That boy — the one who brought the message from Gutman — was there. He didn't come in, but the police left the corridor-door open while they were there and I saw him standing there."

"You didn't say anything (ты ничего не сказала)?"

"Oh, no. You had said not to (ты сказал, не говорить). So I didn't pay any attention to him (поэтому я не обратила внимания на него) and the next time I looked (и в следующий раз, когда я посмотрела) he was gone (он ушел)."