Чтение онлайн

"Like hell I must (черта с два я должен)." Spade flung his words out (Спейд выплевывал слова; to fling (flung) — метать, швырять) with a brutal sort of carelessness (с грубым видом беззаботности; care — забота; careless — беззаботный) that gave them more weight (которая придавала им больше веса) than they could have got (чем они могли бы получить) from dramatic emphasis (от драматической выразительности) or from loudness (или от громкости). "If you kill me (если вы убьете меня), how are you going to get the bird (как вы собираетесь получить птицу)? If I know (если я знаю) you can't afford (что вы не можете позволить себе) to kill me (убить меня) till you have it (пока вы ее не получите), how are you going to scare me (как вы собираетесь напугать меня) into giving it to you (чтобы я отдал ее вам)?"

ingratiating [In'greISIeItIN] basis ['beIsIs] dramatic [drq'mxtIk]

Gutman said, in a voice that tried to make firmness ingratiating: "Come now, gentlemen, let's keep our discussion on a friendly basis; but there certainly is" — he was addressing Spade — "something in 'what Mr. Cairo says. You must take into consideration the — "

"Like hell I must." Spade flung his words out with a brutal sort of carelessness that gave them more weight than they could have got from dramatic emphasis or from loudness. "If you kill me, how are you going to get the bird? If I know you can't afford to kill me till you have it, how are you going to scare me into giving it to you?"

Gutman cocked his head (Гутман поднял свою голову) to the left (налево) and considered these questions (и задумался над этими вопросами). His eyes twinkled (его глаза блестели) between puckered lids (между сморщенными веками). Presently he gave his genial answer (вскоре он дал свой добродушный ответ): "Well, sir (ну, сэр), there are other means of persuasion (есть другие средства убеждения) besides killing (кроме убийства) and threatening to kill (и угрозы убить)."

"Sure (конечно)," Spade agreed (согласился Спейд), "but they're not much good (но нет намного лучше) unless the threat of death is behind them (если угроза убийства позади их) to hold the victim down (чтобы покорить жертву). See what I mean (понимаете, что я имею в виду)? If you try anything (если вы попытаетесь что-то /сделать/) I don't like (что мне не понравится) I won't stand for it (я не буду терпеть это). I'll make it a matter (я сделаю это так; matter— вещество, сущность) of your having to call it off (чтобы вы отказались от этого; to call off— отзывать, отменять) or kill me (или убили меня), knowing you can't afford (зная, что вы не можете позволить себе) to kill me (убить меня)."

persuasion [pq'sweIZ(q)n] threatening ['TretnIN] victim ['vIktIm]

Gutman cocked his head to the left and considered these questions. His eyes twinkled between puckered lids. Presently he gave his genial answer: "Well, sir, there are other means of persuasion besides killing and threatening to kill."

"Sure," Spade agreed, "but they're not much good unless the threat of death is behind them to hold the victim down. See what I mean? If you try anything I don't like I won't stand for it. I'll make it a matter of your having to call it off or kill me, knowing you can't afford to kill me."

"I see what you mean (я понимаю, что вы имеете в виду)." Gutman chuckled (Гутман хихикнул). "That is an attitude, sir (это отношение, сэр), that calls for the most delicate judgment (которое призывает к самым деликатным суждениям) on both sides (с обеих сторон), because (потому что), as you know, sir (как вы знаете, сэр), men are likely to forget (люди часто забывают) in the heat of action (в горячке действий) where their best interest lies (где находится их лучший интерес; to lie— зд. лежать, располагаться) and let their emotions carry them away (и позволяют своим эмоциям унести их)."

Spade too was (Спейд тоже был) all smiling blandness (улыбающейся обходительностью; bland — вежливый; ласковый; вкрадчивый). "That's the trick, from my side (это фокус с моей стороны)," he said, "to make my play strong enough (чтобы сделать мою игру достаточно сильной) that it ties you up (чтобы она связала вас), but yet not make you mad enough (но пока не сделала вас достаточно сумасшедшими) to bump me off (чтобы угрохать меня) against your better judgment (против ваших лучших суждений = более разумных суждений)."

attitude ['xtItju:d] delicate ['delIkIt] emotion [I'mqVS(q)n]

"I see what you mean." Gutman chuckled. "That is an attitude, sir, that calls for the most delicate judgment on both sides, because, as you know, sir, men are likely to forget in the heat of action where their best interest lies and let their emotions carry them away."

Spade too was all smiling blandness. "That's the trick, from my side," he said, "to make my play strong enough that it ties you up, but yet not make you mad enough to bump me off against your better judgment."

Gutman said fondly (Гутман сказал с чувством: «любовно»): "By Cad, sir (честное слово, сэр), you are a character (вы — оригинал)!"

Joel Cairo jumped up from his chair (Джоэль Кейро вскочил со своего кресла) and went around behind the boy (и обошел за юношей) and behind Gutman's chair (и за креслом Гутмана). He bent over the back of Gutman's chair (он склонился через спинку кресла Гутмана) and, screening his mouth (и закрывая свой рот) and the fat man's ear (и ухо толстяка) with his empty hand (пустой рукой), whispered (шептал).

Gutman listened attentively (Гутман слушал внимательно), shutting his eyes (закрывая глаза). Spade grinned at Brigid O'Shaughnessy (Спейд улыбнулся Бриджит О’Шонесси). Her lips smiled feebly in response (ее губы слабо улыбнулись в ответ), but there was no change in her eyes (но в ее глазах не было изменения); they did not lose their numb stare (они не потеряли своего оцепенелого взгляда). Spade turned to the boy (Спейд повернулся к юноше): "Two to one (два к одному) they're selling you out, son (они сдают: «продают» тебя, сынок)."

character ['kxrIktq] screening ['skri:nIN] lose [lu:z]

Gutman said fondly: "By Cad, sir, you are a character!"

Joel Cairo jumped up from his chair and went around behind the boy and behind Gutman's chair. He bent over the back of Gutman's chair and, screening his mouth and the fat man's ear with his empty hand, whispered. Gutman listened attentively, shutting his eyes.

Spade grinned at Brigid O'Shaughnessy. Her lips smiled feebly in response, but there was no change in her eyes; they did not lose their numb stare. Spade turned to the boy: "Two to one they're selling you out, son."

The boy did not say anything (юноша ничего не сказал). A trembling in his knees (дрожание его коленей) began to shake (начало трясти) the knees of his trousers (колени его брюк).

Spade addressed Gutman (Спейд обратился к Гутману): "I hope you're not letting yourself be (я надеюсь, вы не позволите себе оказаться) influenced by the guns (под влиянием пистолетов) these pocket-edition desperadoes (которыми эти головорезы карманного формата) are waving (размахивают)."

Gutman opened his eyes (Гутман открыл свои глаза). Cairo stopped whispering (Кейро перестал шептать) and stood erect (и стал прямо) behind the fat man's chair (за креслом толстяка).