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rang [rxN] nuisance ['nju:s(q)ns] joke [dZqVk]

"I dare you to take us in, Dundy," he said. "We'll laugh at you in every newspaper in San Francisco. You don't think any of us is going to swear to any complaints against the others, do you? Wake up. You've been kidded. When the bell rang I said to Miss O'Shaughnessy and Cairo: 'It's those damned bulls again. They're getting to be nuisances. Let's play a joke on them. When you hear them going one of you scream, and then we'll see how far we can string them along before they tumble.' And — "

Brigid O'Shaughnessy bent forward (Бриджит О’Шонесси нагнулась вперед) in her chair (в своем кресле) and began to laugh hysterically (и начала истерически хохотать).

Cairo started and smiled (Кейро вздрогнул и улыбнулся; to start — начинать, отправляться в путь). There was no vitality in his smile (в его улыбке не было жизненности), but he held it fixed on his face (но он держал ее неподвижно на своем лице).

Tom, glowering, grumbled (Том, глядя сердито, прогрохотал): "Cut it out, Sam (перестань, Сэм)."

Spade chuckled and said (Спейд захихикал и сказал): "But that's the way it was (но это то, как все было). We (мы ) —"

"And the cut on his head and mouth (а рана на его голове и губах: «рту»)?" Dundy asked scornfully (спросил Данди презрительно). "Where'd they come from (откуда они появились)?"

hysterically [hI'sterIk(q)lI] vitality [vaI'txlItI] scornfully ['skO:nf(q)lI]

Brigid O'Shaughnessy bent forward in her chair and began to laugh hysterically.

Cairo started and smiled. There was no vitality in his smile, but he held it fixed on his face.

Tom, glowering, grumbled: "Cut it out, Sam."

Spade chuckled and said: "But that's the way it was. We — "

"And the cut on his head and mouth?" Dundy asked scornfully. "Where'd they come from?"

"Ask him (спросите его)," Spade suggested (предложил Спейд). "Maybe he cut himself shaving (может, он порезался, когда брился)."

Cairo spoke quickly (Кейро быстро заговорил), before he could be questioned (прежде чем он мог быть спрошен), and the muscles of his face quivered (и мускулы его лица дрожали) under the strain of holding his smile in place (под напряжением от удержания улыбки на месте) while he spoke (пока он говорил). "I fell (я упал). We intended to be struggling for the pistol (мы собирались бороться за пистолет) when you came in (когда вы войдете), but I fell (но я упал). I tripped on the end of the rug (я споткнулся о край ковра) and fell (и упал) while we were pretending to struggle (когда мы собирались изобразить борьбу)."

Dundy said (Данди сказал): "Horse feathers (чушь собачья; horse — лошадь, feather — перо)."

shaving ['SeIvIN] tripped [tript] rug [rAg]

"Ask him," Spade suggested. "Maybe he cut himself shaving."

Cairo spoke quickly, before he could be questioned, and the muscles of his face quivered under the strain of holding his smile in place while he spoke. "I fell. We intended to be struggling for the pistol when you came in, but I fell. I tripped on the end of the rug and fell while we were pretending to struggle."

Dundy said: "Horse feathers."

Spade said: "That's all right, Dundy (все хорошо, Данди), believe it or not (верьте в это или нет). The point is (дело в том) that that's our story (что это наша история) and we'll stick to it (и мы будем придерживаться ее; to stick — наклеивать, приклеивать). The newspapers will print it (газеты напечатают ее) whether they believe it or not (поверят они в нее или нет), and it'll be just as funny (и это будет также забавно) one way as the other (в любом случае: «одним образом, как и другим»), or more so (или даже больше). What are you going to do about it (что вы собираетесь делать с этим)? It's no crime (это же не преступление) to kid a copper (подшутить над полицейским), is it (не так ли)? You haven't got anything on anybody here (у вас ничего нет, на кого бы то ни было здесь). Everything we told you (все, что мы вам рассказали) was part of the joke (было частью шутки). What are you going to do about it (что вы собираетесь с этим делать)?"

believe [bI'li:v] stick [stIk] crime [kraIm]

Spade said: "That's all right, Dundy, believe it or not. The point is that that's our story and we'll stick to it. The newspapers will print it whether they believe it or not, and it'll be just as funny one way as the other, or more so. What are you going to do about it? It's no crime to kid a copper, is it? You haven't got anything on anybody here. Everything we told you was part of the joke. What are you going to do about it?"

Dundy put his back to Spade (Данди повернулся спиной к Спейду) and gripped Cairo by the shoulders (и схватил Кейро за плечи). "You can't get away with that (вы не увильнете таким образом)," he snarled (прорычал он), shaking the Levantine (тряся левантинца). "You belched for help (вы скулили о помощи) and you've got to take it (и вам придется ее принять)."

"No, sir (нет, сэр)," Cairo sputtered (пробормотал Кейро). "It was a joke (это была шутка). He said you were friends of his (он сказал, что вы его друзья) and would understand (и поймете)."

Spade laughed (Спейд засмеялся).

grip [grip] snarl [snQ:l] sputter ['spAtq]

Dundy put his back to Spade and gripped Cairo by the shoulders. "You can't get away with that," he snarled, shaking the Levantine. "You belched for help and you've got to take it."

"No, sir," Cairo sputtered. "It was a joke. He said you were friends of his and would understand."

Spade laughed.

Dundy pulled Cairo roughly around (Данди дернул Кейро грубо /вокруг/), holding him now (держа его теперь) by one wrist (за одно запястье) and the nape of his neck (и за заднюю часть шеи). "I'll take you along (я заберу вас с собой) for packing the gun (за ношение при себе оружия; to pack — упаковывать, укладывать), anyway (в любом случае)," he said. "And I'll take the rest of you along (и я заберу оставшихся из вас) to see who laughs at the joke (чтобы посмотреть, кто будет смеяться над шуткой)."

Cairo's alarmed eyes jerked sidewise (встревоженные глаза Кейро дернулись в сторону) to focus on Spade's face (чтобы сфокусироваться на лице Спейда).

nape [neIp] along [q'lON] sidewise ['saIdwaIz]

Dundy pulled Cairo roughly around, holding him now by one wrist and the nape of his neck. "I'll take you along for packing the gun, anyway," he said. "And I'll take the rest of you along to see who laughs at the joke."

Cairo's alarmed eyes jerked sidewise to focus on Spade's face.

Spade said: "Don't be a sap, Dundy (не будьте олухом, Данди). The gun was part of the plant (пистолет был частью розыгрыша; plant — растение, урожай; поза, позиция). It's one of mine (это один из моих)." He laughed (он засмеялся). "Too bad it's only a thirty-two (слишком плохо, он только тридцать второго калибра), or maybe (или, может быть) you could find (вы сможете обнаружить) it was the one (что это тот) Thursby and Miles were shot with (которым застрелили Терсби и Майлза)."