Dashiell Hammett - Мальтийский сокол. Английский язык с Д. Хэмметом.

The District Attorney smiled. "That always holds good." He took his glasses off, looked at them, and set them on his nose again. He looked through them at Spade and asked: "Who killed Thursby?"

Spade said: "I don't know."

Bryan rubbed his black eyeglass-ribbon (Брайан потер свою черную дужку очков) between thumb and fingers (между большим пальцем и пальцами) and said knowingly (и со знанием дела сказал): "Perhaps you don't (возможно, ты не знаешь), but you certainly could make (но ты точно можешь сделать) an excellent guess (отличное предположение)."

"Maybe, but I wouldn't (может быть, но я не буду)."

The District Attorney raised his eyebrows (окружной прокурор поднял свои брови).

"I wouldn't (я не буду)," Spade repeated (повторил Спейд). He was serene (он был невозмутим). "My guess might be excellent (мое предположение может быть отличным), or it might be crummy (или оно может быть жалким), but Mrs. Spade didn't raise any children (но миссис Спейд не растила детей) dippy enough (достаточно рехнувшихся) to make guesses (чтобы делать предположения) in front of a district attorney (перед окружным прокурором), an assistant district attorney (помощником окружного прокурора), and a stenographer (и стенографистом)."

knowingly ['nqVINlI] crummy ['krAmI] dippy ['dIpI]

Bryan rubbed his black eyeglass-ribbon between thumb and fingers and said knowingly: "Perhaps you don't, but you certainly could make an excellent guess."

"Maybe, but I wouldn't."

The District Attorney raised his eyebrows.

"I wouldn't," Spade repeated. He was serene. "My guess might be excellent, or it might be crummy, but Mrs. Spade didn't raise any children dippy enough to make guesses in front of a district attorney, an assistant district attorney, and a stenographer."

"Why shouldn't you (почему ты не должен), if you've nothing to conceal (если ты ничего не утаиваешь)?"

"Everybody (каждый)," Spade responded mildly (мягко ответил Спейд), "has something to conceal (что-то утаивает)."

"And you have (и ты) —?"

"My guesses (мои предположения), for one thing (хотя бы для примера)."

The District Attorney looked down (окружной прокурор посмотрел вниз) at his desk (на свой стол) and then up at Spade (а потом наверх, на Спейда). He settled his glasses (он устроил свои очки) more firmly (более прочно) on his nose (на своем носу). He said: "If you'd prefer (если ты предпочитаешь) not having the stenographer here (не иметь здесь стенографиста) we can dismiss him (мы можем отпустить его). It was simply as a matter of convenience (это было просто для удобства; matter — вещество, материал, дело ) that I brought him in (что я привел его сюда)."

settled ['setld] firmly [fq:mlI] dismiss [dIs'mIs]

"Why shouldn't you, if you've nothing to conceal?"

"Everybody," Spade responded mildly, "has something to conceal."

"And you have — ?"

"My guesses, for one thing."

The District Attorney looked down at his desk and then up at Spade. He settled his glasses more firmly on his nose. He said: "If you'd prefer not having the stenographer here we can dismiss him. It was simply as a matter of convenience that I brought him in."

"I don't mind him a damned bit (я совершенно не против него; a bit— немного, чуть-чуть )," Spade replied (ответил Спейд). "I'm willing to have anything (я хочу, чтобы все) I say (что я скажу) put down (было записано) and I'm willing to sign it (и я хочу подписать это)."

"We don't intend (мы не собираемся) asking you (просить тебя) to sign anything (подписывать что-либо)," Bryan assured him (уверил его Брайан), "I wish (я хочу) you wouldn't regard this (чтобы ты не рассматривал это) as a formal inquiry (как формальное расследование) at all (вовсе). And please don't think (и, пожалуйста, не думай) I've any belief (что у меня есть какая-либо вера) — much less confidence (не говоря уж об уверенности) — in those theories (в отношении в тех теорий) the police seem to have formed (которые, кажется, выработала полиция)."

regard [rI'gQ:d] inquiry [In'kwaI(q)rI] theory ['TI(q)rI]

"I don't mind him a damned bit," Spade replied. "I'm willing to have anything I say put down and I'm willing to sign it."

"We don't intend asking you to sign anything," Bryan assured him, "I wish you wouldn't regard this as a formal inquiry at all. And please don't think I've any belief — much less confidence — in those theories the police seem to have formed."

"No?"

"Not a particle (ни капельки; particle — частица, крупица )."

Spade sighed and crossed his legs (Спейд вздохнул и скрестил ноги). "I'm glad of that (я рад этому)." He felt in his pockets (он пощупал свои карманы) for tobacco and papers (в поисках табака и бумаги). "What's your theory (какова твоя теория)?"

Bryan leaned forward (Брайан наклонился вперед) in his chair (в своем кресле) and his eyes were hard and shiny (и его глаза были твердыми и блестящим) as the lenses over them (как линзы над ними). "Tell me (скажи мне) who Archer was shadowing Thursby for (для кого Арчер следил за Терсби) and I'll tell you who killed Thursby (и я тебе скажу, кто убил Терсби)."

particle ['pQ:tIk(q)l] lens [lenz] shadowing ['SxdqVIN]

"No?"

"Not a particle."

Spade sighed and crossed his legs. "I'm glad of that." He felt in his pockets for tobacco and papers. "What's your theory?"

Bryan leaned forward in his chair and his eyes were hard and shiny as the lenses over them. "Tell me who Archer was shadowing Thursby for and I'll tell you who killed Thursby."

Spade's laugh (смех Спейда) was brief and scornful (был коротким и презрительным/насмешливым). "You're as wrong as Dundy (ты ошибаешься, как Данди)," he said.

"Don't misunderstand me, Spade (не пойми меня неправильно, Спейд)," Bryan said (сказал Брайан), knocking on the desk (стуча по столу) with his knuckles (костяшками пальцев). "I don't say (я не говорю) your client killed Thursby (что твой клиент убил Терсби) or had him killed (или приказал убить его), but I do say (но я говорю) that, knowing who your client is (что зная, кто твой клиент), or was (или был им), I'll mighty soon know (я смогу быстрее узнать) who killed Thursby (кто убил Терсби)."

scornful ['skO:nf(q)l] knuckles ['nAk(q)ls] mighty ['maItI]

Spade's laugh was brief and scornful. "You're as wrong as Dundy," he said.

"Don't misunderstand me, Spade," Bryan said, knocking on the desk with his knuckles. "I don't say your client killed Thursby or had him killed, but I do say that, knowing who your client is, or was, I'll mighty soon know who killed Thursby."

Spade lighted his cigarette (Спейд зажег свою сигарету), removed it from his lips (достал ее со своих губ), emptied his lungs of smoke (освободил свои легкие от дыма), and spoke as if puzzled (и сказал, словно озадаченный): "I don't exactly get that (я не совсем понял это)."

"You don't (нет)? Then suppose I put it this way (тогда, предположим, я скажу это таким образом): where is Dixie Monahan (где Дикси Монэхэн)?"

Spade's face retained its puzzled look (лицо Спейда сохранило озадаченный вид). "Putting it that way (сказать таким образом) doesn't help much (не очень-то поможет)," he said. "I still don't get it (я все еще не понимаю)."

retained [rI'teInd] puzzle ['pAz(q)l] putting ['pAtIN]

Spade lighted his cigarette, removed it from his lips, emptied his lungs of smoke, and spoke as if puzzled: "I don't exactly get that."

"You don't? Then suppose I put it this way: where is Dixie Monahan?"

Spade's face retained its puzzled look. "Putting it that way doesn't help much," he said. "I still don't get it."

The District Attorney took his glasses off (окружной прокурор снял свои очки) and shook them for emphasis (и потряс ими для выразительности; emphasis — подчеркивание, ударение ). He said: "We know Thursby was Monahan's bodyguard (мы знаем, что Терсби был телохранителем Монэхэна) and went with him (и отправился с ним) when Monahan found it wise (когда Монэхэн посчитал это мудрым) to vanish from Chicago (исчезнуть из Чикаго). We know Monahan welshed on (мы знаем, что Монэхэн не заплатил кому-то; to welsh — скрыться, неуплатив ) something like two-hundred-thousand-dollars' worth of bets (приблизительно на двести тысяч долларов пари) when he vanished (когда он исчез). We don't know (мы не знаем) — not yet (пока нет) — who his creditors were (кто были его кредиторы)." He put the glasses on again (он надел очки снова) and smiled grimly (и мрачно улыбнулся). "But we all know (но мы все знаем) what's likely to happen to a gambler (что, вероятнее всего, могло случиться с игроком) who welshes (который не отдает долги), and to his bodyguard (и с его телохранителем), when his creditors find him (когда кредиторы находят его). It's happened before (это случалось раньше)."

welsh [welS] creditor ['kredItq] grimly ['grImlI]

The District Attorney took his glasses off and shook them for emphasis. He said: "We know Thursby was Monahan's bodyguard and went with him when Monahan found it wise to vanish from Chicago. We know Monahan welshed on something like two-hundred-thousand-dollars' worth of bets when he vanished. We don't know — not yet — who his creditors were." He put the glasses on again and smiled grimly. "But we all know what's likely to happen to a gambler who welshes, and to his bodyguard, when his creditors find him. It's happened before."

Spade ran his tongue over his lips (Спейд пробежал своим языком по своим губам) and pulled his lips back (и оттянул свои губы назад) over his teeth (открывая зубы: «над своими зубами») in an ugly grin (в уродливой усмешке). His eyes glittered (его глаза блестели) under pulled-down brows (под опущенными бровями). His reddening neck bulged (его краснеющая шея набухла) over the rim of his collar (над краем его воротника). His voice was low and hoarse and passionate (его голос был тихим и хриплым, и страстным). "Well, what do you think (ну, что вы думаете)? Did I kill him for his creditors (я убил его для его кредиторов)? Or just find him (или просто нашел его) and let them do their own killing (и позволил им самим убить его)?"