Very glossy. His features were Levantine. A square-cut ruby, its sides

paralleled by four baguette diamonds, gleamed against the deep green of

his cravat. His black coat, cut tight to narrow shoulders, flared a little

over slightly plump hips. His trousers fitted his round legs more snugly

than was the current fashion.

The uppers of his patent-leather shoes (передки его лакированных туфель)

were hidden by fawn spats (были скрыты желтовато-коричневыми

гетрами; fawn — молодой олень /до одного года/; желтовато-

коричневый цвет /цвет оленя, лани/). He held a black derby hat (он держал

черную шляпу-котелок) in a chamois-gloved hand (в руке в замшевой

перчатке) and came towards Spade with short, mincing, bobbing steps (и

подошел к Спейду короткими, семенящими, подпрыгивающими шагами;

to mince — крошить, рубить /мясо/; семенить ногами, ступать

маленькими шажками). The fragrance of chypre came with him (от него

исходил аромат «шипра»).

Spade inclined his head at his visitor (Спейд наклонил голову к

посетителю) and then at a chair, saying (потом к стулу, говоря): "Sit down,

Mr. Cairo (садитесь, мистер Кейро)."

Cairo bowed elaborately over his hat (Кейро изысканно поклонился над

своей шляпой), said, "I thank you (я благодарю вас)," in a high-pitched thin

voice and sat down (пронзительным тонким голосом и сел; pitch —

высота /тона, звука/). He sat down primly (он сел чопорно), crossing his

ankles (перекрестив лодыжки), placing his hat on his knees (положив свою

шляпу на свои колени), and began to draw off his yellow gloves (и начал

стягивать свои желтые перчатки).

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leather ['leDq] chypre ['Si:pr(q)] elaborately [I'lxb(q)rqtlI]

The uppers of his patent-leather shoes were hidden by fawn spats. He

held a black derby hat in a chamois-gloved hand and came towards

Spade with short, mincing, bobbing steps. The fragrance of chypre came

with him.

Spade inclined his head at his visitor and then at a chair, saying: "Sit

down, Mr. Cairo."

Cairo bowed elaborately over his hat, said, "I thank you," in a high-

pitched thin voice and sat down. He sat down primly, crossing his ankles,

placing his hat on his knees, and began to draw off his yellow gloves.

Spade rocked back in his chair and asked (Спейд откинулся назад на

стуле и спросил): "Now what can I do for you, Mr. Cairo (так, что я могу

сделать для вас, мистер Кейро)?" The amiable negligence of his tone

(дружеская небрежность в его тоне), his motion in the chair (его движение

на стуле), were precisely as they had been (были точно такими же) when he

had addressed the same question to Brigid O'Shaughnessy (каким они были,

когда он адресовал такой же вопрос Бриджит О’Шонесси) on the previous

day (днем раньше; previous — предыдущий).

Cairo turned his hat over (Кейро перевернул свою шляпу), dropping his

gloves into it (бросив свои перчатки в нее), and placed it bottom-up (и

поставил ее кверху дном) on the corner of the desk nearest him (на углу

стола, расположенного ближе всего к нему).

amiable ['eImIqb(q)l] negligence ['neglIdZ(q)ns] precisely [prI'saIslI]

Spade rocked back in his chair and asked: "Now what can I do for

you, Mr. Cairo?" The amiable negligence of his tone, his motion in the

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chair, were precisely as they had been when he had addressed the same

question to Brigid O'Shaughnessy on the previous day.

Cairo turned his hat over, dropping his gloves into it, and placed it

bottom-up on the corner of the desk nearest him.

Diamonds twinkled on the second and fourth fingers of his left hand

(бриллианты сверкали на втором и четвертом пальцах его левой руки), a

ruby that matched the one in his tie (рубин, который подходил к

рубину/перекликался с рубином на его галстуке) even to the surrounding

diamonds (и даже к окружающим /тот рубин/ бриллиантам) on the third

finger of his right hand (на третьем пальце его правой руки). His hands

were soft and well cared for (его руки были нежными и хорошо

ухоженными). Though they were not large (хотя они не были большими)

their flaccid bluntness (но из-за дряблой округлости: «притупленности»)

made them seem clumsy (они казались нескладными). He rubbed his palms

together (он потер ладони друг о друга: «вместе») and said over the

whispering sound they made (и сказал поверх шепчущего звука, который

они издавали): "May a stranger offer condolences (может ли незнакомец

предложить соболезнования) for your partner's unfortunate death (по

поводу печальной смерти вашего партнера)?"

surrounding [sq'raVndIN] flaccid ['flxksId] clumsy ['klAmzI]

Diamonds twinkled on the second and fourth fingers of his left hand, a

ruby that matched the one in his tie even to the surrounding diamonds on

the third finger of his right hand. His hands were soft and well cared for.

Though they were not large their flaccid bluntness made them seem

clumsy. He rubbed his palms together and said over the whispering

sound they made: "May a stranger offer condolences for your partner's

unfortunate death?"

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"Thanks (спасибо)."

"May I ask, Mr. Spade, if there was, as the newspapers inferred, a certain

(могу я спросить, мистер Спейд, если было, как заключают газеты,

определенная) — ah — relationship between that unfortunate happening (э

— связь между этим печальным происшествием) and the death a little

later of the man Thursby (и смертью, немного позднее, этого человека

Терсби)?"

Spade said nothing in a blank-faced definite way (Спейд ничего не

сказал, сохранив пустое выражение лица: «своим определенным

способом пустого лица»).

Cairo rose and bowed (Кейро встал и поклонился). "I beg your pardon (я

прошу вашего прощения)." He sat down and placed his hands side by side

(он сел и положил свои руки рядом), palms down (ладонями вниз), on the

corner of the desk (на углу стола).

certain ['sq:tn] unfortunate [An'fO:tSVnIt] definite ['defInIt]

"Thanks."

"May I ask, Mr. Spade, if there was, as the newspapers inferred, a

certain — ah — relationship between that unfortunate happening and

the death a little later of the man Thursby?"

Spade said nothing in a blank-faced definite way.

Cairo rose and bowed. "I beg your pardon." He sat down and placed his

hands side by side, palms down, on the corner of the desk.

"More than idle curiosity made me ask that, Mr. Spade (больше, чем

праздное любопытство заставляет меня спрашивать это, мистер Спейд). I

am trying to recover an (я пытаюсь вернуть) — ah (э) — ornament that has

been (украшение которое было) — shall we say (скажем так)? — mislaid

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(было утеряно; to mislay — положить не на место, заложить,

затерять). I thought, and hoped (я думал и надеялся), you could assist me

(вы сможете помочь мне)."

Spade nodded with eyebrows lifted to indicate attentiveness (Спейд

кивнул с поднятыми бровями, обозначающими внимание). "The ornament

is a statuette (украшение это — статуэтка)," Cairo went on (продолжал

Кейро), selecting and mouthing his words carefully (осторожно выбирая и

произнося слова), "the black figure of a bird (черная фигура птицы)."

Spade nodded again (Спейд снова кивнул), with courteous interest (с

вежливым интересом).

idle [aIdl] curiosity ["kjV(q)rI'OsItI] ornament ['O:nqmqnt]

"More than idle curiosity made me ask that, Mr. Spade. I am trying to

recover an — ah — ornament that has been — shall we say? — mislaid. I

thought, and hoped, you could assist me."

Spade nodded with eyebrows lifted to indicate attentiveness. "The

ornament is a statuette," Cairo went on, selecting and mouthing his

words carefully, "the black figure of a bird."

Spade nodded again, with courteous interest.

"I am prepared to pay (я готов заплатить), on behalf of the figure's

rightful owner (от имени законного владельца фигуры), the sun of five

thousand dollars for its recovery (сумму в пять тысяч долларов за ее

возвращение)." Cairo raised one hand from the desk-corner (Кейро поднял

одну руку с угла стола) and touched a spot in the air (и прикоснулся к

точке в воздухе) with the broad-nailed tip of an ugly forefinger (кончиком

уродливого указательного пальца с широким ногтем). "I am prepared to

promise that (я готов обещать, что) — what is the phrase (как это

говорится; phrase — фраза, меткое выражение)? — no questions will be

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asked (никаких вопросов не будет задано)." He put his hand on the desk

again beside the other (он положил свою руку на стол рядом с другой) and

smiled blandly over them at the private detective (и мягко улыбнулся над

ними частному детективу).

rightful ['raItf(q)l] recovery [rI'kAv(q)rI] blandly [blxndlI]

"I am prepared to pay, on behalf of the figure's rightful owner, the

sun of five thousand dollars for its recovery." Cairo raised one hand

from the desk-corner and touched a spot in the air with the broad-nailed

tip of an ugly forefinger. "I am prepared to promise that — what is the

phrase? — no questions will be asked." He put his hand on the desk

again beside the other and smiled blandly over them at the private

detective.

"Five thousand is a lot of money (пять тысяч долларов это большие

деньги)," Spade commented (прокомментировал Спейд), looking

thoughtfully at Cairo (задумчиво глядя на Кейро). "It (это) —"

Fingers drummed lightly on the door (пальцы легко постучали по

двери).

When Spade had called (когда Спейд позвал), "Come in (входите)," the

door opened far enough (дверь открылась достаточно широко; far —

далеко, давно) to admit Effie Perine's head and shoulders (чтобы

пропустить голову Эффи Пирайн и плечи). She had put on a small dark felt

hat (она надела маленькую темную фетровую шляпку) and a dark coat

with a grey fur collar (и темное пальто с серым меховым воротником).

"Is there anything else (что-нибудь еще)?" she asked (спросила она).

drum [drAm] admit [qd'mIt] fur [fq:]

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"Five thousand is a lot of money," Spade commented, looking

thoughtfully at Cairo. "It — "

Fingers drummed lightly on the door.

When Spade had called, "Come in," the door opened far enough to

admit Effie Perine's head and shoulders. She had put on a small dark felt

hat and a dark coat with a grey fur collar.

"Is there anything else?" she asked.

"No (нет). Good night (доброй ночи). Lock the door when you go, will

you (запри дверь, когда уйдешь, хорошо)?"

"Good night (доброй ночи)," she said and disappeared behind the closing

door (сказала она и исчезла за закрывающейся дверью).

Spade turned in his chair to face Cairo again, saying (Спейд снова

повернулся лицом к Кейро на своем стуле, говоря): "It's an interesting

figure (это интересная цифра)." The sound of the corridor-door's closing

behind Effie Perine (звук закрывающейся за Эффи Пирайн двери в

коридор) came to them (донесся до них).

Cairo smiled (Кейро улыбнулся) and took a short compact flat black

pistol (и вытащил короткий компактный плоский пистолет) out of an

inner pocket (из своего внутреннего кармана). "You will please (будьте

любезны)," he said, "clasp your hands together at the back of your neck

(сведите руки вместе на своем затылке; neck — шея; to clasp —

скреплять; clasp — пряжка, застежка)."

disappear ["dIsq'pIq] chair [tSeq] clasp [klQ:sp]

"No. Good night. Lock the door when you go, will you?"

"Good night," she said and disappeared behind the closing door.

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Spade turned in his chair to face Cairo again, saying: "It's an