George did not say anything.

“I’ll tell you,” Max said. “We’re going to kill a Swede. Do you know a big Swede named Ole Andreson?”

“Yes.”

“He comes here to eat every night, don’t he?”

“Sometimes he comes here.”

“He comes here at six o’clock, don’t he?”

“If he comes.”

“We know all that, bright boy,” Max said.

“Talk about something else. Ever go to the movies?”

“Once in a while.”

“You ought to go to the movies more. The movies are fine for a bright boy like you.”

“What are you going to kill Ole Andreson for? What did he ever do to you?”

“He never had a chance to do anything to us. He never even seen us.”

“And he’s only going to see us once,” Al said from the kitchen.

“What are you going to kill him for, then?” George asked.

“We’re killing him for a friend. Just to oblige a friend, bright boy.”

“Shut up,” said Al from the kitchen. You talk too goddam much.”

“Well, I got to keep bright boy amused. Don’t I, bright boy?”

“You talk too damn much,” Al said. “The nigger and my bright boy are amused by themselves. I got them tied up like a couple of girl friends in the convent.”

“I suppose you were in a convent?”

“You never know.”

“You were in a kosher convent. That’s where you were.”

Swede [swi:d] oblige [∂`blaıdż] convent [`konv∂nt]

George looked up at the clock.

“If anybody comes in you tell them the cook is off (если кто-нибудь придет, ты им скажешь, что повар ушел: «свободен /от работы/, на перерыве»; off – указывает на удаление или прекращение чего-либо), and if they keep after it (а если они будут настаивать), you tell them you’ll go back (что ты пойдешь на кухню: «в заднюю комнату») and cook yourself (и приготовишь сам). Do you get that (ты понял: «получил» это), bright boy?”

“All right,” George said. “What you going to do with us afterward (что вы сделаете с нами после)?”

“That’s depend (это зависит = смотря по обстоятельствам),” Max said. “That’s one of those things you never know at the time (это одна из вещей, которые никогда не знаешь в данное время = заранее)."

George looked up the clock. It was a quarter past six (четверть после шести = четверть седьмого). The door from the street opened (дверь с улицы открылась). A street-car motorman came in (вошел трамвайный вожатый).

“Hello, George,” he said. “Can I get supper (поужинать можно: «могу я получить ужин»)?”

“Sam’s gone out (вышел),” George said. “He’ll be back in about half an hour (он вернется примерно через полчаса).”

“I’d better go up the street (я, пожалуй, лучше пойду вверх по улице = пойду еще куда-нибудь),” the motorman said. George looked at the clock. It was twenty minutes past six.

“That was nice (это было славно /проделано/), bright boy,” Max said. “You’re a regular little gentleman (настоящий маленький джентельмен).”

“He knew I’d blow his head off (он знал, что я ему голову снесу = прострелю; to blow – дуть),” Al said from the kitchen.

“No,” said Max. “It ain’t that (не поэтому, не в этом дело). Bright boy is nice. He’s a nice boy. I like him (он мне нравится).”