George put the two platters, one of ham and eggs, the other of bacon and eggs, on the counter. He set down two side-dishes of fried potatoes and closed the wicket into the kitchen.

“Which is yours?” he asked Al.

“Don’t you remember?”

“Ham and eggs.”

“Just a bright boy,” Max said. He leaned forward and took the ham and eggs. Both men ate with their gloves on. George watched them eat.

“What are you looking at?” Max looked at George.

“Nothing.”

“The hell you were. You were looking at me.”

“Maybe the boy meant it for a joke, Max,” Al said.

George laughed.

“ You don’t have to laugh,” Max said to him. “ You don’t have to laugh at all, see?”

“All right,” said George.

“So he thinks it’s all right.” Max turned to Al. He thinks it’s all right. That’s a good one.”

“Oh, he’s a thinker,” Al said. They went on eating.

 

“What’s the bright boy’s name down the counter (как зовут того умника, что с другой стороны стойки; down — внизу; ниже по /расположенный внизу или в более отдаленном месте/)?” Al asked Max.

“Hey, bright boy (эй, умник),” Max said to Nick. “You go around on the other side of the counter (зайди за стойку: «иди вокруг на другую сторону стойки») with your boy friend (с твоим дружком = туда, где твой дружок).”

“What’s the idea (а в чем дело, зачем это: «что за идея/в чем идея»)?” Nick asked (спросил Ник).

“There isn’t any idea (тут нет никакой идеи = просто так/да ни в чем).”

“You better go around, bright boy (лучше зайди, умник),” Al said.

Nick went around behind the counter (Ник зашел за стойку).

“What’s the idea?” George asked.

“None of your damn business (не твое чертово: «проклятое» дело; none — ничто, ни один, никакой),” Al said. “Who’s out in the kitchen (кто там: «снаружи» на кухне)?”

“The nigger (негр).”

“What do you mean the nigger (что ты хочешь сказать: «имеешь в виду», негр = какой такой негр)?”

“The nigger that cooks (негр, который готовит/стряпает).”

“Tell him to come in (скажи ему, чтобы зашел).”

“What’s the idea?”

“Tell him to come in.”

“Where do you think you are (где, вы думаете, вы находитесь)?”

“We know damn well where we are (мы знаем чертовски хорошо, где мы находимся),” the man called Max said (сказал человек, которого звали Макс). “Do we look silly (мы выглядим дурачками/глупо)?”

“You talk silly (ты разговариваешь глупо),” Al said to him. “What the hell do you argue with this kid for (какого черта ты споришь с этим ребенком)? Listen (послушай),” he said to George, “tell the nigger to come out here (скажи негру выйти сюда = чтобы вышел сюда).”

“What are you going to do to him (что вы собираетесь с ним: «ему» сделать)?”

“Nothing (ничего). Use your head, bright boy (пошевели мозгами: «используй свою голову», умник). What would we do to a nigger (что бы мы сделали негру)?”

George opened the slit (открыл окошечко; slit — длинный разрез, щель; to slit — разрезать в длину) that opened back into the kitchen (которое открывалось назад = вовнутрь в кухню). “Sam,” he called (позвал он). “Come in here a minute (зайди-ка сюда на минутку).”

 

idea [aı`dı∂] argue [`α:gju:] minute [`mınıt]

 

“What’s the bright boy’s name down the counter?” Al asked Max.

“Hey, bright boy,” Max said to Nick. “You go around on the other side of the counter with your boy friend.”

“What’s the idea?” Nick asked.

“There isn’t any idea.”

“You better go around, bright boy,” Al said. Nick went around behind the counter.

“What’s the idea?” George asked.

“None of your damn business,” Al said. “Who’s out in the kitchen?”

“The nigger.”

“What do you mean the nigger?”

“The nigger that cooks.”

“Tell him to come in.”

“What’s the idea?”

“Tell him to come in.”

“Where do you think you are?”

“We know damn well where we are,” the man called Max said. “Do we look silly?”

“You talk silly,” Al said to him. “What the hell do you argue with this kid for? Listen,” he said to George, “tell the nigger to come out here.”

“What are you going to do to him?”

“Nothing. Use your head, bright boy. What would we do to a nigger?”

George opened the slit that opened back into the kitchen. “Sam,” he called. “Come in here a minute.”

 

The door to the kitchen opened and the nigger came in (дверь на кухню открылась и негр зашел). “What was it (в чем дело: «что это было»)?” he asked. The two men at the counter took a look at him (двое мужчин у стойки оглядели его; to take a look — посмотреть: «взять взгляд»).

“All right, nigger (все в порядке/нормально, негр). You stand right there (стой тут: «прямо здесь»),” Al said.

Sam, the nigger, standing in his apron (Сэм, негр, стоя в своем фартуке), looked at the two men sitting at the counter (посмотрел на двоих мужчин, сидящих у стойки). “Yes, sir (да = хорошо, сэр),” he said. Al got down from his stool (Эл слез со своего стула/табурета).

“I’m going back to the kitchen (я пойду назад = туда на кухню) with the nigger and bright boy (с негром и умником),” he said. “Go on back to the kitchen, nigger (иди обратно = возвращайся на кухню, негр). You go with him, bright boy (ты иди с ним, умник).” The little man walked after Nick and Sam, the cook (маленький человек прошел вслед за Ником и Сэмом, поваром), back into the kitchen (обратно на кухню). The door shut after them (дверь за ними закрылась; to shut — закрывать, запирать, затворять; закрываться). The man called Max sat at the counter opposite George (мужчина, которого звали Максом, сел за стойку напротив Джорджа). He didn’t look at George (он не смотрел на Джорджа) but looked in the mirror (а смотрел в зеркало) that ran along back of the counter (которое тянулось: «бежало» вдоль за стойкой; to run). Henry’s had been made over (заведение Генри было переделано; to make over) from a saloon into a lunch-counter (из салуна/бара в закусочную).

 

apron [`eıpr∂n] opposite [`op∂zıt]