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circumstance ['sWkqmstqns], entertain ["entq'teIn], curtain ['kWtn]

I tried to say something. I don't know what, and it doesn't really matter, because nothing came out.

“I'm a kind of messenger,” Staub said. “Fuckin FedEx from beyond the grave, you like that? Guys like me actually come out pretty often whenever the circumstances are just right. You know what I think? I think that whoever runs things — God or whatever — must like to be entertained. He always wants to see if you'll keep what you already got or if he can talk you into goin for what's behind the curtain. Things have to be just right, though. Tonight they were. You out all by yourself... mother sick... needin a ride...”

“If I'd stayed with the old man (если бы я остался со стариком), none of this would have happened (ничего этого не случилось бы),” I said. “Would it (ведь так)?” I could smell Staub clearly now (теперь я ясно чувствовал запах Стауба), the needle-sharp smell of the chemicals and the duller, blunter stink of decaying meat (острый, как игла, запах химикатов и более смутную, притупленную вонь разлагающегося/гниющего мяса; dull — глупый; приглушенный; ; неясный, смутный; слабый), and wondered how I ever could have missed it (и задумался, как я мог упустить его = этот запах), or mistaken it for something else (или принять за что-то другое).

“Hard to say (трудно сказать),” Staub replied (ответил). “Maybe this old man you're talking about was dead, too (может быть этот старик, о котором ты говоришь, тоже был мертвым).”

I thought of old man's shrill handful-of-glass voice (я подумал о пронзительном, наполненным стеклом голосе старика; handful — пригоршня, горсть), the snap of his truss (о треске его бандажа). No, he hadn't been dead (нет, он не был мертвым), and I had traded the smell of piss in his old Dodge for something a lot worse (и я обменял запах мочи в его старом “додже” на что-то намного худшее;to trade — торговать; обменивать).

needle ['nJdl], decay [dI'keI], reply [rI'plaI]

“If I'd stayed with the old man, none of this would have happened,” I said. “Would it?” I could smell Staub clearly now, the needlesharp smell of the chemicals and the duller, blunter stink of decaying meat, and wondered how I ever could have missed it, or mistaken it for something else.

“Hard to say, Staub replied. Maybe this old man you're talking about was dead, too.”

I thought of old man's shrill handful-of-glass voice, the snap of his truss. No, he hadn't been dead, and I had traded the smell of piss in his old Dodge for something a lot worse.

“Anyway, man, we don't have time to talk about all that (в любом случае, парень, у нас нет времени говорить обо всем этом). Five more miles and we'll start seeing houses again (еще пять миль, и мы снова начнем видеть дома). Seven more and we're at the Lewiston city line (еще семь, и мы окажемся в городской черте Льюистона). Which means you have to decide now (что означает, что ты должен решить сейчас).”