---
title: "2 Cairo Quotes By Dashiell Hammett"
description: "2 Cairo quotes by Dashiell Hammett. Plus more from Dashiell Hammett and more Cairo sayings from other authors."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/29e/dashiell-hammett-3863_cairo_yes-spade-growled-and-when-you-re-slappe_1202638.jpg"
---

> [Yes,' Spade growled. 'And when you're slapped you'll take it and like it.' He released Cairo's wrist and with a thick open hand struck the side of his face three times savagely.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dashiell-hammett/yes-spade-growled-and-when-you-re-slapped-you-ll-take-it-and-like-it/)

[Dashiell Hammett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dashiell-hammett/)

[Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/29e/dashiell-hammett-3863_cairo_yes-spade-growled-and-when-you-re-slappe_1202638.jpg)

> [Joel Cairo: You always have a very smooth explanation ready. Sam Spade: What do you want me to do, learn to stutter?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dashiell-hammett/joel-cairo-you-always-have-a-very-smooth-explanation-ready-sam-spade/)

[Dashiell Hammett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dashiell-hammett/)

[Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/057/dashiell-hammett-3863_cairo_joel-cairo-you-always-have-a-very-smooth_1996292.png)

## More by Dashiell Hammett

> [It's sometimes better to pretend I don't hear the sound of somebody in the nearby woods with a shotgun.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dashiell-hammett/it-s-sometimes-better-to-pretend-i-don-t-hear-the-sound-of-somebody/)

[Dashiell Hammett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dashiell-hammett/)

> [“This damned burg's getting me. If I don't get away soon I'll be going blood-simple like the natives.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dashiell-hammett/this-damned-burg-s-getting-me-if-i-don-t-get-away-soon-i-ll-be-going/)

[Dashiell Hammett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dashiell-hammett/)

> [“You know Quinn?" Macaulay asked me. "Ten minutes ago I was putting him to bed." Macaulay grinned. "I hope you keep his acquaintance like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dashiell-hammett/you-know-quinn-macaulay-asked-me-ten-minutes-ago-i-was-putting-him-to/)

[Dashiell Hammett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dashiell-hammett/)

> [“Gutman smiled benignly at him and said: “Well, Wilmer, I’m sorry indeed to lose you, and I want you to know that I couldn’t…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dashiell-hammett/gutman-smiled-benignly-at-him-and-said-well-wilmer-i-m-sorry-indeed/)

[Dashiell Hammett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dashiell-hammett/)

> [“...I guess I can put two and two together." "Sometimes the answer's four," I said, "and sometimes it's twenty-two...”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dashiell-hammett/i-guess-i-can-put-two-and-two-together-sometimes-the-answer-s-four-i/)

[Dashiell Hammett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dashiell-hammett/)

> [Nora: "How do you feel?" Nick: "Terrible. I must've gone to bed sober.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dashiell-hammett/nora-how-do-you-feel-nick-terrible-i-must-ve-gone-to-bed-sober/)

[Dashiell Hammett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dashiell-hammett/)

> [A lot of fancier yarns come from people trying to tell the truth. It’s not easy once you’re out of the habit.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dashiell-hammett/a-lot-of-fancier-yarns-come-from-people-trying-to-tell-the-truth-it-s/)

[Dashiell Hammett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dashiell-hammett/)

> [Three times I have been mistaken for a prohibition agent, but never had any trouble clearing myself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dashiell-hammett/three-times-i-have-been-mistaken-for-a-prohibition-agent-but-never/)

[Dashiell Hammett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dashiell-hammett/)

> [Listen, Dundy, it's been a long time since I burst into tears because a policeman didn't like me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dashiell-hammett/listen-dundy-it-s-been-a-long-time-since-i-burst-into-tears-because-a/)

[Dashiell Hammett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dashiell-hammett/)

> [“...What do people think about my staying with Harrison with him chasing everything that's hot and hollow?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dashiell-hammett/what-do-people-think-about-my-staying-with-harrison-with-him-chasing/)

[Dashiell Hammett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dashiell-hammett/)

> [“Don't be so damned patronizing. Your performance so far has been a little less than dazzling." "I didn't mean no harm," I said and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dashiell-hammett/don-t-be-so-damned-patronizing-your-performance-so-far-has-been-a/)

[Dashiell Hammett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dashiell-hammett/)

> [...What disturbed him was the discovery that in sensibly ordering his affairs he had got out of step, and not into step, with Life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dashiell-hammett/what-disturbed-him-was-the-discovery-that-in-sensibly-ordering-his/)

[Dashiell Hammett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dashiell-hammett/)

> [I haven't any sort of plans for the future but I reckon things will work out in some manner.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dashiell-hammett/i-haven-t-any-sort-of-plans-for-the-future-but-i-reckon-things-will/)

[Dashiell Hammett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dashiell-hammett/)

> [To get what he wanted, a man had to give other people what they wanted.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dashiell-hammett/to-get-what-he-wanted-a-man-had-to-give-other-people-what-they-wanted/)

[Dashiell Hammett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dashiell-hammett/)

> [He felt like somebody had taken the lid off life and let him see the works.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dashiell-hammett/he-felt-like-somebody-had-taken-the-lid-off-life-and-let-him-see-the/)

[Dashiell Hammett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dashiell-hammett/)

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