Чтение онлайн

"Mush-on (вперед; to mush — путешествовать с собаками по снегу; on — движение дальше, вперед), you poor, sore-footed brutes (вы — бедные/несчастные животные с больными лапами)!" he cried (крикнул он). "That's it (вот именно/правильно = ну же), mush-on (вперед)!"

relief [rI`lI: f], halt [hO: lt], mouth [`mQuT], surface [`sq: fIs]

John Messner closed the door softly behind him, and, as he started the dogs, looked back at the cabin with a great relief in his face. At the bottom of the bank, beside the water-hole, he halted the sled. He worked the sack of gold out between the lashings and carried it to the water-hole. Already a new skin of ice had formed. This he broke with his fist. Untying the knotted mouth with his teeth, he emptied the contents of the sack into the water. The river was shallow at that point, and two feet beneath the surface he could see the bottom dull-yellow in the fading light. At the sight of it, he spat into the hole.

He started the dogs along the Yukon trail. Whining spiritlessly, they were reluctant to work. Clinging to the gee-pole with his right hand and with his left rubbing cheeks and nose, he stumbled over the rope as the dogs swung on a bend.

"Mush-on, you poor, sore-footed brutes!" he cried. "That's it, mush-on!"

HE had followed the trail of his fleeing people for eleven days (он шел по следу своего убегающего народа одиннадцать дней), and his pursuit had been in itself a flight (и его преследование само по себе было бегством); for behind him he knew full well (ибо за ним, он знал очень хорошо) were the dreaded Russians (были ужасные русские; dread — ужас), toiling through the swampy lowlands and over the steep divides (которые с трудом шли через болотистые низменности и крутые водоразделы; to toil — усиленно трудиться; с трудом идти, тащиться), bent on no less than the extermination of all his people (стремящиеся не менее как истребить весь его народ; to bent on — устремлять свои помыслы на что-либо; стремиться к чему-либо). He was travelling light (он путешествовал налегке). A rabbit-skin sleeping-robe (спальная накидка из кроличьих шкур), a muzzle-loading rifle (заряжающееся с дула ружье), and a few pounds of sun-dried salmon constituted his outfit (и несколько фунтов вяленой лососины составляли его снаряжение; to dry — сушить). He would have marvelled that a whole people (он бы удивился, что целый народ) — women and children and aged (женщины, дети и старики) — could travel so swiftly (могут идти так стремительно), had he not known the terror that drove them on (если бы не знал ужаса, который гнал их вперед; to drive — гнать).

pursuit [pq'sjHt], swampy ['swOmpI], salmon ['sxmqn]

HE had followed the trail of his fleeing people for eleven days, and his pursuit had been in itself a flight; for behind him he knew full well were the dreaded Russians, toiling through the swampy lowlands and over the steep divides, bent on no less than the extermination of all his people. He was travelling light. A rabbit-skin sleeping-robe, a muzzle-loading rifle, and a few pounds of sun-dried salmon constituted his outfit. He would have marvelled that a whole people — women and children and aged — could travel so swiftly, had he not known the terror that drove them on.

It was in the old days of the Russian occupancy of Alaska (это было в /те/ прежние дни, когда Аляской владела Россия; occupancy — завладение, оккупация; владение), when the nineteenth century had run but half its course (когда девятнадцатый век миновал лишь половину своего времени; course — курс; период /времени/; ход), that Negore fled after his fleeing tribe and came upon it this summer night by the head waters of the Peelat (когда Негор убежал вслед за своим спасающимся бегством народом и наткнулся на него этой летней ночью у верховьев реки Пилат; to flee — убегать, спасаться бегством). Though near the midnight hour (несмотря на почти полночный час), it was bright day as he passed through the weary camp (стоял яркий день, когда он проходил через уставший лагерь). Many saw him (многие увидели его), all knew him (все знали его), but few and cold were the greetings he received (но малочисленны и холодны были приветствия, которые он получил).

"Negore, the Coward (Негор-трус)," he heard Illiha, a young woman, laugh (услышал он, как засмеялась Иллиха, молодая женщина), and Sun-ne, his sister's daughter, laughed with her (и Сун-не, дочь его сестры, засмеялась с ней).

occupancy ['OkjupqnsI], century ['senCurI], course [kLs]

It was in the old days of the Russian occupancy of Alaska, when the nineteenth century had run but half its course, that Negore fled after his fleeing tribe and came upon it this summer night by the head waters of the Pee-lat. Though near the midnight hour, it was bright day as he passed through the weary camp. Many saw him, all knew him, but few and cold were the greetings he received.

"Negore, the Coward," he heard Illiha, a young woman, laugh, and Sun-ne, his sister's daughter, laughed with her.

Black anger ate at his heart (злой гнев терзал его сердце; black — злой, сердитый; мрачный; to eat — разъедать, разрушать); but he gave no sign (но он не подал виду; sign — знак), threading his way among the camp-fires (прокладывая себе путь среди лагерных костров; to thread one’s way — прокладывать себе путь, пробираться, протискиваться) until he came to one where sat an old man (пока он не добрался до одного, где = у которого сидел старик). A young woman was kneading with skilful fingers the tired muscles of his legs (молодая женщина массировала ловкими пальцами уставшие мышцы его ног). He raised a sightless face and listened intently (он поднял незрячее лицо и внимательно прислушался) as Negore's foot crackled a dead twig (когда под ногой Негора хрустнула сухая ветка).

"Who comes (кто идет)?" he queried in a thin, tremulous voice (спросил он тонким, дрожащим голосом).

"Negore (Негор)," said the young woman (сказала молодая женщина), scarcely looking up from her task (едва подняв взор от своего занятия; task — задача, задание; дело; обязанность).

sign [saIn], thread [Tred], scarcely ['skFqslI]

Black anger ate at his heart; but he gave no sign, threading his way among the camp-fires until he came to one where sat an old man. A young woman was kneading with skilful fingers the tired muscles of his legs. He raised a sightless face and listened intently as Negore's foot crackled a dead twig.

"Who comes?" he queried in a thin, tremulous voice.

"Negore," said the young woman, scarcely looking up from her task.

Negore's face was expressionless (лицо Негора было невыразительно = бесстрастно). For many minutes he stood and waited (много минут он стоял и ждал). The old man's head had sunk back upon his chest (голова старика снова опустилась на грудь; to sink — тонуть; опускаться). The young woman pressed and prodded the wasted muscles (молодая женщина давила и тыкала худосочные мышцы; to waste — тратить даром; изнурять; чахнуть; худеть), resting her body on her knees (стоя на коленях: «опирая туловище на колени»), her bowed head hidden as in a cloud by her black wealth of hair (а ее склоненная голова /была/ скрыта, словно тучей, ее черными пышными волосами; to hide — прятать, скрывать; wealth — богатство; изобилие; wealth of hair — пышные волосы; wealth — богатство). Negore watched the supple body (Негор наблюдал за гибким телом), bending at the hips as a lynx's body might bend (изгибающимся у бедер, как изогнулось бы тело рыси), pliant as a young willow stalk (гибким, как ствол молодой ивы), and, withal, strong as only youth is strong (и к тому же крепким, каким бывает лишь молодость). He looked, and was aware of a great yearning (он посмотрел и ощутил сильное желание; to be aware — знать, сознавать; to yearn — томиться, тосковать по /кому-либо, чему-либо/; очень сильно хотеть), akin in sensation to physical hunger (сродни по ощущению физическому голоду). At last he spoke, saying (наконец он заговорил, /сказав/):

"Is there no greeting for Negore (/разве/ нет приветствия для Негора), who has been long gone and has but now come back (которого долго не было, и он вернулся только сейчас)?"

wealth [welT], stalk [stLk], yearn [jWn]

Negore's face was expressionless. For many minutes he stood and waited. The old man's head had sunk back upon his chest. The young woman pressed and prodded the wasted muscles, resting her body on her knees, her bowed head hidden as in a cloud by her black wealth of hair. Negore watched the supple body, bending at the hips as a lynx's body might bend, pliant as a young willow stalk, and, withal, strong as only youth is strong. He looked, and was aware of a great yearning, akin in sensation to physical hunger. At last he spoke, saying:

"Is there no greeting for Negore, who has been long gone and has but now come back?"

She looked up at him with cold eyes (она подняла на него холодный взгляд). The old man chuckled to himself after the manner of the old (старик хихикнул про себя по-стариковски).

"Thou art my woman, Oona (ты моя женщина, Уна)," Negore said, his tones dominant and conveying a hint of menace (/при этом/ его тон возвышался и выражал оттенок угрозы = при этом он возвысил тон, который нес оттенок угрозы; dominant — господствующий; возвышающийся; hint — намек).

She arose with catlike ease and suddenness to her full height (она поднялась с кошачьей легкостью и внезапностью в полный рост), her eyes flashing, her nostrils quivering like a deer's (ее глаза сверкали, а ноздри подрагивали, как у оленя).

"I was thy woman to be, Negore (я должна была стать твоей женщиной, Негор), but thou art a coward (но ты трус); the daughter of Old Kinoos mates not with a coward (дочь Старого Кинуса не выйдет замуж за труса; to mate — сочетаться браком)!"