Чтение онлайн

"This old man, he is damn crazy (этот старик, он совсем свихнулся; damn — усилительная частица)," he said in English to the square-browed man (сказал он по-английски человеку с массивным лбом). "His talk is foolish and like that of a child (его слова безрассудны и похожи на детский лепет)."

"We will hear his talk which is like that of a child (мы хотим услышать его слова, которые похожи на детский лепет)," said the square-browed man (сказал лобастый человек). "And we will hear it (и мы услышим их), word for word (слово в слово), as he speaks it (когда он скажет их). Do you understand (тебе понятно)?"

damn [dxm], child [CaIld], word [wWd]

Imber rose feebly to his feet and swayed back and forth. He began to speak in a low and faintly rumbling voice, but Howkan interrupted him.

"This old man, he is damn crazy," he said in English to the square-browed man. "His talk is foolish and like that of a child."

"We will hear his talk which is like that of a child," said the square-browed man. "And we will hear it, word for word, as he speaks it. Do you understand?"

Howkan understood (Хаукан понял), and Imber's eyes flashed (а глаза Имбера сверкнули), for he had witnessed the play between his sister's son and the man in authority (ибо он понял сцену между сыном его сестры и человеком власти; to witness — видеть, быть свидетелем; play — представление; игра, ход игры; спектакль, пьеса). And then began the story (а потом начался рассказ), the epic of a bronze patriot which might well itself be wrought into bronze for the generations unborn (эпопея бронзового патриота, которую саму по себе можно было бы вполне отлить в бронзе для грядущих поколений; to work — выделывать, вытесывать, выковывать, придавать определенную форму /камню, металлу или другому твердому веществу/; unborn — /еще/ не рожденный; будущий, грядущий). The crowd fell strangely silent (толпа необычно затихла), and the square-browed judge leaned head on hand (а судья с массивным лбом подпер рукой подбородок: «оперся головой на руку») and pondered his soul and the soul of his race (и задумался о его душе и душе его расы). Only was heard the deep tones of Imber (была слышен лишь низкий звук /голоса/ Имбера), rhythmically alternating with the shrill voice of the interpreter (равномерно перемежающийся визгливым голосом переводчика), and now and again (и время от времени), like the bell of the Lord (словно колоколом Господним), the wondering and meditative «Hell» of the red-haired man (удивленным и задумчивым «черт» рыжеволосого мужчины).

wrought [rLt], judge [GAG], interpreter [In'tWprItq]

Howkan understood, and Imber's eyes flashed, for he had witnessed the play between his sister's son and the man in authority. And then began the story, the epic of a bronze patriot which might well itself be wrought into bronze for the generations unborn. The crowd fell strangely silent, and the square-browed judge leaned head on hand and pondered his soul and the soul of his race. Only was heard the deep tones of Imber, rhythmically alternating with the shrill voice of the interpreter, and now and again, like the bell of the Lord, the wondering and meditative «Hell» of the red-haired man.

"I am Imber of the Whitefish people (я Имбер из народа Белой Рыбы)." So ran the interpretation of Howkan (так зазвучал перевод Хаукана; to run — гласить /о документе, тексте и т. п./; быть выраженным /определенным способом/), whose inherent barbarism gripped hold of him (врожденное дикарство которого охватило его; to grip hold of — схватиться, ухватиться), and who lost his mission culture and veneered civilization (и который потерял свою миссионерскую культуру и внешний налет цивилизации) as he caught the savage ring and rhythm of old Imber's tale (когда он уловил дикое звучание и ритм рассказа старого Имбера; to catch — ловить, улавливать /слова, смысл и т. п./). "My father was Otsbaok, a strong man (моим отцом был Отсбаок, сильный человек). The land was warm with sunshine and gladness when I was a boy (земля была теплой от солнечного света и счастья, когда я был мальчиком). The people did not hunger after strange things (люди не жаждали необычных вещей), nor hearken to new voices (и не прислушивались к новым мнениям; voice — голос; мнение), and the ways of their fathers were their ways (и обычаи их отцов были их обычаями). The women found favor in the eyes of the young men (женщины находили интерес в глазах молодых мужчин), and the young men looked upon them with content (а молодые мужчины смотрели на них с удовольствием). Babes hung at the breasts of the women (младенцы висели на груди женщин), and they were heavy-hipped with increase of the tribe (и их бедра были тяжелы от прибавления племени). Men were men in those days (мужчины были мужчинами в те дни). In peace and plenty (в мире и изобилии), and in war and famine (и в войне и голоде), they were men (они были мужчинами).

inherent [In'hIqrqnt], rhythm [rIDm], increase (существительное) ['InkrJs]

"I am Imber of the Whitefish people." So ran the interpretation of Howkan, whose inherent barbarism gripped hold of him, and who lost his mission culture and veneered civilization as he caught the savage ring and rhythm of old Imber's tale. "My father was Otsbaok, a strong man. The land was warm with sunshine and gladness when I was a boy. The people did not hunger after strange things, nor hearken to new voices, and the ways of their fathers were their ways. The women found favor in the eyes of the young men, and the young men looked upon them with content. Babes hung at the breasts of the women, and they were heavy-hipped with increase of the tribe. Men were men in those days. In peace and plenty, and in war and famine, they were men.

"At that time there was more fish in the water than now (в то время в воде было больше рыбы, чем сейчас), and more meat in the forest (а в лесу больше мяса). Our dogs were wolves (наши собаки были волками), warm with thick hides and hard to the frost and storm (которым было тепло от толстых шкур = в толстых шкурах, и они были стойкими к морозу и буре). And as with our dogs so with us (и как с нашими собаками, так было и с нами), for we were likewise hard to the frost and storm (ибо мы тоже были стойкими к морозу и буре). And when the Pellys came into our land (и когда в нашу землю пришли пелли) we slew them and were slain (мы убивали их, а они убивали нас: «и /мы/ были убиваемы»). For we were men, we Whitefish (ибо мы были мужчины, мы — Белые Рыбы), and our fathers and our fathers' fathers had fought against the Pellys and determined the bounds of the land (и наши отцы, и отцы наших отцов сражались с пелли и установили границы /нашей/ страны; to fight — сражаться).

warm [wLm], fought [fLt], determine [dI'tWmIn]

"At that time there was more fish in the water than now, and more meat in the forest. Our dogs were wolves, warm with thick hides and hard to the frost and storm. And as with our dogs so with us, for we were likewise hard to the frost and storm. And when the Pellys came into our land we slew them and were slain. For we were men, we Whitefish, and our fathers and our fathers' fathers had fought against the Pellys and determined the bounds of the land.

"As I say (как я говорю), with our dogs, so with us (как наши собаки, так и мы). And one day came the first white man (и однажды пришел первый белый человек). He dragged himself (он притащился), so, on hand and knee, in the snow (вот так, на четвереньках, в снегу; on hand and knee — ползком; hand — рука /кисть/; knee — колено). And his skin was stretched tight (а его кожа была туго натянута), and his bones were sharp beneath (а под ней были острые кости = выпирали кости). Never was such a man (никогда не было такого человека), we thought (думали мы), and we wondered of what strange tribe he was, and of its land (и задавались вопросом, из какого чужого племени он родом и из какой земли; to wonder — интересоваться, желать знать). And he was weak, most weak (а он был слаб, очень слаб), like a little child (как маленький ребенок), so that we gave him a place by the fire (так что мы дали ему место у костра), and warm furs to lie upon (и теплые меха, чтобы лежать на них), and we gave him food (и мы давали ему еду = кормили его) as little children are given food (как кормят маленьких детей: «как маленьким детям дается еда»).

tight [taIt], beneath [bI'nJT], wonder ['wAndq]

"As I say, with our dogs, so with us. And one day came the first white man. He dragged himself, so, on hand and knee, in the snow. And his skin was stretched tight, and his bones were sharp beneath. Never was such a man, we thought, and we wondered of what strange tribe he was, and of its land. And he was weak, most weak, like a little child, so that we gave him a place by the fire, and warm furs to lie upon, and we gave him food as little children are given food.

"And with him was a dog (а с ним была собака), large as three of our dogs (большая, как три наших собаки), and very weak (и очень слабая). The hair of this dog was short, and not warm (шерсть этой собаки была короткая и не теплая = не грела), and the tail was frozen so that the end fell off (а хвост так замерз, что кончик отвалился; to fall off — отпадать, отваливаться). And this strange dog we fed (и эту необычную собаку мы кормили; to feed — кормить), and bedded by the fire (и выделили /ей/ место у огня; to bed — выделять кому-либо место для ночлега; стлать подстилку /для лошади или другого животного/), and fought from it our dogs (и защищали ее от наших собак; to fight — защищать, оказывать поддержку, отстаивать), which else would have killed him (которые бы иначе убили ее). And what of the moose meat and the sun-dried salmon (и благодаря лосиному мясу и вяленой лососине), the man and dog took strength to themselves (человек и пес набрались сил); and what of the strength they became big and unafraid (а благодаря силе они стали важными и смелыми). And the man spoke loud words and laughed at the old men and young men (и мужчина стал говорить развязные слова и смеяться над стариками и молодыми мужчинами; loud — громкий, шумный; развязный, вульгарный), and looked boldly upon the maidens (и посматривать дерзко на девиц). And the dog fought with our dogs (а пес дрался с нашими собаками), and for all of his short hair and softness slew three of them in one day (и, несмотря на свою короткую шерсть и изнеженность, убил троих из них за один день; soft — изнеженный).