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slightest ['slaItIst], forlorn [fq'lLn], daughter ['dLtq]

Old Koskoosh listened greedily. Though his sight had long since faded, his hearing was still acute, and the slightest sound penetrated to the glimmering intelligence which yet abode behind the withered forehead, but which no longer gazed forth upon the things of the world. Ah! That was Sit-cum-to-ha, shrilly anathematizing the dogs as she cuffed and beat them into the harnesses. Sit-cum-to-ha was his daughter's daughter, but she was too busy to waste a thought upon her broken grandfather, sitting alone there in the snow, forlorn and helpless. Camp must be broken. The long trail waited while the short day refused to linger. Life called her, and the duties of life, not death. And he was very close to death now.

The thought made the old man panicky for the moment (эта мысль ужаснула старика: «сделала старика паническим» на мгновение), and he stretched forth a palsied hand (и он вытянул вперед дрожащую руку) which wandered tremblingly over the small heap of dry wood beside him (которая прошлась, дрожа, по маленькой кучке сухого дерева возле него). Reassured that it was indeed there (убедившись, что оно /дерево, хворост/ было действительно здесь), his hand returned to the shelter of his mangy furs (его рука вернулась под защиту/покров его поношенных мехов), and he again fell to listening (и он снова начал прислушиваться/слушать; to fall to something — приниматься за что-либо, начинать делать что-либо).

reassure [rJq'Suq], thought [TLt], fur [fW]

The thought made the old man panicky for the moment, and he stretched forth a palsied hand which wandered tremblingly over the small heap of dry wood beside him. Reassured that it was indeed there, his hand returned to the shelter of his mangy furs, and he again fell to listening.

The sulky crackling of half-frozen hides told him (мрачный треск полузамерзших шкур сказал ему) that the chief's moose-skin lodge had been struck (что вигвам вождя /из/ шкур лосей был убран; moose — американский лось), and even then was being rammed and jammed into portable compass (и как раз утрамбовывался и сжимался в переносной тюк). The chief was his son (вождь был его сыном), stalwart and strong (рослым и сильным), headman of the tribesmen (главой племени; tribe — племя; tribesmen — люди племени), and a mighty hunter (и могучим охотником). As the women toiled with the camp luggage (пока женщины усиленно трудились с лагерными пожитками), his voice rose, chiding them for their slowness (его голос усиливался: «поднимался», ругая их за медлительность). Old Koskoosh strained his ears (старый Коскуш напряг слух; ear — ухо). It was the last time he would hear that voice (это был последний раз, /когда/ он мог слышать этот голос). There went Geehow's lodge (затем последовал вигвам Ги-хау)! And Tusken's! Seven, eight, nine (семь, восемь, девять); only the shaman's could be still standing (только /вигвам/ шамана до сих пор стоял). There (ну вот: «там»)! They were at work upon it now (они /люди/ были за работой над ним сейчас). He could hear the shaman grunt as he piled it on the sled (он /Коскуш/ мог слышать ворчанье шамана, пока/в то время как он /шаман/ складывал его /вигвам/ на сани). A child whimpered (/какой-то/ ребенок захныкал), and a woman soothed it with soft, crooning gutturals (и /какая-то/ женщина утешила его мягкими, тихими гортанными напевами). Little Koo-tee, the old man thought (маленький Ку-ти, — подумал старик), a fretful child (капризный ребенок), and not over strong (и не сильный = слабый). It would die soon, perhaps (он скоро умрет, возможно), and they would burn a hole through the frozen tundra (и они выжгут яму в замерзшей тундре) and pile rocks above to keep the wolverines away (и навалят камней сверху, /чтобы/ сохранить от росомах; to keep away — держать в отдалении; не подпускать близко). Well, what did it matter (в самом деле, не все ли равно; to matter — иметь значение)? A few years at best (несколько лет в лучшем случае /он проживет/), and as many an empty belly as a full one (и /будет ходить/ чаще с пустым желудком, чем с полным; «столько же /лет/ пустой живот, как и полный»). And in the end (а в конце), Death waited, ever-hungry and hungriest of them all (смерть ожидала, вечно голодная и самая голодная из них всех).

luggage ['lAgIG], guttural ['gAt(q)r(q)l], wolverine ['wulvqrJn]

The sulky crackling of half-frozen hides told him that the chief's moose-skin lodge had been struck, and even then was being rammed and jammed into portable compass. The chief was his son, stalwart and strong, headman of the tribesmen, and a mighty hunter. As the women toiled with the camp luggage, his voice rose, chiding them for their slowness. Old Koskoosh strained his ears. It was the last time he would hear that voice. There went Geehow's lodge! And Tusken's! Seven, eight, nine; only the shaman's could be still standing. There! They were at work upon it now. He could hear the shaman grunt as he piled it on the sled. A child whimpered, and a woman soothed it with soft, crooning gutturals. Little Koo-tee, the old man thought, a fretful child, and not over strong. It would die soon, perhaps, and they would burn a hole through the frozen tundra and pile rocks above to keep the wolverines away. Well, what did it matter? A few years at best, and as many an empty belly as a full one. And in the end, Death waited, ever-hungry and hungriest of them all.

What was that (что это было)? Oh, the men lashing the sleds and drawing tight the thongs (а, это мужчины, увязывающие сани/нарты и затягивающие крепко ремни; to lash — крепко связывать, привязывать). He listened, who would listen no more (он слушал, /тот/, кто скоро не будет слушать ничего). The whip-lashes snarled and bit among the dogs (удары бича свистели и били по собакам: «кусали среди собак»; lash — удар хлыстом, бичом; to snarl — рычать, визжать; to bite — кусать). Hear them whine (слышишь, как завыли)! How they hated the work and the trail (как они ненавидят работу и тропу)! They were off (они ушли)! Sled after sled churned slowly away into the silence (нарты за нартами тряслись медленно прочь в тишину). They were gone (они ушли). They had passed out of his life (они исчезли из его жизни), and he faced the last bitter hour alone (и он встречал последний горький час один: «оказался лицом к лицу с последним горьким часом»). No. The snow crunched beneath a moccasin (снег захрустел под мокасином); a man stood beside him (/какой-то/ человек стоял рядом с ним); upon his head a hand rested gently (на его голову рука легла мягко). His son was good to do this thing (его сын был добр, что сделал эту вещь). He remembered other old men (он помнил других стариков) whose sons had not waited after the tribe (чьи сыновья не ждали после племени). But his son had (а его сын /подождал/). He wandered away into the past (он унесся прочь в прошлое), till the young man's voice brought him back (пока голос молодого человека /не/ вернул его обратно).

churn [CWn], moccasin ['mOkqsIn], silence ['saIlqns]

What was that? Oh, the men lashing the sleds and drawing tight the thongs. He listened, who would listen no more. The whip-lashes snarled and bit among the dogs. Hear them whine! How they hated the work and the trail! They were off! Sled after sled churned slowly away into the silence. They were gone. They had passed out of his life, and he faced the last bitter hour alone. No. The snow crunched beneath a moccasin; a man stood beside him; upon his head a hand rested gently. His son was good to do this thing. He remembered other old men whose sons had not waited after the tribe. But his son had. He wandered away into the past, till the young man's voice brought him back.

"Is it well with you?" he asked (с тобой все хорошо? — спросил он).

And the old man answered, "It is well (и старик ответил: — хорошо)."

"There be wood beside you," the younger man continued (дерево/хворост рядом с тобой, — молодой человек продолжил), "and the fire burns bright (и костер горит ярко). The morning is gray (утро пасмурное: «серое»), and the cold has broken (и холод спадает: «сломлен»; to break — ломать, разбивать; прекращать). It will snow presently (снег пойдет сейчас). Even now is it snowing (уже сейчас идет снег)."

"Ay (да), even now is it snowing."

"The tribesmen hurry (люди племени спешат). Their bales are heavy (их тюки тяжелые), and their bellies flat with lack of feasting (а их животы плоские из-за отсутствия пищи). The trail is long (путь длинный) and they travel fast (и они двигаются быстро). Go now (/я/ ухожу сейчас). It is well?"

fire ['faIq], burn [bWn], hurry ['hArI]

"Is it well with you?" he asked.

And the old man answered, "It is well."

"There be wood beside you," the younger man continued, "and the fire burns bright. The morning is gray, and the cold has broken. It will snow presently. Even now is it snowing."

"Ay, even now is it snowing."

"The tribesmen hurry. Their bales are heavy, and their bellies flat with lack of feasting. The trail is long and they travel fast. Go now. It is well?"

"It is well. I am as a last year's leaf (я как последний лист в году), clinging lightly to the stem (цепляющийся едва за стебель; lightly — легко, слегка). The first breath that blows (первое дуновение /ветра/, которое подует), and I fall (и я упаду). My voice is become like an old woman's (мой голос стал, как у старой женщины/старухи). My eyes no longer show me the way of my feet (мои глаза больше не показывают мне дорогу моих ног = не вижу, куда идут мои ноги), and my feet are heavy, and I am tired (а мои ноги тяжелы, и я устал). It is well."

heavy ['hevI], leaf [lJf], first [fWst]

"It is well. I am as a last year's leaf, clinging lightly to the stem. The first breath that blows, and I fall. My voice is become like an old woman's. My eyes no longer show me the way of my feet, and my feet are heavy, and I am tired. It is well."

He bowed his head in content (он наклонил голову в знак согласия; content — удовлетворенность) till the last noise of the complaining snow had died away (пока последний шум жалующегося снега не умер вдали), and he knew his son was beyond recall (и он понял: «знал», что сын был за пределами зова). Then his hand crept out in haste to the wood (тогда его рука протянулась поспешно за дровами; to creep — ползти, медленно двигаться). It alone stood between him and the eternity that yawned in upon him (он /хворост/ один стоял между ним и вечностью, которая разверзлась перед ним; to yawn — зевать; зиять; разверзаться). At last the measure of his life was a handful of fagots (и вот, наконец, мерой его жизни была охапка хвороста). One by one they would go to feed the fire (один за другим они /дрова/ пойдут, чтобы питать огонь), and just so (и так же), step by step (шаг за шагом), death would creep upon him (смерть будет подползать к нему). When the last stick had surrendered up its heat (когда последняя палка отдаст свое тепло), the frost would begin to gather strength (мороз начнет набирать силу). First his feet would yield, then his hands (сначала сдадутся его ноги, потом руки); and the numbness would travel, slowly, from the extremities to the body (и оцепенение/окоченение пойдет, медленно, от конечностей к телу). His head would fall forward upon his knees (его голова упадет вперед на колени), and he would rest (и он успокоится). It was easy (это было легко). All men must die (все люди должны умереть).

beyond [bI'jOnd], surrender [sq'rendq], numbness ['nAmnIs]

He bowed his head in content till the last noise of the complaining snow had died away, and he knew his son was beyond recall. Then his hand crept out in haste to the wood. It alone stood between him and the eternity that yawned in upon him. At last the measure of his life was a handful of fagots. One by one they would go to feed the fire, and just so, step by step, death would creep upon him. When the last stick had surrendered up its heat, the frost would begin to gather strength. First his feet would yield, then his hands; and the numbness would travel, slowly, from the extremities to the body. His head would fall forward upon his knees, and he would rest. It was easy. All men must die.