Чтение онлайн

He did not complain (он не жаловался). It was the way of life, and it was just (это было путем/манерой жизни, и это было справедливо). He had been born close to the earth (он родился близко к земле = на земле), close to the earth had he lived (на земле он жил), and the law thereof was not new to him (и этот закон ее не был новым для него). It was the law of all flesh (это был закон всего живого; all flesh — все живое: «вся плоть»). Nature was not kindly to the flesh (природа не была добра к плоти). She had no concern for that concrete thing called the individual (она не имела интереса/заботы о том конкретном существе, называемом индивидуумом). Her interest lay in the species, the race (ее интерес состоит: «лежит» в виде, расе). This was the deepest abstraction old Koskoosh's barbaric mind was capable of (это была глубочайшая абстракция, /на которую/ примитивный ум старого Коскуша был способен), but he grasped it firmly (но он усвоил это твердо). He saw it exemplified in all life (он видел это, показанное на примере всей жизни; to exemplify — иллюстрировать, показывать на примере). The rise of the sap (подъем живительной силы /в растениях/; sap — сок /растений/), the bursting greenness of the willow bud (готовая распуститься зелень ивовой почки; to burst — лопаться; разрываться), the fall of the yellow leaf (опадание желтого листа) — in this alone was told the whole history (в этом одном была рассказана целая история). But one task did Nature set the individual (но одну задачу природа поставила перед живым существом). Did he not perform it, he died (/если/ оно не выполнило ее, оно умирало). Did he perform it, it was all the same, he died (/если/ выполнило ее — было то же самое — оно умирало). Nature did not care (природа была безразлична); there were plenty who were obedient (было множество /тех/, кто был послушен), and it was only the obedience in this matter (и только покорность в этом деле/вопросе: «материи»), not the obedient (а не /сами/ покорные), which lived and lived always (которая жила и жила всегда = и только покорность была вечной, а сами покорные умирали). The tribe of Koskoosh was very old (племя Коскуша было очень старым). The old men he had known when a boy (старики, которых он знал, когда /был/ мальчиком), had known old men before them (знали стариков до себя). Therefore it was true that the tribe lived (следовательно, это была правда, что племя жило), that it stood for the obedience of all its members (что оно означало покорность/подчинение всех своих членов; to stand for — поддерживать, стоять за; символизировать, означать, обозначать, значить), way down into the forgotten past (сколько бы ни отступать: «/весь/ путь вниз» в забытое прошлое), whose very resting-places were unremembered (чьи сами могилы = даже могилы которых были забыты). They did not count; they were episodes (они не в счет, они были эпизодами; to count — считать; иметь значение). They had passed away like clouds from a summer sky (они ушли, подобно облакам с летнего неба). He also was an episode, and would pass away (он также был эпизодом и уйдет /тоже/).

concern [kqn'sWn], barbaric [bR'bxrIk], obedience [q'bJdIqns]

He did not complain. It was the way of life, and it was just. He had been born close to the earth, close to the earth had he lived, and the law thereof was not new to him. It was the law of all flesh. Nature was not kindly to the flesh. She had no concern for that concrete thing called the individual. Her interest lay in the species, the race. This was the deepest abstraction old Koskoosh's barbaric mind was capable of, but he grasped it firmly. He saw it exemplified in all life. The rise of the sap, the bursting greenness of the willow bud, the fall of the yellow leaf — in this alone was told the whole history. But one task did Nature set the individual. Did he not perform it, he died. Did he perform it, it was all the same, he died. Nature did not care; there were plenty who were obedient, and it was only the obedience in this matter, not the obedient, which lived and lived always. The tribe of Koskoosh was very old. The old men he had known when a boy, had known old men before them. Therefore it was true that the tribe lived, that it stood for the obedience of all its members, way down into the forgotten past, whose very resting-places were unremembered. They did not count; they were episodes. They had passed away like clouds from a summer sky. He also was an episode, and would pass away.

Nature did not care (природа безразлична: «не заботилась, не волновалась»). To life she set one task, gave one law (жизни она поставила одну задачу, дала один закон; to give — дарить, давать, вручать). To perpetuate was the task of life, its law was death (/навсегда/ сохраняться было задачей жизни, ее законом была смерть). A maiden was a good creature to look upon (девушка была хорошим созданием /для того, чтобы/ смотреть /на нее/), full-breasted and strong (полногрудой и сильной), with spring to her step and light in her eyes (с живостью/энергичностью в походке и светом в глазах). But her task was yet before her (но ее задача была еще впереди: «перед ней»). The light in her eyes brightened (свет в ее глазах разгорается), her step quickened (ее походка убыстряется), she was now bold with the young men (она была то смелая с юношами), now timid (то робкая), and she gave them of her own unrest (и она передавала им свое собственное волнение; rest — покой; unrest — беспокойство). And ever she grew fairer and yet fairer to look upon (и постоянно она становилась красивее и еще красивее, /чтобы/ смотреть на нее = на вид), till some hunter (пока какой-нибудь охотник), able no longer to withhold himself (не способный более сдерживаться), took her to his lodge to cook and toil for him and to become the mother of his children (брал ее в свой вигвам, /чтобы/ готовить и трудиться для него, и стать матерью его детей). And with the coming of her offspring her looks left her (и с приходом ее отпрыска/ребенка красота покидала ее; look — вид, внешность, облик). Her limbs dragged and shuffled (ее конечности волочились и шаркали), her eyes dimmed and bleared (ее глаза тускнели и затуманивались), and only the little children found joy against the withered cheek of the old squaw by the fire (и только маленькие дети находили радость у морщинистой щеки этой старой скво; squaw — скво, индианка). Her task was done (ее задача была выполнена). But a little while (но скоро; in a little while — скоро), on the first pinch of famine or the first long trail (при первой атаке голода или первом длинном переходе; to pinch — щипать; pinch — щипок; сжатие, сужение; крайняя нужда; стесненное положение), and she would be left (и она будет оставлена), even as he had been left (точно так, как он был оставлен = как оставили его), in the snow, with a little pile of wood (в снегу, с маленькой кучкой дров). Such was the law (таков был закон).

maiden [meIdn], perpetuate [pq'peCueIt], withered ['wIDqd], squaw [skwL]

Nature did not care. To life she set one task, gave one law. To perpetuate was the task of life, its law was death. A maiden was a good creature to look upon, full-breasted and strong, with spring to her step and light in her eyes. But her task was yet before her. The light in her eyes brightened, her step quickened, she was now bold with the young men, now timid, and she gave them of her own unrest. And ever she grew fairer and yet fairer to look upon, till some hunter, able no longer to withhold himself, took her to his lodge to cook and toil for him and to become the mother of his children. And with the coming of her offspring her looks left her. Her limbs dragged and shuffled, her eyes dimmed and bleared, and only the little children found joy against the withered cheek of the old squaw by the fire. Her task was done. But a little while, on the first pinch of famine or the first long trail, and she would be left, even as he had been left, in the snow, with a little pile of wood. Such was the law.

He placed a stick carefully upon the fire (он положил палку осторожно в огонь) and resumed his meditations (и продолжил свои размышления). It was the same everywhere, with all things (так было повсюду, со всем). The mosquitoes vanished with the first frost (комары/москиты пропадали с первым морозом). The little tree-squirrel crawled away to die (маленькая древесная белка уползала прочь /чтобы/ умереть). When age settled upon the rabbit it became slow and heavy (когда возраст подходил к кролику, он становился медлительным и тяжелым), and could no longer outfoot its enemies (и не мог более унести ноги /от/ своих врагов). Even the big bald-face grew clumsy (даже большой /медведь/ с белым пятном на морде становится неповоротливым; bald — с белым пятном /о животных/) and blind (и слепым) and quarrelsome (и сварливым), in the end to be dragged down by a handful of yelping huskies (/чтобы/ в конце быть стащенным вниз = сбитым горсткой визжащих собак; husky — лайка). He remembered how he had abandoned his own father on an upper reach of the Klondike one winter (он вспомнил, как он покинул = бросил своего собственного отца в верховье Клондайка одной зимой; upper reach — участок верхнего течения реки), the winter before the missionary came with his talk-books and his box of medicines (той зимой, перед тем /как/ пришел миссионер со своими молитвенниками и своим ящиком лекарств). Many a time had Koskoosh smacked his lips over the recollection of that box (много раз Коскуш причмокивал губами при воспоминании о том ящике), though now his mouth refused to moisten (хотя сейчас его рот отказывался увлажняться = у него не было уже слюны). The «painkiller» had been especially good («болеутолитель» был особенно хорош). But the missionary was a bother after all (но миссионер был обузой/беспокойством для всех), for he brought no meat into the camp (потому что он не приносил мясо в лагерь), and he ate heartily (и он ел охотно/усердно), and the hunters grumbled (и охотники ворчали). But he chilled his lungs on the divide by the Mayo (но он застудил легкие на водоразделе около Мэйо), and the dogs afterwards nosed the stones away and fought over his bones (и собаки потом растолкали носом камни = разбросали камни и подрались из-за его костей).

squirrel ['skwIr(q)l], clumsy ['klAmzI], quarrelsome ['kwOr(q)lsqm]

He placed a stick carefully upon the fire and resumed his meditations. It was the same everywhere, with all things. The mosquitoes vanished with the first frost. The little tree-squirrel crawled away to die. When age settled upon the rabbit it became slow and heavy, and could no longer outfoot its enemies. Even the big bald-face grew clumsy and blind and quarrelsome, in the end to be dragged down by a handful of yelping huskies. He remembered how he had abandoned his own father on an upper reach of the Klondike one winter, the winter before the missionary came with his talk-books and his box of medicines. Many a time had Koskoosh smacked his lips over the recollection of that box, though now his mouth refused to moisten. The «painkiller» had been especially good. But the missionary was a bother after all, for he brought no meat into the camp, and he ate heartily, and the hunters grumbled. But he chilled his lungs on the divide by the Mayo, and the dogs afterwards nosed the stones away and fought over his bones.

Koskoosh placed another stick on the fire and harked back deeper into the past (Коскуш положил еще одну палку в огонь и возвратился глубже в прошлое; to hark back — возвращаться /в мыслях/; вспоминать). There was the time of the Great Famine (было время великого голода), when the old men crouched empty-bellied to the fire (когда старики съеживались/садились на корточки с пустыми животами к огню; belly — живот; empty — пустой), and let fall from their lips dim traditions of the ancient day (и роняли: «давали упасть» с губ туманные предания прошлых дней) when the Yukon ran wide open for three winters (когда Юкон бежал широко открытый = без льда три зимы), and then lay frozen for three summers (а потом стоял замерзший три лета). He had lost his mother in that famine (он потерял свою мать в тот голод; to lose — терять что-либо, утрачивать, лишаться). In the summer the salmon run had failed (тем летом косяк лосося не появился; run — косяк рыбы во время миграции; to fail — истощаться, не сделать, не исполнить), and the tribe looked forward to the winter and the coming of the caribou (и племя с нетерпением ожидало зимы и появления оленей; to look forward — ожидать с нетерпением; caribou — северный канадский олень). Then the winter came (затем пришла зима), but with it there were no caribou (но с ней не было оленей). Never had the like been known (никогда подобное не было известно), not even in the lives of the old men (даже в жизни стариков = на памяти стариков). But the caribou did not come, and it was the seventh year (но олени не появились, и это был седьмой год), and the rabbits had not replenished (и зайцы не пополнялись = не плодились), and the dogs were naught but bundles of bones (и собаки были всего лишь связками костей; naught — ничто). And through the long darkness the children wailed and died (и долгой полярной ночью: «темнотой» дети вопили и умирали), and the women, and the old men (и женщины, и старики); and not one in ten of the tribe lived to meet the sun (и даже один из десяти /человек/ племени не дожил до встречи с солнцем) when it came back in the spring (когда оно вернулось весной). That was a famine (вот это был голод)!

ancient ['eInS(q)nt], famine ['fxmIn], naught [nLt], through [TrH]

Koskoosh placed another stick on the fire and harked back deeper into the past. There was the time of the Great Famine, when the old men crouched empty-bellied to the fire, and let fall from their lips dim traditions of the ancient day when the Yukon ran wide open for three winters, and then lay frozen for three summers. He had lost his mother in that famine. In the summer the salmon run had failed, and the tribe looked forward to the winter and the coming of the caribou. Then the winter came, but with it there were no caribou. Never had the like been known, not even in the lives of the old men. But the caribou did not come, and it was the seventh year, and the rabbits had not replenished, and the dogs were naught but bundles of bones. And through the long darkness the children wailed and died, and the women, and the old men; and not one in ten of the tribe lived to meet the sun when it came back in the spring. That was a famine!

But he had seen times of plenty, too (но он видел времена изобилия тоже), when the meat spoiled on their hands (когда мясо портилось в их руках), and the dogs were fat and worthless with overeating (и собаки были жирными и бесполезными от переедания) — times when they let the game go unkilled (времена, когда они позволяли добыче уйти неубитой = живой; game — дичь, зверь, добытый на охоте; игра), and the women were fertile (и женщины были плодовиты), and the lodges were cluttered with sprawling men-children and women-children (и вигвамы были заполнены ползающими мальчиками и девочками; children — ребенок). Then it was the men became high-stomached (тогда мужчины становились заносчивыми; stomach — желудок, живот), and revived ancient quarrels (и возобновляли старые ссоры/склоки), and crossed the divides to the south to kill the Pellys (и пересекали водораздельные хребты на юг /чтобы/ убивать /людей из племени/ пелли), and to the west that they might sit by the dead fires of the Tananas (и на запад, чтобы они могли посидеть у мертвых = потухших костров /племени/ танана). He remembered, when a boy, during a time of plenty (он вспомнил, когда /он был/ мальчиком во время изобилия), when he saw a moose pulled down by the wolves (когда он увидел лося, сбитого волками). Zing-ha lay with him in the snow and watched (Зинг-ха лежал с ним в снегу и наблюдал) — Zing-ha, who later became the craftiest of hunters (Зинг-ха, который позднее стал самым хитрым/ловким из охотников), and who, in the end, fell through an air-hole on the Yukon (и кто, в конечном счете, погиб в полынье на Юконе; to fall — падать, погибать, попадать; air-hole — полынья на реке: «воздушная дыра»). They found him, a month afterward (они нашли его месяцем позже), just as he had crawled halfway out and frozen stiff to the ice (едва выползшим наполовину и примерзшим крепко ко льду; stiff — тугой, негибкий; окостеневший, одеревенелый).

worthless ['wWTlIs], quarrel ['kwOr(q)l], stomach ['stAmqk]

But he had seen times of plenty, too, when the meat spoiled on their hands, and the dogs were fat and worthless with overeating — times when they let the game go unkilled, and the women were fertile, and the lodges were cluttered with sprawling men-children and women-children. Then it was the men became high-stomached, and revived ancient quarrels, and crossed the divides to the south to kill the Pellys, and to the west that they might sit by the dead fires of the Tananas. He remembered, when a boy, during a time of plenty, when he saw a moose pulled down by the wolves. Zing-ha lay with him in the snow and watched — Zing-ha, who later became the craftiest of hunters, and who, in the end, fell through an air-hole on the Yukon. They found him, a month afterward, just as he had crawled halfway out and frozen stiff to the ice.

But the moose (так вот, лось; but — в начале предложения служит указанием на переход к новой теме). Zing-ha and he had gone out that day to play at hunting after the manner of their fathers (Зинг-ха и он /Коскуш/ вышли в тот день поиграть в охоту /таким/ способом /как/ их отцы = подражая своим отцам; to go out — выйти, выходить; manner — манера, поведение, образ действий.) On the bed of the creek they struck the fresh track of a moose (на дне ручья они обнаружили свежий след лося; to strike — бить; открыть, обнаружить, достичь желаемого /внезапно/), and with it the tracks of many wolves (и с ним — следы многих волков). "An old one," Zing-ha, who was quicker at reading the sign, said (старый /лось/, — Зинг-ха, кто был быстрее /чем Коскуш/ при чтении следов, сказал) — "an old one who cannot keep up with the herd (старый /лось/, который не может держаться со стадом). The wolves have cut him out from his brothers (волки отрезали его от собратьев), and they will never leave him (и они никогда = вовсе не отпустят его). " And it was so (так оно и было). It was their way (это был их способ /охотиться/). By day and by night (днем и ночью), never resting (без отдыха), snarling on his heels (рыча на его пятки), snapping at his nose (щелкая /зубами/ у его носа = морды), they would stay by him to the end (они будут не отставать от него: «оставаться при нем» до конца). How Zing-ha and he felt the blood-lust quicken (как Зинг-ха и он почувствовали /что/ кровь закипела: «кровь страстно ускорилась»)! The finish would be a sight to see (на этот конец стоит посмотреть: «конец будет зрелищем достойным, чтобы посмотреть»)!