Джек Лондон - Английский язык с Джеком Лондоном. В далекой стране (рассказы)

gauge [geIG], hour ['auq], honor ['Onq]

For long he pondered on the days of his youth, till the fire died down and the frost bit deeper. He replenished it with two sticks this time, and gauged his grip on life by what remained. If Sit-cum-to-ha had only remembered her grandfather, and gathered a larger armful, his hours would have been longer. It would have been easy. But she was ever a careless child, and honored not her ancestors from the time the Beaver, son of the son of Zing-ha, first cast eyes upon her. Well, what mattered it? Had he not done likewise in his own quick youth? For a while he listened to the silence. Perhaps the heart of his son might soften, and he would come back with the dogs to take his old father on with the tribe to where the caribou ran thick and the fat hung heavy upon them.

He strained his ears (он напряг свои уши = свой слух), his restless brain for the moment stilled (его тревожный мозг на мгновение успокоился). Not a stir, nothing (ни звука, ничего; stir — шевеление, движение ). He alone took breath in the midst of the great silence (он один переводил дух посереди полной тишины). It was very lonely (было очень одиноко). Hark (чу)! What was that (что это было)? A chill passed over his body (дрожь прошла по его телу). The familiar, long-drawn howl broke the void (знакомый, протяжный вой разбил пустоту), and it was close at hand (и он был недалеко: «плотно/близко под рукой»). Then on his darkened eyes was projected the vision of the moose (затем перед его затуманенными глазами вырисовалось видение лося) — the old bull moose — the torn flanks and bloody sides (старого самца — истерзанные и окровавленные бока; flank — бочок /мясистая часть между ребрами и бедром/; side — сторона, бок ), the riddled mane (взъерошенная грива), and the great branching horns (и большие ветвистые рога), down low and tossing to the last (пригибая /их/ книзу и кидаясь до последнего; to toss — бросать, кидать, метать; трясти ). He saw the flashing forms of gray (он видел мелькающие очертания серых /тел/), the gleaming eyes (светящиеся глаза), the lolling tongues (высунутые языки; to loll — высовывать язык ), the slavered fangs (слюну, стекающую с клыков; to slaver — пускать слюну ). And he saw the inexorable circle close in till it became a dark point in the midst of the stamped snow (и он видел, как неумолимый круг смыкался, пока не стал темной точкой посреди истоптанного снега).

stir [stW], inexorable [In'eks(q)rqbl], tongue [tAN]

He strained his ears, his restless brain for the moment stilled. Not a stir, nothing. He alone took breath in the midst of the great silence. It was very lonely. Hark! What was that? A chill passed over his body. The familiar, long-drawn howl broke the void, and it was close at hand. Then on his darkened eyes was projected the vision of the moose — the old bull moose — the torn flanks and bloody sides, the riddled mane, and the great branching horns, down low and tossing to the last. He saw the flashing forms of gray, the gleaming eyes, the lolling tongues, the slavered fangs. And he saw the inexorable circle close in till it became a dark point in the midst of the stamped snow.

A cold muzzle thrust against his cheek (холодная морда ткнулась ему в щеку), and at its touch his soul leaped back to the present (и при этом прикосновении его душа перенеслась/перепрыгнула обратно в настоящее). His hand shot into the fire and dragged out a burning faggot (его рука устремилась/дернулась к огню и вытащила головешку = горящую охапку; to shoot — стрелять; бросаться, мчаться; делать резкое движение ). Overcome for the nonce by his hereditary fear of man (побежденное в этот момент своим наследственным страхом перед человеком; nonce — данный случай, данное время ), the brute retreated, raising a prolonged call to his brothers (животное отступило, издавая продолжительный зов своим собратьям); and greedily they answered (и жадно они ответили), till a ring of crouching, jaw-slobbered gray was stretched round about (пока кольцо припадающих к земле, брызжущих слюной с челюстей серых /волков/ не вытянулось вокруг; slobber — слюни ). The old man listened to the drawing in of this circle (старик прислушался к подтягиванию этого круга). He waved his brand wildly (он взмахнул своей головней дико = отчаянно), and sniffs turned to snarls (и фырканья перешли в рычание); but the panting brutes refused to scatter (но тяжело дышащие звери отказывались разбегаться). Now one wormed his chest forward, dragging his haunches after (вот один подал грудь вперед, волоча/подтягивая заднюю часть за собой; haunch — ляжка, бедро /человека/; задняя часть /животного/ ), now a second, now a third (вот второй, вот третий); but never a one drew back (но ни один не пошел назад). Why should he cling to life (почему он должен цепляться за жизнь)? — he asked, and dropped the blazing stick into the snow (он спросил /себя/ и уронил пылающую палку в снег). It sizzled and went out (она зашипела и потухла). The circle grunted uneasily, but held its own (круг заворчал беспокойно, но не отступил: «сохранил свое собственное = свои позиции»). Again he saw the last stand of the old bull moose (опять он увидел последнюю остановку старого самца лося), and Koskoosh dropped his head wearily upon his knees (и Коскуш уронил свою голову устало на колени). What did it matter after all (не все ли равно, в конце концов)? Was it not the law of life (разве это не был закон жизни)?

hereditary [hI'redIt(q)rI], haunch [hLnC], knee [nJ]

A cold muzzle thrust against his cheek, and at its touch his soul leaped back to the present. His hand shot into the fire and dragged out a burning faggot. Overcome for the nonce by his hereditary fear of man, the brute retreated, raising a prolonged call to his brothers; and greedily they answered, till a ring of crouching, jaw-slobbered gray was stretched round about. The old man listened to the drawing in of this circle. He waved his brand wildly, and sniffs turned to snarls; but the panting brutes refused to scatter. Now one wormed his chest forward, dragging his haunches after, now a second, now a third; but never a one drew back. Why should he cling to life? he asked, and dropped the blazing stick into the snow. It sizzled and went out. The circle grunted uneasily, but held its own. Again he saw the last stand of the old bull moose, and Koskoosh dropped his head wearily upon his knees. What did it matter after all? Was it not the law of life?