It was at this juncture, when Walt had just decided (именно в этот критический момент, когда Уолт как раз решил) it was time for him to be saying something to relieve the strain (что пора ему что-то сказать, чтобы разрядить напряжение; to relieve — облегчать, ослаблять, уменьшать), that Wolf, who had been away nosing through the brush (Волк, который обнюхивал заросли), trotted wolf-like into view (показался, труся волчьей рысью; to trot — идти рысью /о лошади/; спешить, торопиться).
Skiff Miller's abstraction disappeared (рассеянность Скифа Миллера исчезла). The pretty woman before him passed out of his field of vision (хорошенькая женщина перед ним пропала из его поля зрения; to pass out — уйти). He had eyes only for the dog (его глаза смотрели лишь на собаку), and a great wonder came into his face (и на его лице появилось великое изумление).
"Well, I'll be damned (ну, будь я проклят)!" he enunciated slowly and solemnly (произнес он отчетливо, медленно и торжественно; to enunciate — ясно, отчетливо произносить).
It was at this juncture, when Walt had just decided it was time for him to be saying something to relieve the strain, that Wolf, who had been away nosing through the brush, trotted wolf-like into view.
Skiff Miller's abstraction disappeared. The pretty woman before him passed out of his field of vision. He had eyes only for the dog, and a great wonder came into his face.
"Well, I'll be damned!" he enunciated slowly and solemnly.
He sat down ponderingly on the log (он сел задумчиво на бревно; to ponder — обдумывать; размышлять), leaving Madge standing (оставив Мэдж стоять). At the sound of his voice (при звуке его голоса), Wolf's ears had flattened down (уши Волка опустились и разгладились), then his mouth had opened in a laugh (затем его пасть распахнулась в смехе). He trotted slowly up to the stranger and first smelled his hands (он не спеша рысью подбежал к незнакомцу и сначала обнюхал его руки), then licked them with his tongue (потом облизал их языком).
Skiff Miller patted the dog's head (Скиф Миллер одобрительно похлопал собаку по голове; to pat — похлопывать, шлепать; выразить кому-либо одобрение; поддержать кого-либо), and slowly and solemnly repeated (и неспешно торжественно повторил), "Well, I'll be damned (ну, будь я проклят)!"
"Excuse me, ma'am (извините, мэм)," he said the next moment (сказал он в следующую секунду). "I was just s'prised some, that was all (я просто немного удивился, вот и все)."
"We're surprised, too (мы тоже удивлены)," she answered lightly (ответила она беспечно). "We never saw Wolf make up to a stranger before (мы никогда прежде не видели, чтобы Волк приблизился к чужому; to make up — приближаться, подходить)."
He sat down ponderingly on the log, leaving Madge standing. At the sound of his voice, Wolf's ears had flattened down, then his mouth had opened in a laugh. He trotted slowly up to the stranger and first smelled his hands, then licked them with his tongue.
Skiff Miller patted the dog's head, and slowly and solemnly repeated, "Well, I'll be damned!"
"Excuse me, ma'am," he said the next moment "I was just s'prised some, that was all."
"We're surprised, too," she answered lightly. "We never saw Wolf make up to a stranger before."
"Is that what you call him — Wolf (вы так его зовете — Волк)?" the man asked (спросил мужчина).
Madge nodded (Мэдж кивнула). "But I can't understand his friendliness toward you (но я не могу понять его дружелюбия к вам) — unless it's because you're from the Klondike (если это не потому, что вы с Клондайка). He's a Klondike dog, you know (знаете, он клондайкский пес)."
"Yes'm (да, мэм)," Miller said absently (сказал рассеянно Миллер; absent — отсутствующий; рассеянный). He lifted one of Wolf's fore legs and examined the foot-pads (он поднял одну из передних лап Волка и осмотрел подушечки лап), pressing them and denting them with his thumb (прижимая и вдавливая их большим пальцем). "Kind of SOFT (вроде МЯГКИЕ; kind of — несколько, отчасти; как будто)," he remarked (заметил он). "He ain't been on trail for a long time (он давно не был в упряжке; trail — череда, вереница, караван)."
"I say (послушайте)," Walt broke in (вмешался Уолт), "it is remarkable the way he lets you handle him (поразительно то, как он позволяет вам обращаться с собой)."
"Is that what you call him — Wolf?" the man asked.
Madge nodded. "But I can't understand his friendliness toward you — unless it's because you're from the Klondike. He's a Klondike dog, you know."
"Yes'm," Miller said absently. He lifted one of Wolf's fore legs and examined the foot-pads, pressing them and denting them with his thumb. "Kind of SOFT," he remarked. "He ain't been on trail for a long time."
"I say," Walt broke in, "it is remarkable the way he lets you handle him."
Skiff Miller arose (Скиф Миллер поднялся; to arise), no longer awkward with admiration of Madge (больше не неловкий = больше не испытывая неловкости от восхищения Мэдж), and in a sharp, businesslike manner asked (и четко, по-деловому спросил), "How long have you had him (как долго он у вас)?"
But just then the dog (но как раз тогда пес), squirming and rubbing against the newcomer's legs (вертясь и трясь о ноги пришельца), opened his mouth and barked (раскрыл пасть и залаял). It was an explosive bark (это был несдержанный лай; explosive — взрывчатый; несдержанный), brief and joyous, but a bark (короткий и радостный, но лай).
"That's a new one on me (это для меня неожиданность; new one — нечто неожиданное)," Skiff Miller remarked (заметил Скиф Миллер).
Walt and Madge stared at each other (Уолт и Мэдж уставились друг на друга). The miracle had happened (свершилось чудо). Wolf had barked (Волк залаял).
"It's the first time he ever barked (он залаял впервые)," Madge said.
Skiff Miller arose, no longer awkward with admiration of Madge, and in a sharp, businesslike manner asked, "How long have you had him?"
But just then the dog, squirming and rubbing against the newcomer's legs, opened his mouth and barked. It was an explosive bark, brief and joyous, but a bark.
"That's a new one on me," Skiff Miller remarked.
Walt and Madge stared at each other. The miracle had happened. Wolf had barked.
"It's the first time he ever barked," Madge said.
"First time I ever heard him, too (я тоже услышал впервые его = как он лает)," Miller volunteered (с готовностью отозвался Миллер; to volunteer — предлагать /свою помощь, услуги/; вызваться добровольно; добровольно взять на себя что-либо).
Madge smiled at him (Мэдж улыбнулась ему). The man was evidently a humorist (мужчина был явно шутник).
"Of course (конечно)," she said, "since you have only seen him for five minutes (с того момента как вы видите его /уже/ пять минут)."
Skiff Miller looked at her sharply (Скиф Миллер пристально посмотрел на нее), seeking in her face the guile her words had led him to suspect (выискивая в ее лице коварство, подозрение в котором вызвали у него ее слова).
"I thought you understood (я думал, вы догадались)," he said slowly (сказал он медленно). "I thought you'd tumbled to it from his makin' up to me (я думал, вы поняли это по тому, как он ластился ко мне; to tumble to — понимать что-либо, открывать, выяснять; to tumble — падать; рушиться; to make up to — заискивать, подлизываться). He's my dog (он мой пес). His name ain't Wolf (его зовут не Волк). It's Brown (это Бурый)."
