Meanwhile Lit-lit, divining the Factor's errand, had crept in under the rear wall of the lodge, and through the front flap was peeping out at the two logomachists by the mosquito smudge. She was flushed and happy-eyed, proud that no less a man than the Factor (who stood next to God in the Northland hierarchy) had singled her out, femininely curious to see at close range what manner of man he was. Sunglare on the ice, camp smoke, and weather beat had burned his face to a copper-brown, so that her father was as fair as he, while she was fairer. She was remotely glad of this, and more immediately glad that he was large and strong, though his great black beard half frightened her, it was so strange.

Being very young, she was unversed in the ways of men (будучи /еще/ очень юной, она не разбиралась в повадках мужчин; unversed — неопытный, несведущий; way — путь; манера, привычка, образ действия, особенность). Seventeen times she had seen the sun travel south and lose itself beyond the sky-line (семнадцать раз она наблюдала, как солнце движется к югу и теряется за горизонтом; to see — видеть; смотреть, наблюдать; to travel — путешествовать; перемещаться), and seventeen times she had seen it travel back again (и семнадцать раз она видела, как оно возвращается снова) and ride the sky day and night till there was no night at all (и движется по небу день и ночь до тех пор, пока ночи вообще не будет; to ride — ехать; плавно перемещаться). And through these years she had been cherished jealously by Snettishane (и все эти годы ее окружала ревностная забота /со стороны/ Снитишейна; to cherish — ухаживать; лелеять; jealous — ревнивый; бдительный), who stood between her and all suitors (который стоял между ней и всеми ее поклонниками; to stand — стоять; находиться; suitor — почитатель; проситель), listening disdainfully to the young hunters as they bid for her hand (высокомерно выслушивая молодых охотников, когда они пытались добиться ее руки = которые претендовали на ее руку; disdain — презрение; пренебрежение; to bid for — пытаться добиться, достичь), and turning them away as though she were beyond price (и давая им от ворот поворот, как будто ей цены не было: «как будто она была за пределами цены»; to turn away — прогонять, не пускать). Snettishane was mercenary (Снитишейн был корыстен; mercenary — наемный; корыстный). Lit-lit was to him an investment (Лит-Лит была для него /удачным/ вложением). She represented so much capital, from which he expected to receive (она являла собой: «означала» такое состояние, от которого он ожидал получить; capital — капитал; состояние), not a certain definite interest, but an incalculable interest (не какую-то определенную выгоду, а неисчислимые дивиденды; interest — интерес; выгода; проценты /на капитал/).

Being very young, she was unversed in the ways of men. Seventeen times she had seen the sun travel south and lose itself beyond the sky-line, and seventeen times she had seen it travel back again and ride the sky day and night till there was no night at all. And through these years she had been cherished jealously by Snettishane, who stood between her and all suitors, listening disdainfully to the young hunters as they bid for her hand, and turning them away as though she were beyond price. Snettishane was mercenary. Lit-lit was to him an investment. She represented so much capital, from which he expected to receive, not a certain definite interest, but an incalculable interest.

And having thus been reared in a manner (и, таким образом, будучи воспитана в духе; to rear — поднимать; растить /детей/) as near to that of the nunnery as tribal conditions would permit (настолько близком к монастырскому, насколько позволяли условия жизни племени; nunnery — женский монастырь; nun — монахиня), it was with a great and maidenly anxiety that (по-девичьи, с большой опаской; maiden — девушка; anxiety — беспокойство; боязнь) she peeped out at the man who had surely come for her (она смотрела на человека, который, несомненно, приехал за ней; to peep out — выглядывать), at the husband who was to teach her all that was yet unlearned of life (на мужа, который должен будет научить ее всему, что она еще не знает о жизни: «что было еще непознано»; to learn — узнавать), at the masterful being whose word was to be her law (на существо, наделенное властью = на хозяина, чье слово должно стать для нее законом), an who was to mete and bound her actions and comportment for the rest of her days (и кто будет определять и управлять ее поступками и поведением до конца ее дней; to mete — отмерять; назначать; to comport — вести себя).

And having thus been reared in a manner as near to that of the nunnery as tribal conditions would permit, it was with a great and maidenly anxiety that she peeped out at the man who had surely come for her, at the husband who was to teach her all that was yet unlearned of life, at the masterful being whose word was to be her law, and who was to mete and bound her actions and comportment for the rest of her days.

But, peeping through the front flap of the lodge (но наблюдая сквозь входную завесу), flushed and thrilling at the strange destiny reaching out for her (раскрасневшаяся и трепещущая от неизвестности, какая же участь ожидает ее: «от неизвестной судьбы, потянувшейся за ней»; strange — чужой, неизвестный), she grew disappointed (она все более разочаровывалась: «становилась разочарованной»; to grow) as the day wore along (по мере того как тянулся день; to wear — носить; проходить /о времени/), and the Factor and her father still talked pompously (а управляющий и ее отец все говорили пышными фразами; pompous — напыщенный; высокопарный) of matters concerning other things and not pertaining to marriage things at all (о вопросах, касающихся других, совершенно не имеющих отношения к свадьбе, вещах; matter — вещество; тема, вопрос). As the sun sank lower and lower toward the north (по мере того как солнце клонилось все ниже и ниже к северу; to sink — опускаться; убывать) and midnight approached (и приближалась полночь), the Factor began making unmistakable preparations for departure (управляющий стал производить недвусмысленные приготовления к отъезду; unmistakable — несомненный, очевидный). As he turned to stride away Lit-lit's heart sank (когда он повернулся, чтобы зашагать прочь, сердце Лит-Лит замерло: «опустилось»); but it rose again as he halted (но оно забилось: «поднялось» вновь, когда он остановился; to rise), half turning on one heel (круто развернувшись; turn on one's heel — круто повернуться).

But, peeping through the front flap of the lodge, flushed and thrilling at the strange destiny reaching out for her, she grew disappointed as the day wore along, and the Factor and her father still talked pompously of matters concerning other things and not pertaining to marriage things at all. As the sun sank lower and lower toward the north and midnight approached, the Factor began making unmistakable preparations for departure. As he turned to stride away Lit-lit's heart sank; but it rose again as he halted, half turning on one heel.

"Oh, by the way, Snettishane," he said (да, кстати, Снитишейн, сказал он; by the way — кстати), "I want a squaw to wash for me and mend my clothes (я хочу = мне нужна женщина, чтобы она для меня стирала и чинила одежду; to wash — мыть; стирать)."

Snettishane grunted and suggested Wanidani (Снитишейн промычал /нечто нечленораздельное/ и предложил Ванидани; to grunt — хрюкать; ворчать), who was an old woman and toothless (которая была старой и беззубой).