retreat [rI`trI: t], desperate [`desp(q)rIt], laugh [lQ: f]

"I am coming back to you, John. I am coming back to-day… now."

As in a nightmare, he strove under the hand. While she talked, he seemed to hear, rippling softly, the song of the Lorelei. It was as though, somewhere, a piano were playing and the actual notes were impinging on his ear-drums.

Suddenly he sprang to his feet, thrust her from him as her arms attempted to clasp him, and retreated backward to the door. He was in a panic.

"I'll do something desperate!" he cried.

"I warned you not to get excited." She laughed mockingly, and went about washing the dishes. "Nobody wants you. I was just playing with you. I am happier where I am."

But Messner did not believe. He remembered her facility in changing front. She had changed front now. It was exploitation by indirection. She was not happy with the other man. She had discovered her mistake. The flame of his ego flared up at the thought. She wanted to come back to him, which was the one thing he did not want. Unwittingly, his hand rattled the door-latch.

"Don't run away (не убегай)," she laughed (засмеялась она). "I won't bite you (я не укушу тебя; won't = will not)."

"I am not running away (я не убегаю)," he replied with child-like defiance (ответил он с похожим на детский вызовом), at the same time pulling on his mittens (в то же самое время натягивая свои рукавицы). "I'm only going to get some water (я только собираюсь достать = набрать немного воды)."

He gathered the empty pails and cooking pots together (он собрал пустые ведра и кухонные котелки = кастрюли вместе) and opened the door (и открыл дверь). He looked back at her (он оглянулся на нее).

"Don't forget you're to tell Mr. — er — Haythorne (не забудь, /что/ ты должна сообщить мистеру Хейторну) who I am (кто я)."

Messner broke the skin (Месснер сломал корку /льда/) that had formed on the water-hole within the hour (которая сформировалась = затянулась на проруби в течение часа), and filled his pails (и наполнил свои ведра). But he did not return immediately to the cabin (но он не вернулся немедленно в хижину). Leaving the pails standing in the trail (оставив ведра стоящими на тропинке), he walked up and down, rapidly (он шагал туда-сюда, быстро), to keep from freezing (/чтобы/ не замерзнуть: «сохраниться от замерзания»), for the frost bit into the flesh like fire (ибо мороз въедался в плоть, как огонь). His beard was white with his frozen breath (его борода была белой от его замерзшего дыхания = от инея) when the perplexed and frowning brows relaxed (когда растерянные и нахмурившиеся брови расслабились) and decision came into his face (и решение пришло в его лицо = его лицо приняло решительное выражение). He had made up his mind to his course of action (он выбрал курс/линию действия; to make up one's mind — принять решение, решиться), and his frigid lips and cheeks crackled into a chuckle over it (и его холодные губы и щеки /потрескивая/ искривились в довольном смешке над этим; to crackle — потрескивать, трещать, хрустеть). The pails were already skinned over with young ice (ведра были уже затянуты/покрыты молодым льдом) when he picked them up (когда он поднял их) and made for the cabin (и направился к хижине).

brow [brQu], frown [frQun], course [kO: s], chuckle [tSAkl]

"Don't run away," she laughed. "I won't bite you."

"I am not running away," he replied with child-like defiance, at the same time pulling on his mittens. "I'm only going to get some water."

He gathered the empty pails and cooking pots together and opened the door. He looked back at her.

"Don't forget you're to tell Mr. — er — Haythorne who I am."

Messner broke the skin that had formed on the water-hole within the hour, and filled his pails. But he did not return immediately to the cabin. Leaving the pails standing in the trail, he walked up and down, rapidly, to keep from freezing, for the frost bit into the flesh like fire. His beard was white with his frozen breath when the perplexed and frowning brows relaxed and decision came into his face. He had made up his mind to his course of action, and his frigid lips and cheeks crackled into a chuckle over it. The pails were already skinned over with young ice when he picked them up and made for the cabin.

When he entered (когда он вошел) he found the other man waiting (он нашел другого мужчину ждущим), standing near the stove (стоящим около печки), a certain stiff awkwardness and indecision in his manner (/с/ некой натянутой неуклюжестью/неловкостью и нерешительностью в его манере). Messner set down his water-pails (Месснер поставил свои ведра /для/ воды).

"Glad to meet you, Graham Womble (рад познакомиться /с/ вами, Грэхэм Уомбл)," he said in conventional tones (сказал он в общепринятых/шаблонных тонах = церемонно; conventional — условный), as though acknowledging an introduction (как будто допуская/признавая /их/ представление /друг другу/ = как будто их только что представили друг другу).

Messner did not offer his hand (Месснер не предложил = не подал своей руки). Womble stirred uneasily (Уомбл шевелился/двигался беспокойно), feeling for the other the hatred (чувствуя к другому /мужчине/ ненависть) one is prone to feel for one (/которую/ человек склонен чувствовать к /другому/ человеку) he has wronged (/которому/ он причинил зло).

"And so you're the chap (и, таким образом, вы есть парень = значит, это вы)," Messner said in marvelling accents (сказал Месснер удивляющимся тоном). "Well, well (так, так). You see (вы видите = право), I really am glad to meet you (я действительно рад встретиться = познакомиться /с/ вами). I have been — er — curious to know (мне было любопытно узнать) what Theresa found in you (что Тереза нашла в вас) — where, I may say, the attraction lay (где = в чем, я могу сказать = так сказать, лежала привлекательность; to lie). Well, well (так, так = ну, ну)."

And he looked the other up and down (и он осмотрел другого = его с головы до ног: «вверх и вниз») as a man would look a horse up and down (как осматривают лошадь).

awkwardness [`O: kwqdnIs], acknowledge [qk`nOlIG], marvel [`mQ: v(q)l]

When he entered he found the other man waiting, standing near the stove, a certain stiff awkwardness and indecision in his manner. Messner set down his water-pails.

"Glad to meet you, Graham Womble," he said in conventional tones, as though acknowledging an introduction.

Messner did not offer his hand. Womble stirred uneasily, feeling for the other the hatred one is prone to feel for one he has wronged.

"And so you're the chap," Messner said in marvelling accents. "Well, well. You see, I really am glad to meet you. I have been — er — curious to know what Theresa found in you — where, I may say, the attraction lay. Well, well."

And he looked the other up and down as a man would look a horse up and down.

"I know (я знаю) how you must feel about me (как = что вы должны чувствовать /по отношению/ ко мне)," Womble began (начал Уомбл).

"Don't mention it (не упоминайте это = не стоит об этом)," Messner broke in with exaggerated cordiality of voice and manner (Месснер прервал /его/ с преувеличенной сердечностью/радушием голоса и манеры). "Never mind that (не беспокойтесь /об/ этом; to mind — помнить; заботиться; заниматься чем — либо; остерегаться, беречься; never mind — ничего; неважно; не беспокойтесь; не беда). What I want to know (что я хочу знать) is how do you find her (это как вы находите ее = что вы думаете о ней)? Up to expectations (соответствует ожиданиям/надеждам)? Has she worn well (как с ней жилось; to wear smth. — быть одетым во что-либо; носить /одежду и т. п./; носиться /об одежде/; to wear well — хорошо носиться)? Life has been all a happy dream ever since (жизнь была совсем /как/ счастливый сон с тех пор)?"