«Won’t you sit down, Mr. Eden?» the girl was saying. «I have been looking forward to meeting (предвкушать встречу; хотеть встретиться) you ever since Arthur told us. It was brave (смелый) of you (с вашей стороны)».
He waved (помахать) his hand deprecatingly (пренебрежительно) and muttered (бормотать) that it was nothing at all, what he had done, and that any fellow would have done it. She noticed that the hand he waved was covered with fresh abrasions (ссадина), in the process of healing (заживание), and a glance at the other loose-hanging (безвольно висящий) hand showed it to be in the same condition. Also, with quick, critical eye, she noted a scar (шрам) on his cheek, another that peeped out from under (выглядывать из-под) the hair of the forehead (лоб), and a third that ran down and disappeared (исчезать) under the starched (накрахмаленный) collar (воротник). She repressed (подавить) a smile at sight (при виде) of the red line that marked the chafe (истирание) of the collar (воротник) against the bronzed (покрытый бронзой) neck. He was evidently (явно, очевидно) unused to (непривычный к) stiff (жёсткий) collars (воротник). Likewise (подобным образом, так же) her feminine (женский) eye (взгляд) took in the clothes he wore (которую он носил), the cheap (дешёвый) and unaesthetic (неэстетический) cut (покрой), the wrinkling (морщинистость) of the coat across the shoulders, and the series (ряд) of wrinkles (морщина) in the sleeves (рукав) that (морщинистость) advertised (показывать, демонстрировать) bulging (выпяченный, оттопыривающийся) biceps (бицепс) muscles (мышца, мускул).
While he waved (помахать) his hand and muttered (бормотать) that he had done nothing at all, he was obeying (повиноваться, покоряться) her behest (повеление) by trying to get into a chair. He found time to admire (восхититься) the ease (лёгкость) with which she sat down, then lurched (идти шатаясь, пошатываться) toward a chair facing her (напротив неё), overwhelmed (переполненный) with consciousness (сознание) of the awkward (неловкий) figure he was cutting (представлять, выкроить). This was a new experience for him.
All his life, up to then, he had been unaware of being either graceful (изящный, ловкий) or awkward (неловкий). Such thoughts of self (самость) had never entered his mind. He sat down gingerly (осмотрительно, робко) on the edge (край) of the chair, greatly worried (озабоченный) by his hands. They were in the way wherever he put them (куда-бы он ни положил их).
Arthur was leaving the room (выходил из комнаты), and Martin Eden followed his exit (следовать за ним к выходу) with longing (тоскующий) eyes. He felt lost (чувствовать себя потерянным), alone (один) there in the room with that pale (бледный) spirit (бестелесным духом) of a woman. There was no bar-keeper (бармен) upon whom to call for drinks, no small boy to send around the corner for a can (банка) of beer and by means of (с помощью) that social fluid (жидкость) start the amenities (блага, удобства) of friendship flowing (течь, струиться).
«You have such a scar (шрам) on your neck, Mr. Eden,» the girl was saying.
«How did it happen? I am sure it must have been some adventure.»
«A Mexican with a knife, miss,» he answered, moistening (увлажнять) his parched (пересохший) lips and clearing his throat. «It was just a fight (драка). After I got the knife away, he tried to bite off (откусить) my nose.»
Baldly (открыто) as he had stated it, in his eyes was a rich vision (видение) of that hot, starry (звездный) night at Salina Cruz, the white strip (полоса) of beach (пляж), the lights of the sugar steamers in the harbor (гавань), the voices of the drunken sailors in the distance, the jostling (толкающийся) stevedores (стивидор, занимающийся погрузкой и разгрузкой судов), the flaming (пламенный, пылкий) passion (страсть) in the Mexican’s face, the glint (блеск, сверкание) of the beast-eyes in the starlight, the sting (жало) of the steel (сталь) in his neck, and the rush (прилив, приток крови) of blood, the crowd and the cries, the two bodies, his and the Mexican’s, locked together, rolling over and over and tearing up (взрывать) the sand, and from away off somewhere the mellow (спокойный, неторопливый; расслабленный) tinkling (звяканье) of a guitar. Such was the picture, and he thrilled (испытывать трепет; волноваться) to the memory of it, wondering if the man could paint it who had painted the pilot-schooner (штурман шхуны) on the wall. The white beach, the stars, and the lights of the sugar steamers (пароход) would look great, he thought, and midway on the sand the dark group of figures that surrounded the fighters.
The knife occupied a place in the picture, he decided, and would show well, with a sort (некий; что-то вроде) of gleam (отблеск), in the light of the stars. But of all this no hint (никакой намёк) had crept (вкрасться) into his speech. «He tried to bite off (откусить) my nose,» he concluded (заключить).
«Oh,» the girl said, in a faint (слабый), far (далёкий) voice, and he noticed the shock (потрясение; шок) in her sensitive (чувствительный) face. He felt a shock himself, and a blush (румянец; краска стыда) of embarrassment (замешательство, смущение) shone (сиять, сверкать) faintly (бледно; слабо; едва, еле-еле) on his sunburned (загорелый) cheeks, though to him it burned as hotly as when his cheeks had been exposed (выставлять, подвергать действию) to the open furnace-door (заслонка) in the fire-room (котельное отделение). Such sordid (убогий, отвратительный) things as stabbing (колоть, ранить кинжалом, ножом) affrays (драка в общественном месте) were evidently not fit (подходить, соответствовать) subjects (тема) for conversation with a lady. People