Английский с Джеком Лондоном. Золотой каньон. Рассказы / Jack London. All Gold Canyon. Stories. Джек Лондон

his own legs knew a swift, jerking grip that overthrew him. In the nature of the jump his revolver-hand was above his head. Swiftly as the grip had flashed about his legs, just as swiftly he brought the revolver down. He was still in the air, his fall in process of completion, when he pulled the trigger. The explosion was deafening in the confined space. The smoke filled the hole so that he could see nothing. He struck the bottom on his back, and like a cat’s the pocket-miner’s body was on top of him. Even as the miner’s body passed on top, the stranger crooked in his right arm to fire; and even in that instant the miner, with a quick thrust of elbow, struck his wrist. The muzzle was thrown up and the bullet thudded into the dirt of the side of the hole.

      The next instant the stranger felt the miner’s hand grip his wrist (в следующее мгновение незнакомец почувствовал, как рука золотоискателя обхватила его запястье). The struggle was now for the revolver (борьба была теперь за револьвер). Each man strove to turn it against the other’s body (каждый мужчина старался направить его на тело другого). The smoke in the hole was clearing (дым в яме рассеивался). The stranger, lying on his back (незнакомец, лежа на спине), was beginning to see dimly (начал смутно видеть; dim – тусклый, слабый). But suddenly he was blinded by a handful of dirt (но внезапно он был ослеплен горстью земли) deliberately flung into his eyes by his antagonist (умышленно брошенной ему в глаза противником; deliberate – намеренный, предумышленный). In that moment of shock his grip on the revolver was broken (в момент потрясения его хватка на револьвере ослабла: «была сломлена»). In the next moment he felt a smashing darkness descend upon his brain (в следующий момент он почувствовал, как сокрушительная темнота опустилась на его мозг; to smash – разбить, сокрушить), and in the midst of the darkness even the darkness ceased (и среди темноты даже темнота прекратилась).

      

 The next instant the stranger felt the miner’s hand grip his wrist. The struggle was now for the revolver. Each man strove to turn it against the other’s body. The smoke in the hole was clearing. The stranger, lying on his back, was beginning to see dimly. But suddenly he was blinded by a handful of dirt deliberately flung into his eyes by his antagonist. In that moment of shock his grip on the revolver was broken. In the next moment he felt a smashing darkness descend upon his brain, and in the midst of the darkness even the darkness ceased.

      But the pocket-miner fired again and again (но золотоискатель стрелял снова и снова; to fire – стрелять, палить), until the revolver was empty (пока револьвер не был пуст). Then he tossed it from him (затем он отбросил его от себя) and, breathing heavily (и, тяжело дыша), sat down on the dead man’s legs (сел на ноги мертвого человека).

      The miner was sobbing and struggling for breath (золотоискатель всхлипывал и задыхался: «боролся за дыхание, с усилием дышал»; to sob – рыдать, всхлипывать; to struggle – бороться; делать усилия; стараться изо всех сил). “Measly skunk (жалкий подлец; measly – коревой; зараженный корью; разг. презренный; негодный; жалкий; measles – корь; skunk – вонючка, скунс /млекопитающее семейства куньих/; разг. подлец, негодяй)!” he panted (сказал он, тяжело дыша; to pant – часто и тяжело дышать); “a-campin’ on my trail an’ lettin’ me do the work (крался по моему следу и позволил мне сделать /всю/ работу; to camp – находиться поблизости, наблюдать), an’ then shootin’ me in the back (а потом выстрелил мне в спину)!”

      He was half crying from anger and exhaustion (он почти плакал от злости и изнеможения; half – наполовину; почти). He peered at the face of the dead man (он вгляделся в лицо мертвеца). It was sprinkled with loose dirt and gravel (оно было засыпано неплотной землей = усыпано кусочками земли и гравием), and it was difficult to distinguish the features (и было сложно различить черты /лица/).

 But the pocket-miner fired again and again, until the revolver was empty. Then he tossed it from him and, breathing heavily, sat down on the dead man’s legs.

      The miner was sobbing and struggling for breath. “Measly skunk!” he panted; “a-campin’ on my trail an’ lettin’ me do the work, an’ then shootin’ me in the back!”

      He was half crying from anger and exhaustion. He peered at the face of the dead man. It was sprinkled with loose dirt and gravel, and it was difficult to distinguish the features.

      “Never laid eyes on him before (никогда не видел его раньше; to lay eyes on – увидеть),” the miner concluded his scrutiny (подытожил золотоискатель свой осмотр; scrutiny – внимательный осмотр, наблюдение). “Just a common an’ ordinary thief, damn him (простой и обычный вор, черт его побери: «прокляни его»)! An’ he shot me in the back! He shot me in the back (он выстрелил мне в спину)!”

      He opened his shirt and felt himself (он распахнул рубашку и ощупал себя; to feel), front and back, on his left side (спереди и сзади свой левый бок).

      “Went clean through, and no harm done (прошла прямо насквозь, и никакого