удивлю ее).'
'You are on the right track then (тогда вы на правильном пути). Only you've come by the footpath (только вы прошли мимо тропинки;
'You're not her Klondike brother!' Madge cried, her eyes bright with interest, 'about whom we've heard so much?'
'Yes'm, that's me,' he answered modestly. 'My name's Miller, Skiff Miller. I just thought I'd s'prise her.'
'You are on the right track then. Only you've come by the footpath.' Madge stood up to direct him, pointing up the canyon a quarter of a mile. 'You see that blasted redwood? Take the little trail turning off to the right. It's the short cut to her house. You can't miss it.'
'Yes'm, thank you, ma'am (да, мэм, спасибо, мэм),' he said. He made tentative efforts to go (он сделал пробную попытку уйти = он попробовал уйти;
'We'd like to hear you tell about the Klondike (мы бы хотели услышать ваши рассказы о Клондайке),' Madge said. 'Mayn't we come over some day (может, мы зайдем к вам как-нибудь;
'Yes'm, thank you, ma'am,' he said. He made tentative efforts to go, but seemed awkwardly rooted to the spot. He was gazing at her with an open admiration of which he was quite unconscious, and which was drowning, along with him, in the rising sea of embarrassment in which he floundered.
'We'd like to hear you tell about the Klondike,' Madge said. 'Mayn't we come over some day while you are at your sister's? Or, better yet, won't you come over and have dinner with us?'
'Yes'm, thank you, ma'am (да, мэм, благодарю, мэм),' he mumbled mechanically (механически пробормотал он). Then he caught himself up and added (потом он очнулся/собрался с мыслями: «подхватил себя» и добавил;
When Madge had said that it was too bad (когда Мэдж сказала, что очень жаль;
'Yes'm, thank you, ma'am,' he mumbled mechanically. Then he caught himself up and added: 'I ain't stoppin' long. I got to be pullin' north again. I go out on to-night's train. You see, I've got a mail contract with the government.'
When Madge had said that it was too bad, he made another futile effort to go. But he could not take his eyes from her face. He forgot his embarrassment in his admiration, and it was her turn to flush and feel uncomfortable.
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;
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;
'Well, I'll be damned (ну, будь я проклят)!' he enunciated slowly and solemnly (произнес он отчетливо, медленно и торжественно;
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;
Skiff Miller patted the dog's head (Скиф Миллер одобрительно похлопал собаку по голове;
'Excuse me, ma'am (извините, мэм),' he said the next moment (сказал он в следующую секунду).
