'I was just s'prised some, that was all (я просто немного удивился, вот и все).'
'We're surprised, too (мы тоже удивлены),' she answered lightly (ответила она беспечно). 'We never saw Wolf make up to a stranger before (мы никогда прежде не видели, чтобы Волк приблизился к чужому;
He sat down ponderingly on the log, leaving Madge standing. At the sound of his voice, Wolf's ears had flattened down, then his mouth had opened in a laugh. He trotted slowly up to the stranger and first smelled his hands, then licked them with his tongue.
Skiff Miller patted the dog's head, and slowly and solemnly repeated, 'Well, I'll be damned!'
'Excuse me, ma'am,' he said the next moment 'I was just s'prised some, that was all.'
'We're surprised, too,' she answered lightly. 'We never saw Wolf make up to a stranger before.'
'Is that what you call him — Wolf (вы так его зовете — Волк)?' the man asked (спросил мужчина).
Madge nodded (Мэдж кивнула). 'But I can't understand his friendliness toward you (но я не могу понять его дружелюбия к вам) — unless it's because you're from the Klondike (если это не потому, что вы с Клондайка). He's a Klondike dog, you know (знаете, он клондайкский пес).'
'Yes'm (да, мэм),' Miller said absently (сказал рассеянно Миллер;
'I say (послушайте),' Walt broke in (вмешался Уолт), 'it is remarkable the way he lets you handle him (поразительно то, как он позволяет вам обращаться с собой).'
'Is that what you call him — Wolf?' the man asked.
Madge nodded. 'But I can't understand his friendliness toward you — unless it's because you're from the Klondike. He's a Klondike dog, you know.'
'Yes'm,' Miller said absently. He lifted one of Wolf's fore legs and examined the foot-pads, pressing them and denting them with his thumb. 'Kind of SOFT,' he remarked. 'He ain't been on trail for a long time.'
'I say,' Walt broke in, 'it is remarkable the way he lets you handle him.'
Skiff Miller arose (Скиф Миллер поднялся;
But just then the dog (но как раз тогда пес), squirming and rubbing against the newcomer's legs (вертясь и трясь о ноги пришельца), opened his mouth and barked (раскрыл пасть и залаял). It was an explosive bark (это был несдержанный лай;
'That's a new one on me (это для меня неожиданность;
Walt and Madge stared at each other (Уолт и Мэдж уставились друг на друга). The miracle had happened (свершилось чудо). Wolf had barked (Волк залаял).
'It's the first time he ever barked (он залаял впервые),' Madge said.
Skiff Miller arose, no longer awkward with admiration of Madge, and in a sharp, businesslike manner asked, 'How long have you had him?'
But just then the dog, squirming and rubbing against the newcomer's legs, opened his mouth and barked. It was an explosive bark, brief and joyous, but a bark.
'That's a new one on me,' Skiff Miller remarked.
Walt and Madge stared at each other. The miracle had happened. Wolf had barked.
'It's the first time he ever barked,' Madge said.
'First time I ever heard him, too (я тоже услышал впервые его = как он лает),' Miller volunteered (с готовностью отозвался Миллер;
Madge smiled at him (Мэдж улыбнулась ему). The man was evidently a humorist (мужчина был явно шутник).
'Of course (конечно),' she said, 'since you have only seen him for five minutes (с того момента как вы видите его /уже/ пять минут).'
Skiff Miller looked at her sharply (Скиф Миллер пристально посмотрел на нее), seeking in her face the guile her words had led him to suspect (выискивая в ее лице коварство, подозрение в котором вызвали у него ее слова).
'I thought you understood (я думал, вы догадались),' he said slowly (сказал он медленно). 'I thought you'd tumbled to it from his makin' up to me (я думал, вы поняли это по тому, как он ластился ко мне;
'Oh, Walt (ах, Уолт)!' was Madge's instinctive cry to her husband (раздался бессознательный крик =
'First time I ever heard him, too,' Miller volunteered.
Madge smiled at him. The man was evidently a humorist.
'Of course,' she said, 'since you have only seen him for five minutes.'
Skiff Miller looked at her sharply, seeking in her face the guile her words had led him to suspect.
'I thought you understood,' he said slowly. 'I thought you'd tumbled to it from his makin' up to me. He's my dog. His name ain't Wolf. It's Brown.'
'Oh, Walt!' was Madge's instinctive cry to her husband.
Walt was on the defensive at once (Уолт сразу стал в оборонительную позицию;
'How do you know he's your dog (откуда вы знаете, что это ваш пес)?' he demanded (спросил он).
'Because he is (потому что он является /таковым/ = потому что это так),' was the reply (был =
'Mere assertion (голословное утверждение;
In his slow and pondering way (неспешно и задумчиво;
'How d'you know she's your wife (откуда вы знаете, что она ваша жена)? You just say (вы просто говорите), 'Because she is (потому что это она),' and I'll say it's mere assertion (а я скажу, что это голословное утверждение). The dog's mine (пес мой). I bred 'm an' raised 'm (я вырастил и воспитал его;
