'Maybe Mr. Miller is right', she said. 'I am afraid that he is. Wolf does seem to know him, and certainly he answers to the name of 'Brown.' He made friends with him instantly, and you know that's something he never did with anybody before. Besides, look at the way he barked. He was just bursting with joy. Joy over what? Without doubt at finding Mr. Miller.'
Walt's striking-muscles relaxed, and his shoulders seemed to droop with hopelessness.
'I guess you're right, Madge,' he said. 'Wolf isn't Wolf, but Brown, and he must belong to Mr. Miller.'
'Perhaps Mr. Miller will sell him (может быть, мистер Миллер продаст его),' she suggested (предложила она). 'We can buy him (мы можем купить его).'
Skiff Miller shook his head (Скиф Миллер отрицательно покачал головой), no longer belligerent, but kindly (больше не воинственный, а милый), quick to be generous in response to generousness (быстро становясь великодушным в ответ на великодушие).
'I had five dogs (у меня было пять собак),' he said, casting about for the easiest way to temper his refusal (изыскивая самый простой способ смягчить свой отказ;
'Perhaps Mr. Miller will sell him,' she suggested. 'We can buy him.'
Skiff Miller shook his head, no longer belligerent, but kindly, quick to be generous in response to generousness.
'I had five dogs,' he said, casting about for the easiest way to temper his refusal. 'He was the leader. They was the crack team of Alaska. Nothin' could touch 'em. In 1898 I refused five thousand dollars for the bunch. Dogs was high, then, anyway; but that wasn't what made the fancy price. It was the team itself. Brown was the best in the team. That winter I refused twelve hundred for 'm. I didn't sell 'm then, an' I ain't a-sellin' 'm now.
'Besides, I think a mighty lot of that dog (кроме того, я души не чаю в этом псе;
'Besides, I think a mighty lot of that dog. I've ben lookin' for 'm for three years. It made me fair sick when I found he'd ben stole — not the value of him, but the — well, I liked 'm like hell, that's all, beggin' your pardon. I couldn't believe my eyes when I seen 'm just now. I thought I was dreamin'. It was too good to be true. Why, I was his wet-nurse. I put 'm to bed, snug every night. His mother died, and I brought 'm up on condensed milk at two dollars a can when I couldn't afford it in my own coffee. He never knew any mother but me. He used to suck my finger regular, the darn little cuss — that finger right there!'
And Skiff Miller, too overwrought for speech (и Скиф Миллер, крайне взволнованный от речи), held up a fore finger for them to see (поднял указательный палец, чтобы они увидели).
'That very finger (этот самый палец),' he managed to articulate (удалось ему отчетливо произнести), as though it somehow clinched the proof of ownership and the bond of affection (как будто это как-то решало доказательство =
He was still gazing at his extended finger (он все еще вглядывался в свой вытянутый палец) when Madge began to speak (когда заговорила Мэдж).
'But the dog (но пес),' she said. 'You haven't considered the dog (вы не учли пса).'
Skiff Miller looked puzzled (Скиф Миллер выглядел озадаченным).
'Have you thought about him (вы думали о нем)?' she asked.
'Don't know what you're drivin' at (не пойму, к чему вы клоните;
And Skiff Miller, too overwrought for speech, held up a fore finger for them to see.
'That very finger,' he managed to articulate, as though it somehow clinched the proof of ownership and the bond of affection.
He was still gazing at his extended finger when Madge began to speak.
'But the dog,' she said. 'You haven't considered the dog.'
Skiff Miller looked puzzled.
'Have you thought about him?' she asked.
'Don't know what you're drivin' at,' was the response.
'Maybe the dog has some choice in the matter (может, у собаки есть выбор в этом деле),' Madge went on (продолжала Мэдж). 'Maybe he has his likes and desires (может быть, у него есть свои склонности и желания;
