наполовину от своих одноплеменников;
Nam-Bok made to come to her, but a growl of fear and menace warned him back. He said something in a strange tongue which sounded like 'Goddam,' and added, 'No shadow am I, but a man.'
'Who may know concerning the things of mystery?' Opee-Kwan demanded, half of himself and half of his tribespeople. 'We are, and in a breath we are not. If the man may become shadow, may not the shadow become man? Nam-Bok was, but is not. This we know, but we do not know if this be Nam-Bok or the shadow of Nam-Bok.'
Nam-Bok cleared his throat and made answer (Нам-Бок прочистил горло =
'But he had no doings with the off-shore wind (но он не имел никаких дел с ветром с берега),' Opee-Kwan retorted (возразил Опи-Кван). 'He went away into the heart of the land (он ушел в глубинные районы /суши/;
Nam-Bok cleared his throat and made answer. 'In the old time long ago, thy father's father, Opee- Kwan, went away and came back on the heels of the years. Nor was a place by the fire denied him. It is said ...' He paused significantly, and they hung on his utterance. 'It is said,' he repeated, driving his point home with deliberation, 'that Sipsip, his klooch, bore him two sons after he came back.'
'But he had no doings with the off-shore wind,' Opee-Kwan retorted. 'He went away into the heart of the land, and it is in the nature of things that a man may go on and on into the land.'
'And likewise the sea (а также в море). But that is neither here nor there (но это не имеет значения;
'Ay, strange tales he told (да, он рассказывал необычные истории).'
'I, too, have strange tales to tell (у меня тоже есть необыкновенные истории, /которые я хочу/ рассказать),' Nam-Bok stated insidiously (заявил коварно Нам-Бок;
He pulled from the bidarka a shawl (он вытащил из байдарки шаль), marvellous of texture and color (изумительной ткани и цвета), and flung it about his mother's shoulders (и набросил ее на плечи матери;
'And likewise the sea. But that is neither here nor there. It is said that thy father's father told strange tales of the things he saw.'
'Ay, strange tales he told.'
'I, too, have strange tales to tell,' Nam-Bok stated insidiously. And, as they wavered, 'And presents likewise.'
He pulled from the bidarka a shawl, marvellous of texture and color, and flung it about his mother's shoulders. The women voiced a collective sigh of admiration, and old Bask-Wah-Wan ruffled the gay material and patted it and crooned in childish joy.
'He has tales to tell (у него есть истории /чтобы рассказать/),' Koogah muttered (проворчал Куга). 'And presents (и подарки),' a woman seconded (поддержала одна женщина;
And Opee-Kwan knew that his people were eager (и Опи-Кван понял, что его люди жаждут /рассказа/;
Two of the men hoisted the bidarka on their shoulders and carried it up to the fire (двое из мужчин подняли байдарку на плечи и понесли ее к костру). Nam-Bok walked by the side of Opee- Kwan (Нам-Бок шел рядом с Опи-Кваном), and the villagers followed after (а односельчане следовали за ними), save those of the women (за исключением тех женщин) who lingered a moment to lay caressing fingers on the shawl (которые помедлили минутку, чтобы возложить гладящие пальцы на шаль = чтобы пальцами погладить шаль;
'He has tales to tell,' Koogah muttered. 'And presents,' a woman seconded.
And Opee-Kwan knew that his people were eager, and further, he was aware himself of an itching curiosity concerning those untold tales. 'The fishing has been good,' he said judiciously, ''and we have oil in plenty. So come, Nam-Bok, let us feast.'
Two of the men hoisted the bidarka on their shoulders and carried it up to the fire. Nam-Bok walked by the side of Opee-Kwan, and the villagers followed after, save those of the women who lingered a moment to lay caressing fingers on the shawl.
There was little talk while the feast went on (пока продолжалось пиршество, было мало разговоров = говорили мало), though many and curious were the glances stolen at the son of Bask-
