Nam-Bok grinned. 'There were no paddles,' he said.
Mouths remained open (рты остались открытыми), and a long silence dropped down (и настала долгая тишина;
'There were no paddles (не было весел)?' Opee-Kwan asked softly (тихо спросил Опи-Кван), returning the pipe (возвращая трубку).
'The south wind was behind (южный ветер был позади = дул в спину),' Nam-Bok explained (пояснил Нам-Бок).
'But the wind-drift is slow (но дрейф по ветру медленный = но дрейфовать по ветру медленно).'
Mouths remained open, and a long silence dropped down. Opee-Kwan borrowed Koogah's pipe for a couple of contemplative sucks. One of the younger women giggled nervously and drew upon herself angry eyes.
'There were no paddles?' Opee-Kwan asked softly, returning the pipe.
'The south wind was behind,' Nam-Bok explained.
'But the wind-drift is slow.'
'The schooner had wings — thus (у шхуны были крылья — вот такие;
'The schooner had wings — thus.' He sketched a diagram of masts and sails in the sand, and the men crowded around and studied it. The wind was blowing briskly, and for more graphic elucidation he seized the corners of his mother's shawl and spread them out till it bellied like a sail. Bask-Wah-Wan scolded and struggled, but was blown down the beach for a score of feet and left breathless and stranded in a heap of driftwood. The men uttered sage grunts of comprehension, but Koogah suddenly tossed back his hoary head.
'Ho! Ho (хо-хо)!' he laughed (засмеялся он). 'A foolish thing (глупость), this big canoe (это большое каноэ)! A most foolish thing (большая глупость)! The plaything of the wind (игрушка ветра)! Wheresoever the wind goes, it goes too (куда бы ни дул ветер, оно поплывет туда же). No man who journeys therein may name the landing beach (ни один человек, который путешествует в ней, не может указать берег высадки), for always he goes with the wind (ибо он всегда плывет по ветру), and the wind goes everywhere (а ветер движется во все стороны), but no man knows where (но никто не знает куда).'
'It is so (это так),' Opee-Kwan supplemented gravely (рассудительно добавил Опи-Кван). 'With the wind the going is easy (по ветру плыть легко), but against the wind a man striveth hard (но против ветра человек прилагает большие усилия; to
'Ho! Ho!' he laughed. 'A foolish thing, this big canoe! A most foolish thing! The plaything of the wind! Wheresoever the wind goes, it goes too. No man who journeys therein may name the landing beach, for always he goes with the wind, and the wind goes everywhere, but no man knows where.'
'It is so,' Opee-Kwan supplemented gravely. 'With the wind the going is easy, but against the wind a man striveth hard; and for that they had no paddles these men on the big canoe did not strive at all.'
'Small need to strive (нет нужды напрягаться),' Nam-Bok cried angrily (сердито воскликнул Нам- Бок). 'The schooner went likewise against the wind (шхуна также ходила против ветра).'
'And what said you made the sch — sch — schooner go (и что, ты сказал, заставляло ш-ш-шхуну двигаться)?' Koogah asked (спросил Куга), tripping craftily over the strange word (ловко преодолев чужое слово;
'The wind (ветер),' was the impatient response (был =
'Then the wind made the sch — sch — schooner go against the wind (значит, ветер двигал ш-ш- шхуну против ветра).' Old Koogah dropped an open leer to Opee-Kwan (старый Куга бросил откровенно хитрый взгляд на Опи-Квана;
'Small need to strive,' Nam-Bok cried angrily. 'The schooner went likewise against the wind.'
'And what said you made the sch — sch — schooner go?' Koogah asked, tripping craftily over the strange word.
'The wind,' was the impatient response.
'Then the wind made the sch — sch — schooner go against the wind.' Old Koogah dropped an open leer to Opee-Kwan, and, the laughter growing around him, continued: 'The wind blows from the south and blows the schooner south. The wind blows against the wind. The wind blows one way and the other at the same time. It is very simple. We understand, Nam-Bok. We clearly understand.'
'Thou art a fool (ты глупец)!'
