нуля и в пятьдесят пять).
The frozen moisture of its breathing had settled on its fur in a fine powder of frost, and especially were its jowls, muzzle, and eyelashes whitened by its crystalled breath. The man's red beard and mustache were likewise frosted, but more solidly, the deposit taking the form of ice and increasing with every warm, moist breath he exhaled. Also, the man was chewing tobacco, and the muzzle of ice held his lips so rigidly that he was unable to clear his chin when he expelled the juice. The result was that a crystal beard of the color and solidity of amber was increasing its length on his chin. If he fell down it would shatter itself, like glass, into brittle fragments. But he did not mind the appendage. It was the penalty all tobacco-chewers paid in that country, and he had been out before in two cold snaps. They had not been so cold as this, he knew, but by the spirit thermometer at Sixty Mile he knew they had been registered at fifty below and at fifty-five.
He held on through the level stretch of woods for several miles (он продолжал /идти/ несколько миль по равнинному участку леса; to hold on — держаться за; продолжать делать, упорствовать в чем-либо; through — через, сквозь, по; level — плоский, ровный; горизонтальный), crossed a wide flat of niggerheads (/затем/ пересек широкую равнину, /покрытую/ кочками; niggerhead — растущая пучками или группами трава, растительность), and dropped down a bank to the frozen bed of a small stream (и спустился вниз по берегу на замерзшую маленькую речку; to drop — капать; падать; резко спускаться; bed — постель; речное русло, ложе реки). This was Henderson Creek (это /и/ был Хендерсон-Крик), and he knew he was ten miles from the forks (и он знал, /что теперь/ он был /в/ десяти милях от развилины). He looked at his watch (он посмотрел на свои часы). It was ten o'clock (было десять часов). He was making four miles an hour (он делал = проходил четыре мили в час), and he calculated that he would arrive at the forks at half-past twelve (и он подсчитал, что он доберется до развилины к половине первого: «в половине после двенадцати»). He decided to celebrate that event by eating his lunch there (он решил отпраздновать это событие, съев свой ланч там).
The dog dropped in again at his heels (собака снова пошла за ним: «по его пятам»; to drop in — заходить, заглянуть; присоединяться), with a tail drooping discouragement (с уныло поникшим хвостом; to droop — свисать, поникать; унывать; to discourage — лишать силы духа, уверенности; приводить в уныние), as the man swung along the creek-bed (когда человек зашагал по речному руслу; to swing — качать/ся/; идти мерным шагом). The furrow of the old sled-trail was plainly visible (колея от старого саночного следа была отчетливо видна), but a dozen inches of snow covered the marks of the last runners (но дюжина дюймов снега покрывала следы /от/ последних полозьев). In a month no man had come up or down that silent creek (в течение месяца ни один человек /не/ проходил туда или обратно /по/ этой тихой речушке; up — вверх; down — вниз). The man held steadily on (человек продолжал упорно /идти вперед/). He was not much given to thinking (он был не очень склонен к размышлениям), and just then particularly he had nothing to think about (и как раз сейчас, в особенности, ему не о чем было думать; then — тогда, в то время) save that he would eat lunch at the forks (за исключением /того/, что он будет есть ланч на развилине) and that at six o'clock he would be in camp with the boys (и что в шесть часов он будет в лагере с ребятами). There was nobody to talk to (/не/ было никого, с /кем бы можно было/ поговорить); and, had there been (да /если бы и/ было /с кем/), speech would have been impossible (разговор был бы невозможен) because of the ice-muzzle on his mouth (из-за ледяного намордника на его лице; mouth — рот). So he continued monotonously to chew tobacco (поэтому он продолжал монотонно жевать табак) and to increase the length of his amber beard (и увеличивать длину своей янтарной бороды = а его янтарная борода все росла).
He held on through the level stretch of woods for several miles, crossed a wide flat of niggerheads, and dropped down a bank to the frozen bed of a small stream. This was Henderson Creek, and he knew he was ten miles from the forks. He looked at his watch. It was ten o'clock. He was making four miles an hour, and he calculated that he would arrive at the forks at half-past twelve. He decided to celebrate that event by eating his lunch there.
The dog dropped in again at his heels, with a tail drooping discouragement, as the man swung along the creek-bed. The furrow of the old sled-trail was plainly visible, but a dozen inches of snow covered the marks of the last runners. In a month no man had come up or down that silent creek. The man held steadily on. He was not much given to thinking, and just then particularly he had nothing to think about save that he would eat lunch at the forks and that at six o'clock he would be in camp with the boys. There was nobody to talk to; and, had there been, speech would have been impossible because of the ice-muzzle on his mouth. So he continued monotonously to chew tobacco and to increase the length of his amber beard.
Once in a while (время от времени) the thought reiterated itself that it was very cold (/у него/ снова и снова появлялась мысль, что было очень холодно; to reiterate — повторять; делать снова и снова) and that he had never experienced such cold (и что он никогда /не/ попадал в такой холод; to experience — испытывать, знать по опыту). As he walked along (в то время, как он шел вперед) he rubbed his cheek-bones and nose with the back of his mittened hand (он растирал свои щеки: «скулы» и нос тыльной стороной руки, одетой в рукавицу; back — спина; задняя, оборотная сторона). He did this automatically, now and again changing hands (он делал это машинально, время от времени меняя руки). But rub as he would (но как бы он /ни/ тер), the instant he stopped his cheek-bones went numb (/в/ тот момент, /когда/ он прекращал, его щеки коченели /от холода/: «его скулы становились окоченевшими»), and the following instant the end of his nose went numb (и /в/ следующее мгновение коченел кончик его носа). He was sure to frost his cheeks (он был уверен, что отморозит свои щеки); he knew that, and experienced a pang of regret (он знал это и жалел: «испытывал муки сожаления») that he had not devised a nose-strap (что он не придумал /себе/ какую-нибудь повязку для носа; strap — ремень; завязка) of the sort Bud wore in cold snaps (типа /той, которую/ Бад носил в холодную погоду; cold snap — кратковременное резкое наступление необычайно холодной погоды; to wear). Such a strap passed across the cheeks, as well, and saved them (такая повязка проходила также через щеки и защищала: «спасала» их /тоже/). But it didn't matter much, after all (но это не имело большого значения, в конце концов). What were frosted cheeks (что такое отмороженные щеки)? A bit painful, that was all (немного больно, вот и все; painful — причиняющий боль, болезненный); they were never serious (/и/ никогда /ничего/ серьезного; serious — серьезный; важный; имеющий тяжелые последствия; внушающий опасения).
Once in a while the thought reiterated itself that it was very cold and that he had never experienced such cold. As he walked along he rubbed his cheek-bones and nose with the back of his mittened hand. He did this automatically, now and again changing hands. But rub as he would, the instant he stopped his cheek-bones went numb, and the following instant the end of his nose went numb. He was sure to frost his cheeks; he knew that, and experienced a pang of regret that he had not devised a nose-strap of the sort Bud wore in cold snaps. Such a strap passed across the cheeks, as well, and saved them. But it didn't matter much, after all. What were frosted cheeks? A bit painful, that was all; they were never serious.
Empty as the man's mind was of thoughts (каким /бы/ свободным /ни/ был ум человека от мыслей = хотя человек шел, ни о чем не думая; empty — пустой; незанятый),
