Английский язык с Дж. Лондоном. Любовь к жизни (рассказы)

Had it been a well wolf (если бы это был здоровый волк), it would not have mattered so much to the man (это не имело бы такого значения для человека); but the thought of going to feed the maw of that loathsome and all but dead thing was repugnant to him (но мысль о том, чтобы накормить брюхо этого омерзительной и почти мертвой твари, была невыносима для него; all but — почти, едва не). He was finicky (он был разборчив; finicky — изощренный, разборчивый). His mind had begun to wander again (его разум снова начал блуждать), and to be perplexed by hallucinations (и сбиваться с толку галлюцинациями;

perplexed — озадаченный, сбитый с толку, растерянный, ошеломленный), while his lucid intervals grew rarer and shorter (в то время как его промежутки здравомыслия становились реже и короче).

Had it been a well wolf, it would not have mattered so much to the man; but the thought of going to feed the maw of that loathsome and all but dead thing was repugnant to him. He was finicky. His mind had begun to wander again, and to be perplexed by hallucinations, while his lucid intervals grew rarer and shorter.

He was awakened once from a faint by a wheeze close in his ear (однажды его от обморока пробудила одышка возле самого уха). The wolf leaped lamely back (волк, спотыкаясь, отскочил назад), losing its footing and falling in its weakness (теряя опору для ног и падая от слабости). It was ludicrous (это было смешно), but he was not amused (но его это не позабавило). Nor was he even afraid (он даже не боялся). He was too far gone for that (он слишком далеко зашел для этого). But his mind was for the moment clear (но его разум на минуту прояснился), and he lay and considered (и он лег и подумал). The ship was no more than four miles away (корабль был не более, чем в четырех милях прочь = от него). He could see it quite distinctly (он видел его совершенно отчетливо) when he rubbed the mists out of his eyes (когда вытирал туман из глаз), and he could see the white sail of a small boat cutting the water of the shining sea (и он видел белый парус маленькой лодки, разрезающей воду сверкающего моря). But he could never crawl those four miles (но он никогда бы не смог проползти эти четыре мили). He knew that, and was very calm in the knowledge (он знал это и был очень спокоен в этом знании = сознавая это). He knew that he could not crawl half a mile (он знал, что не может проползти полмили). And yet he wanted to live (и, тем не менее, он хотел жить). It was unreasonable that he should die after all he had undergone (было неразумно, чтобы он умер после всего, что он перенес; to undergo — испытывать, переносить). Fate asked too much of him (судьба слишком много требовала от него). And, dying, he declined to die (и умирая, он отказался умирать). It was stark madness, perhaps (возможно, это было полнейшее безумие;

stark — голый, нагой; абсолютный, полный, совершенный, полнейший), but in the very grip of Death he defied Death and refused to die (но именно /будучи/ в хватке Смерти он бросил вызов Смерти и отказался умирать; to defy — вызывать, бросать вызов; противостоять, сопротивляться).

He was awakened once from a faint by a wheeze close in his ear. The wolf leaped lamely back, losing its footing and falling in its weakness. It was ludicrous, but he was not amused. Nor was he even afraid. He was too far gone for that. But his mind was for the moment clear, and he lay and considered. The ship was no more than four miles away. He could see it quite distinctly when he rubbed the mists out of his eyes, and he could see the white sail of a small boat cutting the water of the shining sea. But he could never crawl those four miles. He knew that, and was very calm in the knowledge. He knew that he could not crawl half a mile. And yet he wanted to live. It was unreasonable that he should die after all he had undergone. Fate asked too much of him. And, dying, he declined to die. It was stark madness, perhaps, but in the very grip of Death he defied Death and refused to die.