Inquire [In`kwaIq], minute [`mInIt], proper [`prOpq]

"What time is it, Lizzie?" he asked.

His wife went across the hall to inquire, and came back.

"Quarter before eight."

"They'll be startin' the first bout in a few minutes," he said. "Only a try-out. Then there's a four-round spar 'tween Dealer Wells an' Gridley, an' a ten-round go 'tween Starlight an' some sailor bloke. I don't come on for over an hour."

At the end of another silent ten minutes, he rose to his feet.

"Truth is, Lizzie, I ain't had proper trainin'."

He reached for his hat and started for the door (он потянулся за шляпой и двинулся к двери). He did not offer to kiss her (он не стал целовать ее) — he never did on going out (он никогда не делал /этого/, уходя) — but on this night she dared to kiss him (но в тот вечер она /сама/ отважилась поцеловать его), throwing her arms around him (обвив его руками: «бросив… вокруг») and compelling him to bend down to her face (и принудив его нагнуться к ее лицу). She looked quite small against the massive bulk of the man (она выглядела очень маленькой рядом с этим человеком — массивной глыбой).

"Good luck, Tom," she said (удачи, Том, — сказала она). "You gotter do 'im (ты должен сделать его; gotter — искаж. got to — должен; ‘im = him — его)."

"Ay, I gotter do 'im," he repeated (да, я должен сделать его, — повторил он). "That's all there is to it (вот и все: «это все, что есть в этом»). I jus' gotter do 'im (я просто должен сделать его; just — просто)."

dare [deq], compel [kqm`pel], against [q`genst], massive [`mxsIv], repeat [rI`pJt]

He reached for his hat and started for the door. He did not offer to kiss her — he never did on going out — but on this night she dared to kiss him, throwing her arms around him and compelling him to bend down to her face. She looked quite small against the massive bulk of the man.

"Good luck, Tom," she said. "You gotter do 'im."

"Ay, I gotter do 'im," he repeated. "That's all there is to it. I jus' gotter do 'im."

He laughed with an attempt at heartiness (он засмеялся с притворной сердечностью: «с попыткой сердечности»), while she pressed more closely against him (в то время как она прижалась теснее к нему). Across her shoulders he looked around the bare room (поверх ее плеч он оглядел голую комнату). It was all he had in the world (это было все, что у него было на свете), with the rent overdue (с просроченной платой за квартиру), and her and the kiddies (с ней и детишками). And he was leaving it to go out into the night (и он оставлял это, чтобы выйти в ночь) to get meat for his mate and cubs (чтобы раздобыть мяса для своей самки и щенков) — not like a modern working-man going to his machine grind (— не как современный рабочий, отправляющийся на свою однообразную работу у станка), but in the old, primitive (но древним, первобытным), royal, animal way (королевским, звериным способом), by fighting for it (— сражаясь за него). "I gotter do 'im," he repeated (я должен сделать его, — повторил он), this time a hint of desperation in his voice (на этот раз с оттенком отчаяния в голосе). "If it's a win, it's thirty quid (если победа — это тридцать фунтов) — an' I can pay all that's owin' (и я смогу заплатить все, что задолжал), with a lump o' money left over (и еще куча денег останется). If it's a lose, I get naught (если поражение, я не получу ничего) — not even a penny for me to ride home on the tram (даже ни единого пенни, чтобы мне доехать до дому на трамвае). The secretary's give all that's comin' from a loser's end (секретарь /уже/ дал все, что входит в сумму для проигравшего). Good-bye, old woman (прощай, старушка). I'll come straight home if it's a win (я приду прямо домой, если это победа = если одержу победу)."

"An' I'll be waitin' up," she called to him along the hall (а я буду ждать тебя, не ложась, — крикнула она ему с лестничной площадки; up — бодрствующий).

laugh [lRf], attempt [q`tem(p)t], overdue [qVvq`djH], machine [mq`SJn], grind [graInd], primitive [`prImItIv], lose [lHz], naught [nLt]

He laughed with an attempt at heartiness, while she pressed more closely against him. Across her shoulders he looked around the bare room. It was all he had in the world, with the rent overdue, and her and the kiddies. And he was leaving it to go out into the night to get meat for his mate and cubs — not like a modern working-man going to his machine grind, but in the old, primitive, royal, animal way, by fighting for it. "I gotter do 'im," he repeated, this time a hint of desperation in his voice. "If it's a win, it's thirty quid — an' I can pay all that's owin', with a lump o' money left over. If it's a lose, I get naught — not even a penny for me to ride home on the tram. The secretary's give all that's comin' from a loser's end. Good-bye, old woman. I'll come straight home if it's a win."

"An' I'll be waitin' up," she called to him along the hall.

It was full two miles to the Gayety (до Гэйети было добрых две мили), and as he walked along (и пока он шагал вперед) he remembered how in his palmy days (он вспоминал, как в свои счастливые дни) — he had once been the heavyweight champion of New South Wales (он когда-то был чемпионом Нового Южного Уэльса в тяжелом весе) — he would have ridden in a cab to the fight (он приезжал на такси на поединок), and how, most likely (и как, вероятнее всего), some heavy backer would have paid for the cab (какой-нибудь рьяный сторонник: «ставящий на него» платил за такси) and ridden with him (и ехал с ним; to ride — ехать). There were Tommy Burns and that Yankee nigger, Jack Johnson (вон Томми Бёрнс и тот негр-янки, Джек Джонсон) — they rode about in motor-cars (они разъезжали на автомобилях; to ride — ездить). And he walked (а он шел пешком)! And, as any man knew (и, как знает всякий человек), a hard two miles was not the best preliminary to a fight (две нелегких мили — не лучшее приготовление к бою). He was an old un (он был старик; un — разг. вместо one — кто-то, человек), and the world did not wag well with old uns (а мир не виляет /хвостом/ перед стариками).

heavyweight [`hevIweIt], preliminary [prI`lImIn(q)rI]

It was full two miles to the Gayety, and as he walked along he remembered how in his palmy days — he had once been the heavyweight champion of New South Wales — he would have ridden in a cab to the fight, and how, most likely, some heavy backer would have paid for the cab and ridden with him. There were Tommy Burns and that Yankee nigger, Jack Johnson — they rode about in motor-cars. And he walked! And, as any man knew, a hard two miles was not the best preliminary to a fight. He was an old un, and the world did not wag well with old uns.

He was good for nothing now except navvy work (он теперь был хорош только для черной работы: «был хорош ни для чего кроме…»), and his broken nose and swollen ear were against him even in that (а его сломанный нос и распухшее ухо были против него даже в этом). He found himself wishing that he had learned a trade (он обнаружил себя желающим, чтобы он выучился ремеслу = он обнаружил, что жалеет, что не выучился какому-нибудь ремеслу; to find — обнаружить). It would have been better in the long run (это было бы лучше в конечном счете: «в длинном /за/беге»). But no one had told him (но никто не подсказал ему; to tell — сказать), and he knew, deep down in his heart (да и он знал в глубине души: «глубоко в сердце»), that he would not have listened if they had (что он бы не послушал, если бы ему сказали). It had been so easy (это было так просто). Big money (большие деньги) — sharp, glorious fights (жестокие, славные бои) — periods of rest and loafing in between (периоды отдыха и безделья между /ними/) — a following of eager flatterers (сопровождение усердных льстецов), the slaps on the back (похлопывания по спине), the shakes of the hand (пожатия руки), the toffs glad to buy him a drink for the privilege of five minutes' talk (франты, /которые были/ рады купить ему выпить за право пятиминутной болтовни) — and the glory of it (и слава всего этого), the yelling houses (ревущая публика), the whirlwind finish (ураганный финал), the referee's "King wins (/слова/ судьи «Побеждает Кинг»)!" and his name in the sporting columns next day (и его имя в спортивных колонках /в газетах/ на следующий день).

listen [`lIs(q)n], period [`pIqrIqd], privilege [`prIv(q)lIG], whirlwind [`wWlwInd], column [`kOlqm]

He was good for nothing now except navvy work, and his broken nose and swollen ear were against him even in that. He found himself wishing that he had learned a trade. It would have been better in the long run. But no one had told him, and he knew, deep down in his heart, that he would not have listened if they had. It had been so easy. Big money — sharp, glorious fights — periods of rest and loafing in between — a following of eager flatterers, the slaps on the back, the shakes of the hand, the toffs glad to buy him a drink for the privilege of five minutes' talk — and the glory of it, the yelling houses, the whirlwind finish, the referee's "King wins!" and his name in the sporting columns next day.

Those had been times (вот были времена)! But he realized now (но он осознал теперь), in his slow, ruminating way (своим медленным, раздумчивым образом), that it was the old uns he had been putting away (что это стариков он сметал прочь; un — разг. искаж. one — человек). He was Youth, rising (он был Юностью, восходившей); and they were Age, sinking (а они были Старостью, нисходившей). No wonder it had been easy (неудивительно, что это было легко) — they with their swollen veins and battered knuckles (они, со своими раздутыми венами и разбитыми костяшками) and weary in the bones of them (и утомленные в своих костях) from the long battles they had already fought (из-за долгих боев, которые они уже провели; to fight — биться). He remembered the time he put out old Stowsher Bill (он вспомнил время, когда он побил старого Стоушера Билла; to put out — вывести из строя, устранить), at Rush-Cutters Bay, in the eighteenth round (в Раш-Каттерс-Бэй, в восемнадцатом раунде), and how old Bill had cried afterward in the dressing-room like a baby (и как старик Билл плакал потом в раздевалке, как ребенок). Perhaps old Bill's rent had been overdue (может быть, плата за квартиру у старика Билла была просрочена). Perhaps he'd had at home a missus an' a couple of kiddies (возможно, дома у него были = ждали его жена и пара ребятишек; missus — разг. жена, хозяйка дома). And perhaps Bill, that very day of the fight (а может быть, у Билла, в тот самый день боя), had had a hungering for a piece of steak (была тоска по куску мяса).

weary [`wIqrI], fight [faIt], fought [fLt]

Those had been times! But he realized now, in his slow, ruminating way, that it was the old uns he had been putting away. He was Youth, rising; and they were Age, sinking. No wonder it had been easy — they with their swollen veins and battered knuckles and weary in the bones of them from the long battles they had already fought. He remembered the time he put out old Stowsher Bill, at Rush-Cutters Bay, in the eighteenth round, and how old Bill had cried afterward in the dressing-room like a baby. Perhaps old Bill's rent had been overdue. Perhaps he'd had at home a missus an' a couple of kiddies. And perhaps Bill, that very day of the fight, had had a hungering for a piece of steak.

Bill had fought game and taken incredible punishment (Билл бился всерьез и получил невероятную взбучку; to fight — биться; to take — взять; punishment — кара, наказание; разг. жестокое обращение, грубое обращение). He could see now, after he had gone through the mill himself (он видел теперь, после того как сам прошел через этот жернов: «мельницу»; could see — мог видеть), that Stowsher Bill had fought for a bigger stake, that night twenty years ago (что Стоушер Билл дрался за большую ставку той ночью двадцать лет назад = у него было больше поставлено на кон), than had young Tom King (чем юный Том Кинг), who had fought for glory and easy money (который дрался за славу и легкие деньги). No wonder Stowsher Bill had cried afterward in the dressing-room (неудивительно, что Стоушер Билл плакал потом в раздевалке).

punishment [`pAnISmqnt]

Bill had fought game and taken incredible punishment. He could see now, after he had gone through the mill himself, that Stowsher Bill had fought for a bigger stake, that night twenty years ago, than had young Tom King, who had fought for glory and easy money. No wonder Stowsher Bill had cried afterward in the dressing-room.

Well, a man had only so many fights in him (ну, у человека есть лишь столько-то боев в нем = ему отпущено…), to begin with (для начала: «чтобы начать»). It was the iron law of the game (это был железный закон игры). One man might have a hundred hard fights in him (у одного человека может быть сто тяжелых боев), another man only twenty (у другого — только двадцать); each, according to the make of him and the quality of his fibre (у каждого, в согласии с его складом /характера/ и качеством его натуры), had a definite number (есть определенное количество), and, when he had fought them, he was done (и когда он проведет их = эти бои, с ним покончено: «он сделан»; to fight — биться). Yes, he had had more fights in him than most of them (да, в нем было больше боев, чем в большинстве других: «их»), and he had had far more than his share of the hard, gruelling fights (и у него было гораздо больше, чем его доля: «чем ему было отпущено» тяжелых, изнурительных боев) — the kind that worked the heart and lungs to bursting (таких, которые доводили сердце и легкие до взрыва), that took the elastic out of the arteries (которые лишили эластичности его артерии) and made hard knots of muscle out of Youth's sleek suppleness (и сделали твердые узлы мускулов из стройной гибкости Юности), that wore out nerve and stamina (которые износили нервы и стойкость) and made brain and bones weary from excess of effort (и сделали мозг и кости уставшими от избытка усилий) and endurance overwrought (и выносливость переутомленной). Yes, he had done better than all of them (да, он справился получше, чем все они; to do — делать, зд.: справиться). There was none of his old fighting partners left (/сейчас/ не осталось ни одного из его старых противников: «боевых партнеров»; left — оставшийся от to leave — оставлять). He was the last of the old guard (он был последним из старой гвардии). He had seen them all finished (он видел, как с ними всеми покончили), and he had had a hand in finishing some of them (и он приложил руку к уничтожению некоторых из них: «имел руку в уничтожении…»).