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He did not spring up nor look around. He did not move. He was considering the nature of the premonition he had received, trying to locate the source of the mysterious force that had warned him, striving to sense the imperative presence of the unseen thing that threatened him. There is an aura of things hostile, made manifest by messengers too refined for the senses to know; and this aura he felt, but knew not how he felt it. His was the feeling as when a cloud passes over the sun. It seemed that between him and life had passed something dark and smothering and menacing; a gloom, as it were, that swallowed up life and made for death – his death.
Every force of his being impelled him to spring up and confront the unseen danger (все силы его существа побуждали его подняться и встретить лицом к лицу невидимую опасность; to impel to – побуждать, подталкивать к чему-либо), but his soul dominated the panic (но его душа возобладала над паникой), and he remained squatting on his heels (и он остался сидеть на корточках), in his hands a chunk of gold (с куском золота в руках). He did not dare to look around (он не посмел оглянуться), but he knew by now that there was something behind him and above him (но он знал к тому моменту, что было нечто позади него и над ним). He made believe to be interested in the gold in his hand (он притворился, что увлечен золотом в своей руке; to make believe – притворяться: «заставить верить»). He examined it critically (он осматривал его критично = оценивающе), turned it over and over (поворачивал его снова и снова), and rubbed the dirt from it (и стирал с него грязь). And all the time he knew that something behind him was looking at the gold over his shoulder (и все это время он знал, что нечто позади него смотрело на золото из-за его плеча).
Every force of his being impelled him to spring up and confront the unseen danger, but his soul dominated the panic, and he remained squatting on his heels, in his hands a chunk of gold. He did not dare to look around, but he knew by now that there was something behind him and above him. He made believe to be interested in the gold in his hand. He examined it critically, turned it over and over, and rubbed the dirt from it. And all the time he knew that something behind him was looking at the gold over his shoulder.
Still feigning interest in the chunk of gold in his hand (все еще делая вид, что заинтересован куском золота в своей руке; to feign – притворяться, делать вид), he listened intently and he heard the breathing of the thing behind him (он слушал внимательно и услышал дыхание того, что находилось позади него). His eyes searched the ground in front of him for a weapon (его глаза искали на земле перед ним /какое-нибудь/ оружие), but they saw only the uprooted gold (но они видели только вывороченное золото; to uproot – вырывать с корнем; root – корень), worthless to him now in his extremity (бесполезное для него сейчас в опасной ситуации; extremity – крайняя опасность, нужда). There was his pick (там была его кирка), a handy weapon on occasion (сподручное оружие при случае); but this was not such an occasion (но это не было тем случаем). The man realized his predicament (человек осознал затруднительность своего положения; predicament – затруднительное положение; затруднение). He was in a narrow hole that was seven feet deep (он находился в узкой яме, которая была семь футов глубиной). His head did not come to the surface of the ground (его голова не достигала поверхности земли; to come to – достигать, равняться). He was in a trap (он был в ловушке).
Still feigning interest in the chunk of gold in his hand, he listened intently and he heard the breathing of the thing behind him. His eyes searched the ground in front of him for a weapon, but they saw only the uprooted gold, worthless to him now in his extremity. There was his pick, a handy weapon on occasion; but this was not such an occasion. The man realized his predicament. He was in a narrow hole that was seven feet deep. His head did not come to the surface of the ground. He was in a trap.
He remained squatting on his heels (он оставался сидеть на корточках). He was quite cool and collected (он был совершенно спокоен и хладнокровен: «/внутренне/ собран»); but his mind (но его сознание), considering every factor (взвешивая каждый фактор), showed him only his helplessness (показывало ему лишь его беспомощность). He continued rubbing the dirt from the quartz fragments (он продолжал стирать грязь с кусков кварца) and throwing the gold into the pan (и кидать золото в лоток). There was nothing else for him to do (больше ему ничего не оставалось). Yet he knew that he would have to rise up (тем не менее, он знал, что ему придется встать), sooner or later (раньше или позже), and face the danger that breathed at his back (и встретиться лицом к лицу с опасностью, которая дышала ему в спину). The minutes passed (минуты шли), and with the passage of each minute he knew (и с прошествием каждой минуты он знал) that by so much he was nearer the time when he must stand up (что настолько близко = тем ближе он был к минуте, когда он должен будет подняться), or else (или же) – and his wet shirt went cold against his flesh again at the thought (и его мокрая рубашка холодно прилипла к его телу при /этой/ мысли) – or else he might receive death as he stooped there over his treasure (или же он может принять смерть, согнувшись над своим сокровищем; to stoop – нагибаться, склоняться).
He remained squatting on his heels. He was quite cool and collected; but his mind, considering every factor, showed him only his helplessness. He continued rubbing the dirt from the quartz fragments and throwing the gold into the pan. There was nothing else for him to do. Yet he knew that he would have to rise up, sooner or later, and face the danger that breathed at his back. The minutes passed, and with the passage of each minute he knew that by so much he was nearer the time when he must stand up, or else – and his wet shirt went cold against his flesh again at the thought – or else he might receive death as he stooped there over his treasure.
Still he squatted on his heels (он все еще сидел на корточках), rubbing dirt from gold and debating in just what ma