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The contents of the pan diminished rapidly until only fine dirt and the smallest bits of gravel remained. At this stage he began to work very deliberately and carefully. It was fine washing, and he washed fine and finer, with a keen scrutiny and delicate and fastidious touch. At last the pan seemed empty of everything but water; but with a quick semicircular flirt that sent the water flying over the shallow rim into the stream, he disclosed a layer of black sand on the bottom of the pan. So thin was this layer that it was like a streak of paint. He examined it closely. In the midst of it was a tiny golden speck. He dribbled a little water in over the depressed edge of the pan. With a quick flirt he sent the water sluicing across the bottom, turning the grains of black sand over and over. A second tiny golden speck rewarded his effort.
The washing had now become very fine (промывка теперь стала очень тщательной) – fine beyond all need of ordinary placer-mining (тщательной больше необходимого при обычной разработке россыпи; placer – /золотой/ прииск, россыпь; to mine – производить горные работы, разрабатывать рудник; добывать; mine – залежь, пласт, месторождение руды; рудник; шахта; прииск; копи). He worked the black sand (он промывал: «обрабатывал» черный песок), a small portion at a time (/по/ маленькой порции за раз), up the shallow rim of the pan (через отогнутый край лотка). Each small portion he examined sharply (каждую маленькую порцию он внимательно рассматривал; sharp – острый; внимательный), so that his eyes saw every grain of it (так, что его глаза видели каждую ее крупинку) before he allowed it to slide over the edge and away (прежде чем он позволял ей выскользнуть через край; away – прочь). Jealously (ревниво), bit by bit (мало-помалу), he let the black sand slip away (он позволял черному песку ускользать; to slip – скользить; течь). A golden speck, no larger than a pin-point, appeared on the rim (золотая крупинка, не больше острия булавки, показалась на краю), and by his manipulation of the water it returned to the bottom of the pan (и благодаря его манипуляции с водой она возвратилась на дно лотка). And in such fashion another speck was disclosed, and another (и таким образом была обнаружена еще одна крупинка, и еще одна; fashion – форма; способ действия). Great was his care of them (огромной была его забота о них). Like a shepherd he herded his flock of golden specks (как пастух, сгонял он свое стадо золотых крупинок; to herd – пасти, собирать вместе) so that not one should be lost (так, чтобы ни одна не была потеряна). At last (наконец), of the pan of dirt nothing remained but his golden herd (в лотке с землей не осталось ничего, кроме его золотого стада; herd – сущ. стадо). He counted it (он пересчитал их), and then, after all his labor (а затем, после всех его трудов), sent it flying out of the pan with one final swirl of water (выплеснул их из лотка последним круговым движением воды; swirl – водоворот, кружение).
The washing had now become very fine – fine beyond all need of ordinary placer-mining. He worked the black sand, a small portion at a time, up the shallow rim of the pan. Each small portion he examined sharply, so that his eyes saw every grain of it before he allowed it to slide over the edge and away. Jealously, bit by bit, he let the black sand slip away. A golden speck, no larger than a pin-point, appeared on the rim, and by his manipulation of the water it returned to the bottom of the pan. And in such fashion another speck was disclosed, and another. Great was his care of them. Like a shepherd he herded his flock of golden specks so that not one should be lost. At last, of the pan of dirt nothing remained but his golden herd. He counted it, and then, after all his labor, sent it flying out of the pan with one final swirl of water.
But his blue eyes were shining with desire (но его голубые глаза светились желанием = жадно светились; desire – желание, жажда, вожделение) as he rose to his feet (когда он поднялся на ноги;). “Seven,” he muttered aloud (семь, – пробормотал он вслух), asserting the sum of the specks (обозначая количество крупинок; to assert – утверждать, заявлять) for which he had toiled so hard (ради которых он так упорно трудился; to toil – усиленно трудиться) and which he had so wantonly thrown away (и которые он столь безрассудно выбросил; wantonly – развратно; необдуманно, безрассудно). “Seven,” he repeated (семь, – повторил он), with the emphasis of one trying to impress a number on his memory (с ударением, пытаясь запечатлеть цифру в памяти: «с ударением человека, пытающегося запечатлеть цифру в памяти»; to impress – запечатлевать, оставлять след /в сознании/).
But his blue eyes were shining with desire as he rose to his feet. “Seven,” he muttered aloud, asserting the sum of the specks for which he had toiled so hard and which he had so wantonly thrown away. “Seven,” he repeated, with the emphasis of one trying to impress a number on his memory.
He stood still a long while (он долго стоял неподвижно; a long while – долго; while – промежуток времени), surveying the hillside (оглядывая склон холма; to survey – обводить взглядом, рассматривать). In his eyes was a curiosity (в его глазах было любопытство), new-aroused and burning (только что пробужденное: «новопробужденное» и жгучее; to arouse – пробуждать). There was an exultance about his bearing and a kee
He moved down the stream a few steps and took a second panful of dirt (он спустился на несколько шагов к ручью и набрал второй полный лоток грунта).
Again came the careful washing (снова последовало бережное промывание), the jealous herding of the golden specks (ревнивое собирание золотых крупинок), and the wanto
“Five,” he muttered (пять, – пробормотал он), and repeated, “five.” (и повторил: пять)
He stood still a long while, surveying the hillside. In his eyes was a curiosity, new-aroused and burning. There was an exultance about his bearing and a kee