It was his last successful attempt at speech. Thereafter he babbled incoherently, pawing the air with shaking arms till a fresh convulsion stretched him on the floor.

Matt struggled back to the chair, and, doubled up on it, with his arms clasped about his knees, he fought with his disintegrating flesh. He came out of the convulsion cool and weak. He looked to see how it went with the other, and saw him lying motionless.

He tried to soliloquize (он пытался говорить с самим собой), to be facetious (быть шутливым), to have his last grim laugh at life (в последний раз мрачно посмеяться над жизнью: «иметь свой последний мрачный смех»), but his lips made only incoherent sounds (но его губы издали только бессвязные звуки). The thought came to him that the emetic had failed (мысль пришла к нему /в голову/, что рвотное не подействовало; to come — прийти; to fail — потерпеть неудачу), and that nothing remained but the drugstore (и что ничего не оставалось, кроме аптеки). He looked toward the door and drew himself to his feet (он посмотрел на дверь и поднял себя на ноги; to draw — тянуть). There he saved himself from falling (затем он спас себя от падения) by clutching the chair (тем, что схватился за стул). Another paroxysm had begun (еще один припадок начался). And in the midst of the paroxysm (и в середине этого припадка), with his body and all the parts of it flying apart (когда его тело и все его части разлетались в стороны) and writhing and twisting back again into knots (и корчились и свивались обратно в узлы), he clung to the chair (он вцепился в стул; to cling — цепляться) and shoved it before him across the floor (и толкал его перед собой по полу). The last shreds of his will were leaving him (последние обрывки воли оставляли его) when he gained the door (когда он достиг двери). He turned the key (он повернул ключ) and shot back one bolt (и отодвинул один засов; to shoot back — отодвинуть). He fumbled for the second bolt (он нащупывал второй засов), but failed (но не смог; to fail — потерпеть неудачу; не иметь успеха). Then he leaned his weight against the door (затем он прислонил свой вес = прислонился к двери) and slid down gently to the floor (и соскользнул вниз тихо на пол; to slide — скользить).

soliloquize [sq`lIlqkwaIz], facetious [fq`sJSqs], writhe [raID], knot [nOt], weight [weIt]

He tried to soliloquize, to be facetious, to have his last grim laugh at life, but his lips made only incoherent sounds. The thought came to him that the emetic had failed, and that nothing remained but the drugstore. He looked toward the door and drew himself to his feet. There he saved himself from falling by clutching the chair. Another paroxysm had begun. And in the midst of the paroxysm, with his body and all the parts of it flying apart and writhing and twisting back again into knots, he clung to the chair and shoved it before him across the floor. The last shreds of his will were leaving him when he gained the door. He turned the key and shot back one bolt. He fumbled for the second bolt, but failed. Then he leaned his weight against the door and slid down gently to the floor.

South of the slot (к югу от Трещины2)

Old San Francisco (старый Сан-Франциско), which is the San Francisco of only the other day (то есть еще недавний Сан-Франциско; other day — недавно, на днях), the day before the Earthquake (дня перед Землетрясением), was divided midway by the Slot (был разделен посередине Трещиной). The Slot was an iron crack that ran along the center of Market street (эта Трещина была железной щелью, которая бежала = шла по центру Маркет-стрит: «Рыночной улицы»; to run — бежать), and from the Slot arose the burr of the ceaseless, endless cable (и из Трещины поднимался выступ непрестанного, бесконечного троса) that was hitched at will to the cars (который прицеплялся по желанию к вагонам) it dragged up and down (/которые/ он тащил вверх и вниз). In truth, there were two slots (по правде, было две трещины), but in the quick grammar of the West (но в быстрой грамматике Запада) time was saved by calling them (время экономилось называнием их), and much more that they stood for, "The Slot." (и, что важнее, /называнием/ того, что они обозначали, «Трещиной»; much more — гораздо больше; to stand for — означать: «стоять для») North of the Slot were the theaters, hotels, and shopping district (к северу от Трещины были театры, отели и торговый район), the banks and the staid, respectable business houses (банки и солидные, респектабельные деловые = торговые дома; staid — положительный, степенный, уравновешенный). South of the Slot were the factories, slums, laundries (к югу от Трещины были фабрики, трущобы, прачечные), machine-shops, boiler works (механические мастерские, котельни), and the abodes of the working class (и жилища рабочего класса).

San Francisco ["sxnfrqn`sIskqV], earthquake [`WTkweIk], theater [`TIqtq], hotel [hqV`tel], respectable [rI`spektqbl], business [`bIznqs]

Old San Francisco, which is the San Francisco of only the other day, the day before the Earthquake, was divided midway by the Slot. The Slot was an iron crack that ran along the center of Market street, and from the Slot arose the burr of the ceaseless, endless cable that was hitched at will to the cars it dragged up and down. In truth, there were two slots, but in the quick grammar of the West time was saved by calling them, and much more that they stood for, "The Slot." North of the Slot were the theaters, hotels, and shopping district, the banks and the staid, respectable business houses. South of the Slot were the factories, slums, laundries, machine-shops, boiler works, and the abodes of the working class.

The Slot was the metaphor that expressed the class cleavage of Society (Трещина была метафорой, которая отображала классовую раздробленность общества), and no man crossed this metaphor, back and forth (и никто не пересекал эту метафору туда-сюда), more successfully than Freddie Drummond (успешнее, чем Фредди Драммонд). He made a practice of living in both worlds (он постоянно жил в двух мирах: «сделал практику житья в…»), and in both worlds he lived signally well (и в обоих мирах он жил примечательно хорошо). Freddie Drummond was a professor in the Sociology Department of the University of California (Фредди Драммонд был профессором кафедры социологии Калифорнийского университета), and it was as a professor of sociology that he first crossed over the Slot (и именно как профессор социологии он впервые пересек Трещину: «это было как профессор…»), lived for six months in the great labor-ghetto (прожил шесть месяцев в большом рабочем гетто), and wrote "The Unskilled Laborer" (и написал «Неквалифицированный работник»; to write — писать) — a book that was hailed everywhere (книгу, которую везде приветствовали) as an able contribution to the literature of progress (как талантливый вклад в литературу прогресса), and as a splendid reply to the literature of discontent (и как блестящий ответ литературе недовольства). Politically and economically it was nothing if not orthodox (с политической и экономической точек зрения она была в высшей степени ортодоксальна: «ничего, если не ортодоксальна»). Presidents of great railway systems bought whole editions of it (президенты больших железнодорожных сетей скупали целые тиражи ее; to buy — покупать) to give to their employees (чтобы раздавать своим сотрудникам). The Manufacturers' Association alone (одна Ассоциация предпринимателей) distributed fifty thousand copies of it (распространила пятьдесят тысяч копий ее). In a way (некоторым образом; way — способ), it was almost as immoral as the far-famed and notorious "Message to Garcia," (она была почти так же безнравственна, как прославленное и пресловутое «Послание к Гарсии»³) while in its pernicious preachment of thrift and content (а в пагубном воспевании скупости и самодовольства) it ran "Mrs. Wiggs of the Cabbage Patch" a close second (она шла ноздря в ноздрю с «Миссис Уиггз с Капустной грядки»⁴: «бежала /этой книге/ близким вторым»).

metaphor [`metqfq], practice [`prxktIs], sociology [sqVSI`OlqGI], university [jHnI`vWsqtI]

The Slot was the metaphor that expressed the class cleavage of Society, and no man crossed this metaphor, back and forth, more successfully than Freddie Drummond. He made a practice of living in both worlds, and in both worlds he lived signally well. Freddie Drummond was a professor in the Sociology Department of the University of California, and it was as a professor of sociology that he first crossed over the Slot, lived for six months in the great labor-ghetto, and wrote "The Unskilled Laborer" — a book that was hailed everywhere as an able contribution to the literature of progress, and as a splendid reply to the literature of discontent. Politically and economically it was nothing if not orthodox. Presidents of great railway systems bought whole editions of it to give to their employees. The Manufacturers' Association alone distributed fifty thousand copies of it. In a way, it was almost as immoral as the far-famed and notorious "Message to Garcia," while in its pernicious preachment of thrift and content it ran "Mrs. Wiggs of the Cabbage Patch" a close second.

At first, Freddie Drummond found it monstrously difficult (сперва Фредди Драммонд нашел чудовищно трудным; to find — найти) to get along among the working people (жить среди рабочего люда; to get along — жить, выживать, уживаться). He was not used to their ways (он не был привычен к их нравам), and they certainly were not used to his (и они, конечно, не были привычны к его /нравам/). They were suspicious (они были подозрительны). He had no antecedents (у него не было предшественников). He could talk of no previous jobs (он не мог разговаривать ни о каких предыдущих работах). His hands were soft (его руки были нежными; soft — мягкий). His extraordinary politeness was ominous (его необычная вежливость была = казалась зловещей; ominous — предсказывающий, предвещающий; грозный, зловещий, угрожающий). His first idea of the role he would play (его первая идея о роли, которую он сыграет) was that of a free and independent American (была о свободном и независимом американце) who chose to work with his hands (который выбрал работать руками; to choose — выбрать) and no explanations given (и никаких объяснений не дано = не нужно /при/ этом давать; to give — давать). But it wouldn't do (но это не годилось: «не сделало бы»), as he quickly discovered (как он быстро обнаружил). At the beginning they accepted him (поначалу они приняли его), very provisionally (очень условно), as a freak (как чудака). A little later (немного позже), as he began to know his way about better (когда он стал опытнее: «начал знать свой путь вокруг лучше»; to begin — начать), he insensibly drifted into the role that would work (он незаметно перешел: «переплыл» в роль, которая срабатывала) — namely, he was a man (а именно, он был человеком) who had seen better days (который видел лучшие дни; to see — видеть), very much better days (гораздо лучшие дни), but who was down in his luck (но которому не повезло: «который был внизу своей удачи»), though, to be sure, only temporarily (хотя, конечно, только временно).

monstrously [`mOnstrqslI], difficult [`dIfIk(q)lt], suspicious [sqs`pISqs], antecedent [xntI`sJd(q)nt], previous [`prJvIqs], ominous [`OmInqs]

At first, Freddie Drummond found it monstrously difficult to get along among the working people. He was not used to their ways, and they certainly were not used to his. They were suspicious. He had no antecedents. He could talk of no previous jobs. His hands were soft. His extraordinary politeness was ominous. His first idea of the role he would play was that of a free and independent American who chose to work with his hands and no explanations given. But it wouldn't do, as he quickly discovered. At the beginning they accepted him, very provisionally, as a freak. A little later, as he began to know his way about better, he insensibly drifted into the role that would work — namely, he was a man who had seen better days, very much better days, but who was down in his luck, though, to be sure, only temporarily.

He learned many things (он узнал много вещей), and generalized much and often erroneously (и делал выводы много и часто ошибочно), all of which can be found in the pages of "The Unskilled Laborer." (все из которых могут быть найдены на страницах «Неквалифицированного работника»; to find — найти) He saved himself, however (он спас себя, однако), after the sane and conservative manner of his kind (в разумной и консервативной манере людей вроде него: «своего вида»), by labeling his generalizations as "tentative." (обозначив свои выводы как «предварительные») One of his first experiences was in the great Wilmax Cannery (один из его первых опытов был на большом консервном заводе Уилмекса), where he was put on piece-work (где он был поставлен на = ему поручили сдельную работу; to put — ставить; piece-work — сдельная работа, сдельщина; штучная работа) making small packing cases (— делать маленькие упаковочные коробки). A box factory supplied the parts (тарный завод поставил части), and all Freddie Drummond had to do (и все, что Фредди Драммонд должен был делать; to have to — быть должным) was to fit the parts into a form (было составлять части в форму) and drive in the wire nails (и забивать штифты; to drive in — вколачивать, загонять) with a light hammer (легким молотком).

generalize [`Gen(q)r(q)laIz], laborer [`leIbqrq], experience [Ik`spIqrIqns], wire [waIq]

He learned many things, and generalized much and often erroneously, all of which can be found in the pages of "The Unskilled Laborer." He saved himself, however, after the sane and conservative manner of his kind, by labeling his generalizations as "tentative." One of his first experiences was in the great Wilmax Cannery, where he was put on piece-work making small packing cases. A box factory supplied the parts, and all Freddie Drummond had to do was to fit the parts into a form and drive in the wire nails with a light hammer.

It was not skilled labor (это не была квалифицированная работа; skill — искусство, мастерство, умение; ловкость, сноровка), but it was piece-work (но это была сдельная работа). The ordinary laborers in the cannery got a dollar and a half per day (обычные рабочие на консервном заводе получали доллар с полтиной в день; to get — получать). Freddie Drummond found the other men on the same job with him jogging along (Фредди Драммонд обнаружил, что другие людей на одной работе с ним работают без особого задора; to find — найти; to jog along — двигаться трусцой; продолжать делать что-либо в ровном ритме, не спеша) and earning a dollar and seventy-five cents a day (и зарабатывают один доллар семьдесят пять центов в день). By the third day he was able to earn the same (к третьему дню он был способен зарабатывать столько же). But he was ambitious (но он был амбициозен). He did not care to jog along (он не заботился = не хотел работать размеренно/не спеша) and, being unusually able and fit (и будучи необычайно способным и физически развитым; fit — подходящий, годный, пригодный; соответствующий; спорт. находящийся в хорошей форме; разг. здоровый), on the fourth day earned two dollars (на четвертый день заработал два доллара). The next day (на следующий день), having keyed himself up to an exhausting high-tension (приведя себя в изматывающе высокое напряжение), he earned two dollars and a half (он заработал два с половиной доллара; half — половина). His fellow workers favored him with scowls and black looks (его товарищи почтили его хмурыми и злобными взглядами; scowl — хмурый взгляд), and made remarks (и отпускали замечания), slangily witty and which he did not understand (жаргонно остроумные, которые он не понимал), about sucking up to the boss (о /том, что он/ присасывается = подлизывается к боссу) and pace-making (и рвется вперед) and holding her down when the rains set in (пытается удержать за собой место на черный день: «когда установится = начнется дождь»; to hold down a job — не потерять место, удержаться в должности; to set in — устанавливаться; начинаться, наступать). He was astonished at their malingering on piece-work (он был поражен их отлыниванием от дела на сдельной работе), generalized about the inherent laziness of the unskilled laborer (сделал вывод о врожденной лености неквалифицированного работника), and proceeded next day to hammer out three dollars' worth of boxes (и на следующий день сколотил корóбок на три доллара; to proceed — приступить, продолжить; worth — ценность).

half [hRf], ambitious [qm`bISqs], unusually [An`jHZ(q)lI], exhausting [Ig`zLstIN]

It was not skilled labor, but it was piece-work. The ordinary laborers in the cannery got a dollar and a half per day. Freddie Drummond found the other men on the same job with him jogging along and earning a dollar and seventy-five cents a day. By the third day he was able to earn the same. But he was ambitious. He did not care to jog along and, being unusually able and fit, on the fourth day earned two dollars. The next day, having keyed himself up to an exhausting high-tension, he earned two dollars and a half. His fellow workers favored him with scowls and black looks, and made remarks, slangily witty and which he did not understand, about sucking up to the boss and pace-making and holding her down when the rains set in. He was astonished at their malingering on piece-work, generalized about the inherent laziness of the unskilled laborer, and proceeded next day to hammer out three dollars' worth of boxes.

And that night, coming out of the cannery (и той ночью, выходя с завода), he was interviewed by his fellow workmen (он был встречен своими товарищами), who were very angry and incoherently slangy (которые были очень рассерженными и бессвязно кричащими). He failed to comprehend the motive behind their action (он не смог понять мотив их поступка; to fail — не смочь). The action itself was strenuous (сам поступок был энергичным). When he refused to ease down his pace (когда он отказался сбавить скорость) and bleated about freedom of contract (и заблеял о свободе договора), independent Americanism, and the dignity of toil (независимом американизме и достоинстве труда), they proceeded to spoil his pace-making ability (они принялись портить его способность к лидерству). It was a fierce battle (это была жестокая схватка), for Drummond was a large man and an athlete (так как Драммонд был крупным человеком и атлетом), but the crowd finally jumped on his ribs (но толпа в конце концов попрыгала у него на ребрах), walked on his face (прошлась по его лицу), and stamped on his fingers (и потопталась у него на пальцах), so that it was only after lying in bed for a week (так что только после лежания в постели неделю) that he was able to get up (он смог встать: «был способен») and look for another job (и искать другую работу). All of which is duly narrated in that first book of his (чтó и было надлежащим образом изложено в этой его первой книге), in the chapter entitled "The Tyranny of Labor." (в главе, названной «Тирания рабочего класса»)