TO BUILD A FIRE 3 страница

When the man had finished, he filled his pipe and took his comfortable time over a smoke. Then he pulled on his mittens, settled the ear-flaps of his cap firmly about his ears, and took the creek trail up the left fork. The dog was disappointed and yearned back toward the fire. This man did not know cold. Possibly all the generations of his ancestry had been ignorant of cold, of real cold, of cold one hundred and seven degrees below freezing-point. But the dog knew; all its ancestry knew, and it had inherited the knowledge. And it knew that it was not good to walk abroad in such fearful cold. It was the time to lie snug in a hole in the snow and wait for a curtain of cloud to be drawn across the face of outer space whence this cold came. On the other hand, there was no keen intimacy between the dog and the man. The one was the toil-slave of the other, and the only caresses it had ever received were the caresses of the whip-lash and of harsh and menacing throat-sounds that threatened the whip-lash. So the dog made no effort to communicate its apprehension to the man. It was not concerned in the welfare of the man; it was for its own sake that it yearned back toward the fire. But the man whistled, and spoke to it with the sound of whip-lashes, and the dog swung in at the man's heels and followed after.

The man took a chew of tobacco (человек взял /в рот/ порцию табака; chew — “жвачка”) and proceeded to start a new amber beard (и принялся отращивать новую янтарную бороду; to start — начинать). Also, his moist breath (также его влажное дыхание) quickly powdered with white his mustache, eyebrows, and lashes (быстро запорошило белым = покрыло инеем его усы, брови и ресницы). There did not seem to be so many springs on the left fork of the Henderson (не казалось, /что/ было = казалось, было не так много /горных/ ключей на левом рукаве Хендерсон/-Крика/), and for half an hour the man saw no signs of any (и в течение получаса человек /не/ видел никаких их признаков; any — какой-нибудь; /в отриц. предл./ ни один). And then it happened (а потом это случилось). At a place where there were no signs (на месте, где /не/ было никаких признаков), where the soft, unbroken snow seemed to advertise solidity beneath (где мягкий, ровный снег, казалось, предвещал прочное основание; unbroken — неразбитый, целый; непрерывный; to advertise — рекламировать; информировать; solidity — твердость, крепость, прочность; beneath — внизу; ниже), the man broke through (человек провалился; to break through — прорваться, пробиться). It was not deep (/там/ было не глубоко). He wet himself halfway to the knees (он намок /только/ до икр: «на полпути к коленям») before he floundered out to the firm crust (прежде чем он выбрался на твердый наст; to flounder — барахтаться, пытаясь найти опору; двигаться с трудом).

He was angry (он рассердился), and cursed his luck aloud (и громко выругался /на/ свое везение/на свою судьбу). He had hoped to get into camp with the boys at six o'clock (он надеялся добраться до лагеря с ребятами к шести часам), and this would delay him an hour (а это задержит его на час), for he would have to build a fire and dry out his foot-gear (ибо ему придется разложить костер и высушить свою обувь). This was imperative at that low temperature (это было обязательно при такой низкой температуре) — he knew that much (уж это он знал); and he turned aside to the bank, which he climbed (и он свернул в сторону к берегу, /на/ который он /потом и/ взобрался). On top (наверху), tangled in the underbrush about the trunks of several small spruce trees (в подлеске, обвитое вокруг стволов нескольких небольших еловых деревьев; to tangle — запутывать/ся/), was a high-water deposit of dry fire-wood (было /намытое/ наводнением: «высокой водой» скопление сухих дров для растопки; deposit — депозит; отложение; залежь) — sticks and twigs, principally (прутья и веточки в основном), but also larger portions of seasoned branches (но также /и/ бόльшие части сухих ветвей; seasoned — выдержанный; высушенный в естественных условиях) and fine, dry, last-year's grasses (и тонкая, сухая прошлогодняя трава).

sign [saIn], beneath [bI`nJT], foot-gear [`fut"gIq]

The man took a chew of tobacco and proceeded to start a new amber beard. Also, his moist breath quickly powdered with white his mustache, eyebrows, and lashes. There did not seem to be so many springs on the left fork of the Henderson, and for half an hour the man saw no signs of any. And then it happened. At a place where there were no signs, where the soft, unbroken snow seemed to advertise solidity beneath, the man broke through. It was not deep. He wet himself halfway to the knees before he floundered out to the firm crust.

He was angry, and cursed his luck aloud. He had hoped to get into camp with the boys at six o'clock, and this would delay him an hour, for he would have to build a fire and dry out his foot-gear. This was imperative at that low temperature — he knew that much; and he turned aside to the bank, which he climbed. On top, tangled in the underbrush about the trunks of several small spruce trees, was a high-water deposit of dry fire-wood — sticks and twigs, principally, but also larger portions of seasoned branches and fine, dry, last-year's grasses.

He threw down several large pieces on top of the snow (он положил несколько больших палок: «кусков» поверх снега; to throw down — сбрасывать; бросить на землю). This served for a foundation (это послужило основанием /для костра/) and prevented the young flame from drowning itself in the snow (и оберегало молодое = только зачинавшееся пламя от погружения в снег; to drown — тонуть; топить/ся/) it otherwise would melt (иначе оно бы погасло; to melt — таять; растворять/ся/; слабеть, исчезать). The flame he got by touching a match to a small shred of birch-bark (пламя он получил, прикоснувшись спичкой к маленькому обрывку березовой коры) that he took from his pocket (который он достал из своего кармана). This burned even more readily than paper (это = он вспыхнул даже быстрее бумаги; to burn — гореть; readily — охотно; быстро; легко; than — чем). Placing it on the foundation (положив его на основание /костра/), he fed the young flame with wisps of dry grass and with the tiniest dry twigs (он /стал/ подкармливать разгорающееся: «молодое» пламя клочками сухой травы и мельчайшими сухими веточками; tiny — очень маленький, крошечный).

He worked slowly and carefully (он работал медленно и осторожно), keenly aware of his danger (ясно осознавая /грозящую/ ему опасность; keenly — остро, резко; his — его, свой). Gradually, as the flame grew stronger (постепенно, в то время как пламя разгоралось: «становилось сильнее»), he increased the size of the twigs with which he fed it (он стал подкладывать в огонь веточки побольше: «он увеличил размер веточек, которыми он кормил его»). He squatted in the snow (он сидел на корточках в снегу), pulling the twigs out from their entanglement in the brush (вытаскивая веточки из их переплетений в подлеске; to tangle — запутывать/ся/; brush — кустарник; подлесок; валежник) and feeding directly to the flame (и подкладывая /их/ прямо в огонь; to feed — кормить). He knew there must be no failure (он знал, /не/ должно быть никакого = нельзя допустить провала). When it is seventy-five below zero (когда /на улице/ семьдесят пять ниже нуля), a man must not fail in his first attempt to build a fire (человеку нельзя не разжечь костер с первой попытки; to fail — не удаваться; не исполнить, не сделать) — that is, if his feet are wet (то есть, если у него ноги: «ступни» мокрые). If his feet are dry, and he fails (если у него ноги сухие, и ему не удается /разжечь костер/), he can run along the trail for half a mile and restore his circulation (он может бежать по тропе с полмили и восстановить свое кровообращение). But the circulation of wet and freezing feet (но кровообращение мокрых и замерзающих ног) cannot be restored by running when it is seventy-five below (не может быть восстановлено = нельзя восстановить бéгом, когда /на улице/ семьдесят пять ниже нуля; below — внизу, ниже; ниже нуля). No matter how fast he runs (неважно, как быстро он побежит), the wet feet will freeze the harder (мокрые ноги замерзнут еще больше; hard — твердо; крепко; сильно).

touch [tAC], squat [skwOt], entanglement [In`txNglmqnt]

He threw down several large pieces on top of the snow. This served for a foundation and prevented the young flame from drowning itself in the snow it otherwise would melt. The flame he got by touching a match to a small shred of birch-bark that he took from his pocket. This burned even more readily than paper. Placing it on the foundation, he fed the young flame with wisps of dry grass and with the tiniest dry twigs.

He worked slowly and carefully, keenly aware of his danger. Gradually, as the flame grew stronger, he increased the size of the twigs with which he fed it. He squatted in the snow, pulling the twigs out from their entanglement in the brush and feeding directly to the flame. He knew there must be no failure. When it is seventy-five below zero, a man must not fail in his first attempt to build a fire — that is, if his feet are wet. If his feet are dry, and he fails, he can run along the trail for half a mile and restore his circulation. But the circulation of wet and freezing feet cannot be restored by running when it is seventy-five below. No matter how fast he runs, the wet feet will freeze the harder.

All this the man knew (все это человек знал). The old-timer on Sulphur Creek had told him about it the previous fall (тот старожил на Салфур-Крике рассказал ему об этом прошлой осенью; previous — предыдущий), and now he was appreciating the advice (и теперь он /высоко/ ценил = мог оценить этот совет). Already all sensation had gone out of his feet (он уже не чувствовал своих ног: «уже все ощущения ушли из его стоп»). To build the fire he had been forced to remove his mittens (чтобы разжечь костер, он вынужден был снять свои рукавицы; to remove — передвигать; убирать; снимать), and the fingers had quickly gone numb (и пальцы быстро окоченели: «стали окоченелыми»). His pace of four miles an hour (темп его /передвижения/ в четыре мили в час) had kept his heart pumping blood (/прежде/ заставлял его сердце подкачивать кровь; to keep — держать; хранить; /с последующим сложным дополнением/ заставлять, вынуждать; to pump — работать насосом; качать) to the surface of his body and to all the extremities (к поверхности его тела и ко всем конечностям). But the instant he stopped (но /в/ тот момент, /когда/ он остановился), the action of the pump eased down (действие насоса замедлило ход). The cold of space smote the unprotected tip of the planet (космический холод ударил /по/ незащищенному участку планеты; to smite — ударять, бить; поражать; tip — кончик; верхушка), and he, being on that unprotected tip (и он, будучи на этом незащищенном участке), received the full force of the blow (получил = испытал на себе всю силу этого удара; full — полный). The blood of his body recoiled before it (кровь его тела отступила в ужасе перед ним = этим холодом; to recoil — отскочить, отпрянуть /в страхе, в ужасе и т.п./). The blood was alive, like the dog (кровь была живая, как собака), and like the dog it wanted to hide away (и /так же/ как собака, она хотела спрятаться подальше; away — далеко; прочь) and cover itself up from the fearful cold (и укрыться от страшного холода; to cover up — спрятать, тщательно прикрыть; закрывать). So long as he walked four miles an hour (так долго как = пока он шел /со скоростью/ четырех миль в час), he pumped that blood, willy-nilly, to the surface (он подкачивал эту кровь волей-неволей к поверхности /тела/); but now it ebbed away and sank down into the recesses of his body (но сейчас она ослабела и забилась: «опустилась» в укромные уголки его тела). The extremities were the first to feel its absence (конечности первыми ощутили ее отсутствие). His wet feet froze the faster (его мокрые ступни заледенели первыми: «быстрее всех»), and his exposed fingers numbed the faster (и его неприкрытые пальцы закоченели первыми), though they had not yet begun to freeze (хотя они еще и не начали промерзать). Nose and cheeks were already freezing (нос и щеки уже замерзали = мертвели от холода), while the skin of all his body chilled as it lost its blood (в то время как кожа всего его тела озябла, так как она потеряла = от нее отлила кровь; to chill — охлаждать/ся/; холодеть).

appreciate [q`prJSIeIt], blood [blAd], surface [`sWfIs]

All this the man knew. The old-timer on Sulphur Creek had told him about it the previous fall, and now he was appreciating the advice. Already all sensation had gone out of his feet. To build the fire he had been forced to remove his mittens, and the fingers had quickly gone numb. His pace of four miles an hour had kept his heart pumping blood to the surface of his body and to all the extremities. But the instant he stopped, the action of the pump eased down. The cold of space smote the unprotected tip of the planet, and he, being on that unprotected tip, received the full force of the blow. The blood of his body recoiled before it. The blood was alive, like the dog, and like the dog it wanted to hide away and cover itself up from the fearful cold. So long as he walked four miles an hour, he pumped that blood, willy-nilly, to the surface; but now it ebbed away and sank down into the recesses of his body. The extremities were the first to feel its absence. His wet feet froze the faster, and his exposed fingers numbed the faster, though they had not yet begun to freeze. Nose and cheeks were already freezing, while the skin of all his body chilled as it lost its blood.

But he was safe (но он был в безопасности). Toes and nose and cheeks would be only touched by the frost (пальцы ног, нос и щеки будут только тронуты морозом = чуть обморожены), for the fire was beginning to burn with strength (так как огонь /уже/ начинал разгораться: «гореть с силой»). He was feeding it with twigs the size of his finger (он подкармливал его = подкладывал туда веточки размером со свой палец). In another minute he would be able to feed it with branches the size of his wrist (через еще одну минуту = скоро он сможет подкладывать туда ветви размером со свое запястье; to be able to — мочь, быть в состоянии), and then he could remove his wet foot-gear (а потом он сможет снять свою мокрую обувь; to remove — передвигать; убирать; снимать), and, while it dried (и пока она /будет/ сохнуть), he could keep his naked feet warm by the fire (он сможет держать свои голые ступни в тепле: «теплыми» у огня), rubbing them at first, of course, with snow (растирая их поначалу снегом, конечно). The fire was a success (/да/, костер удался; success — успех, удача). He was safe (он был в безопасности). He remembered the advice of the old-timer on Sulphur Creek, and smiled (он вспомнил совет старожила на Салфур-Крике и улыбнулся). The old-timer had been very serious in laying down the law (этот старожил был очень серьезен, /когда/ утверждал; to lay down the law — устанавливать, формулировать закон; заявлять безапелляционно) that no man must travel alone in the Klondike after fifty below (что никакой человек = никто /не/ должен путешествовать в одиночку по Клондайку, /если мороз/ за пятьдесят /градусов/ ниже нуля). Well, here he was (ну а он был здесь); he had had the accident (с ним произошел: «он имел» несчастный случай); he was alone (он был один); and he had saved himself (и он спасся). Those old-timers were rather womanish (эти: «те» старожилы были словно женщины; rather — слегка, довольно; весьма; womanish — женоподобный; женский), some of them, he thought (некоторые из них, подумал он). All a man had to do was to keep his head (все, /что/ человек должен был делать — это не терять головы; to keep one’s head — сохранять спокойствие, присутствие духа; владеть собой), and he was all right (а у него /с этим/ было в порядке). Any man who was a man could travel alone (любой человек, который был /настоящим/ мужчиной, мог путешествовать в одиночку). But it was surprising (но это было удивительно), the rapidity with which his cheeks and nose were freezing (быстрота, с которой = с какой скоростью замерзали его щеки и нос). And he had not thought (и он не думал) his fingers could go lifeless in so short a time (/что/ его пальцы смогут стать безжизненными за такое короткое время). Lifeless they were (они были безжизненными), for he could scarcely make them move together to grip a twig (ибо он с трудом мог заставить их двигаться сообща, чтобы схватить веточку), and they seemed remote from his body and from him (и они казались /какими-то/ отдаленными от его тела и от него). When he touched a twig (когда он касался веточки), he had to look and see whether or not he had hold of it (ему приходилось смотреть, ухватил ли он ее или нет; to look — смотреть; to see — видеть, смотреть; whether — ли; hold — захват; удержание). The wires were pretty well down between him and his finger-ends (провода = связь между ним и кончиками его пальцев заметно ухудшилась; pretty well — очень, в большой степени; почти совсем; to be down — ослабевать, снижаться).

strength [streNT], rapidity [rq`pIdItI], scarcely [`skeqslI]

But he was safe. Toes and nose and cheeks would be only touched by the frost, for the fire was beginning to burn with strength. He was feeding it with twigs the size of his finger. In another minute he would be able to feed it with branches the size of his wrist, and then he could remove his wet foot-gear, and, while it dried, he could keep his naked feet warm by the fire, rubbing them at first, of course, with snow. The fire was a success. He was safe. He remembered the advice of the old-timer on Sulphur Creek, and smiled. The old-timer had been very serious in laying down the law that no man must travel alone in the Klondike after fifty below. Well, here he was; he had had the accident; he was alone; and he had saved himself. Those old-timers were rather womanish, some of them, he thought. All a man had to do was to keep his head, and he was all right. Any man who was a man could travel alone. But it was surprising, the rapidity with which his cheeks and nose were freezing. And he had not thought his fingers could go lifeless in so short a time. Lifeless they were, for he could scarcely make them move together to grip a twig, and they seemed remote from his body and from him. When he touched a twig, he had to look and see whether or not he had hold of it. The wires were pretty well down between him and his finger-ends.

All of which counted for little (/но/ все это не имело большого значения; which — какой, который; to count for — стоить, иметь значение; little — маленький; мало, немного). There was the fire (/у него/ был огонь), snapping and crackling and promising life with every dancing flame (потрескивающий и обещающий жизнь каждым /своим/ танцующим /язычком/ пламени; to snap — щелкать; to crackle — потрескивать, трещать). He started to untie his moccasins (он начал развязывать свои мокасины). They were coated with ice (они были покрыты льдом); the thick German socks were like sheaths of iron halfway to the knees (толстые немецкие носки были словно железные футляры до икр: «футляры из железа на полпути к коленям»); and the moccasin strings were like rods of steel (а завязки мокасин были словно стальные прутья: «прутья из стали») all twisted and knotted as by some conflagration (все покоробленные и переплетенные, как от большого пожара; to twist — крутить; искривлять; обвивать; to knot — связывать; завязывать узел; завязывать узлом). For a moment he tugged with his numb fingers (с минуту он дергал /их/ своими окоченевшими пальцами; moment — момент, минута, миг), then, realizing the folly of it, he drew his sheath-knife (потом, осознав бессмысленность этого, он вытащил свой охотничий нож; folly — безрассудство, глупость; причуда; sheath-knife — нож в футляре; охотничий нож).

But before he could cut the strings, it happened (но прежде чем он смог перерезать завязки, случилась беда: «это»). It was his own fault or, rather, his mistake (это было = случилось /по/ его собственной вине или, скорее, /из-за/ его ошибки). He should not have built the fire under the spruce tree (ему не следовало раскладывать костер /прямо/ под елью). He should have built it in the open (ему следовало разложить его на открытом пространстве). But it had been easier to pull the twigs from the brush (но /просто/ было легче вытаскивать веточки из подлеска; brush — кустарник; подлесок; валежник) and drop them directly on the fire (и бросать их сразу в огонь). Now the tree under which he had done this (сейчас = в то время, так вот, дерево, под которым он /все/ это делал) carried a weight of snow on its boughs (имело некое количество снега на своих сучьях; to carry — везти; нести; иметь при себе; weight — вес; масса; тяжесть; груз). No wind had blown for weeks (никакого ветерка /не/ было неделями; to blow — дуть), and each bough was fully freighted (и каждый сук был основательно нагружен /снегом/). Each time he had pulled a twig (каждый раз, /когда/ он вытаскивал веточку) he had communicated a slight agitation to the tree (он сообщал дереву небольшой толчок; agitation — волнение; взбалтывание, помешивание) — an imperceptible agitation, so far as he was concerned (незначительный толчок, как ему казалось; so far as — насколько; поскольку; concerned — заинтересованный; имеющий отношение к чему-либо, связанный с чем-либо; озабоченный, обеспокоенный), but an agitation sufficient to bring about the disaster (но толчок достаточный /для того/, чтобы вызвать катастрофу). High up in the tree one bough capsized its load of snow (высоко наверху дерева один сук сбросил: «опрокинул» свой груз снега). This fell on the boughs beneath, capsizing them (этот /снег/ упал на сучья пониже, опрокидывая /и/ их). This process continued, spreading out and involving the whole tree (этот процесс продолжался, /все больше/ распространяясь и вовлекая = увлекая за собой все дерево). It grew like an avalanche (он разрастался словно лавина), and it descended without warning upon the man and the fire (и он обрушился без предупреждения на человека и /на/ костер; to descend — спускаться, сходить; обрушиться, налететь), and the fire was blotted out (и костер был уничтожен; to blot out — вычеркивать, стирать; уничтожать)! Where it had burned was a mantle of fresh and disordered snow (/там/, где он /до этого/ горел, была мантия из = лежал свежий и неровный: «беспорядочный» снег).

sheath [SJT], directly [dI`rektlI, daI`rektlI], bough [bau]

All of which counted for little. There was the fire, snapping and crackling and promising life with every dancing flame. He started to untie his moccasins. They were coated with ice; the thick German socks were like sheaths of iron halfway to the knees; and the moccasin strings were like rods of steel all twisted and knotted as by some conflagration. For a moment he tugged with his numb fingers, then, realizing the folly of it, he drew his sheath-knife.

But before he could cut the strings, it happened. It was his own fault or, rather, his mistake. He should not have built the fire under the spruce tree. He should have built it in the open. But it had been easier to pull the twigs from the brush and drop them directly on the fire. Now the tree under which he had done this carried a weight of snow on its boughs. No wind had blown for weeks, and each bough was fully freighted. Each time he had pulled a twig he had communicated a slight agitation to the tree — an imperceptible agitation, so far as he was concerned, but an agitation sufficient to bring about the disaster. High up in the tree one bough capsized its load of snow. This fell on the boughs beneath, capsizing them. This process continued, spreading out and involving the whole tree. It grew like an avalanche, and it descended without warning upon the man and the fire, and the fire was blotted out! Where it had burned was a mantle of fresh and disordered snow.

The man was shocked (человек был потрясен/в шоке). It was as though he had just heard his own sentence of death (это было, как будто он только что услышал свой собственный смертный приговор: «приговор смерти»). For a moment he sat and stared at the spot where the fire had been (с минуту он сидел и /просто/ смотрел на то место, где /только что/ был огонь; moment — момент, минута, миг; to stare — пристально глядеть, вглядываться; уставиться). Then he grew very calm (потом он сделался очень спокоен; to grow — расти; делаться, становиться). Perhaps the old-timer on Sulphur Creek was right (возможно, тот старожил на Салфур-Крике был прав). If he had only had a trail-mate (если /бы/ только у него был попутчик; trail — тропа; след; mate — товарищ; напарник; помощник) he would have been in no danger now (он бы сейчас был в безопасности; to be in danger — быть в опасности). The trail-mate could have built the fire (попутчик смог бы разжечь костер). Well, it was up to him to build the fire over again (ну, /теперь/ он сам должен разжечь костер еще раз; to be up to him — ему решать; от него зависит; over again — опять, снова, еще раз), and this second time there must be no failure (и /на/ этот: «второй» раз /не/ должно быть никакого провала). Even if he succeeded (даже если ему удастся /разжечь костер/), he would most likely lose some toes (он, скорее всего, лишится нескольких пальцев /на ногах/). His feet must be badly frozen by now (его ступни, должно быть, к этому времени = уже сильно обморожены; badly — плохо; крайне, очень сильно), and there would be some time before the second fire was ready (и будет = пройдет некоторое время, прежде чем второй костер /будет/ готов).

Such were his thoughts (такими были его мысли), but he did not sit and think them (но он не сидел и /не/ думал их). He was busy all the time they were passing through his mind (он был занят /делом/ все это время, /пока/ они проплывали у него в голове: «проходили через его ум»). He made a new foundation for a fire (он сделал новое основание для костра), this time in the open (/на/ этот раз на открытом пространстве), where no treacherous tree could blot it out (где ни одно вероломное дерево /не/ могло бы уничтожить его). Next, he gathered dry grasses and tiny twigs from the high-water flotsam (затем он насобирал сухой травы и крошечных веточек, /оставшихся/ от наводнения: «высокой воды»; flotsam — плавающие или вынесенные на берег обломки). He could not bring his fingers together to pull them out (он не мог свести свои пальцы вместе, чтобы вытаскивать их), but he was able to gather them by the handful (но он мог: «был в состоянии» собирать их горстями). In this way he got many rotten twigs and bits of green moss that were undesirable (таким способом он насобирал: «получил» много гнилых веточек и кусков зеленого мха, что было нежелательно), but it was the best he could do (но это было самое лучшее, /что/ он мог сделать). He worked methodically (он работал методично), even collecting an armful of the larger branches (собирая даже охапку веток побольше) to be used later when the fire gathered strength (чтобы использовать /их/ позже, когда костер /достаточно/ разгорится: «наберет силу»). And all the while the dog sat and watched him (и все это время собака сидела и наблюдала /за/ ним), a certain yearning wistfulness in its eyes (/с/ некоторой тоской в глазах; to yearn — тосковать; жаждать; wistfulness — тоска, мечтательность), for it looked upon him as the fire-provider (ибо она смотрела на него как /на того/, кто обеспечит /их/ огнем; provider — снабженец; поставщик), and the fire was slow in coming (а огня все не было; to be slow — медлить, мешкать; опаздывать; coming — прибытие; появление; наступление).

treacherous [`treC(q)rqs], undesirable ["AndI`zaIqrqbl], yearn [jWn]

The man was shocked. It was as though he had just heard his own sentence of death. For a moment he sat and stared at the spot where the fire had been. Then he grew very calm. Perhaps the old-timer on Sulphur Creek was right. If he had only had a trail-mate he would have been in no danger now. The trail-mate could have built the fire. Well, it was up to him to build the fire over again, and this second time there must be no failure. Even if he succeeded, he would most likely lose some toes. His feet must be badly frozen by now, and there would be some time before the second fire was ready.

Such were his thoughts, but he did not sit and think them. He was busy all the time they were passing through his mind. He made a new foundation for a fire, this time in the open, where no treacherous tree could blot it out. Next, he gathered dry grasses and tiny twigs from the high-water flotsam. He could not bring his fingers together to pull them out, but he was able to gather them by the handful. In this way he got many rotten twigs and bits of green moss that were undesirable, but it was the best he could do. He worked methodically, even collecting an armful of the larger branches to be used later when the fire gathered strength. And all the while the dog sat and watched him, a certain yearning wistfulness in its eyes, for it looked upon him as the fire-provider, and the fire was slow in coming.

Дата добавления: 2015-09-03