"In course He did (конечно, Он)," said her companion, rather startled by this unexpected question (сказал ее компаньон, несколько удивленный этим неожиданным вопросом; to startle — испугать; поразить, сильно удивить).

northern ['n:dn], horizon [h'razn], vulture ['vl]

"I don't know — not very long." The man's eyes were fixed upon the northern horizon. In the blue vault of the heaven there had appeared three little specks which increased in size every moment, so rapidly did they approach. They speedily resolved themselves into three large brown birds, which circled over the heads of the two wanderers, and then settled upon some rocks which overlooked them. They were buzzards, the vultures of the west, whose coming is the forerunner of death.

"Cocks and hens," cried the little girl gleefully, pointing at their ill-omened forms, and clapping her hands to make them rise. "Say, did God make this country?"

"In course He did," said her companion, rather startled by this unexpected question.

"He made the country down in Illinois, and He made the Missouri," the little girl continued (Он создал Иллинойс, и он создал Миссури, — продолжала маленькая девочка). "I guess somebody else made the country in these parts (я думаю, эту страну сделал кто-то другой). It's not nearly so well done (она сделана куда как хуже: «она и близко не так хорошо сделана»). They forgot the water and the trees (тут забыли про воду и про деревья)."

"What would ye think of offering up prayer?" the man asked diffidently (как ты думаешь, не помолиться ли нам: «что бы ты подумала о вознесении молитвы», — робко спросил мужчина; to offer up — возносить /молитвы/ к Богу; diffident — неуверенный в себе, застенчивый, робкий).

"It ain't night yet (еще же не вечер)," she answered.

"It don't matter (неважно). It ain't quite regular, but He won't mind that, you bet (сейчас не совсем обычное время для этого: «это не совсем обычно», но Он не будет против, можешь быть уверена; regular — правильный, нормальный; to bet — держать пари, биться об заклад; быть уверенным в чем-либо). You say over them ones that you used to say every night in the waggon when we was on the Plains (ты повтори те, что ты обычно говорила каждый вечер в повозке, когда мы были на равнинах)."

"Why don't you say some yourself (а почему ты сам не хочешь: «а почему бы тебе не сказать какие-нибудь самому»)?" the child asked, with wondering eyes (спросила девочка, удивленно глядя на него: «с удивленными глазами»).

prayer [pre], regular ['rejul], wonder ['wnd]

"He made the country down in Illinois, and He made the Missouri," the little girl continued. "I guess somebody else made the country in these parts. It's not nearly so well done. They forgot the water and the trees."

"What would ye think of offering up prayer?" the man asked diffidently.

"It ain't night yet," she answered.

"It don't matter. It ain't quite regular, but He won't mind that, you bet. You say over them ones that you used to say every night in the waggon when we was on the Plains."

"Why don't you say some yourself?" the child asked, with wondering eyes.

"I disremember them (я их забыл; to disremember — быть не в состоянии вспомнить)," he answered. "I hain't said none since I was half the height o' that gun (я не произнес ни единой молитвы с тех пор, как стал ростом с половину этого ружья). I guess it's never too late (я думаю, что никогда не поздно начать). You say them out, and I'll stand by and come in on the choruses (ты начинай: «ты их произноси», а я буду стоять рядом и повторять вслед за тобой: «и подключаться в рефренах»; chorus — хор; рефрен, слова, которые все произносят вместе)."

"Then you'll need to kneel down, and me too (тогда тебе нужно встать на колени, и мне тоже)," she said, laying the shawl out for that purpose (сказала она, раскладывая свою шаль, чтобы встать на нее на колени: «для этой цели»). "You've got to put your hands up like this (ты должен сложить руки вот так). It makes you feel kind o' good (и ты почувствуешь себя лучше: «это заставляет тебя чувствовать себя как бы хорошим»; kind o' = kind of — вроде, почти что; как будто; наполовину, отчасти)."

none [nn], height [hat], guess [es]

"I disremember them," he answered. "I hain't said none since I was half the height o' that gun. I guess it's never too late. You say them out, and I'll stand by and come in on the choruses."

"Then you'll need to kneel down, and me too," she said, laying the shawl out for that purpose. "You've got to put your hands up like this. It makes you feel kind o' good."

It was a strange sight had there been anything but the buzzards to see it (это была странная сцена, если бы ее мог кто-то увидеть, кроме грифов). Side by side on the narrow shawl knelt the two wanderers (на узкой шали рядом стояли на коленях два путника; to kneel — преклонять колени, становиться на колени), the little prattling child and the reckless, hardened adventurer (маленький щебечущий ребенок и отчаянный, многое повидавший искатель приключений; reckless — безрассудный; пренебрегающий; to harden — закаляться; ожесточаться; adventure — приключение). Her chubby face, and his haggard, angular visage were both turned up to the cloudless heaven (ее пухленькое личико и его осунувшееся, заострившееся лицо были обращены к безоблачному небу; angular — угловатый; костлявый, худой) in heartfelt entreaty to that dread being with whom they were face to face (в прочувствованной мольбе к этому ужасному существу, с которым они оказались лицом к лицу), while the two voices — the one thin and clear, the other deep and harsh (в то время как два голоса — один тоненький и ясный, другой гортанный и грубый)— united in the entreaty for mercy and forgiveness (слились в мольбе о милости и прощении). The prayer finished, they resumed their seat in the shadow of the boulder (окончив молитву, они снова уселись в тени валуна) until the child fell asleep, nestling upon the broad breast of her protector (и скоро ребенок уснул, пристроившись на широкой груди своего защитника; to nestle — уютно устроиться; прильнуть, прижаться). He watched over her slumber for some time (он стерег ее сон некоторое время), but Nature proved to be too strong for him (но вскоре природа взяла свое: «но природа оказалась слишком сильна для него»). For three days and three nights he had allowed himself neither rest nor repose (три дня и три ночи он не позволял себе ни отдохнуть, ни поспать). Slowly the eyelids drooped over the tired eyes (медленно веки сомкнулись на усталых глазах; to droop — опускаться, закрываться), and the head sunk lower and lower upon the breast (а голова погружалась все ниже и ниже; to sink), until the man's grizzled beard was mixed with the gold tresses of his companion (пока поседевшая борода мужчины не спуталась с золотистыми косичками девочки), and both slept the same deep and dreamless slumber (и оба спали крепким сном без сновидений).

wanderer ['wndr], entreaty [n'tri:t], [en'tri:t], breast [brest]

It was a strange sight had there been anything but the buzzards to see it. Side by side on the narrow shawl knelt the two wanderers, the little prattling child and the reckless, hardened adventurer. Her chubby face, and his haggard, angular visage were both turned up to the cloudless heaven in heartfelt entreaty to that dread being with whom they were face to face, while the two voices — the one thin and clear, the other deep and harsh — united in the entreaty for mercy and forgiveness. The prayer finished, they resumed their seat in the shadow of the boulder until the child fell asleep, nestling upon the broad breast of her protector. He watched over her slumber for some time, but Nature proved to be too strong for him. For three days and three nights he had allowed himself neither rest nor repose. Slowly the eyelids drooped over the tired eyes, and the head sunk lower and lower upon the breast, until the man's grizzled beard was mixed with the gold tresses of his companion, and both slept the same deep and dreamless slumber.