| His snub-nosed face was as smooth as a spade; his coffee-colored eyes were hidden under thick eyebrows; his cheeks were covered with small, bristling hairs, like the moss which is found in marshes; and the same sort of hair, through which he could hardly pass his crooked fingers, formed a close-fitting cap for his head. | Курносое лицо его плоско, точно лопата, медвежьи глазки спрятаны под густыми бровями, щёки - в мелких колечках волос, похожих на болотный мох, на голове эти волосы свалялись плотной шапкой, он с трудом просовывает в них кривые пальцы. |
| He was skilful in games of cards for money, and his greed was amazing. He was always hanging about the kitchen like a hungry dog, asking for pieces of meat and bones. In the evenings he used to take his tea with Medvyejenok and relate amazing stories about himself. | Он ловко играл в карты на деньги и удивлял своим обжорством; как голодная собака, он постоянно тёрся около кухни, выпрашивая куски мяса, кости, а по вечерам пил чай с Медвежонком и рассказывал про себя удивительные истории. |
| In his youth he had been assistant to the town shepherd of Riazin. Then a passing monk lured him into a monastery, where he served for four years. | Смолоду он был подпаском у городского пастуха в Рязани, потом прохожий монах сманил его в монастырь; там он четыре года послушничал. |
| "And I should have become a monk, a black star of God," he said in his quick, comical way, "if a pilgrim had not come to our cloister from Penza. She was very entertaining, and she upset me. 'Eh, you 're a fine strong fellow,' says she, 'and I am a respectable widow and lonely. You shall come to me,' she says. 'I have my own house, and I deal in eider-down and feathers.' | - И быть бы мне монахом, чёрной божьей звездой,- скороговоркой балагурил он, - только пришла к нам в обитель богомолочка из Пензы забавная такая, да и сомутила меня: экой ты ладной, экой крепкой, а я, бает, честная вдова, одинокая, и шёл бы ты ко мне в дворники, у меня, бает, домик свой, а торгую я птичьим пухом и пером... |
| That suited me, and I went to her. I became her lover, and lived with her as comfortably as warm bread in a oven, for three years." | - Ладно-о, она меня - в дворники, я к ней - в любовники, и жил около её тёплого хлеба года с три время... |
| "You lie hardily," Medvyejenok interrupted him, anxiously examining a pimple on his nose. | - Смело врёшь, - прерывает его Медвежонок, озабоченно разглядывая прыщики на своём носу. |
| "If lies could make money, you would be worth thousands." | - Кабы за ложь деньги платили - быть бы тебе в тысячах! |
| Yaakov hummed. The blue, bristling hairs moved on his impassive face, and his shaggy mustaches quivered. After he had heard the cook's remark he con tinued as calmly and quickly as before: | Яков жуёт, по слепому его лицу двигаются сивые колечки волос, шевелятся мохнатые уши; выслушав замечание повара, он продолжает так же мерно и быстро: |
| "She was older than I, and she began to bore me. Then I must go and take up with her niece, and she found it out, and turned me out by the scruff of the neck." | - Была она меня старше, стало мне с ней скушно, стало мне нудно, и связался я с племянницей ейной, а она про то узнала да по шее меня со двора-то... |
| "And served you right, you did not deserve anything better," said the cook as easily and smoothly as Yaakov himself. | - Это тебе награда - лучше не надо, - говорит повар так же легко и складно, как Яков. |
| The stoker went on, with a lump of sugar in his check: | Кочегар продолжает, сунув за щёку кусок сахара: |
