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| Hearing the tumult, I ran into the kitchen, and I shall never forget how funny grandfather looked nursing his burnt finger as he jumped about and shrieked: | Помню, когда я прибежал в кухню на шум, дед, схватившись за ухо обожженными пальцами, смешно прыгал и кричал: |
| "Where is the villain who played this trick?" | - Чьё дело, басурмане? |
| Uncle Michael, doubled up under the table, snatched up the thimble and blew upon it; Gregory unconcernedly went on sewing, while the shadows played on his enormous bald patch. Then Uncle Jaakov rushed in, and, hiding himself in the corner by the stove, stood there quietly laughing; grandmother busied herself with grating up raw potatoes. | Дядя Михаил, согнувшись над столом, гонял напёрсток пальцами и дул на него; мастер невозмутимо шил; тени прыгали по его огромной лысине; прибежал дядя Яков и, спрятавшись за угол печи, тихонько смеялся там; бабушка терла на терке сырой картофель. |
| "Sascha Jaakov did it!" suddenly exclaimed Uncle Michael. | - Это Сашка Яковов устроил,- вдруг сказал дядя Михаил. |
| "Liar!" cried Jaakov, darting out from behind the stove. | - Врешь! - крикнул Яков, выскочив из-за печки. |
| But his son, from one of the corners, wept and wailed: | А где-то в углу его сын плакал и кричал: |
| "Papa! don't believe him. | - Папа, не верь. |
| He showed me how to do it himself." | Он сам меня научил! |
| My uncles began to abuse each other, but grandfather all at once grew calm, put a poultice of grated potatoes on his finger, and silently went out, taking me with him. | Дядья начали ругаться. Дед же сразу успокоился, приложил к пальцу тертый картофель и молча ушел, захватив с собой меня. |
| They all said that Uncle Michael was to blame. | Все говорили - виноват дядя Михаил. |
| I asked naturally if he would be whipped, or get a hiding. | Естественно, что за чаем я спросил - будут ли его сечь и пороть? |
| "He ought to," answered grandfather, with a side-long glance at me. | - Надо бы, - проворчал дед, искоса взглянув на меня. |
| Uncle Michael, striking his hand upon the table, bawled at my mother: | Дядя Михаил, ударив по столу рукою, крикнул матери: |
| "Varvara, make your pup hold his jaw before I knock his head off." | - Варвара, уйми своего щенка, а то я ему башку сверну! |
| "Go on, then; try to lay your hands on him!" replied my mother. | Мать сказала: - Попробуй, тронь... |
| And no one said another word. | И все замолчали. |
| She had a gift of pushing people out of her way, brushing them aside as it were, and making them feel very small by a few brief words like these. |
