One morning, in cool blood (одним утром, хладнокровно: «в прохладной крови»), I slipped a noose about its neck (я затянул петлю вокруг его шеи) and hung it to the limb of a tree (и повесил его на ветку дерева; to hang); – hung it with the tears streaming from my eyes, and with the bitterest remorse at my heart (повесил его со слезами, струившимися из моих глаз, и с горчайшими угрызениями совести в моем сердце); – hung it because I knew that it had loved me (повесил его потому, что я знал, что он /раньше/ любил меня), and because I felt it had given me no reason of offence (и потому, что я чувствовал, что он не давал мне причины для обиды); – hung it because I knew that in so doing I was committing a sin (повесил его потому, что я знал, что, делая так, я совершал грех) – a deadly sin that would so jeopardize my immortal soul (тяжкий: «смертный» грех,[3] который подвергнет мою бессмертную душу такой опасности) as to place it – if such a thing were possible – even beyond the reach of the infinite mercy of the Most Merciful and Most Terrible God (что поместит ее = душу – если такое возможно – за пределы досягаемости бесконечного милосердия Милосерднейшего и Ужаснейшего Бога).

One morning, in cool blood, I slipped a noose about its neck and hung it to the limb of a tree; – hung it with the tears streaming from my eyes, and with the bitterest remorse at my heart; – hung it because I knew that it had loved me, and because I felt it had given me no reason of offence; – hung it because I knew that in so doing I was committing a sin – a deadly sin that would so jeopardize my immortal soul as to place it – if such a thing were possible – even beyond the reach of the infinite mercy of the Most Merciful and Most Terrible God.

On the night of the day on which this cruel deed was done (ночью того дня, в который это жестокое деяние было совершено), I was aroused from sleep by the cry of fire (я был разбужен ото сна криком о пожаре). The curtains of my bed were in flames (полог моей кровати был в огне). The whole house was blazing (весь дом пылал; whole – целый). It was with great difficulty that (лишь с большой трудностью: «это было с большой трудностью, что») my wife, a servant, and myself, made our escape from the conflagration (моя жена, слуга и я сам совершили бегство из пламени). The destruction was complete (разрушение было полным). My entire worldly wealth was swallowed up (мое все мирское богатство было поглощено), and I resigned myself thenceforward to despair (и я предался с тех пор отчаянию).

On the night of the day on which this cruel deed was done, I was aroused from sleep by the cry of fire. The curtains of my bed were in flames. The whole house was blazing. It was with great difficulty that my wife, a servant, and myself, made our escape from the conflagration. The destruction was complete. My entire worldly wealth was swallowed up, and I resigned myself thenceforward to despair.

I am above the weakness of seeking to establish a sequence of cause and effect (я – выше слабости попыток установить последовательность причины и следствия; above – над; to seek – искать, стремиться), between the disaster and the atrocity (между катастрофой и злодеянием). But I am detailing a chain of facts (но я подробно описываю цепь событий) – and wish not to leave even a possible link imperfect (и не желаю оставить даже одно возможное звено несовершенным = обойти вниманием). On the day succeeding the fire, I visited the ruins (в день, последовавший за пожаром, я посетил руины). The walls, with one exception, had fallen in (стены, за одним исключением, обвалились; to fall in). This exception was found in a compartment wall (это исключение было найдено в перегородке = составляла перегородка: «перегородочная стена»), not very thick (не очень толстая), which stood about the middle of the house (которая стояла примерно в середине дома: «около»), and against which had rested the head of my bed (и к которой прижималось изголовье моей кровати; against – против, напротив; к).

I am above the weakness of seeking to establish a sequence of cause and effect, between the disaster and the atrocity. But I am detailing a chain of facts – and wish not to leave even a possible link imperfect. On the day succeeding the fire, I visited the ruins. The walls, with one exception, had fallen in. This exception was found in a compartment wall, not very thick, which stood about the middle of the house, and against which had rested the head of my bed.

The plastering had here, in great measure, resisted the action of the fire (штукатурка здесь в большой мере устояла перед действием огня; to resist – сопротивляться) – a fact which I attributed to its having been recently spread (факт, который я приписал тому, что ее = штукатурку недавно нанесли; to spread – разворачивать, расстилать; намазывать; наносить). About this wall a dense crowd were collected (около этой стены густая толпа собралась), and many persons seemed to be examining a particular portion of it (и многие люди, казалось, осматривали определенную часть ее: «казались осматривать») with very minute and eager attention (с пристальным и напряженным вниманием; minute – мельчайший). The words “strange!” “singular!” and other similar expressions, excited my curiosity (слова «странно!», «исключительно!» и другие похожие выражения возбудили мое любопытство).

The plastering had here, in great measure, resisted the action of the fire – a fact which I attributed to its having been recently spread. About this wall a dense crowd were collected, and many persons seemed to be examining a particular portion of it with very minute and eager attention. The words “strange!” “singular!” and other similar expressions, excited my curiosity.

I approached and saw (я приблизился и увидел), as if graven in bas relief upon the white surface (как будто высеченную в /виде/ барельефа на белой поверхности; to grave – гравировать; высекать), the figure of a gigantic cat (фигуру гигантского кота). The impression was given with an accuracy truly marvelous (впечатление было передано = фигура была передана с точностью поистине чудесной). There was a rope about the animal’s neck (вокруг шеи животного была веревка).

I approached and saw, as if graven in bas relief upon the white surface, the figure of a gigantic cat. The impression was given with an accuracy truly marvelous. There was a rope about the animal’s neck.