When I first beheld this apparition (когда я впервые увидел этот призрак; to behold) – for I could scarcely regard it as less (ибо я едва ли мог рассматривать его как /нечто/ меньшее) – my wonder and my terror were extreme (мое удивление и мой ужас были чрезвычайными). But at length reflection came to my aid (но наконец размышление пришло мне на помощь). The cat, I remembered, had been hung in a garden adjacent to the house (кот, я вспомнил, был повешен в саду, прилегающем к дому). Upon the alarm of fire, this garden had been immediately filled by the crowd (при пожарной тревоге этот сад был немедленно заполнен толпой) – by some one of whom the animal must have been cut from the tree (кем-то из каковой /толпы/ животное, должно быть, было срезано с дерева; to cut) and thrown, through an open window, into my chamber (и брошено в открытое окно в мою комнату; to throw; through – через, сквозь).

When I first beheld this apparition – for I could scarcely regard it as less – my wonder and my terror were extreme. But at length reflection came to my aid. The cat, I remembered, had been hung in a garden adjacent to the house. Upon the alarm of fire, this garden had been immediately filled by the crowd – by some one of whom the animal must have been cut from the tree and thrown, through an open window, into my chamber.

This had probably been done with the view of arousing me from sleep (это, вероятно, было сделано с видом = с целью разбудить меня ото сна). The falling of other walls had compressed the victim of my cruelty into the substance of the freshly-spread plaster (падение других стен вдавило жертву моей жестокости в толщу свежеположенной штукатурки; to spread); the lime of which, with the flames, and the ammonia from the carcass, had then accomplished the portraiture as I saw it (известка которой, вместе с пламенем и аммиаком из развалин, довершили портрет, каким я увидел его).

This had probably been done with the view of arousing me from sleep. The falling of other walls had compressed the victim of my cruelty into the substance of the freshly-spread plaster; the lime of which, with the flames, and the ammonia from the carcass, had then accomplished the portraiture as I saw it.

Although I thus readily accounted to my reason, if not altogether to my conscience, for the startling fact just detailed (хотя я таким образом без труда объяснил моему рассудку, хоть и не вполне – моей совести, поразительный факт, только что описанный; to account for – объяснить: «отчитаться за»), it did not the less fail to make a deep impression upon my fancy (он все же не преминул произвести глубокое впечатление на мою фантазию; to fail – не суметь, не сделать). For months I could not rid myself of the phantasm of the cat (месяцами я не мог избавиться от призрака кота); and, during this period, there came back into my spirit a half-sentiment (и, в течение этого времени, вернулось в мою душу полу-чувство; to come back – вернуться: «прийти назад»; spirit – дух; душа) that seemed, but was not, remorse (которое казалось, но не было раскаянием).

Although I thus readily accounted to my reason, if not altogether to my conscience, for the startling fact just detailed, it did not the less fail to make a deep impression upon my fancy. For months I could not rid myself of the phantasm of the cat; and, during this period, there came back into my spirit a half-sentiment that seemed, but was not, remorse.

I went so far as to regret the loss of the animal (я дошел до того: «пошел так далеко», чтобы жалеть об утрате животного), and to look about me, among the vile haunts which I now habitually frequented (и оглядываться вокруг себя, в гнусных притонах, которые я теперь привычно посещал), for another pet of the same species, and of somewhat similar appearance (в поисках питомца того же /биологического/ вида и до некоторой степени похожего /внешнего/ вида), with which to supply its place (которым /я бы мог/ занять его место: «восполнить»).

I went so far as to regret the loss of the animal, and to look about me, among the vile haunts which I now habitually frequented, for another pet of the same species, and of somewhat similar appearance, with which to supply its place.

One night as I sat, half stupefied, in a den of more than infamy (одной ночью, когда я сидел, наполовину одурманенный, в притоне с более чем дурной славой), my attention was suddenly drawn to some black object (мое внимание было внезапно привлечено к какому-то черному предмету; to draw – тащить, тянуть; обращать чье-либо внимание на что-либо /не на себя/), reposing upon the head of one of the immense hogsheads of Gin, or of Rum (покоившемуся на крышке: голове» одной из огромных бочек джина или рома), which constituted the chief furniture of the apartment (которые составляли основную мебель этого помещения). I had been looking steadily at the top of this hogshead for some minutes (я неотрывно смотрел на крышку: «верхушку» этой бочки несколько минут), and what now caused me surprise was the fact (и что теперь вызвало мое удивление, был тот факт) that I had not sooner perceived the object thereupon (что я раньше не заметил этот предмет там = на крышке бочки; thereupon – в этой связи; на этой основе; зд. устар.: на этом).

One night as I sat, half stupefied, in a den of more than infamy, my attention was suddenly drawn to some black object, reposing upon the head of one of the immense hogsheads of Gin, or of Rum, which constituted the chief furniture of the apartment. I had been looking steadily at the top of this hogshead for some minutes, and what now caused me surprise was the fact that I had not sooner perceived the object thereupon.

I approached it, and touched it with my hand (я приблизился к нему и коснулся его рукой). It was a black cat – a very large one (это был черный кот – очень большой) – fully as large as Pluto, and closely resembling him in every respect but one (полно = прямо такой же большой, как Плутон, и близко похожий на него в каждом отношении, кроме одного). Pluto had not a white hair upon any portion of his body (Плутон не имел ни одного белого волоска на какой-либо части своего тела); but this cat had a large, although indefinite splotch of white (но у этого кота было большое, хотя и неопределенное /по форме/ пятно белого /цвета/), covering nearly the whole region of the breast (покрывавшее почти все пространство груди).

I approached it, and touched it with my hand. It was a black cat – a very large one – fully as large as Pluto, and closely resembling him in every respect but one. Pluto had not a white hair upon any portion of his body; but this cat had a large, although indefinite splotch of white, covering nearly the whole region of the breast.