| With these the Fiddler Paul was to drive to Fort Alexander from Fort Garry--the bearer of several important packets. | Рано утром, выпив на дорогу, Поль бодро двинулся вниз по реке. |
| He was an expert Dog-driver, which usually means relentlessly cruel. | Быстро неслась по льду упряжка из трех лаек, рослых и сильных, как телята, и свирепых, как разбойники. |
| He set off blithely down the river in the morning, after the several necessary drinks of whiskey. He expected to be gone a week, and would then come back with twenty dollars in his pocket, and having thus provided the sinews of war, would carry out the plan of elopement. Away they went down the river on the ice. The big Dogs pulled swiftly but sulkily as he cracked the long whip and shouted, "Allez, allez, marchez." | Они проехали на полном скаку мимо хижины Рено на берегу, и Поль, щелкая бичом и следуя бегом за санями, махнул рукой стоявшей на пороге Нинетте. Вскоре сани со свирепыми собаками и пьяным погонщиком исчезли за поворотом реки, и никто с тех пор никогда не видел скрипача Поля. В тот же вечер лайки по одной возвратились в форт Гарри. Они были обрызганы запекшейся кровью и ранены в нескольких местах, но, как это ни странно, совсем не голодны. По следу отправились разведчики. |
| They passed at speed by Renaud's shanty on the bank, and Paul, cracking his whip and running behind the train, waved his hand to Ninette as she stood by the door. | Они разыскали на льду пакеты, которые вез Поль; дальше валялись обломки саней; недалеко от пакетов нашли обрывки принадлежавшей скрипачу одежды. |
| Speedily the cariole with the sulky Dogs and drunken driver disappeared around the bend--and that was the last ever seen of Fiddler Paul. That evening the Huskies came back singly to Fort Garry. They were spattered with frozen blood, and were gashed in several places. But strange to tell they were quite "unhungry." Runners went on the back trail and recovered the packages. They were lying on the ice unharmed. Fragments of the sled were strewn for a mile or more up the river; not far from the packages were shreds of clothing that had belonged to the Fiddler. It was quite clear, the Dogs had murdered and eaten their driver. The Factor was terribly wrought up over the matter. It might cost him his Dogs. He refused to believe the report and set off to sift the evidence for himself. |