As she lay thinking and mourning (пока она лежала, думая и скорбя), the suggestion began to creep into her mind (предположение начало закрадываться в ее ум) that there was an undefinable something (что было что-то неопределенное) about this boy (в этом мальчике) that was lacking (чего недоставало) in Tom Canty (в Томе Кэнти), mad or sane (сумасшедшем или здоровом). She could not describe it (она не могла описать это), she could not tell just what it was (она не могла сказать, что это было), and yet her sharp mother-instinct (и все же ее острый материнский инстинкт) seemed to detect it and perceive it (касалось, опознал и воспринял его). What if the boy were really not her son, after all (что если мальчик действительно был не ее сын, в конце концов)? Oh, absurd (ох, это абсурд)! She almost smiled at the idea (она почти улыбнулась этой мысли), spite of her griefs and troubles (несмотря на тревоги и горести). No matter (неважно), she found that it was an idea that would not 'down' (она обнаружила, что это была такая мысль, которая никак не проходила), but persisted in haunting her (но продолжала преследовать ее). It pursued her (она преследовала ее), it harassed her (она тревожила ее), it clung to her (она липла к ней; to cling — липнуть, льнуть), and refused to be put away or ignored (и отказывалась быть отложенной в сторону или игнорированной). At last she perceived (наконец она осознала) that there was not going to be any peace for her (что не будет ей никакого покоя) until she should devise a test (пока она не изобретет способ проверки) that should prove (которая должна доказать), dearly and without question (дорого и без (дальнейших) вопросов), whether this lad was her son or not (был этот мальчик ее сыном или нет), and so banish these wearing and worrying doubts (и таким образом отогнать эти надоедливые и беспокоящие сомнения). Ah, yes (ах, да), this was plainly the right way out of the difficulty (это был точно правильный путь из этой сложной ситуации); therefore (поэтому), she set her wits to work at once (она принялась думать сразу же) to contrive that test (чтобы придумать эту проверку). But it was an easier thing to propose than to accomplish (но это было легче планировать, чем достигнуть). She turned over in her mind (она прокручивала в голове) one promising test after another (один многообещающий способ проверки за другим; to promise — обещать), but was obliged (но была вынуждена) to relinquish them all (отмести их все) — none of them were absolutely sure (ни один из них не был абсолютно верным), absolutely perfect (абсолютно совершенным); and an imperfect one could not satisfy her (а несовершенный не мог удовлетворить ее). Evidently she was racking her head in vain (очевидно, она ломала голову напрасно; to rack — вздергивать на дыбу; мучить, пытать; раздирать душу) — it seemed manifest (казалось очевидным) that she must give the matter up (что она должна бросить эту затею; to give up — бросить привычку, затею, сдаться). While this depressing thought (пока эта гнетущая мысль) was passing through her mind (проходила через ее ум), her ear caught the regular breathing (ее ухо уловило равномерное дыхание) of the boy (мальчика), and she knew he had fallen asleep (и она поняла, что он заснул). And while she listened (и пока она слушала), the measured breathing was broken by a soft, startled cry (мерное дыхание было прервано мягким, испуганным криком), such as one utters in a troubled dream (как те, как человек: «один» издает в беспокойном сне). This chance occurrence furnished her instantly with a plan (эта случайность предоставила ей сразу план) worth all her labored tests combined (который стоил всех ее выдуманных проверок вместе взятых). She at once set herself feverishly, but noiselessly, to work to relight her candle (она сразу же принялась лихорадочно, но бесшумно вновь зажигать свечу), muttering to herself (бормоча себе под нос: «к себе»), 'Had I but seen him then (если бы я только увидела его тогда), I should have known (я бы сразу узнала)! Since that day (с того дня), when he was little (когда он был маленький), that the powder burst in his face (когда порох взорвался у него перед лицом), he hath never been startled of a sudden out of his dreams or out of his thinkings (он никогда не просыпался ото сна или мыслей), but he hath cast his hand before his eyes (но он всегда вскидывал руку перед глазами = прикрывал глаза рукой), even as he did that day (точно так, как он сделал в тот день), and not as others would do it (и не так, как другие сделали бы), with the palm inward (ладонью внутрь), but always with the palm turned outward (но всегда ладонью наружу) — I have seen it a hundred times (я видела это сотню раз), and it hath never varied nor ever failed (и это никогда не изменялось, и никогда не исчезало). Yes, I shall soon know now (да, теперь я скоро (все) узнаю)!

refuse [rı`fju:z], feverishly [`fi:vərıSlı], furnish [`fə:nıS]

As she lay thinking and mourning, the suggestion began to creep into her mind that there was an undefinable something about this boy that was lacking in Tom Canty, mad or sane. She could not describe it, she could not tell just what it was, and yet her sharp mother-instinct seemed to detect it and perceive it. What if the boy were really not her son, after all? Oh, absurd! She almost smiled at the idea, spite of her griefs and troubles. No matter, she found that it was an idea that would not 'down', but persisted in haunting her. It pursued her, it harassed her, it clung to her, and refused to be put away or ignored. At last she perceived that there was not going to be any peace for her until she should devise a test that should prove, dearly and without question, whether this lad was her son or not, and so banish these wearing and worrying doubts. Ah, yes, this was plainly the right way out of the difficulty; therefore, she set her wits to work at once to contrive that test. But it was an easier thing to propose than to accomplish. She turned over in her mind one promising test after another, but was obliged to relinquish them all — none of them were absolutely sure, absolutely perfect; and an imperfect one could not satisfy her. Evidently she was racking her head in vain — it seemed manifest that she must give the matter up. While this depressing thought was passing through her mind, her ear caught the regular breathing of the boy, and she knew he had fallen asleep. And while she listened, the measured breathing was broken by a soft, startled cry, such as one utters in a troubled dream. This chance occurrence furnished her instantly with a plan worth all her labored tests combined. She at once set herself feverishly, but noiselessly, to work to relight her candle, muttering to herself, 'Had I but seen him then, I should have known! Since that day, when he was little, that the powder burst in his face, he hath never been startled of a sudden out of his dreams or out of his thinkings, but he hath cast his hand before his eyes, even as he did that day, and not as others would do it, with the palm inward, but always with the palm turned outward — I have seen it a hundred times, and it hath never varied nor ever failed. Yes, I shall soon know now!'

By this time she had crept to the slumbering boy's side (к этому времени она подползла к боку дремлющего мальчика), with the candle shaded in her hand (с затененной свечой в руке). She bent heedfully and warily over him (она склонилась внимательно и осторожно над ним; to bend — гнуть(ся)), scarcely breathing (едва дыша), in her suppressed excitement (в подавленном возбуждении), and suddenly flashed the light in his face (и внезапно вспыхнула светом в его лицо) and struck the floor by his ear (и ударила в пол у его уха) with her knuckles (костяшками пальцев). The sleeper's eyes sprung wide open (глаза спящего раскрылись широко; to spring — прыгать; open — открытый), and he cast a startled stare about him (и он бросил испуганный взгляд вокруг себя) — but he made no special movement with his hands (но он не сделал никакого особого движения своими руками).