He and three other men, so he said, were sculling a very heavily laden boat up from Maidenhead one evening (он и трое других, как он сказал, вели тяжело груженную лодку вверх /по реке/ из Мэйденхеда как-то вечером; to lade — грузить, нагружать), and a little above Cookham lock they noticed a fellow and a girl, walking along the towpath (и несколько выше Кукхэмского шлюза они заметили парня и девушку, шедших по дороге на берегу; towpath — пешеходная дорога на берегу реки, канала), both deep in an apparently interesting and absorbing conversation (оба поглощенные очевидно интересным и увлекательным разговором). They were carrying a boat-hook between them (они несли багор /между собой/), and, attached to the boat-hook was a tow-line (а к багру был привязан канат), which trailed behind them, its end in the water (который волочился за ними, а его конец был в воде = скрылся под водой). No boat was near, no boat was in sight (поблизости не было лодки, и никакой лодки не было в пределах видимости). There must have been a boat attached to that tow-line at some time or other, that was certain (лодка была привязана к этому канату когда-то: «в то или иное время», это было несомненно); but what had become of it, what ghastly fate had overtaken it (но что с ней случилось, какая ужасная участь постигла ее; to overtake-overtook-overtaken; to overtake — догнать, настигнуть; охватить, обрушиться внезапно), and those who had been left in it, was buried in mystery (и тех, кто был оставлен в ней, — было окутано тайной; to bury — хоронить; прятать, укрывать).

Whatever the accident may have been, however (какое бы несчастье ни случилось, тем не менее), it had in no way disturbed the young lady and gentleman, who were towing (оно никоим образом не беспокоило барышню и молодого джентльмена, которые тянули /лодку/). They had the boat-hook and they had the line (у них были багор и веревка), and that seemed to be all that they thought necessary to their work (и это, казалось, все, что они считают необходимым для своей работы = все, что им нужно).

accident ['aeksdnt] necessary ['nessr]

He and three other men, so he said, were sculling a very heavily laden boat up from Maidenhead one evening, and a little above Cookham lock they noticed a fellow and a girl, walking along the towpath, both deep in an apparently interesting and absorbing conversation. They were carrying a boat-hook between them, and, attached to the boat-hook was a tow-line, which trailed behind them, its end in the water. No boat was near, no boat was in sight. There must have been a boat attached to that tow-line at some time or other, that was certain; but what had become of it, what ghastly fate had overtaken it, and those who had been left in it, was buried in mystery.

Whatever the accident may have been, however, it had in no way disturbed the young lady and gentleman, who were towing. They had the boat-hook and they had the line, and that seemed to be all that they thought necessary to their work.