I agreed with Harris that I never had — most certainly not since we had started on this trip.

"Well, I don't see how you can know much about it, one way or the other," George retorted on Harris; "for I'm blest if you haven't been asleep half the time. Have you ever seen Harris fully awake, except at meal-time?" asked George, addressing me.

Truth compelled me to support George (/любовь/ к истине заставила меня поддержать Джорджа). Harris had been very little good in the boat, so far as helping was concerned, from the beginning (от Гарриса было очень мало проку в лодке, что касается помощи, с /самого/ начала; so far as something is concerned — насколько это касается чего-либо).

"Well, hang it all, I've done more than old J., anyhow (черт возьми, я сделал больше, во всяком случае, чем старина Джей)," rejoined Harris (возразил Гаррис; to rejoin — отвечать; возражать; воссоединяться).

"Well, you couldn't very well have done less (да и нельзя было бы сделать меньше)," added George.

"I suppose J. thinks he is the passenger (полагаю, Джей считает, что он пассажир)," continued Harris (продолжал Гаррис).

And that was their gratitude to me for having brought them and their wretched old boat all the way up from Kingston (и это была их благодарность за то, что я тащил их и несчастную старую лодку всю дорогу от Кингстона), and for having superintended and managed everything for them (за то, что я все для них организовал и устроил; to superintend — заведовать, руководить, управлять; to manage — руководить; справиться, суметь сделать), and taken care of them, and slaved for them (заботился о них, и надрывался для них). It is the way of the world (так устроен этот мир; the way of the world — общепринятые нормы поведения, общепринятый уклад жизни, взгляды).

gratitude ['raettju:d] superintended [,s(j)u:prn'tendd]

Truth compelled me to support George. Harris had been very little good in the boat, so far as helping was concerned, from the beginning.

"Well, hang it all, I've done more than old J., anyhow," rejoined Harris.

"Well, you couldn't very well have done less," added George.

"I suppose J. thinks he is the passenger," continued Harris.

And that was their gratitude to me for having brought them and their wretched old boat all the way up from Kingston, and for having superintended and managed everything for them, and taken care of them, and slaved for them. It is the way of the world.

We settled the present difficulty by arranging that Harris and George should scull up past Reading (мы уладили текущие разногласия, договорившись, что Гаррис и Джордж будут грести до Рэдинга; difficulty — трудность, преграда; разногласия, спор), and that I should tow the boat on from there (а я потащу оттуда лодку на бечеве). Pulling a heavy boat against a strong stream has few attractions for me now (грести в тяжелой лодке против сильного течения имеет для меня мало прелестей теперь). There was a time, long ago, when I used to clamour for the hard work (было время, давно, когда я шумно требовал тяжелой работы): now I like to give the youngsters a chance (теперь я предпочитаю дать возможность /поработать/ молодежи).