At that I gave up all attempt at commentary, and read straight on: —

2. 'Blandly himself found the Hispaniola, and by the most admirable management got her for the merest trifle. There is a class of men in Bristol monstrously prejudiced against Blandly. They go the length of declaring that this honest creature would do anything for money, that the Hispaniola belonged to him, and that he sold it me absurdly high — the most transparent calumnies. None of them dare, however, to deny the merits of the ship.

So far there was not a hitch. The workpeople, to be sure — riggers and what not — were most annoyingly slow; but time cured that. It was the crew that troubled me.

1. 'I wished a round score of men (я хотел /нанять/ много людей; round — круглый, значительный) — in case of natives, buccaneers, or the odious French (на случай /нападения/ дикарей, пиратов или гнусных французов) — and I had the worry of the deuce itself to find so much as half a dozen (я имел мучения чертовы = совершенно измучился, а нашел лишь полдюжины /матросов/; worry — тревога, мучение; deuce — черт), till the most remarkable stroke of fortune brought me the very man that I required (пока судьба не привела ко мне того самого человека, в котором я нуждался; stroke — удар, взмах; to require — требовать, нуждаться).

2. 'I was standing on the dock (я стоял на пристани), when, by the merest accident (когда, по чистой случайности), I fell in talk with him (я вступил в разговор с ним). I found he was an old sailor, kept a public-house (обнаружил, что он старый моряк, держит таверну), knew all the seafaring men in Bristol (знает всех моряков в Бристоле), had lost his health ashore (потерял здоровье на суше), and wanted a good berth as cook to get to sea again (и хочет /получить/ выгодное место судового повара /кока/, чтобы отправиться вновь в море; berth — койка, место; должность). He had hobbled down there that morning (он бродил /в порту/ в то утро), he said to get a smell of the salt (говорит, чтобы подышать солью = соленым морским воздухом; to hobble — хромать, ковылять; smell — запах).

3. 'I was monstrously touched (я был невероятно тронут /его любовью к морю/) — so would you have been (также и вы были бы) — and, out of pure pity (из чистой жалости), I engaged him on the spot to be ship's cook (я нанял его сразу же на должность корабельного повара). Long John Silver, he is called (Долговязый Джон Сильвер его зовут: «он назван»), and has lost a leg (и у него нет одной ноги: «потерял ногу»; to lose); but that I regarded as a recommendation (но это я посчитал /лучшей/ рекомендацией), since he lost it in his country's service (так как он потерял ее на службе у своей страны), under the immortal Hawke (под /командованием/ бессмертного Хока /английский адмирал (1705-1781), знаменитый своей победой над французами/). He has no pension, Livesey (у него нет пенсии, Ливси). Imagine the abominable age we live in (представьте себе = видите, в какую отвратительную эпоху мы живем; age — возраст; век, эпоха)!

score [skL] odious [`qudIqs] deuce [djHs] pension [`penSn] abominable [`qbOmInqbl]

I wished a round score of men — in case of natives, buccaneers, or the odious French — and I had the worry of the deuce itself to find so much as half a dozen, till the most remarkable stroke of fortune brought me the very man that I required.

2. 'I was standing on the dock, when, by the merest accident, I fell in talk with him. I found he was an old sailor, kept a public — house, knew all the seafaring men in Bristol, had lost his health ashore, and wanted a good berth as cook to get to sea again. He had hobbled down there that morning, he said to get a smell of the salt.

3. 'I was monstrously touched — so would you have been — and, out of pure pity, I engaged him on the spot to be ship's cook. Long John Silver, he is called, and has lost a leg; but that I regarded as a recommendation, since he lost it in his country's service, under the immortal Hawke. He has no pension, Livesey. Imagine the abominable age we live in!

1. 'Well, sir, I thought I had only found a cook (я думал, я нашел только кока), but it was a crew I had discovered (но /оказалась/ я обнаружил /целую/ команду; to discover — открыть, обнаружить). Between Silver and myself we got together in a few days a company of the toughest old salt imaginable (вместе с Сильвером нам удалось в несколько дней набрать команду из суровых бывалых моряков, какие только бывают; to go together — идти вместе, быть заодно; tough — жесткий, выносливый) — not pretty to look at, but fellows, by their faces (не привлекательные с виду: «чтобы смотреть на них», но парни, /судя/ по их лицам), of the most indomitable spirit (самого неукротимого нрава). I declare we could fight frigate (я заявляю = считаю, что мы могли бы сражаться /даже/ с фрегатом /имея таких ребят/).

2. 'Long John even got rid of two out of the six or seven had already engaged (Долговязый Джон даже избавился от двух человек из шести или семи уже нанятых). He showed me in a moment that they were just the sort of fresh-water swabs (он показал = доказал мне сразу же, что они всего лишь пресноводные увальни; swab — швабра, увалень, моряк) we had to fear in an adventure of importance (/которых/ мы должны опасаться в /таком/ важном приключении).

toughest [`tAfIst] indomitable [In`dOmItqbl] frigate [`frIgIt] importance [Im`pLtqns]

Well, sir, I thought I had only found a cook, but it was a crew I had discovered. Between Silver and myself we got together in a few days a company of the toughest old salt imaginable — not pretty to look at, but fellows, by their faces, of the most indomitable spirit. I declare we could fight frigate.