I HAVE AN ANXIOUS DAY (я переживаю тревожный день)

WHILE we were talking we had slowly withdrawn among the trees (пока мы разговаривали, мы медленно исчезли среди деревьев/отошли под деревья; to withdraw — ретироваться, удаляться, уходить) where we were sheltered from sight (где мы были скрыты из виду; shelter — приют, кров; пристанище прибежище; to shelter — защищать, спасать, укрывать).

The captain promised me that if we should succeed in getting control of the ship, he would do anything that I wished (капитан пообещал мне, что если нам удастся захватить контроль над кораблем, он сделает все, что я пожелаю). He would carry me to England or to any other part of the world (он отвезет меня в Англию или в любую другую часть света). He would live and die with me (он будет жить и умирать со мной = будет мне предан, ничего для меня не пожалеет).

"Well, then (хорошо, тогда)," said I, "if you will all obey my commands (если вы все будете повиноваться моим указаниям), we will see what can be done (мы посмотрим, что может быть сделано)."

I gave each one of them a musket (я дал каждому из них по мушкету), with powder and shot (с порохом и пулями; shot — пуля; дробинка; дробь). I told them to kill as few of the ruffians as they could (я сказал им убить так мало бандитов, как они смогут = как можно меньше; ruffian — бандит, головорез, негодяй, хулиган), and to make prisoners of them all if possible (и сделать пленников из них всех, если можно = сделать всех их пленниками).

Just then we heard some of them awake (мы услышали, что некоторые из них проснулись). In a moment thee men came out of the grove and started down to the shore (через мгновение трое матросов вышли из рощи и пустились вниз по берегу).

"Are these the ringleaders (это зачинщики)?" I asked.

"No," answered the captain.

"Well, then, let them go (пусть они идут)," I said; "but if the rest escape, it will be your fault (но если остальные сбегут, это будет ваша вина)."

With a musket in his hand and a pistol in his belt (с мушкетом в руке и пистолетом за поясом), the captain started forward (капитан двинулся вперед). I was close at his side (я был возле него: «близко у его бока»), while Friday and the other two men went a little ahead of us (в то время как Пятница и двое других были немного впереди нас).

The mate (помощник) in his eagerness (в своем рвении; eager — страстно желающий, жаждущий) chanced to step on some dry sticks (случайно наступил на сухие ветки) which broke with a sharp noise beneath his feet (которые сломались с резким звуком под ногами). One of the seamen, hearing this (один из моряков, услышав это), looked out and saw us (посмотрел и увидел нас).

He gave the alarm (он дал сигнал тревоги; alarm — боевая тревога, сигнал тревоги). The sleeping wretches awoke (спящие негодяи проснулись) and sprang to their feet (и вскочили на ноги). But it was too late (но было слишком поздно). Our guns were already upon them (наши ружья были уже /нацелены/ на них).

I need not tell you of the fight (мне нет нужды рассказывать вам о борьбе; fight — бой; борьба; драка). It was sharp and short (она была острой = суровой и короткой; sharp — острый; суровый, жестокий /например, о борьбе/).

At its close (в конце ее) the two ruffians who had caused all this trouble (два бандита, которые вызвали весь этот беспорядок = мятеж) were lying dead upon the ground (лежали мертвыми на земле). The three other men (трое других матросов), who were but slightly hurt (которые были лишь слегка ранены; to hurt — причинить боль; ранить; ушибить), were our prisoners (были нашими пленниками). As for my little army of five (что касается моей маленькой армии из пяти человек), not one was so much as scratched (никто не был даже оцарапан).

While the captain and I were binding the prisoners (пока мы с капитаном связывали пленников), Friday and the mate ran to the boat (Пятница и помощник побежали к лодке) and brought away the oars and the sails (и унесли весла и паруса).

Soon the three men who had gone down the shore came hurrying back to see what was the matter (вскоре те трое матросов, что отправились /до этого/ вниз по берегу, поспешили назад, чтобы посмотреть, в чем дело/что случилось).

When they saw how matters stood (когда они увидели, как обстоят дела), they at once gave themselves up (они сразу же сдались) and were bound with the rest (и были связаны с остальными; to bind — вязать; связывать). So our victory was complete (так что наша победа была полной).

We now retired to the castle (затем мы возвратились к замку; to retire — уходить; возвращаться на обычное место).

The prisoners were led into the back part of the cave (пленники были отведены в заднюю часть пещеры) that I had first dug (которую я выкопал в самом начале), and were left there with Friday as their guard (и были оставлены там с Пятницей как их стражником = в качестве их стражника).

With the captain, the mate, and the passenger (в сопровождении капитана, помощника и пассажира), I went into my best room (я прошел в мою лучшую комнату), where we all refreshed ourselves with such food as I had at hand (где все мы «освежились» = закусили такой едой, которая у меня была под рукой).

We had now time to talk over the past (теперь у нас было время обсудить прошлое) and make plans for the future (и построить планы на будущее).

I told the captain my whole history (я рассказал капитану всю мою историю: «мою полную историю») just as I have told it to you (точно так же, как я рассказал ее вам). He, in his turn (он, в свою очередь), related to me the story of his voyage from England to the West Indies (рассказал мне историю своей поездки из Англии на острова Вест-Индия), and how his crew (и как его команда), wishing to become pirates (желая стать пиратами), had seized upon the ship (захватила корабль) and made him their prisoner (и сделала его их пленником).

"There are still twenty-six men on board (на борту двадцать шесть матросов)," he said. "They are no doubt wondering what has become of their fellows (они без сомнения задаются вопросом, что стало = произошло с их друзьями). After a while some of them will be likely to come on shore to find out what is the matter (через некоторое время некоторые из них, видимо, придут на берег выяснить, в чем дело; to find out — узнать, разузнать, выяснить)."

"Let them come (пусть приходят)," I said. "We will be ready for them (мы будем готовы для них = их встретить)."

We therefore went down to the shore (поэтому мы спустились к берегу; therefore — поэтому, следовательно) where the boat was still lying (где все еще находилась лодка).

We found in it some rum (мы нашли в ней некоторое ром), a few biscuits (несколько печений), a horn of powder (рог пороха), and five or six pounds of sugar (и пять или шесть фунтов[13] сахара). This last was very welcome to me (этому последнему я был особенно рад: «этот последний был для меня особенно желанным/долгожданным»), for I had not tasted sugar for several years (потому что я не пробовал сахар/не ощущал вкуса сахара несколько лет; to taste — попробовать /на вкус/, отведать).

All these things we carried on shore (все эти вещи мы отнесли на берег). Then we knocked a big hole in the bottom of the boat (затем мы пробили в днище лодки большую дыру).

To tell the truth (сказать правду), I had but little hope that we would ever recover the ship (у меня было лишь мало надежды, что мы когда-либо вернем корабль; to recover — вновь обретать; возвращать, получать обратно). But I thought that after she had sailed away we might repair the boat (но я подумал, что, когда корабль уйдет, мы, возможно, починим лодку). Then we could no doubt make our way to the Spanish settlements on the mainland (тогда мы без сомнения смогли бы проделать путь к испанским поселениям на континенте).

About an hour before sunset (примерно за час до заката), we heard a gun fired from the ship (мы услышали пушку, выстрелившую с корабля).

"It is as I told you (как я вам и говорил)," said the captain.

We saw a signal waving from the mast (мы увидели сигнал, подаваемый с мачты; to wave — подавать сигнал, махать). Then several other shots were fired (затем было сделано еще несколько залпов).

At last, when there was no answer either to the signals or to the guns (наконец, когда не было /дано/ ответа ни на сигналы, ни на пушки) there was a great stir on board (был = возник большой переполох на борту; to stir — шевелить/ся/; двигать/ся/; волновать, возбуждать; stir — шевеление; движение; переполох, суета, суматоха), and the other boat was launched (и была спущена другая лодка = еще одна лодка).

I watched them with my spyglass (я их наблюдал через подзорную трубу).

As the boat neared the shore (когда лодка приблизилась к берегу), we saw that there were ten men in her (мы увидели, что в ней были десять человек) and that they were all armed with muskets (и что все они были вооружены мушкетами).

The sun shone in their faces (солнце светило в их лица; to shine) and we had a good sight of them as they came (и мы могли хорошо их рассмотреть, когда они подплывали; sight — вид; видимость).

The captain knew them all (капитан знал их всех). He said that there were three very honest fellows among them who had gone into this business against their will (что было трое очень честных людей среди них, которые ввязались в дело против своей воли). All the rest, however (все остальные, однако), were bad men who were ready to do any wicked deed (были нехорошими людьми, которые были готовы сделать любой нехороший поступок; wicked — злой, безнравственный).

We now set free two of our prisoners (мы уже освободили двоих наших пленников), for they seemed to be trustworthy men (потому что они казались надежными: «доверия достойными» людьми; trust — доверие; worthy — достойный) and glad that matters had turned in the captain's favor (и /казались/ довольными, что дело обернулось в пользу капитана).

"Can we trust them (мы можем доверять им), Captain?" I asked.

"I will stand good for them (я ручаюсь за них)," said the captain.

I gave them each a gun (я дал каждому из них по ружью). We had now seven armed men to meet the ten who were coming to the shore (у нас теперь было семеро вооруженных человек, чтобы встретить тех десятерых, которые приближались к берегу).

But we kept ourselves hidden (но мы находились у укрытии: «держали себя скрытыми/спрятанными»; to hide — прятать, укрывать) and waited to see what they would do (и ждали, чтобы увидеть, что они будут делать).

As soon as they reached the shore (как только они достигли берега) they ran to see the other boat (они побежали посмотреть другую лодку). What was their surprise to find her stripped of everything and a hole in her bottom (каково было их удивление обнаружить ее лишенной всего и с дыркой в днище; to strip — раздевать; снимать, срывать; лишать /чего-л./; отнимать, отбирать; грабить).

They shouted (они кричали), but no one answered (но никто не отвечал).

They fired off their muskets (они дали залп из своих мушкетов), making the woods ring with their echoes (заставив лес звучать от их эхо = так что раскаты от выстрелов прокатились по лесу). But still there was no answer (но все же ответа не было).

Then they launched their boat again (тогда они вновь спустили лодку на воду), and all started to the ship (и двинулись к кораблю).

But on the way they changed their minds (но по пути они изменили решение). It would never do (так не пойдет/не годится), they thought (подумали они), to leave their friends on the island (оставить их друзей на острове) without so much as hunting for them (не поискав их должным образом).

They therefore rowed back to the shore (поэтому они погребли обратно к берегу). Three men were left with the boat as guards (троих матросов оставили у лодки в качестве стражников), and the rest started out into the country to seek their lost companions (а остальные отправились по местности/углубились в местность искать потерявшихся товарищей; lost — потерянный; to lose — терять, утрачивать).

We should have been glad if they had come our way (мы были бы рады, если бы они пошли нам навстречу; way — путь; направление), so that we might have fired on them (чтобы мы смогли выстрелить по ним); but this they failed to do (но этого они этого не сделали; to fail — не исполнить, не сделать).

Night was fast coming on (ночь быстро опускалась), and they did not dare to go far from the shore (и они не осмелились уходить далеко от берега).

By and by they came back to the boat again (вскоре они вернулись к лодке).

We feared that they had given up the search (мы боялись, что они бросили поиски) and would now return to the ship (и теперь верутся на корабль).

The sun was setting (солнце заходило), and darkness would soon cover both land and sea (и темнота скоро накроет и землю, и море; both — оба, и то, и другое).

anxious ['xNkSqs], withdrawn [wID'drO:n], promise ['prOmIs], succeed [sqk'sJd], command [kq'mQ:nd], ruffian ['rAfjqn], possible ['pOsqbl], moment ['mqumqnt], chance [tSQ:ns], oar [O:], victory ['vIkt(q)rI], complete [kqm'pli:t], retire [rI'taIq], passenger ['pxsInGq], refresh [rI'freS], relate [rIleIt], crew [kru:], become [bI'kAm], pirate ['paIqrIt], rum [rAm], truth [trHT], Spanish ['spxnIS], settlement ['setlmqnt], signal [sIgnl], launch [lO:ntS], honest ['OnIst], wicked ['wIkId], favor ['feIvq], echo ['ekqu], guard [gQ:d]

I HAVE AN ANXIOUS DAY

WHILE we were talking we had slowly withdrawn among the trees where we were sheltered from sight. The captain promised me that if we should succeed in getting control of the ship, he would do anything that I wished. He would carry me to England or to any other part of the world. He would live and die with me.

"Well, then," said I, "if you will all obey my commands, we will see what can be done."

I gave each one of them a musket, with powder and shot. I told them to kill as few of the ruffians as they could, and to make prisoners of them all if possible.

Just then we heard some of them awake. In a moment thee men came out of the grove and started down to the shore.

"Are these the ringleaders?" I asked.

"No," answered the captain.

"Well, then, let them go," I said; "but if the rest escape, it will be your fault."

With a musket in his hand and a pistol in his belt, the captain started forward. I was close at his side, while Friday and the other two men went a little ahead of us.

The mate in his eagerness chanced to step on some dry sticks which broke with a sharp noise beneath his feet. One of the seamen, hearing this, looked out and saw us.

He gave the alarm. The sleeping wretches awoke and sprang to their feet. But it was too late. Our guns were already upon them.

I need not tell you of the fight. It was sharp and short.

At its close the two ruffians who had caused all this trouble were lying dead upon the ground. The three other men, who were but slightly hurt, were our prisoners. As for my little army of five, not one was so much as scratched.

While the captain and I were binding the prisoners, Friday and the mate ran to the boat and brought away the oars and the sails.

Soon the three men who had gone down the shore came hurrying back to see what was the matter.

When they saw how matters stood, they at once gave themselves up and were bound with the rest. So our victory was complete.

We now retired to the castle.

The prisoners were led into the back part of the cave that I had first dug, and were left there with Friday as their guard.

With the captain, the mate, and the passenger, I went into my best room, where we all refreshed ourselves with such food as I had at hand.

We had now time to talk over the past and make plans for the future.

I told the captain my whole history just as I have told it to you. He, in his turn, related to me the story of his voyage from England to the West Indies, and how his crew, wishing to become pirates, had seized upon the ship and made him their prisoner.

"There are still twenty-six men on board," he said. "They are no doubt wondering what has become of their fellows. After a while some of them will be likely to come on shore to find out what is the matter."

"Let them come," I said. "We will be ready for them."

We therefore went down to the shore where the boat was still lying.

We found in it some rum, a few biscuits, a horn of powder, and five or six pounds of sugar. This last was very welcome to me, for I had not tasted sugar for several years.

All these things we carried on shore. Then we knocked a big hole in the bottom of the boat.

To tell the truth, I had but little hope that we would ever recover the ship. But I thought that after she had sailed away we might repair the boat. Then we could no doubt make our way to the Spanish settlements on the mainland.

About an hour before sunset, we heard a gun fired from the ship.

"It is as I told you," said the captain.

We saw a signal waving from the mast. Then several other shots were fired.

At last, when there was no answer either to the signals or to the guns there was a great stir on board, and the other boat was launched.

I watched them with my spyglass.

As the boat neared the shore, we saw that there were ten men in her and that they were all armed with muskets.

The sun shone in their faces and we had a good sight of them as they came.

The captain knew them all. He said that there were three very honest fellows among them who had gone into this business against their will. All the rest, however, were bad men who were ready to do any wicked deed.

We now set free two of our prisoners, for they seemed to be trustworthy men and glad that matters had turned in the captain's favor.

"Can we trust them, Captain?" I asked.

"I will stand good for them," said the captain.

I gave them each a gun. We had now seven armed men to meet the ten who were coming to the shore.

But we kept ourselves hidden and waited to see what they would do.

As soon as they reached the shore they ran to see the other boat. What was their surprise to find her stripped of everything and a hole in her bottom.

They shouted, but no one answered.

They fired off their muskets, making the woods ring with their echoes. But still there was no answer.

Then they launched their boat again, and all started to the ship.

But on the way they changed their minds. It would never do, they thought, to leave their friends on the island without so much as hunting for them.

They therefore rowed back to the shore. Three men were left with the boat as guards, and the rest started out into the country to seek their lost companions.

We should have been glad if they had come our way, so that we might have fired on them; but this they failed to do.

Night was fast coming on, and they did not dare to go far from the shore.

By and by they came back to the boat again.

We feared that they had given up the search and would now return to the ship.

The sun was setting, and darkness would soon cover both land and sea.