I SEE SAVAGES (я вижу дикарей)

 

EARLY one morning (рано утром) in harvest time (во время сбора урожая) I went out to my grain fields to cut down some barley (я выходил в мои зерновые поля срезать ячмень = собирать ячмень). The days were so very hot that it was pleasanter to rise before daylight (эти дни были такими жаркими, что было приятнее встать до восхода) and do the heavier part of my work before the sun was high (и сделать самую тяжелую часть моей работы прежде, чем солнце будет высоко).

 

On this morning of which I am telling you (тем утром, о котором я рассказываю вам), I started out while it was still quite dark (я вышел в путь, когда еще было довольно темно). I had been to the fields so often that I could have found the way with my eyes shut (я бывал в полях так часто, что мог бы найти путь с закрытыми глазами; to shut — закрывать).

As I went along (пока я шел; to go along — двигаться вперед /обычно по дороге, по улице/), I was surprised to see a light far over toward my side of the island (я был удивлен увидеть огонек вдалеке ближе к моей стороне острова). I stopped and looked (я остановился и стал смотреть). It was plainly the light of a blazing fire (это был явно свет ярко горящего костра; to blaze — гореть ярким пламенем; fire — огонь; костер).

Who could have built a fire there (кто мог бы развести там костер)?

Surely none but savages (определенно никто, кроме дикарей).

I was so much surprised (я так удивлен) that I stood still and wondered (что остановился как вкопанный и задумался).

What if those savages should find my grain fields (что если те дикари найдут мои зерновые поля)?

They would know at once that somebody had planted them (они сразу узнают = поймут, что кто-то их посадил), and they would never rest till they should find me (и не успокоятся, пока не найдут меня; never — никогда).

I could now see the blaze quite plainly (я мог теперь видеть довольно ясно/отчетливо). As the day dawned (день рассветал), I could also see the smoke rising above the trees (я мог также видеть дым, поднимающийся над деревьями). The fire was not more than two miles away (костер был не более чем в двух милях).

I hurried back to my castle as fast as I could run (я поспешил обратно к замку так быстро, как только мог бежать). I made everything on the outside of it look as wild as possible (я сделал, чтобы все снаружи его выглядело так дико = необитаемо, как возможно).

I climbed over the wall and pulled up the ladder after me (я перелез через забор и затащил лестницу за собой).

I loaded all my cannon (я зарядил все мои пушки), as I called the guns (как я называл ружья), that I had placed in the wall (которые установил в стене). I put everything in order for a siege (я привел все в порядок, как надо для осады).

Then I waited to see if any enemy would come near (затем я ждал увидеть, если враг приблизится = стал ждать приближения противника).

Two hours, three hours passed (прошли два часа, три часа), and there was no sight nor sound that was at all uncommon (и не было ни вида, ни звука, который был бы необычен). I began to wonder if, after all, the fire had been kindled by some accident (я начал задаваться вопросом, был ли = может быть, в конце концов, огонь зажжен каким-то случаем = случайно; to kindle — зажигать, разжигать /пламя, костер/; accident — /несчастный/ случай) and not by strange men (а не чужаками).

At last I could wait no longer (наконец я не мог больше ждать). I set up my ladder against the side of the rock (я приставил лестницу к боку скалы) and climbed up to a flat place above my castle (и залез на плоское место над замком). I pulled the ladder up after me (я втащил лестницу за собой) and then mounted to another landing (и затем взобрался на другую площадку; to mount — подниматься, восходить; to mount a ladder — взобраться на лестницу). I pulled it up a second time (я втащил ее во второй раз), and it now reached to the top of the great rock (и она теперь достигала верхушки большой скалы).

Here was the place I called my lookout (здесь было место, которое я называл моей смотровой площадкой).

Very carefully I climbed up (очень осторожно я взобрался). I laid myself down upon the rock (я улегся на скале) and through my spyglass looked over toward the place where I had seen the fire (и через подзорную трубу посмотрел на место, где я видел огонь; spyglass — подзорная труба; to spy — шпионить, следить /за кем-л. — on/upon/; подглядывать, подсматривать; glass — стекло).

I could still see the smoke (я по-прежнему мог видеть дым). Yes, and I could see some naked savages sitting around a small fire (да, и я мог видеть несколько обнаженных дикарей, сидящих вокруг маленького костра).

I counted them (я посчитал их), and made out that there were no fewer than nine of the wretches (и вычислил, что там было не менее девяти этих убогих; wretch — жалкий человек; негодяй).

They surely did not need a fire to warm themselves by (им уж определенно не нужен был огонь, чтобы греться возле него), for the day was very hot (так как день был очень знойным). No doubt they were cooking something (без сомнения, они готовили что-то). Perhaps they were cannibals and were getting ready for one of their horrible feasts (возможно, они были каннибалами и готовились к одному из своих ужасных пиров; to get ready — готовиться: «становиться готовым»).

On the beach (на берегу: «на береговой полосе») not far from them (недалеко от них) I saw the two canoes in which they had arrived (я увидел два каноэ, на которых они прибыли).

The tide was now at its lowest (отлив был сейчас в своей самой низкой точке). When it returned and floated the canoes, they would probably go away (когда прилив вернется и поднимет каноэ, они, возможно, уплывут; to float — плавать; всплывать; держаться на поверхности воды).

This thought made me feel much easier (эта мысль заставила меня чувствовать гораздо спокойнее = в некоторой мере успокоила меня), for I was sure they would not wander far inland (так как я был уверен, что они не забредут далеко вглубь острова; inland — вглубь страны).

I waited and watched till the tide was again at the flood (я ждал и наблюдал, пока пока прилив не вернулся; flood — подъем воды, прилив; поток; наводнение).

Then I saw them all get into the boats and paddle away (затем я увидел, как они все уселись в лодки и погребли прочь). They seemed to be going around to the other side of the island (они, казалось, собирались идти вокруг /острова/ на другую сторону острова = обогнуть остров).

I could now breathe freely again (я мог опять дышать свободно). As soon as they were well gone, I armed myself and hurried across the land to see if I could get another sight of them (я вооружился и поспешил через местность посмотреть, мог бы я поймать другой вид их = увидеть их вновь).

I carried two guns on my shoulder (я нес два ружья на плече), two pistols in my belt (два пистолета за поясом), and a big sword at my side (и большую = длинную шпагу сбоку). You would have been frightened, had you seen me (вы были бы испуганы, если бы увидели меня).

It was a long, hard walk (это была долгая, трудная прогулка = долгий, трудный путь). But by and by I came to the hill (но вскоре я вышел к холму; by and by — вскоре) that overlooked the farther shore of the island (который возвышался над дальним берегом острова).

This I climbed (на него я взобрался). I scanned sea and land with my spyglass (я осмотрел море и землю через подзорную трубу).

Yes, there were the two canoes coming slowly around the coast (да = в самом деле, было два каноэ, медленно огибающих побережье).

But what was my surprise to see three other boats put off from a cove near by and hasten around to meet them (каково было мое удивление, когда я увидел, как три других лодки снялись из бухты рядом и поспешили им навстречу: «встретить их»)!

It seemed, then, that another party of savages had been feasting at the very spot (значит, видимо, другая партия дикарей пировала на том самом месте; to seem — казаться) where I had seen the first footprint in the sand (где я видел первый отпечаток ноги на песке).

I watched the canoes until all five were far out to sea (я наблюдал за каноэ, пока все пять не были далеко в море), on their way to the low-lying shore in the distant west (на своем пути к низкому берегу на отдаленном западе).

Then I went down to the place where the savages had been feasting (затем я спустился к месту, где /ранее/ пировали дикари).

What a dreadful sight met my eyes (какое ужасное зрелище встретило мои глаза; to meet — встречать)! The sand was covered with blood and bones (песок был покрыт кровью и костями). No doubt some poor captive had been killed there and eaten (без сомнения, какой-то бедный пленник был убит здесь и съеден).

I made up my mind (я принял решение) that if any other savages should ever come to my island for such a feast (что если какие-либо другие дикари когда-либо прибудут на мой остров для такого пира), I would not let them enjoy it (я не позволю им наслаждаться им).

I gathered up the bones and buried them in the sand (я собрал кости и похоронил их в песке; to bury — хоронить, зарывать в землю). Then I went slowly and sadly back to my castle (затем я медленно и печально пошел в замок).

After that I never felt quite safe at any time (после этого я никогда не чувствовал себе достаточно безопасно в какое-либо время). I dared not fire a gun (я не решался стрелять из ружья); I dared not build a fire (не решался разводить огонь); I dared not walk far from home (не решался бродить далеко от дома).

While awake (бодрствуя: «когда бодрствующий»), I was always planning how to escape the savages (я постоянно планировал/размышлял, как избежать дикарей; to escape — бежать, совершать побег; избежать /наказания, опасности и т. п./, спастись; отделаться). While asleep (когда я спал: «когда спящий»), I was always dreaming of dreadful things (мне всегда снились ужасные вещи).

Yet days and months passed by (однако дни и месяцы проходили), and still no other savages came (и все же никакие другие дикари не прибывали; still — до сих пор, все еще, по-прежнему; все же, тем не менее, однако).

 

early ['WlI], surprised [sq'praIzd], siege [si:G], enemy ['enImI], kindle [kIndl], spyglass ['spaIglQ:s], wretch [retS], ready ['redI], horrible ['hOrqbl], feast [fi:st], arrive [q'raIv], return [rI'tq:n], probably ['prOb(q)blI], breathe [brJD], hurry ['hArI], pistol [pIstl], surprise [sq'praIz], hasten ['heIs(q)n], blood [blAd], enjoy [In'GOI]

 

I SEE SAVAGES

 

EARLY one morning in harvest time I went out to my grain fields to cut down some barley. The days were so very hot that it was pleasanter to rise before daylight and do the heavier part of my work before the sun was high. On this morning of which I am telling you, I started out while it was still quite dark. I had been to the fields so often that I could have found the way with my eyes shut.

As I went along, I was surprised to see a light far over toward my side of the island. I stopped and looked. It was plainly the light of a blazing fire.

Who could have built a fire there?

Surely none but savages.

I was so much surprised that I stood still and wondered.

What if those savages should find my grain fields?

They would know at once that somebody had planted them, and they would never rest till they should find me.

I could now see the blaze quite plainly. As the day dawned, I could also see the smoke rising above the trees. The fire was not more than two miles away.

I hurried back to my castle as fast as I could run. I made everything on the outside of it look as wild as possible.

I climbed over the wall and pulled up the ladder after me.

I loaded all my cannon, as I called the guns, that I had placed in the wall. I put everything in order for a siege.

Then I waited to see if any enemy would come near.

Two hours, three hours passed, and there was no sight nor sound that was at all uncommon. I began to wonder if, after all, the fire had been kindled by some accident and not by strange men.

At last I could wait no longer. I set up my ladder against the side of the rock and climbed up to a flat place above my castle. I pulled the ladder up after me and then mounted to another landing. I pulled it up a second time, and it now reached to the top of the great rock.

Here was the place I called my lookout.

Very carefully I climbed up. I laid myself down upon the rock and through my spyglass looked over toward the place where I had seen the fire.

I could still see the smoke. Yes, and I could see some naked savages sitting around a small fire.

I counted them, and made out that there were no fewer than nine of the wretches.

They surely did not need a fire to warm themselves by, for the day was very hot. No doubt they were cooking something. Perhaps they were cannibals and were getting ready for one of their horrible feasts.

On the beach not far from them I saw the two canoes in which they had arrived.

The tide was now at its lowest. When it returned and floated the canoes, they would probably go away.

This thought made me feel much easier, for I was sure they would not wander far inland.

I waited and watched till the tide was again at the flood.

Then I saw them all get into the boats and paddle away. They seemed to be going around to the other side of the island.

I could now breathe freely again. As soon as they were well gone, I armed myself and hurried across the land to see if I could get another sight of them.

I carried two guns on my shoulder, two pistols in my belt, and a big sword at my side. You would have been frightened, had you seen me.

It was a long, hard walk. But by and by I came to the hill that overlooked the farther shore of the island.

This I climbed. I scanned sea and land with my spyglass.

Yes, there were the two canoes coming slowly around the coast.

But what was my surprise to see three other boats put off from a cove near by and hasten around to meet them!

It seemed, then, that another party of savages had been feasting at the very spot where I had seen the first footprint in the sand.

I watched the canoes until all five were far out to sea, on their way to the low-lying shore in the distant west.

Then I went down to the place where the savages had been feasting.

What a dreadful sight met my eyes! The sand was covered with blood and bones. No doubt some poor captive had been killed there and eaten.

I made up my mind that if any other savages should ever come to my island for such a feast, I would not let them enjoy it.

I gathered up the bones and buried them in the sand. Then I went slowly and sadly back to my castle.

After that I never felt quite safe at any time. I dared not fire a gun; I dared not build a fire; I dared not walk far from home.

While awake, I was always planning how to escape the savages. While asleep, I was always dreaming of dreadful things.

Yet days and months passed by, and still no other savages came.