I make a bold rescue (я совершаю отважное спасение)

 

I KNEW that the tide would not be at its highest again before night (я знал, что прилив не будет на своем самом высоком /уровне/ до ночи). So I thought that I would arm myself (поэтому я подумал, что я вооружусь), and, as soon as it was dark (и, как только станет темно), would venture out (решусь сделать вылазку) and learn more about my strange visitors if I could (и выясню больше о моих странных гостях, если смогу).

I looked at my guns and got everything ready (я осмотрел мои ружья и все подготовил), and then sat down to wait (а затем сел и стал ждать).

The day, as I have said, was very hot (день, как я уже говорил, был жарким). The three men who had been prisoners still sat under a tree by the shore (трое моряков, которые были пленниками, все еще сидели под деревом на берегу). But all the rest were in the woods (но остальная часть была в лесу; rest — остаток, остальная часть). No doubt they would rest in some shady place (без сомнения,они будут отдыхать в каком-либо тенистом месте) until the sun went down (пока не зайдет солнце).

At about two o'clock I became so uneasy (примерно в два часа я стал столь беспокойным = почувствовал такое беспокойство) that I could wait no longer (что не мог больше ждать).

"Friday," I said, "let us go out and see what we can do (давай выйдем и посмотрим, что мы можем сделать)."

You should have seen us as we marched out of the castle (вам следовало бы видеть нас, как мы шествовали из замка).

I had two guns on my shoulders (у меня было два ружья на плечах) and Friday had three (и Пятница нес три). I had on my goatskin coat (на мне была куртка из козлиной шкуры) and my great hat that I have told you about (и моя большая шляпа, о которой я вам рассказывал). At my side was a naked sword (у моего бока была /подвешена/ обнаженная шпага), and in my belt were two huge pistols (а за поясом были два огромных пистолета).

I must have looked very fierce (я, должно быть, выглядел очень свирепым).

We went quietly down the hill (мы тихонько спустились по холму), keeping ourselves hidden among the trees (скрываясь: «держа нас скрытыми» за деревьями). At last, when we were quite near the three men (наконец, когда мы были довольно близко от трех моряков), I jumped suddenly out before them and cried (я выпрыгнул вдруг перед ними и выкрикнул), "What are you, gentlemen (кто вы, господа)?"

Never were men more surprised (никогда люди не бывали удивлены больше).

They sprang to their feet (они вскочили на ноги; to spring — прыгать, скакать), but they could not speak a word (но не могли выговорить ни слова). In fact, they were on the point of running away from me when I cried (на самом деле, они были готовы убежать от меня, когда я крикнул): "Hold, gentlemen (стойте, господа)! Do not be afraid (не бойтесь). I am a friend (я друг). I bring help (я несу помощь)."

"Then, indeed (тогда, в самом деле)," said one of them (сказал один из них), "you must have been sent from heaven (вы, должно быть, посланы с небес; to send — посылать); for our case is hopeless (ибо наша участь безнадежна)."

"All help is from heaven, sir (любая помощь — с небес, сэр)," I said; and then I briefly told them (а затем кратко рассказал им) how I had seen them brought to the shore (как я видел, как их привезли на берег).

"I am an Englishman (я англичанин)," I said, "and I stand ready to help you (и готов помочь вам: «стою готовым…»). I have one servant (у меня есть слуга), and we are well armed (и мы хорошо вооружены). Tell us what is your case (расскажите нам, в чем ваше дело = что случилось; case — случай, обстоятельство, дело, положение), and how we may serve you (и чем: «как» мы можем служить вам)."

"Our case (наш случай)," said the foremost of the three men (сказал передний/главный из трех человек), "is too long to tell you now (слишком долог, чтобы рассказывать вам сейчас); for our enemies are very near (ибо наши враги очень близко). I was the captain of the ship that lies at anchor offshore (я был капитаном корабля, который стоит: «лежит» на якоре в море). Three days ago the sailors all rose against me (три дня назад моряки все восстали против меня; to rise — подниматься; поднимать восстание, восставать). They made me their prisoner (они сделали меня их пленником). They seized upon the ship (они захватили корабль; to seize — хватать; завладевать, захватывать), for they wanted to become pirates (ибо они хотели стать пиратами).

"They were about to kill me (они собирались убить меня); but this morning they decided to leave me on this island to die (но этим утром они решили оставить меня погибать на острове). The men who are with me, they are doomed to the same fate (люди, которые со мной, приговорены к той же участи). One is my mate (один из них мой помощник), the other a passenger (другой — пассажир).

"Being brought ashore here (поскольку нас высадили на берег здесь: «будучи высаженными на берег здесь»; to bring ashore — высаживать на берег), we had no hope but to perish (у нас не было надежды кроме как погибнуть = и оставалось только погибнуть). For it did not seem to us (потому что нам не казалось = не представлялось возможным) that any one could live in such a desolate place (чтобы кто-то мог жить в таком пустынном месте)."

"But where are those cruel enemies of yours (но где те жестокие ваши враги)?" I asked. "Do you know where they are gone (вы знаете, куда они ушли)?"

"They are there, sir (они там, сэр)," he said, pointing to a grove not far away (указывая на лесок, что был неподалеку). "They are sleeping in the shade (они спят в тени). If they should wake and see you with us (если они проснутся и увидят вас с нами), they would kill us all (они убьют нас всех)."

"Have they any firearms (у них есть огнестрельное оружие)?" I asked.

"Only two muskets (только два мушкета)," he answered, "and one of these they have left in the boat (и один из них они оставили в лодке)."

"Then trust everything to me (тогда доверьте все мне)," I said. "If they are asleep it will be easy to kill them all (если они спят, будет легко убить их всех). But I think it will be better to make them our prisoners (но подумайте, не будет ли лучше сделать их нашими пленниками)."

The captain then told me that there were two very wicked fellows among them (капитан затем сказал мне, что среди них были два больших злодея: «очень злых парня»; wicked — злой, безнравственный) who were the ringleaders (которые были зачинщиками; ring — клика; банда, шайка; leader — ведущий, главарь; to lead — вести).

"It is they who have made all this trouble (это именно они устроили весь этот беспорядок; trouble — беспокойство, волнение, тревога; /общественные/ беспорядки, волнения)," he said. "If they and two others could be overcome the rest would come back and do their duty (если их и двоих других можно будет одолеть, другие вернутся и будут исполнять свой долг). Indeed (в самом деле), I am sure that many of them have gone into this business against their will (я уверен, что многие из них пошли в дело против своей воли)."

 

rescue ['reskju:], enemy ['enImI], captain ['kxptIn], seize [si:z], decide [dI'saId], die ['daI], passenger ['pxsInGq], business ['bIznqs]

 

I MAKE A BOLD RESCUE

 

I KNEW that the tide would not be at its highest again before night. So I thought that I would arm myself, and, as soon as it was dark, would venture out and learn more about my strange visitors if I could. I looked at my guns and got everything ready, and then sat down to wait.

The day, as I have said, was very hot. The three men who had been prisoners still sat under a tree by the shore. But all the rest were in the woods. No doubt they would rest in some shady place until the sun went down.

At about two o'clock I became so uneasy that I could wait no longer.

"Friday," I said, "let us go out and see what we can do."

You should have seen us as we marched out of the castle.

I had two guns on my shoulders and Friday had three. I had on my goatskin coat and my great hat that I have told you about. At my side was a naked sword, and in my belt were two huge pistols.

I must have looked very fierce.

We went quietly down the hill, keeping ourselves hidden among the trees. At last, when we were quite near the three men, I jumped suddenly out before them and cried, "What are you, gentlemen?"

Never were men more surprised.

They sprang to their feet, but they could not speak a word. In fact, they were on the point of running away from me when I cried: "Hold, gentlemen! Do not be afraid. I am a friend. I bring help."

"Then, indeed," said one of them, "you must have been sent from heaven; for our case is hopeless."

"All help is from heaven, sir," I said; and then I briefly told them how I had seen them brought to the shore.

"I am an Englishman," I said, "and I stand ready to help you. I have one servant, and we are well armed. Tell us what is your case, and how we may serve you."

"Our case," said the foremost of the three men, "is too long to tell you now; for our enemies are very near. I was the captain of the ship that lies at anchor offshore. Three days ago the sailors all rose against me. They made me their prisoner. They seized upon the ship, for they wanted to become pirates.

"They were about to kill me; but this morning they decided to leave me on this island to die. The men who are with me, they are doomed to the same fate. One is my mate, the other a passenger.

"Being brought ashore here, we had no hope but to perish. For it did not seem to us that any one could live in such a desolate place."

"But where are those cruel enemies of yours?" I asked. "Do you know where they are gone?"

"They are there, sir," he said, pointing to a grove not far away. "They are sleeping in the shade. If they should wake and see you with us, they would kill us all."

"Have they any firearms?" I asked.

"Only two muskets," he answered, "and one of these they have left in the boat."

"Then trust everything to me," I said. "If they are asleep it will be easy to kill them all. But I think it will be better to make them our prisoners."

The captain then told me that there were two very wicked fellows among them who were the ringleaders.

"It is they who have made all this trouble," he said. "If they and two others could be overcome the rest would come back and do their duty. Indeed, I am sure that many of them have gone into this business against their will."