Читать интересную книгу Английский с А. Конан Дойлем. Пиратские истории / A. Conan Doyle. Tales of Pirates - Артур Дойл

“Good morning, Mr. Banks!” said he (доброе утро, мистер Бэнкс).

“Good morning, Freeman (доброе утро, Фримэн). I see that Ruffling Harry is in the Bay (я видел в гавани «Задиру Гарри»; to ruffle – вызывать рябь /на воде/; ругаться, ссориться /разг./).”

“Yes, sir; she clears for the Windward Islands on Wednesday (да, сэр, в среду он идет к Наветренным островам; to clear – очищать, осветлять; проходить мимо).”

“I have other plans for her, Freeman (у меня на него другие планы, Фримэн). I have determined upon a slaving venture to Whydah (я решил, пусть он сходит за невольниками в Уиду; to determine – определять, устанавливать; to determine upon – принимать решение /сделать что-л./; slave – раб, невольник).”

“But her cargo is ready, sir (но груз уже готов = но груз уже в трюмах, сэр).”

 One morning, some two years after his misfortune, Mr. Copley Banks strode into his own office with his old air of energy and alertness. The manager stared at him in surprise, for it was months since he had shown any interest in business.

“Good morning, Mr. Banks!” said he.

“Good morning, Freeman. I see that Ruffling Harry is in the Bay.”

“Yes, sir; she clears for the Windward Islands on Wednesday.”

“I have other plans for her, Freeman. I have determined upon a slaving venture to Whydah.”

“But her cargo is ready, sir.”

“Then it must come out again, Freeman (тогда его нужно выгрузить, Фримэн; to come out /зд./ – извлекать). My mind is made up (решение принято; to make up one’s mind – принять решение), and the Ruffling Harry must go slaving to Whydah (и «Задира Гарри» должен идти в Уиду за невольниками).”

All argument and persuasion were vain (все доводы и убеждения были напрасны; vain – напрасный, тщетный), so the manager had dolefully to clear the ship once more (так что управляющему со страдальческим /лицом/ пришлось /приказать/ снова разгружать судно; to clear /зд./ – разгружать).

And then Copley Banks began to make preparations for his African voyage (и вот Копли Бэнкс начал делать приготовления к плаванию в Африку; to begin). It appeared that he relied upon force rather than barter for the filling of his hold (казалось, что, наполняя трюмы, он полагался более на /грубую/ силу, чем на торговлю; barter – меновая торговля), for he carried none of those showy trinkets which savages love (поскольку не брал с собой никаких ярких безделушек, которые обожают дикари; to carry – нести, носить; иметь при себе), but the brig was fitted with eight nine-pounder guns (зато вооружил бриг восемью девятифунтовыми пушками; to fit with – снаряжать, оснащать) and racks full of muskets and cutlasses (а оружейные шкафы его были полны мушкетов и абордажных сабель; rack – полка, подставка, вешалка; пирамида /ящик для хранения оружия/).

 “Then it must come out again, Freeman. My mind is made up, and the Ruffling Harry must go slaving to Whydah.”

All argument and persuasion were vain, so the manager had dolefully to clear the ship once more.

And then Copley Banks began to make preparations for his African voyage. It appeared that he relied upon force rather than barter for the filling of his hold, for he carried none of those showy trinkets which savages love, but the brig was fitted with eight nine-pounder guns and racks full of muskets and cutlasses.

The after sail-room next the cabin was transformed into a powder magazine (парусная комната на корме рядом с каютой была переделана в пороховой погреб; magazine – склад боеприпасов; артиллерийский погреб), and she carried as many round shot as a well-found privateer (а на самом судне имелось так же много ядер, как на хорошо снаряженном капере; to carry – носить, возить; иметь при себе, нести в себе). Water and provisions were shipped for a long voyage (пресной воды и провианта погрузили /в расчете/ на длительное путешествие).

But the preparation of his ship’s company was most surprising (но самым удивительным был подбор членов экипажа корабля; preparation – приготовление, подготовка; company – общество, компания; экипаж, команда /мор./). It made Freeman, the manager, realize (это заставило Фримэна, управляющего, поверить в то; to make /зд./ – заставлять, побуждать /кого-л. сделать что-л./) that there was truth in the rumour (что была /доля/ правды в слухах) that his master had taken leave of his senses (будто его хозяин тронулся рассудком; to take leave of one’s senses – сойти с ума). For, under one pretext or another (потому что под тем или иным предлогом), he began to dismiss the old and tried hands (он начал увольнять старых и испытанных матросов; to begin; to dismiss – отпускать, распускать; увольнять; hand – рука /кисть/; матрос), who had served the firm for years (которые служили фирме /многие/ годы), and in their place he embarked the scum of the port (а вместо них он собрал все портовые отбросы; to embark – садиться на /корабль, самолет/; scum – пена, накипь; отбросы, мусор) – men whose reputations were so vile (людей, чья репутация была столь ужасной) that the lowest crimp would have been ashamed to furnish them (что самый скверный вербовщик постыдился бы их нанять; to furnish – обставлять мебелью; предоставлять, поставлять).

 The after sail-room next the cabin was transformed into a powder magazine, and she carried as many round shot as a well-found privateer. Water and provisions were shipped for a long voyage.

But the preparation of his ship’s company was most surprising. It made Freeman, the manager, realise that there was truth in the rumour that his master had taken leave of his senses. For, under one pretext or another, he began to dismiss the old and tried hands, who had served the firm for years, and in their place he embarked the scum of the port – men whose reputations were so vile that the lowest crimp would have been ashamed to furnish them.

There was Birthmark Sweetlocks (был там Суитлокс Меченый; birthmark – родимое пятно), who was known to have been present at the killing of the log-wood cutters (известный тем, что присутствовал при убийстве резчиков по дереву; log-wood – кампешевое дерево), so that his hideous scarlet disfigurement was put down by the fanciful (так что его отвратительное багровое пятно толковалось людьми с развитой фантазией; disfigurement – уродование; физический дефект, недостаток; to put down – приписывать, относить на счет /кого-л./чего-л./) as being a red afterglow from that great crime (как кровавый результат того великого злодеяния; red – красный; кровавый, окровавленный). He was first mate (он стал первым помощником), and under him was Israel Martin, a little sun-wilted fellow (а его подручным назначили Израэля Мартина, невысокого высушенного солнцем человечка) who had served with Howell Davies at the taking of Cape Coast Castle (который служил еще у Хауэлла Дэйвиса при взятии замка Кейп-Коуст).

 There was Birthmark Sweetlocks, who was known to have been present at the killing of the log-wood cutters, so that his hideous scarlet disfigurement was put down by the fanciful as being a red afterglow from that great crime. He was first mate, and under him was Israel Martin, a little sun-wilted fellow who had served with Howell Davies at the taking of Cape Coast Castle.

The crew were chosen from amongst those (команда набиралась из тех) whom Banks had met and known in their own infamous haunts (кого Бэнкс встречал и с кем знакомился в облюбованных ими грязных притонах; to know – знать; быть знакомым), and his own table-steward was a haggard-faced man (а его личным камердинером стал человек с изможденным лицом; table-steward – стюард-официант), who gobbled at you when he tried to talk (который издавал клекочущие звуки, когда пытался разговаривать; to gobble – кулдыкать /об индюке/). His beard had been shaved (свою бороду он сбрил), and it was impossible to recognise him as the same man (и в нем невозможно было узнать того самого человека) whom Sharkey had placed under the knife (которому Шарки отрезал язык: «которого Шарки поместил под нож»), and who had escaped to tell his experiences to Copley Banks (и который бежал /от пиратов/, чтобы рассказать о своих злоключениях Копли Бэнксу; experiences – опыт; случай, событие).

 The crew were chosen from amongst those whom Banks had met and known in their own infamous haunts, and his own table-steward was a haggard-faced man, who gobbled at you when he tried to talk. His beard had been shaved, and it was impossible to recognise him as the same man whom Sharkey had placed under the knife, and who had escaped to tell his experiences to Copley Banks.

These doings were not unnoticed, nor yet uncommented upon in the town of Kingston (действия эти не остались незамеченными, и их обсуждали на главных улицах Кингстона; town – город, городок; деловой центр; uncommented – некомментированный; оставленный без комментариев). The Commandant of the troops – Major Harvey, of the Artillery (комендант гарнизона майор от артиллерии Харви; troops – войска) – made serious representations to the Governor (выразил губернатору серьезную озабоченность; to make representations – делать представление, заявлять протест).

“She is not a trader, but a small warship (это не торговое судно, а небольшой военный корабль),” said he. “I think it would be as well to arrest Copley Banks and to seize the vessel (также я думаю арестовать Копли Бэнкса и захватить судно; as well – также, тоже).”

“What do you suspect?” asked the Governor (что вы подозреваете? – спросил губернатор), who was a slow-witted man, broken down with fevers and port wine (который медленно соображал /от природы/, был разбит лихорадкой и /злоупотреблял/ портвейном; to break).

“I suspect,” said the soldier, “that it is Stede Bonnet over again (я подозреваю, – сказал /старый/ вояка, – что это еще один Стид Боннет; soldier – военный, военнослужащий; over again – еще раз, снова).”

 These doings were not unnoticed, nor yet uncommented upon in the town of Kingston. The Commandant of the troops – Major Harvey, of the Artillery – made serious representations to the Governor.