Before supper was eaten we buried old Tom in the sand and stood round him for a while bareheaded in the breeze. A good deal of firewood had been got in, but not enough for the captain’s fancy; and he shook his head over it, and told us we “must get back to this to-morrow rather livelier.” Then when we had eaten our pork, and each had a good stiff glass of brandy grog, the three chiefs got together in a corner to discuss our prospects.
It appears they were at their wits’ end what to do (по-видимому, они совсем не знали, что делать; to be at wits’ end — ума не приложить, зайти в тупик; wit, wits — разум, ум), the store being so low that we must have been starved into surrender long before help came (запасов было так мало, что мы должны были умереть с голоду или сдаться задолго до того, как придет помощь; surrender — сдача, капитуляция). But our best hope, it was decided (но нашей лучшей надеждой, было решено = мы решили так), was to kill off the buccaneers until they either hauled down their flag (уничтожать пиратов до тех пор, пока они либо не спустят свой флаг) or ran away with the Hispaniola (либо не убегут на Испаньоле). From nineteen they were already reduced to fifteen (с девятнадцати /мы/ их уже сократили до пятнадцати), two others were wounded, and one at least (двое других были ранены и, по крайней мере, один) — the man shot beside the gun (человек, подстреленный у пушки) — severely wounded if he were not dead (тяжело ранен, если не умер). Every time we had a crack at them, we were to take it (каждый раз, /когда/ мы вступали с ними в перестрелку, мы должны были вести ее; crack — треск, хруст; ружейный выстрел), saving our own lives, with the extremest care (оберегая наши собственные жизни с величайшей осторожностью). And, besides that, we had two able allies — rum and the climate (помимо этого, у нас было два надежных союзника — ром и климат; able — способный; знающий, умелый).
As for the first, though we were about half a mile away (что касается первого, то, хотя мы были в примерно в полумиле /от пиратов/), we could hear them roaring and singing late into the night (мы могли слышать, как они орали и пели поздно ночью); and as for the second, the doctor staked his wig (а что до второго, доктор поклялся своим париком: «поставил свой парик») that, camped where they were in the marsh, and unprovided with remedies (что, расположившись лагерем на болоте и не имея лекарств; unprovided — не обеспеченный, не снабженный; to provide — обеспечивать, снабжать), the half of them would be on their backs before a week (половина из них будет на своих спинах = валяться в лихорадке меньше чем через неделю).
surrender [sq`rendq] wounded [`wHndId] climate [`klaImIt] remedies [`remIdIz]
It appears they were at their wits’ end what to do, the store being so low that we must have been starved into surrender long before help came. But our best hope, it was decided, was to kill off the buccaneers until they either hauled down their flag or ran away with the Hispaniola. From nineteen they were already reduced to fifteen, two others were wounded, and one at least — the man shot beside the gun — severely wounded if he were not dead. Every time we had a crack at them, we were to take it, saving our own lives, with the extremest care. And, besides that, we had two able allies — rum and the climate.
As for the first, though we were about half a mile away, we could hear them roaring and singing late into the night; and as for the second, the doctor staked his wig that, camped where they were in the marsh, and unprovided with remedies, the half of them would be on their backs before a week.
“So,” he added (он добавил), “if we are not all shot down first (если нас всех не перестреляют сначала) they’ll be glad to be packing in the schooner (они будут рады убраться на шхуну; to pack in — бросать, прекращать). It’s always a ship, and they can get to buccaneering again, I suppose («это всегда = все же корабль» = у них ведь есть корабль, и они могут снова приняться за морской разбой, полагаю).”
“First ship that ever I lost (/это/ первый корабль, который я когда-либо потерял),” said Captain Smollett (сказал капитан Смоллетт).
I was dead tired, as you may fancy (я смертельно устал, как вы можете себе представить); and when I got to sleep which was not till after a great deal of tossing (и когда я заставил себя заснуть, что получилось лишь после долгого ворочания; to toss — кидать, ворочать; беспокойно метаться), I slept like log of wood (я спал как убитый: «как бревно»).
The rest had long been up (остальные уже давно поднялись), and had already breakfasted and increased the pile of firewood by about half as much again (уже позавтракали и увеличили кучу дров в полтора раза), when I was wakened by a bustle and the sound of voices (когдая был разбужен суматохой и шумом голосов).
“Flag of truce (белый флаг /флаг парламентера/; truce — перемирие, затишье)!” I heard someone say (я услышал, как кто-то сказал); and then, immediately after, with a cry of surprise (и затем сразу, с криком удивления), “Silver himself (Сильвер собственной персоной)!”
And, at that, up I jumped (и при этом я вскочил; обратный порядок слов /вместо: I jumped up/ показывает стремительность действия), and, rubbing my eyes, ran to a loophole in the wall (и, протирая глаза, побежал к бойнице в стене).
schooner [`skHnq] increased [In`krJst] bustle [bAsl] truce [trHs] loophole [`lHphqul]
“So,” he added, “if we are not all shot down first they’ll be glad to be packing in the schooner. It’s always a ship, and they can get to buccaneering again, I suppose.”
“First ship that ever I lost,” said Captain Smollett.
I was dead tired, as you may fancy; and when I got to sleep which was not till after a great deal of tossing, I slept like log of wood.
The rest had long been up, and had already breakfasted and increased the pile of firewood by about half as much again, when I was wakened by a bustle and the sound of voices.
“Flag of truce!” I heard someone say; and then, immediately after, with a cry of surprise, “Silver himself!”
And, at that, up I jumped, and, rubbing my eyes, ran to a loophole in the wall.
Chapter XX (глава 20)
Silver’s Embassy (посольство Сильвера)
SURE enough, there were two men just outside the stockade (действительно, прямо за частоколом было два человека), one of them waving a white cloth (один из них размахивал белой тряпкой); the other, no less a person than Silver himself, standing placidly by (другой, никто иной, как сам Сильвер, стоял спокойно рядом; placid — безмятежный, мирный, спокойный, тихий).
It was still quite early (было еще довольно рано), and the coldest morning that I think I ever was abroad in (и /стояло/ самое холодное утро, в каком, думаю, я когда либо был = я не мог вспомнить утро холоднее); a chill that pierced into the marrow (холод пронизывал до костей; to pierce — пронзать, просверливать, проникать; marrow — сущность, костный мозг). The sky was bright and cloudless overhead (небо было ясным и безоблачным над головой; cloud — облако), and the tops of the trees shone rosily in the sun (и верхушки деревьев розовели: «сияли в розово» на солнце). But where Silver stood with his lieutenant all was still in shadow (но /там/, где Сильвер стоял со своим помощником, все находилось еще в тени; lieutenant — заместитель, помощник, поручик), and they waded knee deep in a low, white vapour (и они шли по колено в низком белом тумане), that had crawled during the night out of the morass (который сполз = поднялся ночью с болота). The chill and the vapour taken together told a poor tale of the island (холод и туман, вместе взятые, рассказывали несчастную историю острова = были бедой этого острова). It was plainly a damp, feverish, unhealthy spot (это было просто сырое, малярийное, нездоровое место; health — здоровье).