Роберт Стивенсон - Английский язык с Р.Л.Стивенсоном. Остров сокровищ

But it was not its size that now impressed my companions; it was the knowledge that seven hundred thousand pounds in gold lay somewhere buried below its spreading shadow. The thought of the money, as they drew nearer, swallowed up their previous terrors. Their eyes burned in their heads; their feet grew speedier and lighter; their whole soul was bound up in that fortune, that whole lifetime of extravagance and pleasure, that lay waiting there for each of them.

Silver hobbled, grunting, on his crutch(Сильвер ковылял, ворча, на костыле) ; his nostrils stood out and quivered(его ноздри раздувались и дрожали; to stand out — отходить, выступать ) ; he cursed like a madman when the flies settled on his hot and shiny countenance(он ругался как сумасшедший, когда мухи садились на его горячее и блестящее /от пота/ лицо) ; he plucked furiously at the line that held me to him(он дергал яростно за веревку, которая привязывала меня к нему) , and, from time to time, turned his eyes upon me with a deadly look(и время от времени смотрел на меня убийственным взглядом) . Certainly he took no pains to hide his thoughts(конечно, он не прилагал никаких усилий, чтобы скрыть свои мысли) ; and certainly I read them like print(и, конечно, я мог читать их, как в книге; print — оттиск, шрифт, печатное издание ) . In the immediate nearness of the gold, all else had been forgotten(в непосредственной близости золота все другое было позабыто) ; his promise and the doctor’s warning were both things of the past(и его обещания, и предостережение доктора были позабыты: «вещами прошлого») ; and I could not doubt that he hoped to seize upon the treasure(и я мог не сомневаться, что он надеется захватить сокровища) , find and board the Hispaniola under cover of night(найти и сесть на Испаньолу под покровом ночи) , cut every honest throat about that island(перерезать все честные глотки на острове = всех нас) , and sail away as he had at first intended, laden with crimes and riches(и отплыть, как он вначале намеревался, нагруженный преступлениями и богатством) .

Shaken as I was with these alarms(как ни был я потрясен этими тревогами) , it was hard for me to keep up with the rapid pace of the treasure-hunters(было трудно поспевать за стремительной поступью охотников за сокровищами) . Now and again I stumbled(я то и дело: «сейчас и снова» спотыкался) ; and it was then that Silver plucked so roughly at the rope and launched at me his murderous glances(и тогда Сильвер дергал за веревку так грубо и бросал на меня свои кровожадные взгляды; murder — убийство; murderous — убийственный ) . Dick, who had dropped behind us, and now brought up the rear(Дик, который отставал от нас и теперь замыкал шествие) , was babbling to himself both prayers and curses, as his fever kept rising(бормотал себе /под нос/ молитвы и ругательства, по мере того, как его лихорадка продолжала усиливаться) . This also added to my wretchedness(это также усугубляло мое несчастное положение; to add to — прибавлять, усиливать; wretched — бедный, жалкий, никудышный ) , and, to crown all, I was haunted by the thought of the tragedy that had once been acted on that plateau(и в довершение всего, меня преследовала мысль /о/ трагедии, которая когда-то разыгралась на этом плоскогорье; to haunt — появляться /о призраке/; преследовать, часто посещать ) , when that ungodly buccaneer with the blue face(когда этот безбожный пират с синим лицом) — he who died at Savannah, singing and shouting for drink(который умер в Саванне, горланя /песню/ и требуя выпивки) — had there, with his own hand, cut down his six accomplices(здесь собственными руками зарубил шестерых сообщников; to cut down — сражать, зарубить ) . This grove, that was now so peaceful(эта роща, которая теперь была такой мирной) , must then have rung with cries, I thought(должно быть, тогда оглашалась /предсмертными/ криками, подумал я; to ring — оглашаться /чем-л. — with/; раздаваться, слышаться, доноситься ) ; and even with the thought I could believe I heard it ringing still(и даже с мыслью = думая об этом, мне казалось, что я слышу, как они все еще звучат) .

quivered [`kwɪvəd] countenance [`kauntənəns] seize [si:z] launched [lɔ:ntʃt] murderous [`mə:dərəs] haunted [`hɔ:ntɪd] accomplices [ə`kɔmplɪsɪz]

Silver hobbled, grunting, on his crutch; his nostrils stood out and quivered; he cursed like a madman when the flies settled on his hot and shiny countenance; he plucked furiously at the line that held me to him, and, from time to time, turned his eyes upon me with a deadly look. Certainly he took no pains to hide his thoughts; and certainly I read them like print. In the immediate nearness of the gold, all else had been forgotten; his promise and the doctor’s warning were both things of the past; and I could not doubt that he hoped to seize upon the treasure, find and board the Hispaniola under cover of night, cut every honest throat about that island, and sail away as he had at first intended, laden with crimes and riches.

Shaken as I was with these alarms, it was hard for me to keep up with the rapid pace of the treasure-hunters. Now and again I stumbled; and it was then that Silver plucked so roughly at the rope and launched at me his murderous glances. Dick, who had dropped behind us, and now brought up the rear, was babbling to himself both prayers and curses, as his fever kept rising. This also added to my wretchedness, and, to crown all, I was haunted by the thought of the tragedy that had once been acted on that plateau, when that ungodly buccaneer with the blue face — he who died at Savannah, singing and shouting for drink — had there, with his own hand, cut down his six accomplices. This grove, that was now so peaceful, must then have rung with cries, I thought; and even with the thought I could believe I heard it ringing still.

We were now at the margin of the thicket(мы были теперь на краю зарослей = вышли из чащи) .

“Huzza, mates, altogether(ура, ребята, /давайте/ вместе = вперед) !” shouted Merry(закричал Мерри) ; and the foremost broke into a run(и /шедшие/ впереди кинулись бежать) .

And suddenly, not ten yards further, we beheld them stop(внезапно, не пробежав и десяти ярдов, мы увидели, что они остановились) . A low cry arose(поднялся тихий крик = громкий ропот) . Silver doubled his pace, digging away with the foot of his crutch like one possessed(Сильвер удвоил скорость, роя землю основанием костыля = скача на деревяшке, как одержимый) ; and next moment he and I had come also to a dead halt(через миг мы с ним также встали как вкопанные; dead halt — внезапная, резкая остановка ) .

Before us was a great excavation, not very recent(перед нами была огромная вырытая яма, не самая недавняя) , for the sides had fallen in and grass had sprouted on the bottom(потому что края обвалились и трава выросла на дне; to sprout — пускать ростки, вырастать, давать побеги ) . In this were the shaft of a pick broken in two(в ней была сломанная пополам рукоятка кирки) and the boards of several packing-cases strewn around(и доски нескольких ящиков валялись кругом; to strew — посыпать, разбрасывать, расстилать ) . On one of these boards I saw, branded with a hot iron, the name Walrus (на одной из этих досок я увидел выжженное каленым железом название Морж ) — the name of Flint’s ship(название корабля Флинта) .

All was clear to probation(все было ясно; probation — испытание, доказательство ) . The cache had been found and rifled(тайник был обнаружен и расхищен; to rifle — стрелять из винтовки; обыскивать с целью грабежа ) : the seven hundred thousand pounds were gone(семьсот тысяч фунтов пропали) !

possessed [pə`zest] excavation [ekskə`veɪʃn] sprouted [`sprautɪd] Walrus [`wɔ:lrəs]

We were now at the margin of the thicket.

“Huzza, mates, altogether!” shouted Merry; and the foremost broke into a run.

And suddenly, not ten yards further, we beheld them stop. A low cry arose. Silver doubled his pace, digging away with the foot of his crutch like one possessed; and next moment he and I had come also to a dead halt.

Before us was a great excavation, not very recent, for the sides had fallen in and grass had sprouted on the bottom. In this were the shaft of a pick broken in two and the boards of several packing-cases strewn around. On one of these boards I saw, branded with a hot iron, the name Walrus — the name of Flint’s ship.

All was clear to probation. The cache had been found and rifled: the seven hundred thousand pounds were gone!