James Baldwin - Английский язык с Робинзоном Крузо (в пересказе для детей) (ASCII-IPA)

Next I built a great fire of hard wood. When the wood had burned down, I raked the hot coals out upon my hearth. I left them there till the hearth was hot through and through.

My loaves of dough were all ready. I swept hearth clean and then put the loaves down upon the hottest part of it.

Over each loaf I put one of the large earthen vessels I had made. Then I heaped hot coals on the top of the vessel and all round the sides of it.

In a short time I lifted the vessels and took out my loaves. They were baked as well as the best oven in the world could have baked them.

By trying and trying again, I at last learned to bake almost everything I wanted. I baked cakes and rice pudding fit for a king. But I did not care for pies.

I now felt quite contented and prosperous. For did I not have everything that I needed?

I had two homes on the island. I called them my plantations.

The first of these was my strong castle under the rock. I had enlarged it until my cave contained many rooms, one opening into another.

The largest and driest of these was my storeroom. Here I kept the largest of my earthen pots. Here also were fourteen or fifteen big baskets, all filled with grain.

My sitting room was not large, but it was made for comfort.

As for the wall in front of the castle, it was a wonderful thing. The long stakes which I had driven down had all taken root. They had grown like trees, and were now so big and so thick with branches that it was hard to see between them.

No one passing by would ever think there was a house behind this matted row of trees.

Near this dwelling of mine, but a little farther within the land, were my two barley fields. These I cultivated with care, and from them I reaped a good harvest. As often as I felt the need of more barley I made my fields larger.

Farther away was what I called my country seat. There was my pleasant summer house or bower, where I liked to go for rest.

In the middle of my bower I had my tent always set. It was made of a piece of sail spread over some poles.

Under the tent I had made a soft couch with the skins of animals and a blanket thrown over them. Here, when the weather was fair, I often slept at night.

A little way from the bower was the field in which I kept my cattle — that is to say, my goats.

I had taken great pains to fence and inclose this field. I was so fearful, lest the goats should break out, that I worked many a day planting a hedge all around. The hedge grew to be very tall and was as strong as a wall.

On the shore of the sea, some distance beyond my summer house, was the little inlet where I had laid up my canoe.

(я вижу кое-что в песке)

WHEN the weather was fine I often went over to the other side of the island to look at my canoe (когда погода была хорошей, я часто ходил на другую сторону острова, чтобы посмотреть на мое каноэ) .

Sometimes I spent several days at my summer house (иногда я проводил несколько дней в моем летнем доме) . Then, going over to where the canoe was kept (затем, идя туда, где содержалось каноэ) , I took short sails along the shore (я предпринимал короткие походы под парусом вдоль берега) . These little voyages gave me a great deal of pleasure (эти маленькие путешествия доставляли мне много удовольствия; deal — некоторое количество; great deal of — много) .

One morning as I was going to the canoe a strange thing happened (однажды утром, когда я шел к каноэ, произошла одна странная вещь) .

I was walking slowly along and looking down (я шел медленно вдоль /берега/ и смотрел вниз) , and what do you think I saw (и что вы думаете, я увидел) ?

I saw the print of a man's naked foot in the sand (я увидел отпечаток голой ноги человека на песке) .

The sight made me cold all over (это зрелище заставило меня всего похолодеть; all over — всюду, повсюду; /зд./ по всему телу) .

I stood like one that had seen a ghost (я стоял как кто-то, кто увидел привидение) . I looked around (я посмотрел вокруг/осмотрелся) . I listened (я прислушался) . I trembled (я дрожал; to tremble — дрожать; трястись) .

I went to the top of a little hill to look farther (я пошел на верхушку маленького холма, чтобы посмотреть дальше) . Then I walked up the shore and down the shore (затем я я прошел «вверх и вниз» = взад и вперед/туда-сюда по берегу) . I saw no other tracks (и не увидел никаких других следов) .

I went back to make sure that I was not dreaming (я пошел обратно, чтобы удостовериться, что я не увидел это во сне; to dream — видеть сон; dream — сновидение) . Yes, there in the sand was the print of man's foot (да, на песке был отпечаток ноги человека) . It showed the toes (он показывал = были отчетливо видны пальцы /ног/) , the heel (пятку) , and the sole of the foot (и ступню ноги; sole — подошва; ступня) . I was not dreaming (я не видел сон = это был не сон) .

My mind was filled with a thousand thoughts and questions (мой ум был наполнен тысячею мыслей и вопросов) . Where was the man who made that track (где был человек, который оставил тот след) ? Who was he (кем он был) ? How did he get there (как он сюда попал) ?

I was so frightened that I did not go to the canoe (я был так напуган, что не пошел к каноэ) . I turned back and went to my castle as fast as I could (я повернулся и пошел к замку так быстро, как только мог) .

Whether I went over by the ladder or through the hole in the rock (попал ли я /домой/ по лестнице или через отверстие в скале) , I do not know (я не знаю = не помню) . But I shut myself up as quickly as I could and began to get ready to defend myself (но я закрылся так быстро, как мог, и начал готовиться защищать себя; to get ready — готовиться: «становиться готовым») .

That night I could not sleep (той ночью я не мог спать) . I lay in my hammock, and thought and thought (я лежал гамаке, и думал, и думал; to lie — лежать) .

The track must have been made by an Indian (след, должно быть, оставлен индейцем) or some other wild savage (или каким-то другим дикарем; wild — дикий; savage — дикарь) . This savage had come perhaps from the land that I had seen far across the sea (это дикарь, возможно, прибыл с земли, которую я видел за морем: «далеко через море») .

Perhaps he had come to the island alone (возможно, он прибыл на остров не один) . Perhaps he had come with many others of his kind (возможно, он прибыл со многими другими его вида = такими же, как он) . But where was he now (но где он был сейчас) ?

I was so much afraid that I did not stir out of my castle for three days and nights (я был так сильно напуган, что не высовывался из замка три дня и три ночи; to stir — шевелиться; двигаться) . I was almost starved (я чуть не умер от голода; to starve — голодать, умирать от голода) , for I had only two or three barley cakes in my kitchen (потому что у меня на кухне было всего лишь две или три ячменной лепешки) .

Little by little I became brave enough to go out again (мало-помалу я стал достаточно смелым = набрался смелости, чтобы выйти опять) . I crept softly down to my fields to milk the goats (я пробрался потихоньку на мои поля, чтобы подоить коз; to creep — ползать; красться; пробираться) . Poor things (бедные существа) ! They were glad enough to see me (они были очень рады увидеть меня) .

But every sound made me start and look around (но каждый звук заставлял меня вздрагивать и смотреть по сторонам/оглядываться) . I fancied (мне казалось; to fancy — воображать, представлять себе) that I saw a savage behind every tree (что я видел дикаря за каждым деревом) . I lived for days like some hunted thing (я жил дни = целый ряд дней, как какое-то преследуемое существо/существо, за которым охотятся; to hunt — охотиться /на кого-л.; особ. с гончими/; травить, гнать; преследовать) that trembles at its own shadow (которое дрожит от своей собственной тени) .

And all because I had seen the print of a foot in the sand (и все потому, что я видел отпечаток ступни на песке) !

Little by little I grew bolder (мало-помалу я стал отважнее; to grow — расти; становиться) , and I made up my mind to strengthen my castle (и решил укрепить замок) . If savage Indians should indeed come and find me, I would be ready for them (если дикие индейцы в самом деле придут и найдут меня, я был бы готов к ним = к этому) .

So I carried out earth and small stones (поэтому я притащил: «вынес» земли и небольших камней) , and piled them up against the castle wall till it was ten feet thick (и уложил их у стены: «к стене» замка, пока она не стала толщиной в десять футов; to pile — складывать, сваливать в кучу; thick — толстый) . I have already told you how strong it was at first (я уже рассказал вам, какой крепкой она была в самом начале) , and how I had made a dense hedge of trees on the outside (и как я сделал плотную ограду из деревьев снаружи) . It was now so strong that nothing could break through it (такой крепкой, что ничто не могло прорваться сквозь нее) .