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

At these words they turned pale and groaned. For they were but young men and had been led into this by the four or five ruffians who were the ringleaders.

"Now, my men," the captain went on, "you know that I have always been kind to you."

"Certainly you have," said Tom Smith.

"Aye, aye!" cried all the rest.

"Well, then," said the captain, "it grieves my heart to see you in this hard case. The ship, as you know, still lies at anchor off the shore. It is still held by some of the ruffians who brought this trouble upon us. If I should persuade the governor to set you free, what say you? Would you help me retake the ship?"

"Aye, aye!" they all cried. "We would stand by you to the end, for we should then owe our lives, to you."

"Well, then," said the captain, "I will see what I can do. I will go and talk with the governor."

The matter was soon arranged.

The captain was to choose five of those he thought would be most faithful. These were to help him retake the ship. But the rest were to stay in prison as hostages.

If the five behaved themselves well, then all were to be set free. If they did not behave, then all were to be put to death.

These were the governor's orders.

It was then agreed that the captain, with all the men he could trust, should go out to the ship. I and my man Friday were to stay on shore to watch the prisoners.

The hole in the bottom of the long boat was soon mended. Four men, with the passenger as their leader, went out in this. The captain, with five men, went out in the other boat.

It was after midnight when they reached the ship.

The men on board were taken by surprise, for they thought that these were their friends who were but just then returning to the ship.

They even threw a rope to them and helped them on board, never suspecting that anything was wrong.

The whole business was managed well. The second mate and the carpenter, who were among the leaders in the plot, were soon overpowered.

The rebel captain, the worst of the crew, was asleep in his berth. He sprang up and showed fight. He shot three times at the captain's party, wounding the mate but touching no one else.

The mate, wounded as he was, raised his musket and fired. The rebel captain fell to the deck with a bullet through his head.

The rest, seeing that they were without leaders, fell upon their knees and begged for their lives.

Thus the captain became again the master of his own ship.

(у меня новый костюм)

THE next morning I slept quite late in my hammock (я спал до позднего утра в своем гамаке) , for the night had been full of toil (потому что ночь была полна тяжелого труда; toil — тяжелый труд) and I had had but little rest (и у меня был лишь небольшой отдых = мне удалось отдохнуть совсем немного) .

All at once I was awakened by the sound of a gun (неожиданно я был разбужен звуком ружья) .

Then I heard some one calling me (затем я услышал, как кто-то зовет меня; to call — кричать; окликать; звать) , "Governor! Governor!" It was the captain's voice (это был голос капитана) .

I hurried out (я поспешил наружу) .

He grasped my hand and pointed to the sea (он схватил мою руку и указал на море) . There, a little way from our beach, was the ship (там, на некотором расстоянии от прибрежной полосы, был корабль) .

The weather being fair (поскольку погода была хорошей) , the men had brought her around (моряки привели его /поближе к берегу/; to bring around — повернуть лодку или корабль обратно) and anchored her near the mouth of the river (и поставили корабль на якорь около устья реки) .

"My dear friend (мой дорогой друг) ," cried the captain (воскликнул капитан) , "there is your ship (вот ваш корабль) ! She is all yours (он полностью ваш) , for we owe our lives to you (ибо мы обязаны вам жизнью) . We also are yours (мы также полностью ваши) . Everything on board of her is yours (все, что на борту корабля, — ваше) ."

I was ready to sink down with surprise (был готов упасть: «опуститься вниз» от удивления) .

For here was a large ship, at last (потому что вот он, наконец, большой корабль) , ready to carry me wherever I wished to go (готовый отвезти меня, куда бы я ни пожелал) .

At first I could not answer him (сначала я не мог ответить ему = не находил сил для ответа) .

We stood for some minutes with our arms around each other (мы постояли несколько минут, обняв друг друга: «с нашими руками вокруг друг друга») , and neither of us could speak (и никто из нас не мог говорить) .

At last I broke out (наконец я разразился /плачем/; to break out — вспыхивать, разражаться /о грозе, огне и т. п./) , crying like a child (плача как ребенок) . Then we rejoiced together (затем мы вместе порадовались) .

When he had talked awhile (после того, как он проговорил какое-то время) , the captain told me that he had brought me a present (капитан сказал, что он принес мне подарок) .

"Bring up the box for the governor (принесите сюда ящик/коробку для губернатора) !" he cried to his men (крикнул он своим матросам) .

They came up the hill (они поднялись на холм) , carrying a wooden chest (неся деревянный ящик) . When it was put down in my castle (когда он был поставлен на землю в моем замке) the captain bade me open it (попросил меня открыть его; to bid — просить /уст./) and help myself to all that was inside it (и воспользоваться всем, что было внутри него) .

I did so (я так и сделал) .

I found first two pounds of good tobacco (я нашел, прежде всего, два фунта хорошего табака) , then twelve pieces of beef (затем двенадцать кусков говядины) , six pieces of pork (шесть кусокв свинины) , a bag of peas (мешок гороха) , a box of sugar (ящик сахара) , a box of flour (ящик муки) , a bag full of lemons (мешок, полный лимонов) , and two bottles of lime juice (и две бутылки сока лайма) .

But under these was the greatest surprise (но среди всего этого было самое большое удивление = сюрприз) . There I found six new shirts (я обнаружил шесть новых рубашек) , six neckties (шесть галстуков) , two pairs of gloves (две пары перчаток) , a pair of shoes (пару туфель) , a pair of stockings (пару чулок) , a hat (шляпу) , and a very good suit of clothes (и очень хороший костюм) .

I could now dress like a man again (теперь я мог вновь одеться как человек) .

I went about it at once (я принялся за это сразу же) . It had been so long since I had worn such clothes (прошло столь долгое время с тех пор, когда я носил такую одежду; to wear — носить /одежду, обувь/) that I was very awkward at putting them on (что я был очень неловок, одевая ее) .

But at last I came out fully dressed (но в конце концов я вышел полностью одетый) . Friday did not know me (Пятница не узнал меня) . I hardly knew myself (я сам едва узнавал себя) .

The next day all was in readiness to sail away (на следующий день все было готово к отправлению; readiness — состояние готовности; ready — готовый) .

The second mate, the carpenter (второй помощник, плотник) , and other ruffians who had been foremost in the rebellion (и другие негодяи, которые были первыми в восстании = зачинщиками восстания; foremost — передний, передовой, находящийся впереди других; самый главный) were to be left on the island (должны были быть оставлены на острове) . In fact, I had put the matter to them in such a way that they requested this as a favor (на самом деле я представил им дело так, что они попросили об этом, как об одолжении/о милости) .

"It will be better to stay here than be taken to England to be hanged (будет лучше остаться здесь, чем быть отвезенными в Англию, чтобы быть повешенными) ," I said to them (сказал я им) .

I left with them a keg of powder (я оставил с ними = им бочонок пороха) , three muskets, and three swords (три мушкета и три шпаги) .

I told them also about my goats (я рассказал им также о моих козах) , and how I managed them (и как я управлялся с ними) — how I milked them (как я доил их) and made butter and cheese (и делал масло и сыр) .

I showed them my fields of barley and rice (я показал им мои поля ячменя и риса) .

I showed them, also, my castle (я показал им также мой замок) , my cave in the woods (мою пещеру в лесу) , and my bower (и мою беседку) .

"All these are yours (все это — ваше) ," I said.

"They are much more than we deserve (это намного больше, чем мы заслуживаем) ," said the second mate (сказал второй помощник) ; and I agreed with him (и я согласился с ним) .