Английский с А. Конан Дойлем. Пиратские истории / A. Conan Doyle. Tales of Pirates

Дойл Артур Конан

 “Ah! and what of that?” asked the Governor keenly, with the air of one who is just on the edge of an idea.

“By the help of it this man shall be delivered into our hands.”

“And how?”

“I will paint out the streak upon the White Rose, and make it in all things like the Happy Delivery. Then I will set sail for the Island of La Vache, where this man is slaying the wild oxen. When he sees me he will surely mistake me for his own vessel which he is awaiting, and he will come on board to his own undoing.”

It was a simple plan, and yet it seemed to the Governor that it might be effective (план

был прост, но губернатору все же казалось, что он может оказаться действенным). Without hesitation he gave Craddock permission to carry it out (без колебаний он дал Крэддоку позволение воплотить его в жизнь; to carry out – выполнять), and to take any steps he liked (и предпринять любые меры, которые тот сочтет необходимыми: «любые шаги, которые ему понравятся») in order to further the object which he had in view (чтобы достичь цели, к которой тот стремился; to further – продвигать; способствовать осуществлению; object – предмет; цель; to have in view – иметь в виду). Sir Edward was not very sanguine (/однако/ сэр Эдвард не был слишком оптимистичен; sanguine – кроваво-красный; оптимистичный, уверенный в успехе), for many attempts had been made upon Sharkey (потому что уже было предпринято множество попыток /поймать/ Шарки; to make – делать; совершать, выполнять /какие-л. действия/), and their results had shown (и их результаты показали; to show), that he was as cunning as he was ruthless (что он = Шарки был столь же хитер, как и жесток). But this gaunt Puritan with the evil record was cunning and ruthless also (но этот суровый пуританин с дурной биографией тоже был хитер и жесток; evil – злой, дурной; record – запись; биография, досье).

 It was a simple plan, and yet it seemed to the Governor that it might be effective. Without hesitation he gave Craddock permission to carry it out, and to take any steps he liked in order to further the object which he had in view. Sir Edward was not very sanguine, for many attempts had been made upon Sharkey, and their results had shown, that he was as cunning as he was ruthless. But this gaunt Puritan with the evil record was cunning and ruthless also.

The contest of wits between two such men as Sharkey and Craddock (состязание в хитрости между двумя такими людьми, как Шарки и Крэддок; wit – ум, разум; остроумие) appealed to the Governor’s acute sense of sport (разбудило в губернаторе его обостренное чувство азарта; to appeal – взывать; привлекать, притягивать; acute – острый; сильный, крайний; sport /зд./ – азартная игра), and though he was inwardly convinced (и хотя внутренне он был убежден /в том/) that the chances were against him (что /все/ шансы против него), he backed his man with the same loyalty (он сделал ставку на своего человека с той же непоколебимостью: «преданностью»; to back – поддерживать; держать пари, ставить на) which he would have shown to his horse or his cock (которую он выказал бы по отношению к своей лошади или /бойцовому/ петуху).

Haste was, above all things, necessary (прежде всего нужно было поспешить: «поспешность была необходима»), for upon any day the careening might be finished (поскольку в любой из дней кренгование могло быть закончено), and the pirates out at sea once more (и пираты снова вышли бы в море).

 The contest of wits between two such men as Sharkey and Craddock appealed to the Governor’s acute sense of sport, and though he was inwardly convinced that the chances were against him, he backed his man with the same loyalty which he would have shown to his horse or his cock.

Haste was, above all things, necessary, for upon any day the careening might be finished, and the pirates out at sea once more.

But there was not very much to do (но дел было совсем немного), and there were many willing hands to do it (а желающих помочь сделать их, /наоборот/, предостаточно; willing – охотно делающий /что-л./; hand – рука /кисть/; помощник), so the second day saw the White Rose beating out for the open sea (так что на следующий день «Белая роза» уже выходила в открытое море; to see – видеть, смотреть; быть временем совершения чего-л.; to beat out – плыть против ветра). There were many seamen in the port (в порту было много моряков) who knew the lines and rig of the pirate barque (которые знали очертания/линии и оснастку пиратского барка), and not one of them could see the slightest difference in this counterfeit (и ни один из них не смог заметить ни малейшего отличия в этой подделке; slight – легкий, незначительный). Her white side line had been painted out (белая полоса на его боку была закрашена), her masts and yards were smoked (мачты и реи закопчены; yard – ярд /мера длины/; рея /мор./; to smoke – дымить/ся/; коптить), to give them the dingy appearance of the weather-beaten rover (чтобы придать судну вид бывалого /морского/ бродяги; dingy – выцветший, блеклый; потрепанный; weather-beaten – пострадавший от непогоды; видавший виды), and a large diamond shaped patch was let into her fore-topsail (а на его фор-марселе поставили огромную заплату в форме ромба; diamond – алмаз; ромб; to let into – вставить).

 But there was not very much to do, and there were many willing hands to do it, so the second day saw the White Rose beating out for the open sea. There were many seamen in the port who knew the lines and rig of the pirate barque, and not one of them could see the slightest difference in this counterfeit. Her white side line had been painted out, her masts and yards were smoked, to give them the dingy appearance of the weather-beaten rover, and a large diamond shaped patch was let into her fore-topsail.

Her crew were volunteers (команда «Белой розы» состояла из добровольцев), many of them being men who had sailed with Stephen Craddock before (многие из них плавали со Стивеном Крэддоком прежде) – the mate, Joshua Hird, an old slaver, had been his accomplice in many voyages (помощник капитана Джошуа Хирд, старый работорговец, был его правой рукой во многих плаваниях; mate – товарищ, напарник; помощник капитана /мор./; accomplice – сообщник, соучастник), and came now at the bidding of his chief (приехал и теперь по просьбе своего /бывшего/ вожака).

The avenging barque sped across the Caribbean Sea (барк-мститель мчался по Карибскому морю; to speed – двигаться на высокой скорости), and, at the sight of that patched topsail (и при виде его заплатанного топселя), the little craft which they met flew left and right (маленькие суденышки, встречавшиеся /на пути/, разлетались во все стороны: «влево и вправо»; to fly) like frightened trout in a pool (как испуганная форель в озере). On the fourth evening Point Abacou bore five miles to the north and east of them (вечером на четвертый день в пяти милях к северо-востоку от них показался мыс Абаку; to bear – носить, нести; находиться /где-л./).

 Her crew were volunteers, many of them being men who had sailed with Stephen Craddock before – the mate, Joshua Hird, an old slaver, had been his accomplice in many voyages, and came now at the bidding of his chief.

The avenging barque sped across the Caribbean Sea, and, at the sight of that patched topsail, the little craft which they met flew left and right like frightened trout in a pool. On the fourth evening Point Abacou bore five miles to the north and east of them.