Английский язык с Конан Дойлем. Этюд в багровых тонах
Шрифт:
It was a bewildering route for anyone (это было захватывающее путешествие для любого; to bewilder — ставить в тупик; приводить в замешательство; route — дорога, путь; маршрут) who was not accustomed to face Nature in her wildest moods (кто не привык сталкиваться с природой в ее первобытном состоянии; wild — нецивилизованный, дикий; mood — настроение; расположение духа). On the one side a great crag towered up a thousand feet or more (с одной стороны по крайней мере на тысячу футов: «на тысячу футов или больше» возвышался огромный утес; crag — скала, утес), black, stern, and menacing (черный, суровый и угрожающий), with long basaltic columns upon its rugged surface like the ribs of some petrified monster (с длинными базальтовыми колоннами, словно ребра какого-то окаменелого монстра, выступающими на его неровной поверхности). On the other hand a wild chaos of boulders and debris made all advance impossible (с другой стороны дикий
They soon had a proof, however, that they were still within the jurisdiction of the Saints (и все же скоро они убедились: «имели доказательство», что они все еще были на территории, подвластной мормонам; jurisdiction — власть, полномочия; подведомственная область). They had reached the very wildest and most desolate portion of the pass (они добрались до самого дикого и заброшенного участка перевала; desolate — одинокий, заброшенный, пустынный, безжизненный) when the girl gave a startled cry, and pointed upwards (когда девушка испуганно вскрикнула и указала вверх). On a rock which overlooked the track, showing out dark and plain against the sky, there stood a solitary sentinel (на нависавшей над тропой скале, темным силуэтом вырисовываясь на фоне неба, стоял одинокий часовой; to show — выделяться, виднеться; plain — очевидный, явный). He saw them as soon as they perceived him (он заметил их в тот же момент, что и они его; to perceive — воспринимать, ощущать, различать), and his military challenge of "Who goes there?" rang through the silent ravine (и его армейский оклик «Стой, кто идет» прозвенел по тихому ущелью).
route [ru:t], traverse [tr'v:s], perceive [p'si:v]
It was a bewildering route for anyone who was not accustomed to face Nature in her wildest moods. On the one side a great crag towered up a thousand feet or more, black, stern, and menacing, with long basaltic columns upon its rugged surface like the ribs of some petrified monster. On the other hand a wild chaos of boulders and debris made all advance impossible. Between the two ran the irregular track, so narrow in places that they had to travel in Indian file, and so rough that only practised riders could have traversed it at all. Yet in spite of all dangers and difficulties, the hearts of the fugitives were light within them, for every step increased the distance between them and the terrible despotism from which they were flying.
They soon had a proof, however, that they were still within the jurisdiction of the Saints. They had reached the very wildest and most desolate portion of the pass when the girl gave a startled cry, and pointed upwards. On a rock which overlooked the track, showing out dark and plain against the sky, there stood a solitary sentinel. He saw them as soon as they perceived him, and his military challenge of "Who goes there?" rang through the silent ravine.
"Travellers for Nevada," said Jefferson Hope (путешественники в Неваду, — сказал Джефферсон Хоуп), with his hand upon the rifle which hung by his saddle (положив руку на винтовку, висевшую у седла).
They could see the lonely watcher fingering his gun (они увидели, как одинокий часовой схватился за свою винтовку; to finger — трогать, дотрагиваться; gun — огнестрельное оружие), and peering down at them as if dissatisfied at their reply (вглядываясь в них сверху, словно его не удовлетворил их ответ: «словно неудовлетворенный их ответом»).
"By whose permission (с чьего разрешения)?" he asked.
"The Holy Four (Святых Четырех)," answered Ferrier. His Mormon experiences had taught him that that was the highest authority to which he could refer (опыт жизни среди мормонов научил его, что это была самая высшая инстанция, на которую можно было сослаться).
"Nine from seven," cried the sentinel (девять из семи, — крикнул часовой).
"Seven from five," returned Jefferson Hope promptly (семь из пяти, — немедленно ответил Джефферсон Хоуп), remembering the countersign which he had heard in the garden (вспомнив отзыв, который они подслушали в саду).
"Pass, and the Lord go with you," said the voice from above (проходите,
rifle [rafl], peer [p], reply [r'pla]
"Travellers for Nevada," said Jefferson Hope, with his hand upon the rifle which hung by his saddle.
They could see the lonely watcher fingering his gun, and peering down at them as if dissatisfied at their reply.
"By whose permission?" he asked.
"The Holy Four," answered Ferrier. His Mormon experiences had taught him that that was the highest authority to which he could refer.
"Nine from seven," cried the sentinel.
"Seven from five," returned Jefferson Hope promptly, remembering the countersign which he had heard in the garden.
"Pass, and the Lord go with you," said the voice from above. Beyond his post the path broadened out, and the horses were able to break into a trot. Looking back, they could see the solitary watcher leaning upon his gun, and knew that they had passed the outlying post of the chosen people, and that freedom lay before them.
Chapter V. The Avenging Angels
(Ангелы-мстители)
ALL night their course lay through intricate defiles and over irregular and rock-strewn paths (всю ночь их маршрут пролегал по извилистым ущельям и по неровным, усеянным камнями тропам; course — курс, направление; intricate — запутанный, сложный; to strew — разбрасывать). More than once they lost their way (они не раз сбивались с пути), but Hope's intimate knowledge of the mountains enabled them to regain the track once more (но то, что Хоуп отлично знал горы: «близкое знакомство Хоупа с горами», позволяло им снова найти тропу; to regain — обретать снова; восстанавливать). When morning broke (когда наступило утро), a scene of marvellous though savage beauty lay before them (перед ними лежал пейзаж изумительной, хотя и дикой красоты). In every direction the great snow-capped peaks hemmed them in (со всех сторон их окружали огромные, покрытые снегом горные вершины; to hem — ограничивать; окружать), peeping over each other's shoulders to the far horizon (выглядывая из-за плеча друга до самого края: «до далекого» горизонта). So steep were the rocky banks on either side of them (настолько круты были горные склоны с каждой стороны от них; rocky — каменистый, скалистый; bank — крутой склон), that the larch and the pine seemed to be suspended over their heads (что лиственницы и сосны, казалось, нависли над их головой; to suspend — вешать; свешиваться), and to need only a gust of wind to come hurtling down upon them (и были готовы обрушиться на них при первом порыве ветра: «и нуждались только в порыве ветра, чтобы с грохотом рухнуть на них»; to hurtle — двигаться с шумом; нестись с грохотом). Nor was the fear entirely an illusion (и это опасение было не совсем иллюзией), for the barren valley was thickly strewn with trees and boulders which had fallen in a similar manner (так как голая долина была густо усеяна деревьями и валунами, рухнувшими сверху: «которые упали в похожей манере»; barren — бесплодный; to strew). Even as they passed, a great rock came thundering down with a hoarse rattle (как раз когда они там проходили, большая скала рухнула вниз с сиплым грохотом; to thunder — греметь, грохотать; thunder — — гром; hoarse — хриплый, сиплый; rattle — треск, грохот) which woke the echoes in the silent gorges (который разбудил эхо в тихих ущельях; to wake — будить; gorge — узкое ущелье, теснина), and startled the weary horses into a gallop (и заставил утомленных лошадей пуститься галопом; to startle — испугать; побуждать к действию).
scene [si:n], horizon [h'razn], echo ['eku]
All night their course lay through intricate defiles and over irregular and rock-strewn paths. More than once they lost their way, but Hope's intimate knowledge of the mountains enabled them to regain the track once more. When morning broke, a scene of marvellous though savage beauty lay before them. In every direction the great snow-capped peaks hemmed them in, peeping over each other's shoulders to the far horizon. So steep were the rocky banks on either side of them, that the larch and the pine seemed to be suspended over their heads, and to need only a gust of wind to come hurtling down upon them. Nor was the fear entirely an illusion, for the barren valley was thickly strewn with trees and boulders which had fallen in a similar manner. Even as they passed, a great rock came thundering down with a hoarse rattle which woke the echoes in the silent gorges, and startled the weary horses into a gallop.