Английский язык с Р. Брэдбери. И грянул гром
Шрифт:
The sign on the wall seemed to quaver under a film of sliding warm water. Eckels felt his eyelids blink over his stare, and the sign burned in this momentary darkness:
TIME SAFARI, INC.
SAFARIS TO ANY YEAR IN THE PAST.
YOU NAME THE ANIMAL.
WE TAKE YOU THERE.
YOU SHOOT IT.
Warm phlegm gathered in Eckels' throat; he swallowed and pushed it down. The muscles around his mouth formed a smile as he put his hand slowly out upon the air, and in that hand waved a check for ten thousand dollars to the man behind the desk.
"Does this safari guarantee I come back alive?"
"We guarantee nothing," said the official, "except the dinosaurs." He turned. "This is Mr. Travis, your Safari Guide in the Past. He'll tell you what and where to shoot. If he says no shooting, no shooting. If you disobey instructions, there's a stiff penalty of another ten thousand dollars, plus possible government action, on your return."
Eckels glanced across the vast office at a mass and tangle (взглянул
A touch of the hand and this burning would (прикосновение руки и это горение бы), on the instant (мгновенно), beautifully reverse itself (прекрасно повернулось вспять). Eckels remembered the wording in the advertisements to the letter (помнил формулировку в объявлении /с точностью/ до буквы). Out of chars and ashes (из пепла и золы), out of dust and coals (из пыли и углей), like golden salamanders (как золотистые саламандры), the old years, the green years (старые годы, зеленые = молодые годы), might leap (могли бы выскочить = подняться); roses sweeten the air (розы услаждают воздух), white hair turn Irish-black (белые /седые/ волосы становятся черными, как у ирландцев), wrinkles vanish (морщины исчезают); all, everything fly back to seed (всё и все возвращаются /«летят»/обратно в семя), flee death (убегают от смерти), rush down to their beginnings (бросаются к своим истокам), suns rise in western skies and set in glorious easts (солнца восходят на западных небесах и садятся на великолепных востоках), moons eat themselves opposite to the custom (луны съедают себя вопреки обычаю = убывают с другого конца), all and everything cupping one in another like Chinese boxes (все и всё складывающееся одно в другое как китайские коробочки /по принципу матрешки/), rabbits into hats (/как/ кролики в шляпы), all and everything returning to the fresh death (все и всё, возвращающееся к свежей /новой/ смерти), the seed death (смерти семени), the green death (зеленой смерти), to the time before the beginning (ко времени до начала = к началу начал). A touch of a hand might do it (прикосновение руки могло бы сделать это), the merest touch of a hand (простейшее прикосновение руки).
Eckels glanced across the vast office at a mass and tangle, a snaking and humming of wires and steel boxes, at an aurora that flickered now orange, now silver, now blue. There was a sound like a gigantic bonfire burning all of Time, all the years and all the parchment calendars, all the hours piled high and set aflame.
A touch of the hand and this burning would, on the instant, beautifully reverse itself. Eckels remembered the wording in the advertisements to the letter. Out of chars and ashes, out of dust and coals, like golden salamanders, the old years, the green years, might leap; roses sweeten the air, white hair turn Irish-black, wrinkles vanish; all, everything fly back to seed, flee death, rush down to their beginnings, suns rise in western skies and set in glorious easts, moons eat themselves opposite to the custom, all and everything cupping one in another like Chinese boxes, rabbits into hats, all and everything returning to the fresh death, the seed death, the green death, to the time before the beginning. A touch of a hand might do it, the merest touch of a hand.
"Unbelievable (невероятно)." Eckels breathed (вздохнул), the light of the Machine on his thin face (свет Машины на его тонком лице). "A real Time Machine (настоящая Машина Времени)." He shook his head (он потряс головой). "Makes you think (заставляет задуматься). If the election had gone badly yesterday (если бы выборы прошли плохо вчера), I might be here now running away from the results (я
"Yes," said the man behind the desk (сказал человек за письменным столом). "We're lucky (мы удачливы = нам повезло). If Deutscher had gotten in (если бы Дойчер выиграл: der Deutscher по-немецки означает «немец» /намек на Гитлера/; to get in — пройти на выборах), we'd have the worst kind of dictatorship (мы бы имели самый худший вид диктатуры). There's an anti everything man for you (этот человек против всего), a militarist, anti-Christ, anti-human, anti-intellectual. (милитарист, антихрист, анти-человечный, анти-разумный). People called us up (люди нам звонили: to call up — вызывать по телефону), you know, joking but not joking (знаете, шутя, но не шутя = в шутку, но, может быть, и всерьез). Said if Deutscher became President they wanted to go live in 1492 (говорили, что если Дойчер станет президентом, то они бы хотели уехать жить в 1492 год /год открытия Америки Колумбом/). Of course it's not our business to conduct Escapes (конечно, это не наше дело — руководить побегами), but to form Safaris (а /только/ организовывать сафари). Anyway, Keith's President now (в любом случае, Кейт сейчас президент). All you got to worry about is (все, о чем вы должны заботиться, это…) —"
"Shooting my dinosaur (застрелить моего динозавра)," Eckels finished it for him (закончил за него).
"A Tyrannosaurus Rex (королевский тиранозавр). The Tyrant Lizard (тиран-ящер), the most incredible monster in history (самое невероятное чудовище в истории). Sign this release (подпишите эту расписку). Anything happens to you, we're not responsible (что бы с вами не случилось, мы не в ответе). Those dinosaurs are hungry (эти динозавры голодны)."
Eckels flushed angrily (вспыхнул сердито). "Trying to scare me (пытаетесь меня запугать)!"
"Frankly, yes (/если/ честно, да). We don't want anyone going who'll panic at the first shot (мы не хотим, чтобы ехал кто-то, кто паникует при первом выстреле). Six Safari leaders were killed last year (шесть руководителей было убито в прошлом году), and a dozen hunters (и дюжина охотников). We're here to give you (мы здесь /чтобы/ дать вам) the severest thrill (самый сильный трепет = впечатление) a real hunter ever asked for (/о котором/ настоящий охотник когда-либо просил = мечтал). Travelling you back sixty million years (перемещая вас на 60 миллионов лет назад) to bag the biggest game in all of Time (чтобы убить самую большую дичь всех времен: bag — сумка, мешок, ткж. ягдташ, to bag — класть в сумку, убивать дичь; game — дичь). Your personal check's still there (ваш личный чек все еще там = здесь). Tear it up (разорвите его). "Mr. Eckels looked at the check (посмотрел на чек). His fingers twitched (его пальцы подергивались).
"Unbelievable." Eckels breathed, the light of the Machine on his thin face. "A real Time Machine." He shook his head. "Makes you think, If the election had gone badly yesterday, I might be here now running away from the results. Thank God Keith won. He'll make a fine President of the United States."
"Yes," said the man behind the desk. "We're lucky. If Deutscher had gotten in, we'd have the worst kind of dictatorship. There's an anti everything man for you, a militarist, anti-Christ, anti-human, anti-intellectual. People called us up, you know, joking but not joking. Said if Deutscher became President they wanted to go live in 1492. Of course it's not our business to conduct Escapes, but to form Safaris. Anyway, Keith's President now. All you got to worry about is —"
"Shooting my dinosaur," Eckels finished it for him.
"A Tyrannosaurus Rex. The Tyrant Lizard, the most incredible monster in history. Sign this release. Anything happens to you, we're not responsible. Those dinosaurs are hungry."
Eckels flushed angrily. "Trying to scare me!"
"Frankly, yes. We don't want anyone going who'll panic at the first shot. Six Safari leaders were killed last year, and a dozen hunters. We're here to give you the severest thrill a real hunter ever asked for. Travelling you back sixty million years to bag the biggest game in all of Time. Your personal check's still there. Tear it up."Mr. Eckels looked at the check. His fingers twitched.