clothes [klquDz] coarsely [`kLslI] appearance [q`pIqrqns] mast [mRst] obeyed [qu`beId]
And, indeed, bad as his clothes were, and coarsely as he spoke, he had none of the appearance of a man who sailed before the mast; but seemed like a mate or skipper accustomed to be obeyed or to strike. The man who came with the barrow told us the mail had set him down this morning before at the “Royal George”; that he had inquired what inns there were along the coast, and hearing ours well spoken of, I suppose, and described as lonely, had chosen it from the others for his place of residence. And that was all we could learn of our guest.
He was a very silent man by custom (он был очень молчаливым человеком по обычаю = обыкновенно). All day he hung round the cove (весь день он бродил по /берегу/ бухты; to hang round — слоняться), or upon the cliffs (или взбирался на скалы; to hang upon — повиснуть, прицепиться), with a brass telescope (c медной подзорной трубой); all evening he sat in a corner of the parlour next the fire (весь вечер он сидел в углу общей комнаты /зала/ у огня), and drank rum and water very strong (и пил ром с водой очень сильный = мало разбавленный). Mostly he would not speak when spoken to (в основном, он не отвечал, когда к нему обращались; to speak to — разговаривать /с кем-то/); only look up sudden and fierce (лишь взглянет вверх = поднимет глаза, резко и свирепо) and blow through his nose like a fog-horn (свистит через нос как /корабельная/ сирена; to blow — дуть, выдувать); and we and the people who came about our house (мы и люди, которые случились в нашем доме = посетители) soon learned to let him be (вскоре научились оставлять его в покое). Every day (каждый день), when he came back from his stroll (когда он приходил назад = возвращался со своей прогулки), he would ask if any seafaring men had gone by along the road (спрашивал, проходили ли мимо какие-нибудь моряки по дороге). At first we thought (сначала мы думали) it was the want of company of his own kind (/что/ это был недостаток компании его собственного типа = таких же, как он) that made him ask this question (который заставляла его задавать этот вопрос); but at last we began to see (но наконец мы начали видеть = понимать) he was desirous to avoid them (/что/ он стремился избежать их; desirous — желающий, жаждущий). When a seaman put up at the “Admiral Benbow” (когда какой-то моряк останавливался в «Адмирале Бенбоу») (as now and then some did (как время от времени некоторые делали), making by the coast road for Bristol (двигаясь прибрежной дорогой в Бристоль)) he would look in at him through the curtained door (он взглядывал на него через занавешенную дверь) before he entered the parlour (прежде чем входил в комнату); and he was always sure to be as silent as a mouse (и он всегда был тихим, словно мышь; sure — непременно, точно) when any such was present (когда любой подобный /человек/ присутствовал).
silent [`saIlqnt] parlour [`pRlq] fierce [fIqs] people [pJpl] desirous [dI`zaIqrqs]
He was a very silent man by custom. All day he hung round the cove, or upon the cliffs, with a brass telescope; all evening he sat in a corner of the parlour next the fire, and drank rum and water very strong. Mostly he would not speak when spoken to; only look up sudden and fierce, and blow through his nose like a fog-horn; and we and the people who came about our house soon learned to let him be. Every day, when he came back from his stroll, he would ask if any seafaring men had gone by along the road. At first we thought it was the want of company of his own kind that made him ask this question; but at last we began to see he was desirous to avoid them. When a seaman put up at the “Admiral Benbow” (as now and then some did, making by the coast road for Bristol) he would look in at him through the curtained door before he entered the parlour; and he was always sure to be as silent as a mouse when any such was present.
For me, at least (для меня, по крайней мере), there was no secret about the matter (там не было секрета об этом деле = я знал, в чем дело); for I was, in a way, a sharer in his alarms (так как я был, в некотором смысле, участником в его тревогах = он поделился со мной своей тревогой; to share — делить, принимать участие). He had taken me aside one day (он отвел меня в сторону в один день = однажды), and promised me a silver fourpenny (и обещал мне /платить/ серебряную четырехпенсовую монету) on the first of every month (первого /числа/ каждого месяца) if I would only keep my “weather-eye open for a seafaring man with one leg,” (если я буду только «смотреть в оба, не появится ли моряк с одной ногой»; to keep eyes open — смотреть в оба, не зевать; weather-eye — бдительность) and let him know the moment he appeared (дам ему знать о моменте, когда он появится). Often enough (часто довольно = всякий раз), when the first of the month came round (когда первое число месяца наступало), and I applied to him for my wage (обращался к нему за моим жалованьем), he would only blow through his nose at me (он лишь трубил /свистел/ носом на меня), and stare me down (смущал меня взглядом = свирепо глядел); but before the week was out (но прежде, чем неделя заканчивалась) he was sure to think better of it (он менял мнение об этом = передумывал), bring me my fourpenny piece (приносил мне четырехпенсовую монету), and repeat his orders to look out for “the seafaring man with one leg (и повторял приказания высматривать «моряка с одной ногой»).”
alarms [q`lRmz] seafaring [`sJfeqrIN] enough [I`nAf] wage [weIG] stare [steq]
For me, at least, there was no secret about the matter; for I was, in a way, a sharer in his alarms. He had taken me aside one day, and promised me a silver fourpenny on the first of every month if I would only keep my “weather-eye open for a seafaring man with one leg,” and let him know the moment he appeared. Often enough, when the first of the month came round, and I applied to him for my wage, he would only blow through his nose at me, and stare me down; but before the week was out he was sure to think better of it, bring me my fourpenny piece, and repeat his orders to look out for “the seafaring man with one leg.”
How that personage haunted my dreams (как эта персона преследовала мои сны = часто снилась мне; to haunt — часто заезжать проведать, навещать; неотступно преследовать; мучить; не давать покоя /о мыслях и т. п./), I need scarcely tell you (мне нужно едва ли рассказывать вам). On stormy nights (бурными ночами), when the wind shook the four corners of the house (когда ветер сотрясал четыре угла дома = весь дом), and the surf roared along the cove and up the cliffs (и прибой ревел в бухте и в утесах: «вдоль бухты и вверх по утесам»), I would see him in a thousand forms (я видел его /во сне/ в тысяче образов), and with a thousand diabolical expressions (с тысячью дьявольских выражений = обликов). Now the leg would be cut off at the knee (то нога была отрезана по колено), now at the hip (то по бедро; now… now… — то… то…); now he was a monstrous kind of a creature (то он был чудовищным видом существа) who had never had but the one leg (которое никогда не имело /ничего/, кроме одной ноги), and that in the middle of his body (/да/ и ту в середине тела). To see him leap and run and pursue me (видеть его = как он прыгал и бежал, и преследовал меня) over hedge and ditch (не разбирая дороги: «через изгородь и канаву») was the worst of nightmares (было худшим из ночных кошмаров). And altogether I paid pretty dear for my monthly fourpenny piece (в общем, я платил довольно дорого за месячную четырехпенсовую монету), in the shape of these abominable fancies (в виде этих отвратительных фантазий).
personage [`pq:sqnIG] haunted [`hLntId] knee [nJ] hedge [heG] nightmares [`naItmeq]
How that personage haunted my dreams, I need scarcely tell you. On stormy nights, when the wind shook the four corners of the house, and the surf roared along the cove and up the cliffs, I would see him in a thousand forms, and with a thousand diabolical expressions. Now the leg would be cut off at the knee, now at the hip; now he was a monstrous kind of a creature who had never had but the one leg, and that in the middle of his body. To see him leap and run and pursue me over hedge and ditch was the worst of nightmares. And altogether I paid pretty dear for my monthly fourpenny piece, in the shape of these abominable fancies.
