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

“Then it must come out again, Freeman. My mind is made up, and the Ruffling Harry must go slaving to Whydah.”

All argument and persuasion were vain, so the manager had dolefully to clear the ship once more.

And then Copley Banks began to make preparations for his African voyage. It appeared that he relied upon force rather than barter for the filling of his hold, for he carried none of those showy trinkets which savages love, but the brig was fitted with eight nine-pounder guns and racks full of muskets and cutlasses.

The after sail-room next the cabin was transformed into a powder magazine(парусная комната на корме рядом с каютой была переделана в пороховой погреб; magazine – склад боеприпасов; артиллерийский погреб ) , and she carried as many round shot as a well-found privateer(а на самом судне имелось так же много ядер, как на хорошо снаряженном капере; to carry – носить, возить; иметь при себе, нести в себе ) . Water and provisions were shipped for a long voyage(пресной воды и провианта погрузили /в расчете/ на длительное путешествие).

But the preparation of his ship’s company was most surprising(но самым удивительным был подбор членов экипажа корабля; preparation – приготовление, подготовка; company – общество, компания; экипаж, команда /мор./ ) . It made Freeman, the manager, realize(это заставило Фримэна, управляющего, поверить в то; to make /зд./ – заставлять, побуждать /кого-л. сделать что-л./ ) that there was truth in the rumour(что была /доля/ правды в слухах) that his master had taken leave of his senses(будто его хозяин тронулся рассудком; to take leave of one’s senses – сойти с ума ) . For, under one pretext or another(потому что под тем или иным предлогом) , he began to dismiss the old and tried hands(он начал увольнять старых и испытанных матросов; to begin; to dismiss – отпускать, распускать; увольнять; hand – рука /кисть/; матрос ) , who had served the firm for years(которые служили фирме /многие/ годы) , and in their place he embarked the scum of the port(а вместо них он собрал все портовые отбросы; to embark – садиться на /корабль, самолет/; scum – пена, накипь; отбросы, мусор ) – men whose reputations were so vile(людей, чья репутация была столь ужасной) that the lowest crimp would have been ashamed to furnish them(что самый скверный вербовщик постыдился бы их нанять; to furnish – обставлять мебелью; предоставлять, поставлять ).

The after sail-room next the cabin was transformed into a powder magazine, and she carried as many round shot as a well-found privateer. Water and provisions were shipped for a long voyage.

But the preparation of his ship’s company was most surprising. It made Freeman, the manager, realise that there was truth in the rumour that his master had taken leave of his senses. For, under one pretext or another, he began to dismiss the old and tried hands, who had served the firm for years, and in their place he embarked the scum of the port – men whose reputations were so vile that the lowest crimp would have been ashamed to furnish them.

There was Birthmark Sweetlocks(был там Суитлокс Меченый; birthmark – родимое пятно ) , who was known to have been present at the killing of the log-wood cutters(известный тем, что присутствовал при убийстве резчиков по дереву; log-wood – кампешевое дерево ) , so that his hideous scarlet disfigurement was put down by the fanciful(так что его отвратительное багровое пятно толковалось людьми с развитой фантазией; disfigurement – уродование; физический дефект, недостаток; to put down – приписывать, относить на счет /кого-л./чего-л./ ) as being a red afterglow from that great crime(как кровавый результат того великого злодеяния; red – красный; кровавый, окровавленный ) . He was first mate(он стал первым помощником) , and under him was Israel Martin, a little sun-wilted fellow(а его подручным назначили Израэля Мартина, невысокого высушенного солнцем человечка) who had served with Howell Davies at the taking of Cape Coast Castle(который служил еще у Хауэлла Дэйвиса при взятии замка Кейп-Коуст).

There was Birthmark Sweetlocks, who was known to have been present at the killing of the log-wood cutters, so that his hideous scarlet disfigurement was put down by the fanciful as being a red afterglow from that great crime. He was first mate, and under him was Israel Martin, a little sun-wilted fellow who had served with Howell Davies at the taking of Cape Coast Castle.

The crew were chosen from amongst those(команда набиралась из тех) whom Banks had met and known in their own infamous haunts(кого Бэнкс встречал и с кем знакомился в облюбованных ими грязных притонах; to know – знать; быть знакомым ) , and his own table-steward was a haggard-faced man(а его личным камердинером стал человек с изможденным лицом; table-steward – стюард-официант ) , who gobbled at you when he tried to talk(который издавал клекочущие звуки, когда пытался разговаривать; to gobble – кулдыкать /об индюке/ ) . His beard had been shaved(свою бороду он сбрил) , and it was impossible to recognise him as the same man(и в нем невозможно было узнать того самого человека) whom Sharkey had placed under the knife(которому Шарки отрезал язык: «которого Шарки поместил под нож») , and who had escaped to tell his experiences to Copley Banks(и который бежал /от пиратов/, чтобы рассказать о своих злоключениях Копли Бэнксу; experiences – опыт; случай, событие ).