Уильям Моэм - Английский язык с У. С. Моэмом. На окраине империи. Рассказы

"I guess I’ll go ashore," he said (я полагаю = пожалуй , я сойду на берег, — сказал он). "Get the boat out (спустите: «вытащите» шлюпку)."

surface [`sWfIs], peculiar [pI`kjHljq], comfort [`kAmfqt]

The skipper lifted himself heavily out of his chair and clambered down the companion. He went into his cabin and got out of his clothes. He climbed into his bunk and lay there. He panted a little in the heat of the night.

But next morning, when the dawn crept over the tranquil sea, the opening in the reef which had eluded them the night before was seen a little to the east of where they lay. The schooner entered the lagoon. There was not a ripple on the surface of the water. Deep down among the coral rocks you saw little coloured fish swim. When he had anchored his ship the skipper ate his breakfast and went on deck. The sun shone from an unclouded sky, but in the early morning the air was grateful and cool. It was Sunday, and there was a feeling of quietness, a silence as though nature were at rest, which gave him a peculiar sense of comfort. He sat, looking at the wooded coast, and felt lazy and well at ease. Presently a slow smile moved his lips and he threw the stump of his cigar into the water.

"I guess I’ll go ashore," he said. "Get the boat out."

He climbed stiffly down the ladder (он слез неуклюже вниз по лестнице; stiff — негибкий; онемелый ) and was rowed to a little cove (и /его/ отвезли на лодке в маленькую бухту; to row — грести; перевозить в лодке ). The coconut trees came down to the water’s edge (кокосовые пальмы спускались к /самой/ кромке воды), not in rows (не рядами), but spaced out with an ordered formality (но расположившись в каком-то установленном порядке; to space out — размещать/ся/с промежутками; ordered — упорядоченный; formality — формальность ). They were like a ballet of spinsters (они были словно балет из старых дев), elderly but flippant (пожилых, но /в то же время/ легкомысленных), standing in affected attitudes (застывших: «стоящих» в неестественных позах) with the simpering graces of a bygone age (с жеманной грацией минувших лет; age — возраст; век;период ). He sauntered idly through them (он прогуливался праздно между ними; through — через ), along a path that could be just seen winding its tortuous way (по тропинке, которая бежала еле приметной змейкой по своему извилистому пути: «которую можно было увидеть лишь /благодаря тому, что она/ вилась по своему извилистому пути»), and it led him presently to a broad creek (и она привела его вскоре к широкой речке). There was a bridge across it (через нее был /перекинут/ мост; across — поперек ), but a bridge constructed of single trunks of coconut trees (но мост, сделанный: «построенный» из отдельных стволов кокосовых пальм), a dozen of them (дюжины стволов: «их»), placed end to end (положенных непрерывной цепью: «конец к концу») and supported where they met by a forked branch (и поддерживаемых в месте соединения: «/там/, где они встречались» раздвоенной веткой) driven into the bed of the creek (вбитой в дно речки). You walked on a smooth, round surface (вы ступали по гладкой, круглой поверхности), narrow and slippery (узкой и скользкой), and there was no support for the hand (и там не за что было ухватиться руками: «не было опоры для руки»). To cross such a bridge required sure feet and a stout heart (чтобы перейти такой мост требовалось твердо стоять на ногах и /иметь/ храброе сердце; sure — уверенный; foot — ступня ). The skipper hesitated (шкипер колебался/медлил). But he saw on the other side (но он увидел на другой стороне), nestling among the trees (приютившийся среди деревьев; to nestle — уютно устроиться ), a white man’s house (дом европейского типа: «белого человека»; white — белый; принадлежащий к европейской расе ); he made up his mind (он решился) and, rather gingerly, began to walk (и, довольно осторожно, начал идти). He watched his feet carefully (он внимательно смотрел под ноги), and where one trunk joined on to the next (и где один ствол соединялся с другим: «со следующим») and there was a difference of level (и они были на разном уровне: «была разность высот»), he tottered a little (он немного покачивался; to totter — пошатнуться; идти неверной походкой ).

ballet [`bxleI], require [rI`kwaIq], nestle [nesl]

He climbed stiffly down the ladder and was rowed to a little cove. The coconut trees came down to the water’s edge, not in rows, but spaced out with an ordered formality. They were like a ballet of spinsters, elderly but flippant, standing in affected attitudes with the simpering graces of a bygone age. He sauntered idly through them, along a path that could be just seen winding its tortuous way, and it led him presently to a broad creek. There was a bridge across it, but a bridge constructed of single trunks of coconut trees, a dozen of them, placed end to end and supported where they met by a forked branch driven into the bed of the creek. You walked on a smooth, round surface, narrow and slippery, and there was no support for the hand. To cross such a bridge required sure feet and a stout heart. The skipper hesitated. But he saw on the other side, nestling among the trees, a white man’s house; he made up his mind and, rather gingerly, began to walk. He watched his feet carefully, and where one trunk joined on to the next and there was a difference of level, he tottered a little.

It was with a gasp of relief that he reached the last tree (со вздохом облегчения он добрался до последнего дерева) and finally set his feet on the firm ground of the other side (и в конце концов ступил: «поставил свои ступни» на твердую почву на другом берегу: «на другой стороне»). He had been so intent on the difficult crossing (он был так поглощен этим трудным переходом) that he never noticed anyone was watching him (что даже не заметил, /что/ кто-то наблюдал /за/ ним), and it was with surprise that he heard himself spoken to (и с удивлением он услышал, /что/ с ним разговаривают).

"It takes a bit of nerve to cross these bridges (нужно: «требуется» немного смелости, чтобы переходить по таким мостам; nerve— нерв; сила духа; смелость ) when you’re not used to them (/особенно/ когда ты не привык к такому: «к ним»)."