Ray Bradbury: Английский язык с Р. Брэдбери. И грянул гром

Billings and Kramer sat on the pathway and threw up. Travis and Lesperance stood with smoking rifles, cursing steadily. In the Time Machine, on his face, Eckels lay shivering. He had found his way back to the Path, climbed into the Machine.

Travis came walking, glanced at Eckels, took cotton gauze from a metal box, and returned to the others, who were sitting on the Path.

"Clean up."

They wiped the blood from their helmets. They began to curse too. The Monster lay, a hill of solid flesh. Within, you could hear the sighs and murmurs as the furthest chambers of it died, the organs malfunctioning, liquids running a final instant from pocket to sac to spleen, everything shutting off, closing up forever. It was like standing by a wrecked locomotive or a steam shovel at quitting time, all valves being released or levered tight. Bones cracked; the tonnage of its own flesh, off balance, dead weight, snapped the delicate forearms, caught underneath. The meat settled, quivering.

Another cracking sound (еще один треск) . Overhead (над головой) , a gigantic tree branch broke from its heavy mooring, fell (гигантская ветка дерева, сломанная у основания, упала: mooring — место, где ветка прикреплена к дереву) . It crashed upon the dead beast (она обрушилась на мертвое чудовище) with finality (как финальный аккорд: finality — окончательность) .

"There." Lesperance checked his watch (посмотрел на часы) . "Right on time (абсолютно вовремя: right — зд. как раз, полностью) . That's the giant tree that was scheduled to fall and kill this animal originally (это гигантское дерево, которое изначально должно было упасть и убить это животное: schedule — список, план; to schedule — вносить в список, планировать; scheduled — запланированный) ." He glanced at the two hunters (он взглянул на двоих охотников) . "You want the trophy picture (хотите трофейную фотографию: trophy — трофей, добыча; picture — картина, фотография) ?"

"What (что) ?"

"We can't take a trophy back to the Future (мы не можем взять добычу назад в Будущее) . The body has to stay right here (тело должно остаться прямо здесь) where it would have died originally (где животное умерло бы изначально) , so the insects, birds, and bacteria can get at it (так, чтобы насекомые, птицы и бактерии могли добраться до него) , as they were intended to (для чего они и были предназначены: to intend — намереваться, предназначать) . Everything in balance (все /должно быть/ в равновесии) . The body stays (тело остается) . But we can take a picture of you standing near it (но мы можем сфотографировать вас, стоящих рядом с ним) ."

The two men tried to think (двое мужчин попытались думать) , but gave up, shaking their heads (но сдались, качая головами: to give up — оставить, уступить) .

They let themselves be led along the metal Path (они позволили отвести себя по металлической тропе: to lead-led-led — вести, along — вдоль) . They sank wearily into the Machine cushions (они погрузились устало в сиденья в Машине: cushion — /диванная/ подушка) . They gazed back at the ruined Monster (они оглянулись и пристально посмотрели на поверженное чудовище) , the stagnating mound (на неподвижный холм: to stagnate — застаиваться, останавливаться) , where already strange reptilian birds and golden insects (где уже странные птицы-ящеры и золотистые насекомые) were busy at the steaming armor (копошились на испускающей пар броне: busy — занятой) .

Another cracking sound. Overhead, a gigantic tree branch broke from its heavy mooring, fell. It crashed upon the dead beast with finality.

"There." Lesperance checked his watch. "Right on time. That's the giant tree that was scheduled to fall and kill this animal originally." He glanced at the two hunters. "You want the trophy picture?"

"What?"

"We can't take a trophy back to the Future. The body has to stay right here where it would have died originally, so the insects, birds, and bacteria can get at it, as they were intended to. Everything in balance. The body stays. But we can take a picture of you standing near it."

The two men tried to think, but gave up, shaking their heads.

They let themselves be led along the metal Path. They sank wearily into the Machine cushions. They gazed back at the ruined Monster, the stagnating mound, where already strange reptilian birds and golden insects were busy at the steaming armor.

A sound on the floor of the Time Machine stiffened them (звук на полу Машины Времени оледенил их: to stiffen — делать жестким) . Eckels sat there, shivering (сидел там, дрожа) .

"I'm sorry (простите) ," he said at last (сказал он наконец) .

"Get up (вставайте) !" cried (закричал) Travis.

Eckels got up.

"Go out on that Path alone (выходите на Тропу один) ," said Travis. He had his rifle pointed (он прицелился) , "You're not coming back in the Machine (вы не вернетесь назад в Машине) . We're leaving you here (мы оставляем вас здесь) !"

Lesperance seized Travis's arm (схватил руку Тревиса) . "Wait (подожди) —"

"Stay out of this (держись подальше от этого) !" Travis shook his hand away (стряхнул его руку: to shake-shook-shaken — трясти, away — прочь) . "This fool nearly killed us (этот дурак едва не убил нас) . But it isn't that so much, no (но это еще не все, нет) . It's his shoes (его ботинки) ! Look at them (посмотри на них) ! He ran off the Path (он сошел с Тропы) . That ruins us (это разорит нас) ! We'll forfeit (мы поплатимся) ! Thousands of dollars of insurance (тысячи долларов страховки) ! We guarantee no one leaves the Path (мы гарантируем, что никто не покинет Тропу) . He left it (он покинул) . Oh, the fool (дурак) ! I'll have to report to the government (мне придется доложить правительству) . They might revoke our license to travel (они могут аннулировать нашу лицензию на путешествия) . Who knows what he's done to Time, to History (кто знает, что он сделал со временем, с историей) !"