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

The Governor did not see his way to contradict him (губернатор не видел причин возражать ему; way – путь, дорога; способ, метод).

“What was your plan?” he asked (и каков же ваш план? – спросил он).

 The Governor was keenly interested, for there was a grim and practical air about the man’s freckled face which showed that he was in earnest. After all, he was a seaman and a fighter, and, if it were true that he was eager to atone for his past, no better man could be chosen for the business.

“This will be a dangerous task, Master Craddock,” said he.

“If I meet my death at it, it may be that it will cleanse the memory of an ill-spent life. I have much to atone for.”

The Governor did not see his way to contradict him.

“What was your plan?” he asked.

“You have heard that Sharkey’s barque, the Happy Delivery, came from this very port of Kingston (вы, /наверное/, слышали, что барк Шарки «Счастливое избавление» портом приписки имел именно Кингстон; to come from – происходить, быть родом из)?”

“It belonged to Mr. Codrington, and it was taken by Sharkey (он принадлежал мистеру Кодрингтону и был захвачен Шарки), who scuttled his own sloop and moved into her because she was faster,” said Sir Edward (который потопил собственный шлюп и перебрался на барк, потому что тот был быстрее; to scuttle – делать отверстия в борту или днище корабля; затапливать судно, открыв кингстоны).

“Yes; but it may be that you have never heard (да, но, вероятно, вы никогда не слышали) that Mr. Codrington has a sister ship, the White Rose (что у мистера Кодрингтона есть «Белая роза» – точно такой же корабль; sister – сестринский, связанный родственными узами; однотипный), which lies even now in the harbor (который сейчас стоит в гавани), and which is so like the pirate (и который так похож на пиратский), that, if it were not for a white paint line, none could tell them apart (что, если бы не полоса, /нанесенная/ белой краской, никто не смог бы их отличить; to tell apart – отличать, различать).”

 “You have heard that Sharkey’s barque, the Happy Delivery, came from this very port of Kingston?”

“It belonged to Mr. Codrington, and it was taken by Sharkey, who scuttled his own sloop and moved into her because she was faster,” said Sir Edward.

“Yes; but it may be that you have never heard that Mr. Codrington has a sister ship, the White Rose, which lies even now in the harbor, and which is so like the pirate, that, if it were not for a white paint line, none could tell them apart.”

“Ah! and what of that?” asked the Governor keenly (ага! и что из того? – оживившись спросил губернатор), with the air of one who is just on the edge of an idea (с видом человека, находящегося на грани озарения; edge – кромка, край; idea – мысль; понимание).

“By the help of it this man shall be delivered into our hands (при помощи этого этот человек будет доставлен в наши руки = благодаря этому сходству пират Шарки попадет нам в руки).”

“And how (а как)?”

“I will paint out the streak upon the White Rose (я закрашу полоску на «Белой розе»), and make it in all things like the Happy Delivery (и во всех отношениях сделаю ее похожей на «Счастливое избавление»). Then I will set sail for the Island of La Vache (затем я возьму курс: «поставлю» на остров Ла-Ваш; to set sail – ставить парус; to set sail for /a port/ – плыть в /какой-л. порт/), where this man is slaying the wild oxen (где этот человек убивает сейчас диких быков). When he sees me he will surely mistake me for his own vessel (когда он меня увидит, то обязательно примет за свое собственное судно; to mistake – ошибаться; to mistake for – принять кого-л. за другого) which he is awaiting (/подхода/ которого он ожидает), and he will come on board to his own undoing (и поднимется на борт, /чтобы встретить/ свою погибель).”

 “Ah! and what of that?” asked the Governor keenly, with the air of one who is just on the edge of an idea.

“By the help of it this man shall be delivered into our hands.”

“And how?”

“I will paint out the streak upon the White Rose, and make it in all things like the Happy Delivery. Then I will set sail for the Island of La Vache, where this man is slaying the wild oxen. When he sees me he will surely mistake me for his own vessel which he is awaiting, and he will come on board to his own undoing.”

It was a simple plan, and yet it seemed to the Governor that it might be effective (план был прост, но губернатору все же казалось, что он может оказаться действенным). Without hesitation he gave Craddock permission to carry it out (без колебаний он дал Крэддоку позволение воплотить его в жизнь; to carry out – выполнять), and to take any steps he liked (и предпринять любые меры, которые тот сочтет необходимыми: «любые шаги, которые ему понравятся») in order to further the object which he had in view (чтобы достичь цели, к которой тот стремился; to further – продвигать; способствовать осуществлению; object – предмет; цель; to have in view – иметь в виду). Sir Edward was not very sanguine (/однако/ сэр Эдвард не был слишком оптимистичен; sanguine – кроваво-красный; оптимистичный, уверенный в успехе), for many attempts had been made upon Sharkey (потому что уже было предпринято множество попыток /поймать/ Шарки; to make – делать; совершать, выполнять /какие-л. действия/), and their results had shown (и их результаты показали; to show), that he was as cunning as he was ruthless (что он = Шарки был столь же хитер, как и жесток). But this gaunt Puritan with the evil record was cunning and ruthless also (но этот суровый пуританин с дурной биографией тоже был хитер и жесток; evil – злой, дурной; record – запись; биография, досье).

 It was a simple plan, and yet it seemed to the Governor that it might be effective. Without hesitation he gave Craddock permission to carry it out, and to take any steps he liked in order to further the object which he had in view. Sir Edward was not very sanguine, for many attempts had been made upon Sharkey, and their results had shown, that he was as cunning as he was ruthless. But this gaunt Puritan with the evil record was cunning and ruthless also.

The contest of wits between two such men as Sharkey and Craddock (состязание в хитрости между двумя такими людьми, как Шарки и Крэддок; wit – ум, разум; остроумие) appealed to the Governor’s acute sense of sport (разбудило в губернаторе его обостренное чувство азарта; to appeal – взывать; привлекать, притягивать; acute – острый; сильный, крайний; sport /зд./ – азартная игра), and though he was inwardly convinced (и хотя внутренне он был убежден /в том/) that the chances were against him (что /все/ шансы против него), he backed his man with the same loyalty (он сделал ставку на своего человека с той же непоколебимостью: «преданностью»; to back – поддерживать; держать пари, ставить на) which he would have shown to his horse or his cock (которую он выказал бы по отношению к своей лошади или /бойцовому/ петуху).

Haste was, above all things, necessary (прежде всего нужно было поспешить: «поспешность была необходима»), for upon any day the careening might be finished (поскольку в любой из дней кренгование могло быть закончено), and the pirates out at sea once more (и пираты снова вышли бы в море).

 The contest of wits between two such men as Sharkey and Craddock appealed to the Governor’s acute sense of sport, and though he was inwardly convinced that the chances were against him, he backed his man with the same loyalty which he would have shown to his horse or his cock.

Haste was, above all things, necessary, for upon any day the careening might be finished, and the pirates out at sea once more.