Английский язык с Робинзоном Крузо

the manager of the business; and you shall do the trading for us. You need not put in a

penny of your own."

"But how is that going to help me?" I asked.

"Listen, and we will tell you," they said. "With the goods which we send, you will

buy as man black slaves as the ship will hold. You will bring them here, and we will

divide them equally. You shall share with us, just as though you had paid the money."

The plan pleased me very much. I figured that each one of us would have thirty or

forty slaves.

It was very foolish of me to go to sea again; but the offer was so good that I could

not say No.

The ship was soon fitted out for the voyage. Her load was not very heavy. But

there were plenty of goods such as were most fit for trade.

There were boxes of red and blue beads, of bits of glass, and of other trinkets.

There were also knives and hatchets and little looking-glasses. We reckoned that each

one of these would buy a slave.

The ship was to carry fourteen men besides the captain and myself. She was as

fine a little vessel as ever sailed from the coast of Brazil.

Мультиязыковой проект Ильи Франка www

. f ranklang . r u

13

I AM SHIPWRECKED (я потерпел в кораблекрушение; to be shipwrecked —

потерпеть кораблекрушение)

AT length (обстоятельно) all things were ready for the voyage (все вещи были

готовы к путешествию), and I went on board the ship (на борт).

It was just eight years (было как раз восемь лет) to the day (ото дня) since I had

left (покинул; to leave — покидать) my father and mother and my pleasant home in

good old York (красивый дом в добром старом Йорке).

I felt (чувствовал) that I was doing a foolish thing (глупую вещь); but I did not

dare to say so (не осмеливался сказать это: «так»; to dare to do smth — осмелиться

сделать что-то).

The wind was fair (ветер был попутный). The sails were spread (паруса были

распущены). Soon (вскоре) we were out to sea.

For several days (в течение нескольких дней) the weather was fine (погода

была хорошей). The ship sped swiftly (торопился быстро; to speed — торопиться) on

her way, and every one was happy and hopeful (каждый был счастлив и полон

надежд).

Мультиязыковой проект Ильи Франка www

. f ranklang . r u

14

Then a great storm (большой шторм) came up from the southeast (с юго-

востока). I had seen many fierce storms (жутких штормов), but never one so terrible as

this (но никогда столь ужасного как этот).

We could do nothing (не могли сделать ничего) but let the ship drive before the

wind (кроме как позволить кораблю идти против ветра). Day after day we were

tossed by the waves (нас бросали волны: «мы бросались волнами»); and day after day

we expected the ship to go down (ожидали /что/ корабль пойдет вниз = потонет).

The storm grew fiercer and fiercer (становился свирепее и свирепее). The men

gave themselves up for lost (считали себе погибшими; to give smb. up for lost —

считать кого-л. погибшим).

But on the twelfth day (на двенадцатый) the wind went down (ветер стих). The

waves were not so strong (волны не были такими сильными). We began to hope for

our lives (надеяться на жизнь).

Early the next morning a sailor cried out (рано следующим утром моряк

крикнул), "Land (земля)! land!"

I ran out of the cabin (выбежал из кабины) to look. But at that very moment the

ship struck upon (наткнулся) a great bank of sand (на большой вал песка) over which

the fierce sea was rolling (над которым свирепое море каталось).

She stopped short (корабль остановился сразу). She could not move (не мог

двинуться). The great waves dashed over her deck (большие волны заливались на

палубу; to dash — плескать; швырять). All of us would have been washed overboard

(все мы были бы смыты за борт) if we had not hurried back to the cabin (если бы мы

не поспешили обратно в кабину).

"What shall we do?" cried the men.

"We can do nothing (ничего)," said the captain. "Our voyage is at an end

(путешествие /подошло/ к концу), and there is no longer (больше нет) any hope for

our lives (надежды на наши жизни). We can only wait for the ship to break in pieces

(можем только ждать /пока/ корабль не разломается на куски)."

"Yes, there is one chance (шанс) for our lives." cried the mate. "Follow me

(следуйте за мной)!"

Мультиязыковой проект Ильи Франка www

. f ranklang . r u

15

In the lull of the storm (во временном затишье шторма) we rushed (ринулись)

again to the deck. One of our boats was still there (одна из наших лодок все еще была

там).

We slung her over the ship's side (спустили ее по борту корабля; to sling —

бросать; спускать на ремнях). We jumped aboard of her (прыгнули на борт). We cut

her loose (отрезали канаты, освободили ее; loose — свободный, непривязанный), and

floated away upon the wild sea (отплыли по дикому = бурному морю; to float —