Текст книги "Английский язык с У. С. Моэмом. На окраине империи. Рассказы"

Автор книги: Уильям Моэм

сообщить о нарушении

Текущая страница: 21 (всего у книги 23 страниц)

"And even now after all these years (и даже сейчас после стольких: «всех этих» лет), when I think of these two (когда я думаю об этих двоих), so young (таких молодых), so fair (таких прекрасных), so simple (таких простых), and of their love (и об их любви), I feel a pang (я чувствую острую боль). It tears my heart (она разрывает мое сердца) just as my heart is torn (также как мое сердце разрывается) when on certain nights I watch the full moon (когда иногда по ночам я смотрю на полную луну; certain – определенный; некий) shining on the lagoon from an unclouded sky (освещающую лагуну с безоблачного неба). There is always pain in the contemplation of perfect beauty (всегда чувствуешь: «есть» боль при созерцании совершенной красоты).

"They were children (они были /еще/ детьми). She was good and sweet and kind (она была хорошей, милой и доброй). I know nothing of him (я ничего /не/ знаю о нем), and I like to think (и мне хотелось бы думать) that then at all events he was ingenuous and frank (что, во всяком случае, в ту пору он был простым и искренним). I like to think that his soul was as comely as his body (мне хотелось бы думать, что его душа была также красива, как его тело). But I daresay he had no more soul than the creatures of the woods and forests (но полагаю, /что/ у него было не больше души, чем у тех лесных созданий; woods,forest– лес) who made pipes from reeds (которые делали свирели из тростника) and bathed in the mountain streams (и купались в горных ручьях) when the world was young (когда этот мир был молод), and you might catch sight of little fauns (и можно было заметить: «поймать вид» маленьких фавнов) galloping through the glade on the back of a bearded centaur (скачущих галопом по поляне верхом на бородатом кентавре; through– через;back– спина). A soul is a troublesome possession (иметь душу – дело трудное; possession– владение, обладание) and when man developed it he lost the Garden of Eden (и когда человек приобрел ее, он потерял рай; to develop– развивать/ся/; проявлять/ся/; приобретать;garden– сад;Eden– Эдем).

ingenuous [In`Genjuqs], bathe [beID], possession [pq`zeS(q)n]

"And even now after all these years, when I think of these two, so young, so fair, so simple, and of their love, I feel a pang. It tears my heart just as my heart is torn when on certain nights I watch the full moon shining on the lagoon from an unclouded sky. There is always pain in the contemplation of perfect beauty.

"They were children. She was good and sweet and kind. I know nothing of him, and I like to think that then at all events he was ingenuous and frank. I like to think that his soul was as comely as his body. But I daresay he had no more soul than the creatures of the woods and forests who made pipes from reeds and bathed in the mountain streams when the world was young, and you might catch sight of little fauns galloping through the glade on the back of a bearded centaur. A soul is a troublesome possession and when man developed it he lost the Garden of Eden.

"Well, when Red came to the island (ну, когда Рыжий прибыл на этот остров) it had recently been visited by one of those epidemics (тот незадолго до этого пострадал от одной из тех эпидемий; to visit – посещать) which the white man brought to the South Seas (которые белый человек привез /с собой/ на Южные моря), and one third of the inhabitants had died (и третья часть: «одна треть» обитателей /острова/ умерла). It seems that the girl had lost all her near kin (по-видимому, девушка потеряла всех своих близких родственников) and she lived now in the house of distant cousins (и жила теперь в доме дальней родни; cousin – кузен, кузина; родственник). The household consisted of two ancient crones, bowed and wrinkled (семейство состояло из двух древних старух, сгорбленных и морщинистых; crone – карга), two younger women (двух женщин помоложе), and a man and a boy (а также мужчины и мальчика). For a few days he stayed there (несколько дней он оставался там). But perhaps he felt himself too near the shore (но, возможно, ему было не по себе от близости берега: «он чувствовал себя слишком близко к берегу»), with the possibility that he might fall in with white men (и вероятности /того/, что он мог бы столкнуться с белыми) who would reveal his hiding-place (которые бы выдали его убежище); perhaps the lovers could not bear that the company of others (возможно, влюбленные не могли смириться /с тем/, что остальные; company – любая группа/обычно людей/) should rob them for an instant of the delight of being together (лишат их /даже/ на миг удовольствия быть вместе). One morning they set out, the pair of them (однажды утром они вместе отправились /в путь/; pair – пара), with the few things that belonged to the girl (с теми немногими вещами, что принадлежали девушке), and walked along a grassy path under the coconuts (и пошли по заросшей травой тропинке под кокосовыми пальмами: «кокосами»), till they came to the creek you see (пока /не/ дошли до той /самой/ речки, /которую/ вы видите). They had to cross the bridge you crossed (им пришлось перейти через тот мост, /который/ вы переходили), and the girl laughed gleefully because he was afraid (и девушка смеялась весело, потому что он боялся). She held his hand till they came to the end of the first tree (она держала его за руку, пока они /не/ дошли до конца первого дерева), and then his courage failed him and he had to go back (а потом его смелость покинула его и ему пришлось возвратиться назад; to fail – не хватать, истощаться). He was obliged to take off all his clothes (он был вынужден снять /с себя/ всю одежду) before he could risk it (прежде чем он смог рискнуть /пройти снова/), and she carried them over for him on her head (и она перенесла ее за него на своей голове). They settled down in the empty hut that stood there (они устроились в пустующей хижине, что стояла там). Whether she had any rights over it (то ли она имела на нее какие-то права) (land tenure is a complicated business in the islands (/правила/ владения землей на этих островах /такие/ запутанные; business – дело, занятие)), or whether the owner had died during the epidemic, I do not know (то ли хозяин /хижины/ умер во время эпидемии, я не знаю), but anyhow no one questioned them (но, во всяком случае, никто их /ни о чем не/ расспрашивал), and they took possession (и они завладели /хижиной/). Their furniture consisted of a couple of grass-mats on which they slept (/вся/ их мебель состояла из пары травяных циновок, на которых они спали), a fragment of looking-glass (осколка зеркала), and a bowl or two (и одной-двух мисок). In this pleasant land that is enough to start housekeeping on (на этой благодатной земле этого достаточно, чтобы начать вести домашнее хозяйство).

cousin [kAzn], wrinkle [rINkl], business [`bIznIs]

"Well, when Red came to the island it had recently been visited by one of those epidemics which the white man brought to the South Seas, and one third of the inhabitants had died. It seems that the girl had lost all her near kin and she lived now in the house of distant cousins. The household consisted of two ancient crones, bowed and wrinkled, two younger women, and a man and a boy. For a few days he stayed there. But perhaps he felt himself too near the shore, with the possibility that he might fall in with white men who would reveal his hiding-place; perhaps the lovers could not bear that the company of others should rob them for an instant of the delight of being together. One morning they set out, the pair of them, with the few things that belonged to the girl, and walked along a grassy path under the coconuts, till they came to the creek you see. They had to cross the bridge you crossed, and the girl laughed gleefully because he was afraid. She held his hand till they came to the end of the first tree, and then his courage failed him and he had to go back. He was obliged to take off all his clothes before he could risk it, and she carried them over for him on her head. They settled down in the empty hut that stood there. Whether she had any rights over it (land tenure is a complicated business in the islands), or whether the owner had died during the epidemic, I do not know, but anyhow no one questioned them, and they took possession. Their furniture consisted of a couple of grass-mats on which they slept, a fragment of looking-glass, and a bowl or two. In this pleasant land that is enough to start housekeeping on.

"They say that happy people have no history (говорят, что у счастливых людей нет истории), and certainly a happy love has none (и, конечно, нет ее у счастливой любви; none – никто, ничто; никакой). They did nothing all day long (они ничего /не/ делали целыми днями) and yet the days seemed all too short (и, тем не менее, дни казались /им/ слишком короткими). The girl had a native name, but Red called her Sally (у девушки было какое-то местное имя, но Рыжий звал ее Салли). He picked up the easy language very quickly (он очень быстро научился этому несложному языку), and he used to lie on the mat for hours (и, бывало, лежал на циновке часами) while she chattered gaily to him (пока она весело рассказывала ему /что-то/; to chatter– болтать; щебетать). He was a silent fellow (он был молчаливым парнем), and perhaps his mind was lethargic (а может быть, его ум был медлительным; lethargic– летаргический; вялый, апатичный). He smoked incessantly the cigarettes (он беспрестанно курил сигареты) which she made him out of the native tobacco and pandanus leaf (которые она делала ему из местного табака и панданового листа), and he watched her while with deft fingers she made grass mats (и смотрел на нее, пока она /своими/ ловкими пальцами плела: «делала» циновки из травы). Often natives would come in (/к ним/, бывало, часто заходили туземцы) and tell long stories of the old days (и рассказывали длинные истории из прошлого: «старых дней») when the island was disturbed by tribal wars (когда этот остров будоражили войны между племенами; tribal– племенной). Sometimes he would go fishing on the reef (иногда он, бывало, ходил рыбачить на риф), and bring home a basket full of coloured fish (и приносил домой корзину, полную разноцветных рыб). Sometimes at night he would go out with a lantern to catch lobster (иногда по ночам он, бывало, выходил с фонарем ловить омаров). There were plantains round the hut (вокруг хижины росли: «были» дикие бананы; plantain– банан овощной [съедобный, райский], тропическое растение семейства банановых с зеленоватыми крахмалистыми плодами, напоминающими бананы, которые всегда готовят перед употреблением в пищу) and Sally would roast them for their frugal meal (и Салли, бывало, жарила их /на костре/ для их скромной трапезы). She knew how to make delicious messes from coconuts (она знала как приготовить: «сделать» очень вкусные блюда из кокосовых орехов), and the breadfruit tree by the side of the creek gave them its fruit (а хлебное дерево на берегу речки давало им свои плоды; side– сторона; край). On feast-days they killed a little pig and cooked it on hot stones (по праздникам они закалывали поросенка и готовили его на раскаленных камнях; to kill– убивать;little– маленький;pig– свинья).

lethargic [le`TRGIk], delicious [dI`lISqs], breadfruit [`bredfrHt]

"They say that happy people have no history, and certainly a happy love has none. They did nothing all day long and yet the days seemed all too short. The girl had a native name, but Red called her Sally. He picked up the easy language very quickly, and he used to lie on the mat for hours while she chattered gaily to him. He was a silent fellow, and perhaps his mind was lethargic. He smoked incessantly the cigarettes which she made him out of the native tobacco and pandanus leaf, and he watched her while with deft fingers she made grass mats. Often natives would come in and tell long stories of the old days when the island was disturbed by tribal wars. Sometimes he would go fishing on the reef, and bring home a basket full of coloured fish. Sometimes at night he would go out with a lantern to catch lobster. There were plantains round the hut and Sally would roast them for their frugal meal. She knew how to make delicious messes from coconuts, and the breadfruit tree by the side of the creek gave them its fruit. On feast-days they killed a little pig and cooked it on hot stones.

"They bathed together in the creek (они вместе купались в речке); and in the evening they went down to the lagoon (а вечером они спускались к лагуне) and paddled about in a dugout, with its great outrigger (и катались туда-сюда в челноке с его огромным стабилизатором; to paddle – грести; плыть в лодке, используя весла; outrigger – кусок дерева или бамбука в форме лодки, устанавливаемый параллельно корпусу лодки для придания устойчивости). The sea was deep blue (море было темно-синим; deep – глубокий; насыщенный, темный), wine-coloured at sundown (бордовым: «цвета /красного/ вина» на закате солнца), like the sea of Homeric Greece (словно море гомеровской Греции); but in the lagoon the colour had an infinite variety (но в лагуне /же/ этот цвет был бесконечно многообразен: «имел бесконечное многообразие»), aquamarine and amethyst and emerald (аквамариновый, аметистовый и изумрудный); and the setting sun turned it for a short moment to liquid gold (а заходящее солнце превращало его на короткое мгновение в жидкое золото). Then there was the colour of the coral (потом там был /еще/ цвет кораллов), brown (коричневых), white (белых), pink (розовых), red (красных), purple (фиолетовых); and the shapes it took were marvellous (и формы, /которые/ они принимали, были изумительны). It was like a magic garden (это было похоже на волшебный сад), and the hurrying fish were like butterflies (а спешащие /куда-то/ рыбки были словно бабочки). It strangely lacked reality (/все/ это было удивительно нереальным; to lack– испытывать недостаток;reality– реальность). Among the coral were pools with a floor of white sand (между кораллов были небольшие пространства с дном, /покрытым/ белым песком) and here, where the water was dazzling clear (и здесь, где вода была изумительно чистой), it was very good to bathe (было очень хорошо купаться). Then, cool and happy (после, освеженные и счастливые; cool– прохладный, свежий), they wandered back in the gloaming over the soft grass road to the creek (они брели назад в сумерках по /заросшей/ мягкой травой дороге к речке), walking hand in hand (шагая рука об руку), and now the mynah birds filled the coconut trees with their clamour (а в то время птицы майна наполняли кокосовые пальмы своими криками). And then the night, with that great sky shining with gold (а потом эта ночь с этим огромным небом, /как бы/ сиявшим золотом), that seemed to stretch more widely than the skies of Europe (которое, казалось, тянулось = было шире, чем небеса в Европе), and the soft airs that blew gently through the open hut (и этот теплый ветерок, который ласково продувал /их/ открытую хижину; air– воздух; атмосфера; легкий ветерок, дуновение), the long night again was all too short (длинная ночь опять /же/ была слишком короткой). She was sixteen and he was barely twenty (ей было шестнадцать, а ему едва ли двадцать). The dawn crept in among the wooden pillars of the hut (рассвет проникал между деревянных столбов хижины; to creep– ползти; to creep in– просачиваться, постепенно появляться) and looked at those lovely children sleeping in one another’s arms (и смотрел на тех прелестных детей, спящих в объятиях друг друга). The sun hid behind the great tattered leaves of the plantains (солнце пряталось за большими неровными листьями дикого банана; tattered– оборванный;tohide– прятаться) so that it might not disturb them (чтобы оно не могло бы = так чтобы не потревожить их), and then, with playful malice (а потом шаловливо; playful– игривый, шаловливый;malice– злоба; злой умысел), shot a golden ray (отправляло золотой лучик; to shoot– стрелять; бросать), like the outstretched paw of a Persian cat (похожий на вытянутую лапку персидской кошки), on their faces (на их лица). They opened their sleepy eyes (они открывали свои сонные глаза) and they smiled to welcome another day (и улыбались приветственно новому дню; to welcome– приветствовать;another– другой; еще один).

aquamarine ["xkwqmq`rJn], liquid [`lIkwId], butterfly [`bAtqflaI]

"They bathed together in the creek; and in the evening they went down to the lagoon and paddled about in a dug-out, with its great outrigger. The sea was deep blue, wine-coloured at sundown, like the sea of Homeric Greece; but in the lagoon the colour had an infinite variety, aquamarine and amethyst and emerald; and the setting sun turned it for a short moment to liquid gold. Then there was the colour of the coral, brown, white, pink, red, purple; and the shapes it took were marvellous. It was like a magic garden, and the hurrying fish were like butterflies. It strangely lacked reality. Among the coral were pools with a floor of white sand and here, where the water was dazzling clear, it was very good to bathe. Then, cool and happy, they wandered back in the gloaming over the soft grass road to the creek, walking hand in hand, and now the mynah birds filled the coconut trees with their clamour. And then the night, with that great sky shining with gold, that seemed to stretch more widely than the skies of Europe, and the soft airs that blew gently through the open hut, the long night again was all too short. She was sixteen and he was barely twenty. The dawn crept in among the wooden pillars of the hut and looked at those lovely children sleeping in one another’s arms. The sun hid behind the great tattered leaves of the plantains so that it might not disturb them, and then, with playful malice, shot a golden ray, like the outstretched paw of a Persian cat, on their faces. They opened their sleepy eyes and they smiled to welcome another day.

"The weeks lengthened into months (недели постепенно перешли в месяцы), and a year passed (и /вот/ прошел год). They seemed to love one another as (они, казалось, любили друг друга также; as… as… – так же…как) – I hesitate to say passionately (я не решаюсь сказать страстно; to hesitate – колебаться), for passion has in it always a shade of sadness (ибо в страсти всегда присутствует оттенок печали), a touch of bitterness or anguish (налет горечи или страдания), but as whole-heartedly (но так же искренно: «от всего сердца»), as simply and naturally as on that first day (также просто и естественно, как в тот первый день) on which, meeting, they had recognised that a god was in them (в который, встречаясь/знакомясь, они осознали, что в них был бог).

If you had asked them (если бы вы спросили их) I have no doubt (я не сомневаюсь) that they would have thought it impossible to suppose (что они бы подумали, /что/ это невозможно /даже/ предположить) their love could ever cease (/что/ их любовь могла бы когда-нибудь закончиться; to cease– прекращаться). Do we not know that the essential element of love (разве мы не знаем, что неотъемлемая часть любви; essential – существенный; необходимый) is a belief in its own eternity (это вера в ее собственное бессмертие; eternity – вечность)? And yet perhaps in Red there was already a very little seed (и все же, может быть, в Рыжем уже зародилось: «было» очень маленькое зернышко), unknown to himself and unsuspected by the girl (неизвестное ему самому и незаподозренное девушкой), which would in time have grown to weariness (которое бы со временем переросло в скуку). For one day one of the natives from the cove told them (ибо однажды один из туземцев из той бухты рассказал им) that some way down the coast at the anchorage was a British whaling-ship (что где-то недалеко от берега на якоре стояло английское китобойное судно; down – вниз; ниже по, вдоль по; anchorage – якорная стоянка).

"‘Gee,’ he said (вот здорово, – сказал он), ‘I wonder if I could make a trade of some nuts and plantains (интересно, смог бы я совершить сделку = обменять немного орехов и диких бананов) for a pound or two of tobacco (на один-два фунта табака).’

lengthen [`leNT(q)n], touch [tAC], weariness [`wIqrInIs]

"The weeks lengthened into months, and a year passed. They seemed to love one another as – I hesitate to say passionately, for passion has in it always a shade of sadness, a touch of bitterness or anguish, but as whole-heartedly, as simply and naturally as on that first day on which, meeting, they had recognised that a god was in them.

If you had asked them I have no doubt that they would have thought it impossible to suppose their love could ever cease. Do we not know that the essential element of love is a belief in its own eternity? And yet perhaps in Red there was already a very little seed, unknown to himself and unsuspected by the girl, which would in time have grown to weariness. For one day one of the natives from the cove told them that some way down the coast at the anchorage was a British whaling-ship.

"‘Gee,’ he said, ‘I wonder if I could make a trade of some nuts and plantains for a pound or two of tobacco.’

"The pandanus cigarettes that Sally made him with untiring hands (пандановые сигареты, которые Салли неустанно: «неутомимыми руками» делала ему) were strong and pleasant enough to smoke (были достаточно крепкими и приятными, «чтобы курить»), but they left him unsatisfied (но они не удовлетворяли его /до конца/: «оставляли его неудовлетворенным»); and he yearned on a sudden for real tobacco (и он затосковал вдруг по настоящему табаку), hard, rank, and pungent (крепкому, вонючему и едкому). He had not smoked a pipe for many months (он не курил трубку /уже/ много месяцев). His mouth watered at the thought of it (у него текли слюнки: «его рот увлажнялся» при мысли об этом). One would have thought (можно было подумать) some premonition of harm would have made Sally seek to dissuade him (/что/ некое предчувствие недоброго заставит Салли попытаться отговорить его), but love possessed her so completely (но любовь захватила ее настолько всецело; to possess – обладать, владеть; овладевать) that it never occurred to her (что ей никогда /и не/ приходило в голову) any power on earth could take him from her (/что/ какая-нибудь сила на земле смогла бы забрать его у нее). They went up into the hills together (они вместе поднялись на холмы) and gathered a great basket of wild oranges (и собрали большую корзину диких апельсинов), green, but sweet and juicy (зеленых, но сладких и сочных); and they picked plantains from around the hut (и они нарвали диких бананов около хижины), and coconuts from their trees (и кокосовых орехов со своих деревьев), and breadfruit and mangoes (и плодов хлебного дерева, и манго); and they carried them down to the cove (и они отнесли их вниз к бухте). They loaded the unstable canoe with them (они нагрузили ими неустойчивое каноэ), and Red and the native boy (и Рыжий и = вместе с местным мальчиком) who had brought them the news of the ship (который сообщил: «принес» им новость о корабле) paddled along outside the reef (поплыли за риф; to paddle – грести; along – в направлении; outside – за пределы).

"It was the last time she ever saw him (это был последний раз, /когда/ она вообще видела его).

"Next day the boy came back alone (на следующий день мальчик вернулся: «пришел назад» один). He was all in tears (он был весь в слезах). This is the story he told (вот история, /которую/ он рассказал).

yearn [jWn], dissuade [dI`sweId], occur [q`kW]

"The pandanus cigarettes that Sally made him with untiring hands were strong and pleasant enough to smoke, but they left him unsatisfied; and he yearned on a sudden for real tobacco, hard, rank, and pungent. He had not smoked a pipe for many months. His mouth watered at the thought of it. One would have thought some premonition of harm would have made Sally seek to dissuade him, but love possessed her so completely that it never occurred to her any power on earth could take him from her. They went up into the hills together and gathered a great basket of wild oranges, green, but sweet and juicy; and they picked plantains from around the hut, and coconuts from their trees, and breadfruit and mangoes; and they carried them down to the cove. They loaded the unstable canoe with them, and Red and the native boy who had brought them the news of the ship paddled along outside the reef.

"It was the last time she ever saw him.

"Next day the boy came back alone. He was all in tears. This is the story he told.

"When after their long paddle they reached the ship (когда после своего долгого плавания они добрались до корабля; to paddle – грести; плыть в лодке, используя весла) and Red hailed it (и Рыжий окликнул его), a white man looked over the side (какой-то белый человек посмотрел через борт) and told them to come on board (и сказал им подняться на борт). They took the fruit they had brought with them (они взяли фрукты, /которые/ привезли с собой) and Red piled it up on the deck (и Рыжий свалил их в кучу на палубе; to pile up – нагромождать). The white man and he began to talk (белый человек и он начали разговаривать), and they seemed to come to some agreement (и они, похоже, пришли к какому-то соглашению). One of them went below and brought up tobacco (кто-то из команды: «один из них» пошел вниз и вынес табаку). Red took some at once and lit a pipe (Рыжий сразу же взял немного и разжег трубку). The boy imitated the zest with which he blew a great cloud of smoke from his mouth (мальчик показал с каким удовольствием он выпустил: «выдул» большое облако дыма изо рта; to imitate – копировать; подражать; zest – пыл). Then they said something to him and he went into the cabin (потом они что-то сказали ему, и он пошел в каюту). Through the open door the boy, watching curiously (через открытую дверь мальчик, наблюдавший /за всем/ с любопытством), saw a bottle brought out and glasses (увидел вытащенную бутылку = /как/вытащили бутылку и стаканы). Red drank and smoked (Рыжий пил и курил). They seemed to ask him something (кажется, они спросили его о чем-то), for he shook his head and laughed (ибо он покачал головой и рассмеялся). The man, the first man who had spoken to them, laughed too (человек, тот первый человек, который говорил с ними, рассмеялся тоже), and he filled Red’s glass once more (и он наполнил стакан Рыжего еще раз). They went on talking and drinking (они продолжали разговаривать и выпивать), and presently, growing tired of watching a sight that meant nothing to him (и вскоре, устав наблюдать зрелище, которое ничего /не/ значило для него), the boy curled himself up on the deck and slept (мальчик свернулся калачиком на палубе и заснул). He was awakened by a kick (он был разбужен = проснулся от пинка); and jumping to his feet (и, вскакивая на ноги), he saw that the ship was slowly sailing out of the lagoon (он увидел, что корабль медленно выплывает из лагуны). He caught sight of Red seated at the table (он поймал вид = заметил Рыжего, сидевшего за столом), with his head resting heavily on his arms (с головой, покоящейся тяжело = тяжело уронив голову на руки), fast asleep (/он/ крепко спал; asleep – спящий). He made a movement towards him, intending to wake him (он сделал движение по направлению к нему, собираясь разбудить его), but a rough hand seized his arm (но грубая рука схватила его /за/ руку; hand – рука/кисть/; arm – рука/от кисти до плеча/), and a man, with a scowl and words which he did not understand (и какой-то человек сердитым взглядом и словами, которые он не понял), pointed to the side (указал /ему/ на борт). He shouted to Red (/тогда/ он крикнул Рыжему), but in a moment he was seized and flung overboard (но через мгновение он был схвачен и выброшен за борт). Helpless (беспомощный = бессильный что-либо сделать), he swam round to his canoe (он поплыл назад к своему каноэ), which was drifting a little way off (которое относило течением немного в сторону), and pushed it on to the reef (и подтолкнул его к рифу). He climbed in (он залез в /него/) and, sobbing all the way (и, рыдая/всхлипывая всю дорогу), paddled back to shore (погреб назад к берегу).

rough [rAf], seize [sJz], canoe [kq`nH]

"When after their long paddle they reached the ship and Red hailed it, a white man looked over the side and told them to come on board. They took the fruit they had brought with them and Red piled it up on the deck. The white man and he began to talk, and they seemed to come to some agreement. One of them went below and brought up tobacco. Red took some at once and lit a pipe. The boy imitated the zest with which he blew a great cloud of smoke from his mouth. Then they said something to him and he went into the cabin. Through the open door the boy, watching curiously, saw a bottle brought out and glasses. Red drank and smoked. They seemed to ask him something, for he shook his head and laughed. The man, the first man who had spoken to them, laughed too, and he filled Red’s glass once more. They went on talking and drinking, and presently, growing tired of watching a sight that meant nothing to him, the boy curled himself up on the deck and slept. He was awakened by a kick; and jumping to his feet, he saw that the ship was slowly sailing out of the lagoon. He caught sight of Red seated at the table, with his head resting heavily on his arms, fast asleep. He made a movement towards him, intending to wake him, but a rough hand seized his arm, and a man, with a scowl and words which he did not understand, pointed to the side. He shouted to Red, but in a moment he was seized and flung overboard. Helpless, he swam round to his canoe, which was drifting a little way off, and pushed it on to the reef. He climbed in and, sobbing all the way, paddled back to shore.

"What had happened was obvious enough (/то/, что произошло, было довольно очевидным). The whaler, by desertion or sickness (китобойному судну из-за дезертирства или болезней), was short of hands (не хватало матросов; short– короткий; недостаточный;hand– рука; работник; матрос), and the captain when Red came aboard (и капитан, когда Рыжий поднялся на борт) had asked him to sign on (попросил его присоединиться /к ним/; to sign on– нанимать/ся/); on his refusal (на его отказ = когда он отказался) he had made him drunk and kidnapped him (он сделал его пьяным = напоил его и похитил).