The track must have been made by an Indian (след, должно быть, оставлен индейцем) or some other wild savage (или каким-то другим дикарем; wild — дикий; savage — дикарь). This savage had come perhaps from the land that I had seen far across the sea (это дикарь, возможно, прибыл с земли, которую я видел за морем: «далеко через море»).
Perhaps he had come to the island alone (возможно, он прибыл на остров не один). Perhaps he had come with many others of his kind (возможно, он прибыл со многими другими его вида = такими же, как он). But where was he now (но где он был сейчас)?
I was so much afraid that I did not stir out of my castle for three days and nights (я был так сильно напуган, что не высовывался из замка три дня и три ночи; to stir — шевелиться; двигаться). I was almost starved (я чуть не умер от голода; to starve — голодать, умирать от голода), for I had only two or three barley cakes in my kitchen (потому что у меня на кухне было всего лишь две или три ячменной лепешки).
Little by little I became brave enough to go out again (мало-помалу я стал достаточно смелым = набрался смелости, чтобы выйти опять). I crept softly down to my fields to milk the goats (я пробрался потихоньку на мои поля, чтобы подоить коз; to creep — ползать; красться; пробираться). Poor things (бедные существа)! They were glad enough to see me (они были очень рады увидеть меня).
But every sound made me start and look around (но каждый звук заставлял меня вздрагивать и смотреть по сторонам/оглядываться). I fancied (мне казалось; to fancy — воображать, представлять себе) that I saw a savage behind every tree (что я видел дикаря за каждым деревом). I lived for days like some hunted thing (я жил дни = целый ряд дней, как какое-то преследуемое существо/существо, за которым охотятся; to hunt — охотиться /на кого-л.; особ. с гончими/; травить, гнать; преследовать) that trembles at its own shadow (которое дрожит от своей собственной тени).
And all because I had seen the print of a foot in the sand (и все потому, что я видел отпечаток ступни на песке)!
Little by little I grew bolder (мало-помалу я стал отважнее; to grow — расти; становиться), and I made up my mind to strengthen my castle (и решил укрепить замок). If savage Indians should indeed come and find me, I would be ready for them (если дикие индейцы в самом деле придут и найдут меня, я был бы готов к ним = к этому).
So I carried out earth and small stones (поэтому я притащил: «вынес» земли и небольших камней), and piled them up against the castle wall till it was ten feet thick (и уложил их у стены: «к стене» замка, пока она не стала толщиной в десять футов; to pile — складывать, сваливать в кучу; thick — толстый). I have already told you how strong it was at first (я уже рассказал вам, какой крепкой она была в самом начале), and how I had made a dense hedge of trees on the outside (и как я сделал плотную ограду из деревьев снаружи). It was now so strong that nothing could break through it (такой крепкой, что ничто не могло прорваться сквозь нее).
Through the wall at certain places (сквозь стену в определенных местах) I made five holes large enough (я проделал пять достаточно больших отверстий) for a man's arm to reach in (чтобы человеческая рука могла просунуться сквозь них; to reach — протягивать, вытягивать). In each of these holes I planted a gun (в каждом из этих отверстий я установил ружье; to plant — сажать /растения/; всаживать, втыкать; прочно ставить, устанавливать; plant — растение); for you will remember (ибо, как вы помните) that I brought several from the ship (я принес несколько /ружей/ с корабля).
Each one of these guns was fitted in a frame that could be drawn back and forth (каждое ружье было установлено в раму, которую можно было передвигать назад и вперед; to draw — тащить, волочить; тянуть). They worked so well in their places (они так хорошо двигались в своих местах = каждое в своем месте; to work — работать; двигать, передвигать) that I could shoot off all five of them in less than two minutes (что мог выстрелить из всех пяти менее чем за две минуты).
Many a weary month did I work before I had my wall to my notion (много изматывающих месяцев я работал, прежде чем я имел стену по своему видению = какую хотел; notion — идея, представление, понятие; намерение, желание). But at last it was finished (но наконец она была завершена).
The hedge that was before it grew up so thick and high that no man nor animal could see through it (ограда, которая была перед ней, выросла такой плотной и высокой, что ни человек, ни животное не могли видеть сквозь нее). If you had seen it (если бы вы увидели ее), you would not have dreamed there was anything inside of it (вам бы не приснилось = не подумалось, что было что-то внутри), much less a house (не говоря уж о доме: «гораздо менее — дом»).
For two years I lived in fear (два года я жил в страхе). All that I did was to make my home stronger and safer (все, что я делал, было сделать мой дом крепче и безопаснее).
Far in the woods I built a large pen of logs and stakes (далеко в лесу я построил большой склад из бревен и кольев; pen — загон; огороженная площадка). Around it I planted a hedge like that in front of the castle (вокруг него я посадил живую изгородь, как перед моим замком). Then I put a dozen young goats into it (затем я пустил дюжину молодых коз в него), to feed upon the grass and grow (чтобы питаться = пастись на траве и расти).
If savages should come, and if they should kill the other goats (если бы дикари пришли и убили бы других коз), they could not find these (они бы не нашли этих); for they were too well hidden in the deep woods (так как они были слишком хорошо спрятаны в глубоком лесу; to hide — прятать).
All these things I did because I had seen the print of a man's foot in the sand (все эти вещи я сделал потому, что увидел след человека на песке).
often ['Of(@)n, 'Oft(@)n], pleasure [' [email protected]], naked ['neIkId], ghost [' [email protected]], defend [dI'fend], stir [ [email protected]:], weary [' [email protected]], notion [' [email protected](@)n]
I SEE SOMETHING IN THE SAND
WHEN the weather was fine I often went over to the other side of the island to look at my canoe.
Sometimes I spent several days at my summer house. Then, going over to where the canoe was kept, I took short sails along the shore. These little voyages gave me a great deal of pleasure.
One morning as I was going to the canoe a strange thing happened.
I was walking slowly along and looking down, and what do you think I saw?
I saw the print of a man's naked foot in the sand.
The sight made me cold all over.
I stood like one that had seen a ghost. I looked around. I listened. I trembled.
I went to the top of a little hill to look farther. Then I walked up the shore and down the shore. I saw no other tracks.
I went back to make sure that I was not dreaming. Yes, there in the sand was the print of man's foot. It showed the toes, the heel, and the sole of the foot. I was not dreaming.
My mind was filled with a thousand thoughts and questions. Where was the man who made that track? Who was he? How did he get there?
I was so frightened that I did not go to the canoe. I turned back and went to my castle as fast as I could.
Whether I went over by the ladder or through the hole in the rock, I do not know. But I shut myself up as quickly as I could and began to get ready to defend myself.
That night I could not sleep. I lay in my hammock, and thought and thought.
The track must have been made by an Indian or some other wild savage. This savage had come perhaps from the land that I had seen far across the sea.
Perhaps he had come to the island alone. Perhaps he had come with many others of his kind. But where was he now?
I was so much afraid that I did not stir out of my castle for three days and nights. I was almost starved, for I had only two or three barley cakes in my kitchen.
Little by little I became brave enough to go out again. I crept softly down to my fields to milk the goats. Poor things! They were glad enough to see me.
But every sound made me start and look around. I fancied that I saw a savage behind every tree. I lived for days like some hunted thing that trembles at its own shadow.
And all because I had seen the print of a foot in the sand!
Little by little I grew bolder, and I made up my mind to strengthen my castle. If savage Indians should indeed come and find me, I would be ready for them.
So I carried out earth and small stones, and piled them up against the castle wall till it was ten feet thick. I have already told you how strong it was at first, and how I had made a dense hedge of trees on the outside. It was now so strong that nothing could break through it.
Through the wall at certain places I made five holes large enough for a man's arm to reach in. In each of these holes I planted a gun; for you will remember that I brought several from the ship.
Each one of these guns was fitted in a frame that could be drawn back and forth. They worked so well in their places that I could shoot off all five of them in less than two minutes.
Many a weary month did I work before I had my wall to my notion. But at last it was finished.
The hedge that was before it grew up so thick and high that no man nor animal could see through it. If you had seen it, you would not have dreamed there was anything inside of it, much less a house.
For two years I lived in fear. All that I did was to make my home stronger and safer.
Far in the woods I built a large pen of logs and stakes. Around it I planted a hedge like that in front of the castle. Then I put a dozen young goats into it, to feed upon the grass and grow.
If savages should come, and if they should kill the other goats, they could not find these; for they were too well hidden in the deep woods.
All these things I did because I had seen the print of a man's foot in the sand.
(я вновь встревожен)
FIVE or six years had passed (пять или шесть лет прошли), and not another footprint had I seen (а я не видел другого отпечатка ноги).
I had gotten over my great fright (я преодолел мой большой страх; to get over smth. — перейти, перелезть, переправиться через что-л.; преодолеть /трудности/; привыкнуть к чему-л.; свыкнуться с мыслью о чем-л.), and yet I was not so bold as I had been (но все же я не был не столь отважным, каким был /раньше/). Any sudden sound would make me start and look around (любой неожиданный звук мог заставить меня вздрогнуть и /начать/ осматриваться).
I thought that if savage men had been on the island once (я думал, что если дикие люди были на острове однажды), they were quite likely to come again (они вполне могли прийти опять; likely — вероятно). So I kept on the lookout for them all the time (поэтому я продолжал быть начеку все время/поджидал их все время).
My flock of goats had now grown to be very large (мое стадо коз выросло и стало очень большим), and I needed another field (и мне требовалось другое поле). I wished to put some of them in a hidden spot (я хотел спрятать некоторых из них в потаенное место; to hide — прятать) where the savages, if they did come, would not find them (где дикари, если бы они пришли, не нашли бы их).
