John seized the branch of a tree, whipped the crutch out of his armpit, and
sent that uncouth missile hurtling through the air. It struck poor Tom point
foremost, and with stunning violence, right between the shoulders in the
middle of his back. His hands flew up, he gave a sort of gasp, and fell.
2. Whether he were injured much or little, none could ever tell. Like enough,
to judge from the sound, his back was broken on the spot. But he had no time
given him to recover Silver, agile as a monkey, even without leg or crutch, was
on the top of him next moment, and had twice buried his knife up to the hilt in
that defenceless body. From my place of ambush, I could hear him pant aloud
as he struck the blows.
1. I do not know what it rightly is to faint (не знаю, что значит по-настоящему
падать в обморок = я прежде никогда не терял сознания), but I do know that
for the next little while the whole world swam away from before me in a whirling
mist (но я знаю, что в следующий миг весь мир уплыл: «поплыл прочь»
передо мной = перед глазами в вертящемся тумане;
птицы, и вершина высокой Подзорной Трубы), going round and round and
topsy-turvy before my eyes (/все/ кружилось и вертелось перед моими глазами;
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and distant voices shouting in my ear (и разнообразные колокольчики:
«всячечкие виды колокольчиков» звенели и далекие голоса кричали =
наполнили шумом мои уши).
2. When I came again to myself (когда я вновь пришел в себя), the monster had
pulled himself together (это чудовище было уже на ногах;
his hat upon his head (костыль /был/ под мышкой, и шляпа — на голове). Just
before him Tom lay motionless upon the sward (прямо перед ним Том лежал
неподвижно на траве;
whit (но убийца совсем не обращал на него внимания;
grass (очищая свой запачканный кровью нож о пучок травы). Everything else
was unchanged (все остальное не изменилось: «было неизмененным»), the sun
still shining mercilessly on the steaming marsh (солнце сияло = жгло
беспощадно испускавшее пар болото;
трудом мог убедить себя = мне не верилось) that murder had been actually done
(что убийство в действительности произошло), and a human life cruelly cut
short a moment since (и человеческая жизнь жестоко оборвалась минуту
назад), before my eyes (/прямо/ у меня на глазах: «перед глазами»).
rightly [`raItlI] topsy-turvy [`tOpsI`tq:vI] bloodstained [`blAdsteInt] persuade
[pq`sweId]
1. I do not know what it rightly is to faint, but I do know that for the next little
while the whole world swam away from before me in a whirling mist; Silver
and the birds, and the tall Spy-glass hill-top, going round and round and
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topsy-turvy before my eyes, and all manner of bells ringing and distant voices
shouting in my ear.
2. When I came again to myself, the monster had pulled himself together, his