these were a few scattered pines, some fifty, some nearer seventy, feet high.
The air, too, smelt more freshly than down beside the marsh.
3. And here a fresh alarm brought me to a standstill with a thumping heart.
316
Chapter XV (глава 15)
The Man of the Island (островитянин: «человек острова»)
1. FROM the side of the hill (со склона холма), which was here steep and stony
(который был здесь крутым и каменистым) a spout of gravel was dislodged
(куча щебня посыпалась;
bounding through the trees (и упала /вниз/, грохоча и подскакивая между
деревьями). My eyes turned instinctively in the direction (мои глаза
инстинктивно повернулись = я невольно посмотрел в том направлении), and I
saw a figure leap with great rapidity behind the trunk of a pine (и увидел фигуру,
прыгнувшую с большой скоростью за ствол сосны). What it was, whether bear
or man or monkey (что это было — медведь ли, человек или обезьяна), I could
in no wise tell (я не мог никоим образом сказать). It seemed dark and shaggy
(оно выглядело темным и косматым); more I knew not (большего я не знал =
не успел заметить). But the terror of this new apparition brought me to a stand
(но ужас от этого нового видения остановил меня = я замер в ужасе;
2. I was now, it seemed, cut off upon both sides (я был теперь, казалось, отрезан
с обеих сторон = оба пути были отрезаны); behind me the murderers, before me
this lurking nondescript (позади меня — убийцы, передо мной — это
подстерегающее существо;
began to prefer the dangers that I knew to those I knew not (и сразу же я начал
предпочитать = предпочел известные опасности: «которые знал»,
неизвестным: «тем, /что/ я не знал»). Silver himself appeared less terrible in
contrast with this creature of the woods (сам Сильвер казался менее ужасным,
317
чем это лесное существо;
and looking sharply behind me over my shoulder (и, глядя внимательно назад
через плечо), began to retract my steps in the direction of the boats (начал
отступать в сторону шлюпок;
spout [spaut] dislodged [dIs`lOGd] bounding [`baundIN] apparition [xpq`rISn]
1. FROM the side of the hill, which was here steep and stony a spout of gravel
was dislodged, and fell rattling and bounding through the trees. My eyes
turned instinctively in the direction, and I saw a figure leap with great
rapidity behind the trunk of a pine. What it was, whether bear or man or
monkey, I could in no wise tell. It seemed dark and shaggy; more I knew not.
But the terror of this new apparition brought me to a stand.
2. I was now, it seemed, cut off upon both sides; behind me the murderers,
before me this lurking nondescript. And immediately I began to prefer the
dangers that I knew to those I knew not. Silver himself appeared less terrible
in contrast with this creature of the woods, and I turned on my heel, and
looking sharply behind me over my shoulder, began to retract my steps in the
direction of the boats.
1. Instantly the figure reappeared (тотчас фигура появилась вновь), and, making