half, and then two-thirds, and then three-quarters of the distance that
separated us. I could see the waves boiling white under her forefoot.
Immensely tall she looked to me from my low station in the coracle.
3. And then, of a sudden, I began to comprehend. I had scarce time to think —
scarce time to act and save myself. I was on the summit of one swell when the
schooner came stooping over the next. The bowsprit was over my head. I
sprang to my feet, and leaped, stamping the coracle under water. With one
hand I caught the jib-boom, while my foot was lodged between the stay and
the brace; and as I still clung there panting, a dull blow told me that the
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schooner had charged down upon and struck the coracle, and that I was left
without retreat on the
Chapter XXV (глава 25)
I Strike the Jolly Roger (я спускаю Веселого Роджера;
I HAD scarce gained a position on the bowsprit (едва я занял позицию =
взобрался на бушприт), when the flying jib flapped and filled upon the other tack
(как бом-кливер щелкнул и повернул на другой галс;
выстрела, словно из пушки). The schooner trembled to her keel under the reverse
(шхуна дрогнула до /самого/ киля при повороте;
следующий момент другие паруса снова надулись), the jib flapped back again,
and hung idle (кливер щелкнул назад снова = встал на прежнее место, и повис
свободно;
This had nearly tossed me off into the sea (это чуть не выбросило меня в море;
bowsprit (теперь я не терял времени, пополз обратно по бушприту), and
tumbled head foremost on the deck (и свалился вниз головой на палубу;
I was on the lee-side of the forecastle (я был на подветренной стороне носового
кубрика /бака/), and the main-sail, which was still drawing (и грот: «главный
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парус», который был все еще надут), concealed from me a certain portion of the
after-deck (скрывал от меня некоторую часть кормовой палубы). Not a soul
was to be seen (не было видно ни души). The planks, which had not been
swabbed since the mutiny (настил из досок, который не мыли шваброй с
мятежа), bore the print of many feet (нес след множества ног;
(пустая бутылка, разбитая у горлышка = с отбитым горлышком), tumbled to
and fro like a live thing in the scuppers (перекатывалась из стороны в сторону,
словно живая, в шпигате /водовыпускное отверстие/).
reverse [rI`vq:s] tumbled [`tAmbld] forecastle [`fquksl] concealed [kqn`sJld]
I HAD scarce gained a position on the bowsprit, when the flying jib flapped
and filled upon the other tack, with a report like a gun. The schooner
trembled to her keel under the reverse; but next moment, the other sails still
drawing, the jib flapped back again, and hung idle.
This had nearly tossed me off into the sea; and now I lost no time, crawled
back along the bowsprit, and tumbled head foremost on the deck.