Английский с Р. Л. Стивенсоном. Алмаз раджи / R. L. Stevenson. The Rajah’s Diamond

This was a bitter moment for the hunted secretary. It is true that his terror enabled him once more to improve his pace, and gain with every step on his pursuers; but he was well aware that he was near the end of his resources, and should he meet any one coming the other way, his predicament in the narrow lane would be desperate indeed.

“I must find a place of concealment,” he thought (я должен найти место для укрытия, – подумал он), “and that within the next few seconds (и /нужно сделать/ это в течение ближайших нескольких секунд), or all is over with me in this world (или мне конец: «все кончится со мной в этом мире»; to be over – кончиться)

.”

Scarcely had the thought crossed his mind (едва эта мысль пришла ему в голову: «пересекла его мысли») than the lane took a sudden turning (как переулок внезапно повернул); and he found himself hidden from his enemies (и он оказался скрытым от своих врагов: «нашел себя спрятанным»; to hide – прятать/ся/). There are circumstances in which even the least energetic of mankind

(есть обстоятельства, в которых даже наименее энергичные /представители/ человечества) learn to behave with vigour and decision (научаются вести себя с энергией и решительностью); and the most cautious forget their prudence (и самые осмотрительные забывают свою осторожность) and embrace foolhardy resolutions (и принимают отчаянные решения). This was one of those occasions for Harry Hartley (это был как раз один из таких случаев для Гарри Хартли); and those who knew him best (и те, кто знали его лучше всех) would have been the most astonished at the lad’s audacity (были бы больше всего поражены отвагой этого юноши)

. He stopped dead (он резко остановился), flung the bandbox over a garden wall (перебросил шляпную картонку через садовую ограду; to fling – кидать), and leaping upward with incredible agility (и, подпрыгнув с невероятной ловкостью) and seizing the copestone with his hands (и схватившись руками за верх стены: «карнизный камень»), he tumbled headlong after it into the garden (он рухнул вверх тормашками за ней в сад; headlong – головой вперед

/при падении вниз, нырянии/).

 “I must find a place of concealment,” he thought, “and that within the next few seconds, or all is over with me in this world.”

Scarcely had the thought crossed his mind than the lane took a sudden turning; and he found himself hidden from his enemies. There are circumstances in which even the least energetic of mankind learn to behave with vigour and decision; and the most cautious forget their prudence and embrace foolhardy resolutions. This was one of those occasions for Harry Hartley; and those who knew him best would have been the most astonished at the lad’s audacity. He stopped dead, flung the bandbox over a garden wall, and leaping upward with incredible agility and seizing the copestone with his hands, he tumbled headlong after it into the garden.