Английский с А. Конан Дойлем. Пиратские истории / A. Conan Doyle. Tales of Pirates

Дойл Артур Конан

 Others had done well at the business, and with a handy, well-found vessel, there was no reason why they should not turn their tarry jackets into velvet coats. If they were prepared to sail under the black flag, he was ready to command them; but if any wished to withdraw, they might have the gig and row back to Jamaica.

Four men out of six-and-forty asked for their discharge, went over the ship’s side into the boat, and rowed away amidst the jeers and howlings of the crew.

The rest assembled aft, and drew up the articles of their association (оставшиеся собрались на корме и приняли свой устав; to draw up – составлять, вырабатывать /контракт, план и т. п./; association – соединение, объединение /действие/;

ассоциация, союз). A square of black tarpaulin had the white skull painted upon it (на черном квадрате просмоленной парусины намалевали белый череп), and was hoisted amidst cheering at the main (и подняли его на грот-мачте под одобрительные возгласы; main /зд./ = mainmast – грот-мачта).

Officers were elected, and the limits of their authority fixed (были назначены офицеры и установлены ограничения их власти; to elect – выбирать /голосованием/; назначать /на должность/). Copley Banks was chosen Captain (Копли Бэнкс был избран капитаном; to choose), but, as there are no mates upon a pirate craft (но, поскольку на пиратском судне у капитана не бывает помощников), Birthmark Sweetlocks became quartermaster, and Israel Martin the boatswain (то Суитлокс Меченый стал интендантом, а Израэль Мартин – боцманом; to become).

 The rest assembled aft, and drew up the articles of their association. A square of black tarpaulin had the white skull painted upon it, and was hoisted amidst cheering at the main.

Officers were elected, and the limits of their authority fixed. Copley Banks was chosen Captain, but, as there are no mates upon a pirate craft, Birthmark Sweetlocks became quartermaster, and Israel Martin the boatswain.

There was no difficulty in knowing what was the custom of the brotherhood (не было никаких трудностей в том, чтобы узнать обычаи братства), for half the men at least had served upon pirates before (поскольку по меньшей мере половина команды служила ранее на пиратских судах; at least – по крайней мере, во всяком случае). Food should be the same for all (пища должна быть одинаковой для всех), and no man should interfere with another man’s drink (и никто не мешает другому пить вволю; to interfere with – останавливать, мешать)! The Captain should have a cabin (у капитана должна быть каюта), but all hands should be welcome to enter it when they chose (но все матросы могут беспрепятственно в нее входить, когда захотят; welcome – желанный; имеющий право или разрешение сделать что-л.; to choose – выбирать; предпочитать).

All should share and share alike (все должно быть поделено и поделено поровну), save only the captain, quartermaster, boatswain, carpenter, and master-gunner (исключение составляют только капитан, интендант, боцман, плотник и главный канонир), who had from a quarter to a whole share extra (которые получают сверх того от одной четвертой до целой доли).

 There was no difficulty in knowing what was the custom of the brotherhood, for half the men at least had served upon pirates before. Food should be the same for all, and no man should interfere with another man’s drink! The Captain should have a cabin, but all hands should be welcome to enter it when they chose.

All should share and share alike, save only the captain, quartermaster, boatswain, carpenter, and master-gunner, who had from a quarter to a whole share extra.

He who saw a prize first (тот, кто первым заметит корабль-жертву; prize – награда, премия; желанная добыча) should have the best weapon taken out of her (получает лучшее оружие, найденное: «взятое» у него на борту). He who boarded her first (тот,

кто первым взберется к нему на борт) should have the richest suit of clothes aboard of her (получает самый богатый комплект одежды). Every man might treat his own prisoner (каждый может обращаться со своим пленником), be it man or woman (будь то мужчина или женщина), after his own fashion (по своему собственному усмотрению; fashion – форма, очертания; манера поведения). If a man flinched from his gun, the quartermaster should pistol him (если кто покинет место сражения, интендант должен пристрелить его; to flinch – вздрагивать; уклоняться, отступать; gun – орудие, пушка). These were some of the rules (таковыми были некоторые из правил) which the crew of the Ruffling Harry subscribed (которые команда «Задиры Гарри» подписала) by putting forty-two crosses at the foot of the paper (поставив сорок два крестика внизу бумаги) upon which they had been drawn (на которой они = эти правила были начертаны).

 He who saw a prize first should have the best weapon taken out of her. He who boarded her first should have the richest suit of clothes aboard of her. Every man might treat his own prisoner, be it man or woman, after his own fashion. If a man flinched from his gun, the quartermaster should pistol him. These were some of the rules which the crew of the Ruffling Harry subscribed by putting forty-two crosses at the foot of the paper upon which they had been drawn.

So a new rover was afloat upon the seas (так в море появилось новое пиратское судно; afloat – плавающий на поверхности воды), and her name before a year was over became as well known as that of the Happy Delivery (и название его – не прошло и года – стало таким же известным, как название «Счастливое избавление»). From the Bahamas to the Leewards, and from the Leewards to the Windwards (от Багамских островов до Подветренных, от Подветренных до Наветренных), Copley Banks became the rival of Sharkey and the terror of traders (Копли Бэнкс стал достойным соперником Шарки и ужасом /мирных/ торговцев). For a long time the barque and the brig never met (долгое время барк и бриг не встречались; to meet), which was the more singular (что было весьма странно; singular – исключительный, необыкновенный; необычный, странный), as the Ruffling Harry was for ever looking in at Sharkey’s resorts (потому что «Задира Гарри» всегда заглядывал в бухточки, которые частенько служили убежищем для Шарки; to look in – заглянуть /ненадолго/; resort – посещаемое, излюбленное место); but at last one day, when she was passing down the inlet of Coxon’s Hole (но наконец однажды, когда он зашел в залив Коксонс Хоул), at the east end of Cuba (на восточной оконечности Кубы), with the intention of careening (имея намерение /провести/ кренгование), there was the Happy Delivery (там уже стояло «Счастливое избавление»), with her blocks and tackle-falls already rigged for the same purpose (с уже закрепленными с той же целью блоками и лопарями талей).

 So a new rover was afloat upon the seas, and her name before a year was over became as well known as that of the Happy Delivery. From the Bahamas to the Leewards, and from the Leewards to the Windwards, Copley Banks became the rival of Sharkey and the terror of traders. For a long time the barque and the brig never met, which was the more singular, as the Ruffling Harry was for ever looking in at Sharkey’s resorts; but at last one day, when she was passing down the inlet of Coxon’s Hole, at the east end of Cuba, with the intention of careening, there was the Happy Delivery, with her blocks and tackle-falls already rigged for the same purpose.