Английский язык с Джеромом К. Джеромом. Трое в лодке, не считая собаки

We despairingly tried what seemed in the darkness to be the fourth island (в отчаянии мы подошли к тому, что казалось в темноте четвертым островом), but met with no better success (но встретились с не лучшим успехом = результат был не лучше). The rain was coming down fast now, and evidently meant to last (дождь шел теперь сильнее и, видимо, собирался продолжаться). We were wet to the skin, and cold and miserable (мы промокли до нитки, замерзли и чувствовали себя жалкими; wet to the skin — промокший до нитки, насквозь, до костей; miserable — жалкий, несчастный). We began to wonder whether there were only four islands or more (мы начали сомневаться, только ли четыре острова или больше), or whether we were near the islands at all (находимся ли мы вообще рядом с островами), or whether we were anywhere within a mile of where we ought to be (или где-нибудь в миле от /того места/, где должны быть), or in the wrong part of the river altogether (или вообще в другой части реки); everything looked so strange and different in the darkness (все выглядело столь странно и необычно в темноте). We began to understand the sufferings of the Babes in the Wood (мы начали понимать страдания детей, /заблудившихся/ в лесу /из сказки/).

Just when we had given up all hope (и когда мы потеряли всякую надежду; to give up) — yes, I know that is always the time that things do happen in novels and tales (да, знаю, это всегда то время, когда вещи = перемены случаются в романах и сказках); but I can't help it (но ничего не могу поделать). I resolved, when I began to write this book, that I would be strictly truthful in all things (я решил, когда начал писать эту книгу, что буду строго правдивым во всем); and so I will be, even if I have to employ hackneyed phrases for the purpose (и я буду таким, даже если мне придется употреблять избитые фразы для этой цели; to employ — нанимать; употреблять, использовать).

wrong [rɔŋ] hackneyed [ˈhæknɪd]

We despairingly tried what seemed in the darkness to be the fourth island, but met with no better success. The rain was coming down fast now, and evidently meant to last. We were wet to the skin, and cold and miserable. We began to wonder whether there were only four islands or more, or whether we were near the islands at all, or whether we were anywhere within a mile of where we ought to be, or in the wrong part of the river altogether; everything looked so strange and different in the darkness. We began to understand the sufferings of the Babes in the Wood.

Just when we had given up all hope — yes, I know that is always the time that things do happen in novels and tales; but I can't help it. I resolved, when I began to write this book, that I would be strictly truthful in all things; and so I will be, even if I have to employ hackneyed phrases for the purpose.