Английский язык с Конан Дойлем. Этюд в багровых тонах (ASCII-IPA)

On the little plateau which crowned the barren hill there stood a single giant boulder, and against this boulder there lay a tall man, long-bearded and hard-featured, but of an excessive thinness. His placid face and regular breathing showed that he was fast asleep. Beside him lay a little child, with her round white arms encircling his brown sinewy neck, and her golden haired head resting upon the breast of his velveteen tunic. Her rosy lips were parted, showing the regular line of snow-white teeth within, and a playful smile played over her infantile features. Her plump little white legs terminating in white socks and neat shoes with shining buckles, offered a strange contrast to the long shrivelled members of her companion. On the ledge of rock above this strange couple there stood three solemn buzzards, who, at the sight of the new comers uttered raucous screams of disappointment and flapped sullenly away.

The cries of the foul birds awoke the two sleepers who stared about them in bewilderment (крики мерзких птиц разбудили спящих, которые удивленно оглядывались; foul — вонючий, омерзительный, отталкивающий; to awake — будить; to stare — смотреть в изумлении; bewilderment — замешательство; недоумение). The man staggered to his feet and looked down upon the plain (мужчина, шатаясь, поднялся на ноги и посмотрел вниз на равнину; to stagger — шататься, покачиваться) which had been so desolate when sleep had overtaken him (которая была такой пустынной, когда его сморил сон; desolate — пустынный; безлюдный, безжизненный; to overtake — овладевать), and which was now traversed by this enormous body of men and of beasts (и которую сейчас пересекала бесконечная колонна людей и животных; enormous — громадный; body — масса, большое количество). His face assumed an expression of incredulity as he gazed (по его лицу было видно, что он не верит своим глазам: «его лицо приобрело выражение недоверия, пока он пристально смотрел»), and he passed his boney hand over his eyes (и он провел своей костлявой ладонью по глазам; bone — кость). "This is what they call delirium, I guess," he muttered (кажется: «я полагаю», это то, что называется бредом, — пробормотал он). The child stood beside him, holding on to the skirt of his coat (ребенок стоял рядом с ним, держась за полу его куртки), and said nothing but looked all round her with the wondering questioning gaze of childhood (и ничего не говорил, а только рассматривал все вокруг пытливым вопрошающим взглядом детства).

The rescuing party were speedily able to convince the two castaways (спасательная партия быстро смогла убедить двух заблудших путешественников) that their appearance was no delusion (в том, что они не были: «что их появление не было» галлюцинацией). One of them seized the little girl, and hoisted her upon his shoulder (один из них взял девочку и взвалил ее на плечо; to hoist — поднимать), while two others supported her gaunt companion, and assisted him towards the wagons (а двое других поддерживали ее костлявого компаньона и помогли ему спуститься к повозкам).

foul [faul], bewilderment [bI'wIld@m@nt], desolate ['des@lIt], delusion [dI'lu:Z(@)n]

The cries of the foul birds awoke the two sleepers who stared about them in bewilderment. The man staggered to his feet and looked down upon the plain which had been so desolate when sleep had overtaken him, and which was now traversed by this enormous body of men and of beasts. His face assumed an expression of incredulity as he gazed, and he passed his boney hand over his eyes. "This is what they call delirium, I guess," he muttered. The child stood beside him, holding on to the skirt of his coat, and said nothing but looked all round her with the wondering questioning gaze of childhood.