Английский язык с Робинзоном Крузо/Robinson Crusoe Written Anew for Children

человек), "is too long to tell you now; for our enemies are very near (враги очень

близко). I was the captain of the ship that lies at anchor offshore (которое лежит на

якоре в море). Three days ago the sailors all rose against me (моряки восстали против

меня). They made me their prisoner (пленником). They seized upon the ship (захватили

корабль), for they wanted to become pirates (хотели стать пиратами).

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"They were about to kill me (готовы убить меня); but this morning they decided

to leave me on this island to die (оставить меня на острове погибать). The men who are

with me, they are doomed to the same fate (приговорены к той же участи). One is my

mate (друг), the other a passenger (пассажир).

"Being brought ashore here, we had no hope but to perish (только погибнуть).

For it did not seem to us that any one could live in such a desolate place (чтобы кто-то

мог жить в таком пустынном месте)."

"But where are those cruel enemies of yours (где те жестокие ваши враги)?" I

asked. "Do you know where they are gone?"

"They are there, sir," he said, pointing to a grove (указал на лесок) not far away.

"They are sleeping in the shade (в тени). If they should wake and see you with us, they

would kill us all."

"Have they any firearms (огнестрельное оружие)?" I asked.

"Only two muskets (мушкета)," he answered, "and one of these they have left in

the boat."

"Then trust everything to me (доверьте все мне)," I said. "If they are asleep it

will be easy to kill them all. But I think it will be better to make them our prisoners."

The captain then told me that there were two very wicked fellows among them

(два больших злодея: «злых парня» среди них; wicked — злой, безнравственный)

who were the ringleaders (зачинщиками).

"It is they who have made all this trouble (волнение, беспорядок)," he said. "If

they and two others could be overcome the rest would come back and do their duty (если

их и двоих других можно будет одолеть, другие вернутся и будут исполнять свой

долг). Indeed (в самом деле), I am sure that many of them have gone into this business

against their will (я уверен, что многие из них пошли в дело против своей воли)."

prudent ['pru:d n

ǝ t] existence [ιg'zιst n

ǝ s]

I MAKE A BOLD RESCUE

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I KNEW that the tide would not be at its highest again before night. So I thought

that I would arm myself, and, as soon as it was dark, would venture out and learn more

about my strange visitors if I could. I looked at my guns and got everything ready, and

then sat down to wait.

The day, as I have said, was very hot. The three men who had been prisoners still

sat under a tree by the shore. But all the rest were in the woods. No doubt they would rest

in some shady place until the sun went down.

At about two o'clock I became so uneasy that I could wait no longer.

"Friday," I said, "let us go out and see what we can do."

You should have seen us as we marched out of the castle.

I had two guns on my shoulders and Friday had three. I had on my goatskin coat

and my great hat that I have told you about. At my side was a naked sword, and in my

belt were two huge pistols.

I must have looked very fierce.

We went quietly down the hill, keeping ourselves hidden among the trees. At last,

when we were quite near the three men, I jumped suddenly out before them and cried,

"What are you, gentlemen?"

Never were men more surprised.

They sprang to their feet, but they could not speak a word. In fact, they were on

the point of running away from me when I cried: "Hold, gentlemen! Do not be afraid. I

am a friend. I bring help."

"Then, indeed," said one of them, "you must have been sent from heaven; for our

case is hopeless."

"All help is from heaven, sir," I said; and then I briefly told them how I had seen

them brought to the shore.

"I am an Englishman," I said, "and I stand ready to help you. I have one servant,

and we are well armed. Tell us what is your case, and how we may serve you."

"Our case," said the foremost of the three men, "is too long to tell you now; for

our enemies are very near. I was the captain of the ship that lies at anchor offshore. Three

days ago the sailors all rose against me. They made me their prisoner. They seized upon

the ship, for they wanted to become pirates.

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"They were about to kill me; but this morning they decided to leave me on this

island to die. The men who are with me, they are doomed to the same fate. One is my

mate, the other a passenger.

"Being brought ashore here, we had no hope but to perish. For it did not seem to

us that any one could live in such a desolate place."

"But where are those cruel enemies of yours?" I asked. "Do you know where they

are gone?"