Английский с А. Конан Дойлем. Пиратские истории

 It was a simple plan, and yet it seemed to the Governor that it might be effective. Without hesitation he gave Craddock permission to carry it out, and to take any steps he liked in order to further the object which he had in view. Sir Edward was not very sanguine, for many attempts had been made upon Sharkey, and their results had shown, that he was as cunning as he was ruthless. But this gaunt Puritan with the evil record was cunning and ruthless also.

The contest of wits between two such men as Sharkey and Craddock (состязание в хитрости между двумя такими людьми, как Шарки и Крэддок; wit – ум, разум; остроумие) appealed to the Governor’s acute sense of sport (разбудило в губернаторе его обостренное чувство азарта; to appeal – взывать; привлекать, притягивать; acute – острый; сильный, крайний; sport /зд./ – азартная игра), and though he was inwardly convinced (и хотя внутренне он был убежден /в том/) that the chances were against him (что /все/ шансы против него), he backed his man with the same loyalty (он сделал ставку на своего человека с той же непоколебимостью: «преданностью»; to back – поддерживать; держать пари, ставить на) which he would have shown to his horse or his cock (которую он выказал бы по отношению к своей лошади или /бойцовому/ петуху).

Haste was, above all things, necessary (прежде всего нужно было поспешить: «поспешность была необходима»), for upon any day the careening might be finished (поскольку в любой из дней кренгование могло быть закончено), and the pirates out at sea once more (и пираты снова вышли бы в море).

 The contest of wits between two such men as Sharkey and Craddock appealed to the Governor’s acute sense of sport, and though he was inwardly convinced that the chances were against him, he backed his man with the same loyalty which he would have shown to his horse or his cock.

Haste was, above all things, necessary, for upon any day the careening might be finished, and the pirates out at sea once more.