Английский с О. Генри. Вождь краснокожих / O. Henry. The Ransom of Red Chief

About two miles from Summit was a little mountain (на расстоянии около двух миль от Саммита находилась небольшая гора), covered with a dense cedar brake (покрытая густой кедровой порослью; brake – кустарник, чаща). On the rear elevation of this mountain was a cave (на заднем склоне этой горы была пещера; elevation – повышение; возвышение). There we stored provisions (там мы разместили провизию; to store – хранить; убирать на хранение).

tight [tat], mortgage ['m:], fancier ['faens], bas-relief [,b:r'li:f], figure ['f]

We selected for our victim the only child of a prominent citizen named Ebenezer Dorset. The father was respectable and tight, a mortgage fancier and a stern, upright collection-plate passer and forecloser. The kid was a boy of ten, with bas-relief freckles, and hair the colour of the cover of the magazine you buy at the news-stand when you want to catch a train. Bill and me figured that Ebenezer would melt down for a ransom of two thousand dollars to a cent. But wait till I tell you.

About two miles from Summit was a little mountain, covered with a dense cedar brake. On the rear elevation of this mountain was a cave. There we stored provisions.

One evening after sundown (однажды вечером после заката солнца), we drove in a buggy past old Dorset's house (мы проезжали в экипаже мимо дома старины Дорсета; to drive – гнать; ехать; buggy – легкий одно- или двухместный экипаж). The kid was in the street (пацан был на улице; kid – ребенок, малыш), throwing rocks at a kitten on the opposite fence (швыряя камни в котенка, /сидевшего/ на заборе дома напротив: «в котенка на противоположном заборе»).

“Hey, little boy!” says Bill (эй, маленький мальчик = малыш, – говорит Билл), “would you like to have a bag of candy and a nice ride (не хочешь пакетик леденцов и прокатиться: «и славненькую поездку»; nice – хороший, приятный, милый, славный)?”

The boy catches Bill neatly in the eye with a piece of brick (мальчик аккуратно засветил Биллу в глаз обломком кирпича; to catch – ударить, попасть; piece – кусок; обломок).

“That will cost the old man an extra five hundred dollars (это обойдется папаше в лишних пять сотен долларов; to cost – стоить, обходиться; old man – отец, папаша: «старый человек»),” says Bill, climbing over the wheel (говорит Билл, перелезая через колесо).

buggy ['b], eye [a], piece [pi:s], climb [klam]

One evening after sundown, we drove in a buggy past old Dorset's house. The kid was in the street, throwing rocks at a kitten on the opposite fence.

“Hey, little boy!” says Bill, “would you like to have a bag of candy and a nice ride?”

The boy catches Bill neatly in the eye with a piece of brick.

“That will cost the old man an extra five hundred dollars,” says Bill, climbing over the wheel.