I EXPLORE MY CAVE FURTHER (я исследую мою пещеру дальше)

THE next day I brought out with me six big candles (на следующий день в вынес с собой шесть больших свечей).

For you must know that I was a candle maker (так как вы должны знать, что я был создателем свечей = делал свечи) as well as a baker (равно как и пекарем). Indeed, I made very good candles of goats' tallow, using some bits of old ropes for the wicks (в самом деле, я делал очень хорошие свечи из сала коз, использую куски веревки для фитилей).

As I have just said, I took six candles with me, for I had made up my mind to learn more about the cave I had found (как я только что сказал, я взял шесть свечей собой, так как я решил узнать больше о пещере, которую я нашел).

I lit two of the candles (я зажег две свечи; to light — зажигать), and went in (зашел внутрь). The poor old goat was dead (бедный старый козел был мертв), and it was no easy work to dig a hole right there and bury him (и было нелегкой работой выкопать яму прямо там и похоронить его; hole — дыра; отверстие; яма).

After this unpleasant task was done (после того как это неприятное задание было сделано), I went into the back part of the cave (я пошел в заднюю часть пещеры). The flame of the candles lighted up the darkness (пламя свечей освещало темноту), and I could see quite plainly (и я мог видеть довольно сносно; plainly — ясно, различимо, отчетливо; plain — плоский, ровный /уст./; очевидный, явный, ясный).

The narrow passage of which I have told you was no less than thirty feet long (узкий проход, о котором я рассказал вам, был не меньше тридцати футов длиной). In one place it was so low that I had to creep through on all fours (в одном месте он был таким низким, что мне пришлось ползти на четвереньках: «на всех четырех»; through — через, сквозь, по).

But no sooner was I through this low place than I found myself in a splendid chamber (но как только я прошел это низкое место, я обнаружил себя в великолепной комнате). It was large enough to shelter a hundred men (она была достаточно большой, чтобы укрыть сто человек).

Indeed, it seemed like the great hall of some old English castle (в самом деле, она казалось /похожей/ на большую залу старого английского замка). I had never seen anything so grand (я никогда не видел ничего столь величественного).

The roof was at least twenty feet high (крыша была, по крайне мере, двадцати футов высотой). The light from my two candles shone upon the walls (свет моих двух свечей освещал стены: «светил на стены»; to shine — светить) and made it look as though covered with thousand of bright stars (и заставлял их выглядеть, как будто они покрыты тысячею ярких звезд).

Whether these were diamonds (были ли это бриллианты), or gold (или золото), or some other precious things (или какие-то другие ценные вещи = ценности), I did not know (я не знал), and in fact I never learned (и на самом деле никогда и не узнал).

The floor was dry and level (пол был сухим и ровным). It was covered with white sand (он был покрыт белым песком), which was very clean (который был очень чистым).

I was delighted (я был рад/в восторге; delight — удовлетворение, удовольствие, наслаждение; to delight — радовать, восхищать /обыкновенно: to be delighted — быть обрадованным/). No better or safer storehouse could I have wished (лучшего или более безопасного склада я не мог и желать).

When I had looked at the room on every side and found that it was really the end of the cave (когда я осмотрел комнаты с каждой стороны и обнаружил, что это действительно был конец пещеры), I went out and hurried back to my castle (я вышел и поспешил обратно в замок).

I found that I still had about sixty pounds of powder (я обнаружил, что у меня все еще есть почти шестьдесят фунтов пороха). This was the first thing that I carried to my new cavern (это было первое, что я отнес в мою новую пещеру). I took thither also the lead (я взял туда также свинец) that I had for making bullets and small shot (который был у меня для изготовления пуль и маленькой = мелкой дроби).

I felt now like one of the wonderful elves that you read about (я чувствовал себя, как один из тех прекрасных эльфов, о которых вы читаете). They live, as you know, in rocks and in caves where none can get at them (они живут, как вы знаете, в скалах и пещерах, где никто не может добраться до них); and they have hidden treasures of gold and precious stones (и у них есть спрятанные сокровища золота и ценных камней).

What if a hundred savages should hunt me (что если сто дикарей погонятся за мной; to hunt — охотиться; травить, гнать)? They could not come near me here (они не смогут приблизиться ко мне здесь). I was safe from all foes (был в безопасности от всех врагов).

I fitted the cave up with whatever was needed to make it comfortable (я оборудовал пещеру всем, что было необходимо, чтобы сделать ее удобной для жизни).

If the worst came to the worst (если бы случилось самое страшное: «если бы худшее пришло к к худшему»; the worst — худшее), I meant to live there (я намеревался жить там). And yet I did not wish to be obliged to do this (но все же я не желал быть вынужденным делать это; to oblige — обязывать; связывать /обязательством, клятвой/; заставлять, принуждать).

When everything was safe and snug (когда все было безопасно и удобно/уютно; snug — удобный; приятный; уютный), I laid some green branches over the entrance and went back to my castle (я уложил несколько зеленых веток над входом = прикрыл вход ветками и пошел обратно в замок; to lay — класть).

I was very glad when I sat down in my old kitchen again (я был очень рад, когда снова сел в моей старой кухне; to sit down — садиться). For, after all, no other place was so much like home (так как, после всего = в конце концов, нет места лучше дома: «никакое другое место не было столь сильно похоже на дом»).

I had now been twenty-three years on this island (я пробыл на острове уже двадцать три года). If it had not been for fear of savages (если бы не страх перед дикарями), I would have been the happiest man in the world (я был бы самым счастливым человеком в мире).

During all those years I had been very busy (в течение всех этих лет я был очень занят). I did not work all the time, as you know (я не работал все время, как вы знаете), but I amused myself in various ways (но развлекал себя разными способами).

I spent much time with Poll, the parrot (я проводил много времени с Попкой-попугаем; to spend — проводить /время/). He soon learned to talk so well that it was a pleasure to hear him (он вскоре научился говорить так хорошо, что было удовольствием слушать его).

My dog had been my best friend and companion (мой пес был моим лучшим другом и спутником/товарищем). He lived for sixteen years (он прожил шестнадцать лет), and then died of old age (и затем умер от старости).

As for my cats, the woods were full of them (что касается моих кошек, леса были полны ими). All ran wild except the two that I kept in my castle (все стали дикими, за исключением двух, которых я держал в замке; to run wild — одичать). These were good mousers and fine pets (они были хорошими ловцами мышей и прекрасными любимцами /домашними животными/; mouse — мышь).

I had also several tame fowls (у меня также было несколько прирученных птиц). These I had caught near the seashore when they were young (этих я поймал у берега, когда они были молодыми; to catch — ловить). I cut their wing feathers short (я обрезал их перья на крыльях коротко) and taught them to eat from my hand (и научил их есть с моей руки; to teach — обучать).

I never knew what kind of birds they were (я так и не узнал, что это были за птицы), but they were large, almost as large as chickens (но они были крупными, почти такими же крупными, как цыплята). They lived among the hedge trees in front of my castle (они жили среди деревьев живой изгороди перед моим замком).

They made their nests there (они вили там гнезда) and kept me well supplied with eggs (и держали меня хорошо обеспеченным яйцами = постоянно обеспечивали меня яйцами; to supply — снабжать /чем-л. — with/, поставлять; доставлять). I did not need to keep any other poultry (мне не было нужды держать какую-либо другую домашнюю птицу).

Thus I lived very pleasantly in my island home (таким образом я жил очень вольготно в моем островном доме). I would have been content to live there always if I could have felt safe from savages (я был бы согласен: «доволен» жить там всегда, если бы я мог чувствовать себя в безопасности от дикарей).

explore [Ik'splO: ], candle [kxndl], darkness ['dQ: knIs], splendid ['splendId], diamond ['daIqmqnd], precious ['preSqs], delighted [dI'laItId], treasure ['treZq], entrance ['entrqns], amused [q'mju: zd], companion [kqm'pxnjqn], poultry ['pqultrI], content [kqn'tent]

I EXPLORE MY CAVE FURTHER

THE next day I brought out with me six big candles.

For you must know that I was a candle maker as well as a baker. Indeed, I made very good candles of goats' tallow, using some bits of old ropes for the wicks. As I have just said, I took six candles with me, for I had made up my mind to learn more about the cave I had found.

I lit two of the candles, and went in. The poor old goat was dead, and it was no easy work to dig a hole right there and bury him.

After this unpleasant task was done, I went into the back part of the cave. The flame of the candles lighted up the darkness, and I could see quite plainly.

The narrow passage of which I have told you was no less than thirty feet long. In one place it was so low that I had to creep through on all fours.

But no sooner was I through this low place than I found myself in a splendid chamber. It was large enough to shelter a hundred men.

Indeed, it seemed like the great hall of some old English castle. I had never seen anything so grand.

The roof was at least twenty feet high. The light from my two candles shone upon the walls and made it look as though covered with thousand of bright stars.

Whether these were diamonds, or gold, or some other precious things, I did not know, and in fact I never learned.

The floor was dry and level. It was covered with white sand, which was very clean.

I was delighted. No better or safer storehouse could I have wished.

When I had looked at the room on every side and found that it was really the end of the cave, I went out and hurried back to my castle.

I found that I still had about sixty pounds of powder. This was the first thing that I carried to my new cavern. I took thither also the lead that I had for making bullets and small shot.

I felt now like one of the wonderful elves that you read about. They live, as you know, in rocks and in caves where none can get at them; and they have hidden treasures of gold and precious stones.

What if a hundred savages should hunt me? They could not come near me here. I was safe from all foes.

I fitted the cave up with whatever was needed to make it comfortable.

If the worst came to the worst, I meant to live there. And yet I did not wish to be obliged to do this.

When everything was safe and snug, I laid some green branches over the entrance and went back to my castle.

I was very glad when I sat down in my old kitchen again. For, after all, no other place was so much like home.

I had now been twenty-three years on this island. If it had not been for fear of savages, I would have been the happiest man in the world.

During all those years I had been very busy. I did not work all the time, as you know, but I amused myself in various ways.

I spent much time with Poll, the parrot. He soon learned to talk so well that it was a pleasure to hear him.

My dog had been my best friend and companion. He lived for sixteen years, and then died of old age.

As for my cats, the woods were full of them. All ran wild except the two that I kept in my castle. These were good mousers and fine pets.

I had also several tame fowls. These I had caught near the seashore when they were young. I cut their wing feathers short and taught them to eat from my hand.

I never knew what kind of birds they were, but they were large, almost as large as chickens. They lived among the hedge trees in front of my castle.

They made their nests there and kept me well supplied with eggs. I did not need to keep any other poultry.

Thus I lived very pleasantly in my island home. I would have been content to live there always if I could have felt safe from savages.

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