We were now kept indoors a great part of the time, but we kept ourselves
occupied pleasantly, and the hours passed swiftly.
My first duty every morning was to read several chapters from the Bible. Then I
instructed Friday in some of the truths of religion.
I was but an awkward teacher, but I did my best and was honest.
I began by asking him about the Creator.
I asked him who made the sea, the hills, the woods, the ground we walked on.
He told me it was one great being who lived beyond all.
I confess I could not have given a better answer.
He said that this great being was older than the sea or the land, the moon or the
stars.
Then I said, "If this being has made all things, why do not all things worship
him?"
He looked very grave, and with eyes full of innocence, answered, "All things say
O to him."
Thus he taught me while I was trying to teach him.
I SEE A STRANGE SAIL (вижу незнакомый парус)
I PASS over some wonderful things that happened during my last year on the
island (пропускаю некоторые удивительные вещи, которые произошли в течение
последнего моего года на острове). For I must not make this story too long (так как я
не должен делать эту историю слишком длинной).
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I was fast asleep in my castle one morning when Friday came running in (я
крепко спал в моем замке одним утром, когда Пятница вбежал внутрь).
"O master, master (хозяин)!" he cried, "a boat, a boat!"
I jumped up (вскочил) and went out as quickly as could (так быстро, как мог). I
was in such haste (в такой спешке) that I forgot to carry my gun with me (что забыл
взять мое ружье с собой).
I looked toward the sea (выглянул на море). About three miles from the shore I
saw a strange boat (странную лодку) coming to the island. It carried a leg-of-mutton sail
( вид паруса «нога овцы») and was coming swiftly with the wind. "Surely," I thought,
"this is not the kind of boat that savages sail in."
Then I saw that it was coming not from the open sea on my side of the island, but
from around a point on the south shore (с южного берега).
I ran back to my castle and told Friday to stay inside and keep quiet (сидеть
тихо) till we could learn whether the people in the boat were friends or foes (пока мы не
узнаем, были ли люди в лодке друзьями или врагами).
Then I climbed up to my lookout on the top of the great rock.
I looked out toward the south shore, and there I saw a ship lying at anchor
(увидел корабль, стоящий на якоре). As nearly as I could guess (насколько я мог
прикинуть), it was about five miles from my castle and at least three miles from the
shore.
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It looked just like an English ship (английский корабль), and the boat was surely
an English longboat (баркас).
I cannot tell you how glad I was at the thought that some of my own countrymen
(соотечественники) were so near. Yet I felt strange fears (почувствовал странные
страхи), and so made up my mind to be very cautious (осторожным).
In the first place, what business (какие дела) could an English ship have in these
seas? The English had no lands (никаких земель) in this part of the world. They would
not come here to trade. There had been no storms to drive the vessel to this place (не
было штормов, чтобы пригнать судно в это место).
The more I thought of the matter (чем больше я думал об этом: «об этом
предмете, об этой материи»), the more I doubted (тем больше я сомневался). If these
people were indeed English (в самом деле англичанами), they must be here for no good
purpose (они, должно быть, были здесь с недоброй целью).
By this time the boat was quite near the shore. I could see the men in it quite
plainly (достаточно ясно). They looked like Englishmen.
As they came in the tide was at its highest, and so they ran the boat far up on the
beach about half a mile from me.
I now counted eleven men (насчитал), and all but three were armed with swords
(все, кроме троих, были вооружены шпагами). As soon as the boat touched the land
(как только лодка коснулась берега), the most of them jumped out (большинство из
них выскочили из нее).
Then I saw that the three unarmed men were prisoners (что три невооруженных
человека были пленниками). Their hands were tied behind them (руки были связаны
за спиной) and they were closely guarded (под строгой охраной: «внимательно
охранялись»).
As they were led on shore (когда они были выведены на берег; to lead), they
seemed in great distress (казалось, были в большой беде) as though begging for their
lives (словно прося за свои жизни = сохранить им жизнь).
When Friday saw all this, he cried out to me, "O master! the white mans do just
like savage mans with their prisoners (как дикари со своими пленниками)."
"Why, Friday," I said, "do you think they are going to eat them?"
"Yes, yes," he answered, "they are going to eat them."
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The prisoners were led (были проведены) far up on the beach, and I expected
every moment to see them killed (ожидал, что они в любой момент будут убиты).
But soon their guards seemed to change their minds (казалось, передумали:
«сменили разум»). They talked together for a little while (поговорили друг с другом
некоторое время). Then they untied the prisoners' hands (развязали руки пленников)
and let them go where they pleased (куда им хотелось).
The seamen scattered (моряки разбежались), some going this way, some that, as
though (как будто) they wished to see the country. But the men who had been prisoners
sat down on the ground and seemed very sad and full of despair (казались очень
грустными и полными отчаяния).
I thought then of the time when I had first landed on that shore — how I had no
hope (никакой надежды), and how I gave myself up for lost (как я считал, что