1. He was a very silent man by custom (он был очень молчаливым человеком по обычаю = обыкновенно). All day he hung round the cove (весь день он бродил по /берегу/ бухты; to hang round — слоняться), or upon the cliffs (или взбирался на скалы; to hang upon — повиснуть, прицепиться), with a brass telescope (c медной подзорной трубой); all evening he sat in a corner of the parlour next the fire (весь вечер он сидел в углу общей комнаты /зала/ у огня), and drank rum and water very strong (и пил ром с водой очень сильный = мало разбавленный). Mostly he would not speak when spoken to (в основном, он не отвечал, когда к нему обращались; to speak to — разговаривать /с кем-то/); only look up sudden and fierce (лишь взглянет вверх = поднимет глаза, резко и свирепо) and blow through his nose like a fog-horn (свистит через нос как /корабельная/ сирена; to blow — дуть, выдувать); and we and the people who came about our house (мы и люди, которые случились в нашем доме = посетители) soon learned to let him be (вскоре научились оставлять его в покое). Every day (каждый день), when he came back from his stroll (когда он приходил назад = возвращался со своей прогулки), he would ask if any seafaring men had gone by along the road (спрашивал, проходили ли мимо какие-нибудь моряки по дороге). At first we thought (сначала мы думали) it was the want of company of his own kind (/что/ это был недостаток компании его собственного типа = таких же, как он) that made him ask this question (который заставляла его задавать этот вопрос); but at last we began to see (но наконец мы начали видеть = понимать) he was desirous to avoid them (/что/ он стремился избежать их; desirous — желающий, жаждущий). When a seaman put up at the 'Admiral Benbow' (когда какой-то моряк останавливался в «Адмирале Бенбоу») (as now and then some did (как время от времени некоторые делали), making by the coast road for Bristol (двигаясь прибрежной дорогой в Бристоль)) he would look in at him through the curtained door (он взглядывал на него через занавешенную дверь) before he entered the parlour (прежде чем входил в комнату); and he was always sure to be as silent as a mouse (и он всегда был тихим, словно мышь; sure — непременно, точно) when any such was present (когда любой подобный /человек/ присутствовал).
silent [`saIlqnt] parlour [`pRlq] fierce [fIqs] people [pJpl] desirous [dI`zaIqrqs]
1. He was a very silent man by custom. All day he hung round the cove, or upon the cliffs, with a brass telescope; all evening he sat in a corner of the parlour next the fire, and drank rum and water very strong. Mostly he would not speak when spoken to; only look up sudden and fierce, and blow through his nose like a fog-horn; and we and the people who came about our house soon learned to let him be. Every day, when he came back from his stroll, he would ask if any seafaring men had gone by along the road. At first we thought it was the want of company of his own kind that made him ask this question; but at last we began to see he was desirous to avoid them. When a seaman put up at the 'Admiral Benbow' (as now and then some did, making by the coast road for Bristol) he would look in at him through the curtained door before he entered the parlour; and he was always sure to be as silent as a mouse when any such was present.