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| The sight was like a tonic to Hornblower. | Зрелище это ободрило Хорнблауэра. |
| His cares dropped from him, and he knew the joy and thrill of reckless bravery. | Тревоги отпустили, сменившись радостной, бесшабашной отвагой. |
| Beyond the next bridge the maritime port began. | За следующим мостом начался морской порт. |
| Here first were the fishing boats - Hornblower looked keenly at them, for he had in mind to steal one of them. | Сперва стали попадаться рыбачьи лодки -Хорнблауэр разглядывал их пристально, так как намеревался одну украсть. |
| His experience under Pellew in the blockading squadron years ago was serving him in good stead now, for he knew the ways of those fishing boats. | К счастью, он многое узнал об этих лодках, служа под началом у Пелью в блокадной эскадре. |
| They were accustomed to ply their trade among the islands of the Breton coast, catching the pilchards which the French persisted in calling 'sardines', and bringing their catch up the estuary to sell in the market at Nantes. | Они промышляли сардин у бретонских островов и везли в Нант продавать. |
| He and Bush and Brown between them could handle one of those boats with ease, and they were seaworthy enough to take them safely out to the blockading squadron, or to England if necessary. | Втроем он, Браун и Буш легко смогут управлять такой лодкой, при этом маленькие суденышки достаточно мореходны, чтоб добраться до блокадной эскадры, а, если понадобится, то и до Англии. |
| He was practically certain that he would decide upon such a plan, so that as they rowed by he sharply ordered Brown to pull more slowly, and he turned all his attention upon them. | Хорнблауэр был почти уверен, что остановится на этом плане, поэтому велел Брауну грести помедленней, сам же внимательно разглядывал лодки. |
| Below the fishing boats two American ships were lying against the quay, the Stars and Stripes fluttering jauntily in the gentle wind. | За рыбачьими суденышками у пристани стояли два американских корабля под звездно-полосатыми флагами. |
| His attention was caught by a dreary clanking of chains - the ships were being emptied of their cargoes by gangs of prisoners, each man staggering bent double under a bag of grain. | Внимание Хорнблауэра привлекло унылое звяканье цепей - на разгрузке работали арестанты, каждый, согнувшись вдвое, нес на спине мешок с зерном. |
| That was interesting. Hornblower looked again. | Хорнблауэр заинтересовался и взглянул пристальнее. |
| The chain gangs were under the charge of soldiers -Hornblower could see the shakos and the flash of the musket barrels - which gave him an insight into who the poor devils might be. |