|
| Undoubtedly it was a light shining faintly, perhaps a hundred yards away. | Ярдах в ста действительно мерцал огонек. |
| To go there meant surrender - that was the first reaction of Hornblower's mind. | Идти туда значит сдаться - вот первое, о чем он подумал. |
| But to stay here meant death. | Остаться здесь значит умереть. |
| Even if by a miracle they could light a fire and survive the night here they would be caught next morning - and Bush would be dead for certain. | Даже если они чудом разожгут костер и переживут ночь, их поймают утром - а Буш, безусловно, умрет. |
| There had been a faint chance of life when he planned the escape from the coach, and now it was gone. | Когда Хорнблауэр замышлял побег, какие-то шансы у них были, теперь не осталось ни одного. |
| "We'll carry Mr Bush up," he said. | - Мистера Буша мы понесем, - сказал он. |
| "Aye aye, sir." | - Есть, сэр. |
| They plunged through the snow to where Bush lay. | Они побрели по снегу туда, где лежал Буш. |
| "There's a house just up the bank, Bush. | -Там на берегу дом. |
| We'll carry you there." | Мы понесем вас. |
| Hornblower was puzzled by his ability to think and to speak while he felt so weak; the ability seemed unreal, fictitious. | Хорнблауэр удивлялся, как при теперешней слабости может думать и говорить - это казалось фантастическим. |
| "Aye aye, sir." | - Есть, сэр. |
| They stooped and lifted him up between them, linking hands under his knees and behind his back. Bush put his arms round their necks; his flannel nightshirt dripped a further stream of water as they lifted him. | Они наклонились и подняли Буша, сцепив руки у него под коленями и за спиной; когда они его поднимали, с ночной рубашки потекла вода. |
| Then they started trudging, knee deep in the snow, up the bank towards the distant light. | Буш обхватил руками их плечи, и они, по колено в снегу, побрели вверх, к далекому огоньку. |
| They stumbled over obstructions hidden in the snow. | Они спотыкались о скрытые под снегом валуны и кочки. |
| They slipped and staggered. | Они скользили. |
| Then they slid down a bank and fell, all together, and Bush gave a cry of pain. | Один раз они проехались по склону и упали. Буш вскрикнул. |
| "Hurt, sir?" asked Brown. | - Ушиблись, сэр? - спросил Браун. |
| "Only jarred my stump. | - Только задел культю. |
| Captain, leave me here and send down help from the house." | Капитан, оставьте меня здесь и попросите в доме, чтоб вам помогли. |
| Hornblower could still think. | Хорнблауэр сохранил способность думать. |
| Without Bush to burden them they might reach the house a little quicker, but he could imagine all the delays that would ensue after they had knocked at the door - the explanations which would have to be made in his halting French, the hesitation and the time wasting before he could get a carrying party started off to find Bush - who meanwhile would be lying wet and naked in the snow. |