The tide was running out pretty rapidly when they reached the landing-stage (вода отливала довольно быстро = был отлив, и течение было довольно быстрое, когда они добрались до пристани; tide — прилив и отлив, поток, течение; to run out — выбегать, вытекать), and there was a stiff breeze blowing across the river (и сильный ветер дул с реки), but this did not trouble them at all, and they proceeded to select their boat (но это вовсе их не беспокоило, и они начали выбирать лодку; to proceed — приступать, приниматься за).

serpentine ['s@:p@ntaIn] select [sI'lekt]

George never went near the water until he was sixteen. Then he and eight other gentlemen of about the same age went down in a body to Kew one Saturday, with the idea of hiring a boat there, and pulling to Richmond and back; one of their number, a shock-headed youth, named Joskins, who had once or twice taken out a boat on the Serpentine, told them it was jolly fun, boating!

The tide was running out pretty rapidly when they reached the landing-stage, and there was a stiff breeze blowing across the river, but this did not trouble them at all, and they proceeded to select their boat.

There was an eight-oared racing outrigger drawn up on the stage (на пристани стояла восьмивесельная гоночная лодка; to draw up; outrigger — аутригер /гребное судно с выносными уключинами/); that was the one that took their fancy (которая /была той, что/ приглянулась им; to take somebody`s fancy). They said they'd have that one, please (они сказали: «Вот эту, пожалуйста»). The boatman was away, and only his boy was in charge (лодочника не было, только его сын был за старшего; to be in charge — заведовать, руководить; стоять во главе). The boy tried to damp their ardour for the outrigger (мальчик попытался охладить их пыл к аутригеру; ardour — жар, рвение, пыл), and showed them two or three very comfortable-looking boats of the family-party build, but those would not do at all (и показал им две-три очень удобных лодки семейной конструкции = для семейного путешествия, но они совершенно не подходили); the outrigger was the boat they thought they would look best in (аутригер был той лодкой, по их мнению, в которой они будут выглядеть лучше всего).

So the boy launched it, and they took off their coats and prepared to take their seats (поэтому мальчик спустил ее на воду, они сняли куртки и приготовились = начали рассаживаться). The boy suggested that George, who, even in those days (мальчик высказал мнение, что Джорджу, который уже в те дни; even — даже), was always the heavy man of any party, should be number four (был всегда самым тяжелым в любой компании, следует быть номером четыре). George said he should be happy to be number four, and promptly stepped into bow's place (Джордж сказал, что рад быть номером четыре, и быстро занял место на носу; to step into — входить; to step into a car — сесть в автомобиль), and sat down with his back to the stern (и сел спиной к корме; to sit down). They got him into his proper position at last, and then the others followed (его посадили как следует: «в правильное положение» наконец, и затем остальные последовали = тоже расселись).

ardour ['A:d@] launch [lO:ntS]

There was an eight-oared racing outrigger drawn up on the stage; that was the one that took their fancy. They said they'd have that one, please. The boatman was away, and only his boy was in charge. The boy tried to damp their ardour for the outrigger, and showed them two or three very comfortable-looking boats of the family-party build, but those would not do at all; the outrigger was the boat they thought they would look best in.

So the boy launched it, and they took off their coats and prepared to take their seats. The boy suggested that George, who, even in those days, was always the heavy man of any party, should be number four. George said he should be happy to be number four, and promptly stepped into bow's place, and sat down with his back to the stern. They got him into his proper position at last, and then the others followed.

A particularly nervous boy was appointed cox (чрезвычайно нервного мальчика назначили рулевым; cox = coxswain — старшина шлюпки, рулевой), and the steering principle explained to him by Joskins (и основы управления рулем объяснил ему Джоскинс; principle — принцип, норма, основа). Joskins himself took stroke (сам Джоскинс сел загребным; stroke — удар; взмах веслом; загребное весло; загребной /гребец, сидящий ближе других к корме/). He told the others that it was simple enough (он сказал остальным, что это довольно просто); all they had to do was to follow him (все, что им нужно делать — повторять за ним).

They said they were ready, and the boy on the landing stage took a boat-hook and shoved them off (они сказали, что готовы, и мальчик на пристани взял багор и оттолкнул их).

What then followed George is unable to describe in detail (что последовало затем, Джордж не может описать подробно). He has a confused recollection of having, immediately on starting (он смутно помнит, что сразу же после старта; confused — смущенный; сбивчивый, спутанный), received a violent blow in the small of the back from the butt-end of number five's scull (получил сильный удар в поясницу рукоятью весла номера пятого; butt-end — толстый конец; хвостовая часть), at the same time that his own seat seemed to disappear from under him by magic (и в то же время /почувствовал/, что его сиденье исчезает из-под него /словно/ по волшебству), and leave him sitting on the boards (и оставляет его сидеть на досках = на дне). He also noticed, as a curious circumstance (он также отметил как любопытную деталь; circumstance — обстоятельство; случай, деталь, подробность), that number two was at the same instant lying on his back at the bottom of the boat (что номер два в тот же миг лежал на спине на дне лодки), with his legs in the air, apparently in a fit (задрав ноги вверх, очевидно, в припадке).

received [rI'si:vd] instant ['Inst@nt]

A particularly nervous boy was appointed cox, and the steering principle explained to him by Joskins. Joskins himself took stroke. He told the others that it was simple enough; all they had to do was to follow him.

They said they were ready, and the boy on the landing stage took a boat-hook and shoved them off.

What then followed George is unable to describe in detail. He has a confused recollection of having, immediately on starting, received a violent blow in the small of the back from the butt-end of number five's scull, at the same time that his own seat seemed to disappear from under him by magic, and leave him sitting on the boards. He also noticed, as a curious circumstance, that number two was at the same instant lying on his back at the bottom of the boat, with his legs in the air, apparently in a fit.