choice [COIs], decision [dI'sIZ(q)n], also ['LlsqV]

I must confess that I don't know much about these matters, but I couldn't see any mercy or favour in the punishment planned for me. Having thought about the choices open to me, I made a decision. In the end, this saved my eyes and also my life.

I decided to visit the Emperor of Blefuscu. I sent a letter to my friend, the Secretary, informing him of my plan to set out that morning for Blefuscu. After all, I had been given permission to do so.

Without waiting for an answer (не дожидаясь ответа), I went to the side of the island where the fleet was (я направился в /ту/ часть острова, где стоял флот). I took up the anchor of a large ship (я поднял якорь большого корабля) and placed my clothes in it (и положил в него свою одежду). Then, pulling the ship (затем, таща = ведя корабль за собою), I swam and waded to the royal port of Blefuscu (я плыл и шел вброд = то вброд, то вплавь я добрался до королевского порта Блефуску). The people had been expecting me (жители /уже/ ждали меня) and two guides directed me to the capital city (и два проводника показали мне дорогу в столицу; to direct — направлять; указывать дорогу), which is of the same name (носящую то же название /что и государство/).

answer ['Rnsq], pulling ['pVlIN], guide [gaId]

Without waiting for an answer, I went to the side of the island where the fleet was. I took up the anchor of a large ship and placed my clothes in it. Then, pulling the ship, I swam and waded to the royal port of Blefuscu. The people had been expecting me and two guides directed me to the capital city, which is of the same name.

I asked them to let His Majesty's Secretary know of my arrival (я попросил их известить о моем прибытии секретаря его величества). In about an hour, His Majesty and the royal family came to receive me (примерно через час его величество и /вся/ императорская семья прибыли встретить меня; to receive — получать; принимать). They didn't seem to be frightened (они не казались испуганными). I lay on the ground to kiss the Emperor's and the Empress's hand (я лег на землю, чтобы поцеловать руку императора и императрицы). I told him (я объявил ему = его величеству) I had come as promised (что прибыл /сюда/ согласно моему обещанию: «как обещал»), with the permission of the Emperor of Lilliput (с соизволения императора Лилипутии). I offered him anything in my power (/и/ предложил ему любые услуги, какие только в моих силах: «все, что в моих силах»), in keeping with my duty to the Emperor of Lilliput (/находящиеся/ в согласии с моими обязательствами = если они не будут противоречить моим обязательствам по отношению к императору Лилипутии; keeping — сохранение; удержание; соблюдение; согласие; соответствие; duty — долг, обязательство; обязанности).

arrival [q'raIv(q)l], Empress's ['emprIsIz], anything ['enITIN]

I asked them to let His Majesty's Secretary know of my arrival. In about an hour, His Majesty and the royal family came to receive me. They didn't seem to be frightened. I lay on the ground to kiss the Emperor's and the Empress's hand. I told him I had come as promised, with the permission of the Emperor of Lilliput. I offered him anything in my power, in keeping with my duty to the Emperor of Lilliput.

8

Three days after my arrival in Blefescu (через три дня после прибытия в Блефуску), I was taking a walk along the coast (я прогуливался вдоль берега; walk — шаг, ходьба; прогулка пешком) when I saw, about half a league out to sea (когда = и тут увидел на расстоянии полулиги в море), something that looked like an overturned boat (что-то похожее на опрокинутую лодку: «что-то, что выглядело как…»). I pulled off my shoes and stockings (я снял: «стянул» башмаки и чулки) and waded out two or three hundred yards (и прошел по дну двести или триста ярдов). I saw that it was a real boat (я увидел, что это настоящая лодка), which I supposed might have come from some ship in a storm (которая, /как/ я предполагал, могла оторваться во время бури/шторма от какого-нибудь корабля).

league [lJg], overturn ["qVvq'tWn], suppose [sq'pqVz]

Three days after my arrival in Blefescu, I was taking a walk along the coast when I saw, about half a league out to sea, something that looked like an overturned boat. I pulled off my shoes and stockings and waded out two or three hundred yards. I saw that it was a real boat, which I supposed might have come from some ship in a storm.

I went back to the city and asked His Majesty (я возвратился: «пошел обратно» в город и попросил его величество) to lend me twenty of his tallest boats (предоставить мне двадцать самых высоких = больших кораблей; to lend — одалживать, давать взаймы) and three thousand seamen under the command of his Vice-Admiral (и три тысячи матросов под командой вице-адмирала). This fleet sailed around the coast (эта флотилия пошла кругом берега = острова; sail — парус; to sail — плавать /под парусом/, плыть, идти /о судне/) while I went back the shortest way to the point (а я кратчайшим путем возвратился к /тому/ месту; point — точка; пункт, место) where I had first seen the boat (где вначале увидел лодку).

command [kq'mRnd], vice-admiral [vaIs'xdmqrql], around [q'raVnd]

I went back to the city and asked His Majesty to lend me twenty of his tallest boats and three thousand seamen under the command of his Vice-Admiral. This fleet sailed around the coast while I went back the shortest way to the point where I had first seen the boat.

I found that the tide had driven it nearer (я обнаружил, что прилив пригнал ее ближе; to drive). When I saw the fleet of ships coming (когда я увидел, что флотилия кораблей приближается) I waded out to within a hundred yards of the boat (я подошел к лодке вброд на расстояние сотни ярдов; within — внутри; не дальше чем, в пределах). Then I swam until I reached it (потом поплыл, пока не достиг ее). The seamen threw me a rope (матросы бросили мне веревку; to throw) which I fastened to a hole in the front of the boat (которую я привязал к отверстию в передней части лодки). I fastened the other end to a man-of-war (другой конец я привязал к военному кораблю = одному из военных кораблей). I swam behind and pushed the boat forward with one hand (/сам/ я поплыл сзади и подталкивал лодку вперед одной рукой) until I could feel my feet on the ground once more (пока не почувствовал, что снова могу достать ногами дна: «пока не смог почувствовать /что/ мои ноги опять на дне»).

driven [drIvn], threw [TrH], front [frAnt]

I found that the tide had driven it nearer. When I saw the fleet of ships coming I waded out to within a hundred yards of the boat. Then I swam until I reached it. The seamen threw me a rope which I fastened to a hole in the front of the boat. I fastened the other end to a man-of-war. I swam behind and pushed the boat forward with one hand until I could feel my feet on the ground once more.

I rested for two or three minutes (я отдохнул две или три минуты), then gave the boat another push (потом продолжал толкать лодку; push — толчок; толкание, пихание) until the sea was no higher than my arm-pits (до тех пор, пока море было = вода стала достигать не выше моих подмышек; arm — рука /от кисти до плеча/; pit — яма, углубление, впадина). I fastened more ropes to nine other ships (/тогда/ я привязал веревки еще к девяти другим кораблям; more — больше; еще; добавочный, дополнительный). There was a good wind (ветер был попутный: «хороший/благоприятный») and we eventually arrived within forty yards of the shore (и мы постепенно подошли на сорок ярдов к берегу; eventually — в конце концов; со временем). We waited until the tide was out (мы подождали = подождав, пока во время отлива вода отступила; tide — прилив и отлив; tide is out — произошел отлив; вода спала) and, with the assistance of two thousand men, we turned the boat over (я при помощи двух тысяч человек перевернул лодку). It was only slightly damaged (она была повреждена только = совсем немного).