agreeable [q`grJqbl] bundle [`bAndl] scissors [`sIzqz] unintelligible [AnIn`telIGqbl] sew [squ]

“Very well,” said the doctor. “Now, then, if Jim is agreeable we’ll open the packet;” and he laid it before him on the table.

The bundle was sewn together, and the doctor had to get out his instrument-case, and cut the stitches with his medical scissors. It contained two things — a book and a sealed paper.

“First of all we’ll try the book,” observed the doctor.

The squire and I were both peering over his shoulder he opened it, for Dr. Livesey had kindly motioned me to come round from the side-table, where I had been eating, to enjoy the sport of the search. On the first page there were only some scraps of writing, such as a man with a pen in his hand might make for idleness or practice. One was the same as the tattoo mark, “Billy Bones his fancy”; then there was “Mr. W. Bones mate,” “No more rum,” “Off Palm Key he got itt”; and some other snatches, mostly single words and unintelligible. I could not help wondering who it was that had “got itt,” and what “itt” was that he got. A knife in his back as like as not.

“Not much instruction there (не много указаний = отсюда немного узнаешь),” said Dr. Livesey, as he passed on (переходя дальше = к следующей странице).

The next ten or twelve pages were filled with a curious series of entries (следующие десять или двенадцать страниц были заполнены странными записями; series — серия; группа). There was a date at one end of the line (дата стояла на одном конце строки) and at the other a sum of money (а на другом — сумма денег), as in common account-books (как в обычных бухгалтерских книгах; account — счет, отчет); but instead of explanatory writing (но вместо объяснительных записей), only a varying number of crosses between the two (только различное число крестиков /стояло/ между этими двумя = в промежутке; to vary — менять, меняться, отличаться). On the 12th of June, 1745, for instance (двенадцатого июня 1745 года, например), a sum of seventy pounds had plainly become due to someone (сумма в семьдесят фунтов, очевидно, предназначалась кому-то; due to — причитающийся), and there was nothing but six crosses to explain the cause (там не было ничего, кроме шести крестиков, /заменявших/ объяснение причины: «чтобы объяснить причину /основание/»). In a few cases, to be sure (в нескольких случаях, впрочем), the name of a place would be added (добавлялось название места), as “Offe Caraccas” (например, «Против Каракаса»); or a mere entry of latitude and longitude, as (или только запись широты и долготы, как, например) “62° 17′ 20″, 19° 2′ 40″.”

The record lasted over nearly twenty years (запись продолжалась = велась почти двадцать лет), the amount of the separate entries growing larger as time went on (суммы в отдельных записях росли с течением времени), and at the end a grand total had been made out after five or six wrong additions (в конце общий итог был выписан после пяти-шести ошибочных сложений = подсчетов), and these words appended, “Bones, his pile (и эти слова присоединялись = было подписано: «Бонс, его доля»; pile — куча, пачка, деньги).”

varying [`veqrIN] latitude [`lxtItjHd] cause [kLz] separate [`seprIt] due [djH]

“Not much instruction there,” said Dr. Livesey, as he passed on.

The next ten or twelve pages were filled with a curious series of entries. There was a date at one end of the line and at the other a sum of money, as in common account-books; but instead of explanatory writing, only a varying number of crosses between the two. On the 12th of June, 1745, for instance, a sum of seventy pounds had plainly become due to someone, and there was nothing but six crosses to explain the cause. In a few cases, to be sure, the name of a place would be added, as “Offe Caraccas”; or a mere entry of latitude and longitude, as “62° 17′ 20″, 19° 2′ 40″.”

The record lasted over nearly twenty years, the amount of the separate entries growing larger as time went on, and at the end a grand total had been made out after five or six wrong additions, and these words appended, “Bones, his pile.”

“I can’t make head or tail of this (я не могу разобраться в этом: «сделать голову или хвост»),” said Dr. Livesey.

“The thing is as clear as noonday (дело ясно, как полдень = все ясно, как день: «полдень»),” cried the squire. “This is the black-hearted hound’s account-book (это бухгалтерская = счетная книга злобного подлеца: «черносердечной собаки»). These crosses stand for the names of ships or towns that they sank or plundered (эти крестики означают названия кораблей или городов, которые они потопили или ограбили). The sums are the scoundrel’s share (суммы — доля этого негодяя), and where he feared an ambiguity (и где он боялся двусмысленности = неточности), you see he added something clearer (видите, он добавил некоторые пояснения: «что-либо более ясное»). ‘Offe Caraccas,’ now; you see, here was some unhappy vessel boarded off that coast («Против Каракаса», итак, вы видите, какое-то несчастное судно /было/ ограблено у того побережья; to board — идти на абордаж). God help the poor souls that manned her (спаси Господи те бедные души, плывшие на нем; to man — сажать людей /на корабль/, укомплектовать личным составом) — coral long ago (/которые превратились/ в кораллы уже давно).”

“Right (правильно)!” said the doctor. “See what it is to be a traveler (видите, /вот/ что значит быть путешественником). Right! And the amounts increase, you see, as he rose in rank (и доля его растет, видите, по мере того, как он повышался в чине).”

plundered [`plAndqd] scoundrel [`skaundrql] ambiguity [xmbI`gjHItI] increase [in`krJs]

“I can’t make head or tail of this,” said Dr. Livesey.

“The thing is as clear as noonday,” cried the squire. “This is the black-hearted hound’s account-book. These crosses stand for the names of ships or towns that they sank or plundered. The sums are the scoundrel’s share, and where he feared an ambiguity, you see he added something clearer. ‘Offe Caraccas,’ now; you see, here was some unhappy vessel boarded off that coast. God help the poor souls that manned her — coral long ago.”

“Right!” said the doctor. “See what it is to be a traveller. Right! And the amounts increase, you see, as he rose in rank.”