Vengeance [`venG(q)ns], purgatory [`pq:gqt(q)rI], escape [I`skeIp]

Lawless the cook was by this time already at his second horn of ale. He raised it, as if to pledge the speaker.

"Master Ellis," he said, "y' are for vengeance — well it becometh you! — but your poor brother o' the greenwood, that had never lands to lose nor friends to think upon, looketh rather, for his poor part, to the profit of the thing. He had liever a gold noble and a bottle of canary wine than all the vengeances in purgatory."

"Lawless," replied the other, "to reach the Moat House, Sir Daniel must pass the forest. We shall make that passage dearer, pardy, than any battle. Then, when he hath got to earth with such ragged handful as escapeth us — all his great friends fallen and fled away, and none to give him aid — we shall beleaguer that old fox about, and great shall be the fall of him. 'Tis a fat buck; he will make a dinner for us all."

"Ay," returned Lawless (да, — сказал Лоулесс), "I have eaten many of these dinners beforehand (я съел много этих ужинов заранее = обещанных; to eat — есть); but the cooking of them is hot work, good Master Ellis (но приготовление их — горячая работа, добрый мастер Эллис). And meanwhile what do we (а пока что — что мы делаем)? We make black arrows, we write rhymes (мы делаем черные стрелы, мы пишем стишки), and we drink fair cold water, that discomfortable drink (и мы пьем простую холодную воду, этот ужасный напиток; discomfortable — неудобный, некомфортный)."

"Y' are untrue, Will Lawless (ты неправ, Уилл Лоулесс). Ye still smell of the Grey Friars' buttery (ты все еще пахнешь кладовкой Серых Братьев); greed is your undoing," answered Ellis (жадность — твоя погибель, — ответил Эллис). "We took twenty pounds from Appleyard (мы взяли двадцать фунтов у Эпплъярда). We took seven marks from the messenger last night (мы отобрали семь марок у гонца вчера ночью; last — последний). A day ago we had fifty from the merchant (день назад мы раздобыли пятьдесят от торговца)."

"And to-day," said one of the men (а сегодня, — сказал один из людей), "I stopped a fat pardoner riding apace for Holywood (я остановил жирного продавца индульгенций, скакавшего быстро к Холивуду; to pardon — прощать; отпускать грехи). Here is his purse (вот его кошель)."

Ellis counted the contents (Эллис подсчитал содержимое).

"Five score shillings!" he grumbled (сто шиллингов! — проворчал он). "Fool, he had more in his sandal (дурак, у него было больше — в сандалии), or stitched into his tippet (или зашито в шарф /широкий шерстяной или меховой шарф на плечах/). Y' are but a child, Tom Cuckow (ты как ребенок, Том Кукушка; but — только, лишь; cuckoo — кукушка); ye have lost the fish (ты упустил рыбу; to lose — терять)."

beforehand [bI`fO:hxnd], merchant [`mq:tSqnt], pardoner [`pQ:d(q)nq]

"Ay," returned Lawless, "I have eaten many of these dinners beforehand; but the cooking of them is hot work, good Master Ellis. And meanwhile what do we? We make black arrows, we write rhymes, and we drink fair cold water, that discomfortable drink."

"Y' are untrue, Will Lawless. Ye still smell of the Grey Friars' buttery; greed is your undoing," answered Ellis. "We took twenty pounds from Appleyard. We took seven marks from the messenger last night. A day ago we had fifty from the merchant."

"And to-day," said one of the men, "I stopped a fat pardoner riding apace for Holywood. Here is his purse."

Ellis counted the contents.

"Five score shillings!" he grumbled. "Fool, he had more in his sandal, or stitched into his tippet. Y' are but a child, Tom Cuckow; ye have lost the fish."

But, for all that (но при всем этом), Ellis pocketed the purse with nonchalance (Эллис прикарманил кошелек с беззаботностью). He stood leaning on his boar-spear (он стоял, опираясь на свою рогатину для вепрей), and looked round upon the rest (и оглядывал остальных). They, in various attitudes (они, в различных позах), took greedily of the venison pottage (жадно поглощали похлебку из оленины), and liberally washed it down with ale (и щедро запивали его элем: «смывали вниз»). This was a good day (это был хороший день); they were in luck (им повезло: «они были в удаче»); but business pressed (но дело поджимало), and they were speedy in their eating (и они были поспешны в еде). The first-comers had by this time even despatched their dinner (пришедшие первыми к этому времени даже покончили со своим обедом). Some lay down upon the grass (некоторые легли на траву; to lie down — лечь) and fell instantly asleep, like boa-constrictors (и немедленно заснули, как боа-констрикторы; to fall asleep — заснуть: «упасть спящим»); others talked together, or overhauled their weapons (другие говорили вместе = между собой или осматривали свое оружие): and one, whose humour was particularly gay (а один, чье настроение было особенно веселым), holding forth an ale-horn (выставив вперед рог с элем), began to sing (начал петь):

nonchalance [`nOnS(q)lqns], weapon [`wepqn], humour [`hjV:mq], particularly [pq`tIkjqlqlI]

But, for all that, Ellis pocketed the purse with nonchalance. He stood leaning on his boar-spear, and looked round upon the rest. They, in various attitudes, took greedily of the venison pottage, and liberally washed it down with ale. This was a good day; they were in luck; but business pressed, and they were speedy in their eating. The first-comers had by this time even despatched their dinner. Some lay down upon the grass and fell instantly asleep, like boa-constrictors; others talked together, or overhauled their weapons: and one, whose humour was particularly gay, holding forth an ale-horn, began to sing:

"Here is no law in good green shaw (здесь нет закона в зеленых зарослях), Here is no lack of meat (здесь нет недостатка в пище); 'Tis merry and quiet (весело и спокойно), with deer for our diet (с оленями нам в пищу; diet — питание, пища; еда, корм; стол), In summer, when all is sweet (летом, когда все приветливо).

Come winter again (как придет зима снова), with wind and rain (с ветром и дождем) — Come winter, with snow and sleet (как придет зима со снегом и градом), Get home to your places (возвращайтесь назад в свои дома: «домой в свои места»), with hoods on your faces (с капюшонами на лицах), And sit by the fire and eat (и сидите у очага и ешьте)."

diet [`daIqt]

"Here is no law in good green shaw, Here is no lack of meat; 'Tis merry and quiet, with deer for our diet, In summer, when all is sweet.

Come winter again, with wind and rain - Come winter, with snow and sleet, Get home to your places, with hoods on your faces, And sit by the fire and eat."

All this while the two lads had listened (все это время два юноши слушали) and lain close (и лежали, притаившись; to lie — лежать; close — закрытый; тайный; скрытый от глаз); only Richard had unslung his cross-bow (только Ричард снял с плеча свой арбалет; to unsling — снять с плеча; to sling — подвешивать /что-л./; вешать через плечо; sling — ремень), and held ready in one hand the windac (и держал готовым в одной руке «виндак»), or grappling-iron that he used to bend it (или железный крючок, который он использовал, чтобы натягивать его = натягивать тетиву; to grapple — зацепить, схватить, ухватить, захватить /крюком/; iron — железо). Otherwise they had not dared to stir (в остальном они не осмеливались пошевелиться); and this scene of forest life had gone on before their eyes like a scene upon a theatre (и эта сцена лесной жизни прошла перед их глазами, как сцена в театре; to go on — происходить: «идти дальше»). But now there came a strange interruption (но вот явилась странная помеха; to interrupt — прерывать). The tall chimney which over-topped the remainder of the ruins (высокая труба, которая возвышалась над развалинами) rose right above their hiding-place (поднималась прямо над их укрытием; to rise — подниматься). There came a whistle in the air (раздался свист в воздухе), and then a sounding smack (а затем звонкий стук), and the fragments of a broken arrow fell about their ears (и части сломанной стрелы упали рядом с их ушами = головами; to break — ломать; to fall — падать). Some one from the upper quarters of the wood (кто-то с верхних «этажей» леса; quarter — квартал, участок), perhaps the very sentinel they saw posted in the fir (возможно, тот самый часовой, /которого/ они видели разместившимся на ели), had shot an arrow at the chimney-top (пустил стрелу в верхушку трубы; to shoot — стрелять).

otherwise [`AðqwaIz], quarter [`kwO:tq], chimney [`tSImnI]

All this while the two lads had listened and lain close; only Richard had unslung his cross-bow, and held ready in one hand the windac, or grappling-iron that he used to bend it. Otherwise they had not dared to stir; and this scene of forest life had gone on before their eyes like a scene upon a theatre. But now there came a strange interruption. The tall chimney which over-topped the remainder of the ruins rose right above their hiding-place. There came a whistle in the air, and then a sounding smack, and the fragments of a broken arrow fell about their ears. Some one from the upper quarters of the wood, perhaps the very sentinel they saw posted in the fir, had shot an arrow at the chimney-top.

Matcham could not restrain a little cry (Мэтчем не смог сдержать тихого возгласа), which he instantly stifled (который он немедленно подавил), and even Dick started with surprise (и даже Дик вздрогнул от удивления), and dropped the windac from his fingers (и выпустил крючок из своих пальцев). But to the fellows on the lawn (но для парней на лужайке), this shaft was an expected signal (эта стрела была ожидаемым сигналом). They were all afoot together (они все были на ногах = поднялись на ноги вместе), tightening their belts (затягивая свои пояса), testing their bow-strings (проверяя тетивы), loosening sword and dagger in the sheath (ослабляя мечи и кинжалы в ножнах = вытаскивая /для проверки, легко ли вытаскивается/ мечи и кинжалы из ножен). Ellis held up his hand (Эллис поднял руку; to hold — держать); his face had suddenly assumed a look of savage energy (его лицо внезапно приобрело вид дикой энергии); the white of his eyes shone in his sun-brown face (белки его глаз сверкали на его загорелом лице: «коричневом от солнца»; to shine — светить, сиять).

"Lads," he said, "ye know your places (ребята, — сказал он, — вы знаете свои места). Let not one man's soul escape you (не дайте ни одной живой душе уйти от вас; to escape — сбежать). Appleyard was a whet before a meal (Эпплъярд был закуской перед едой); but now we go to table (а сейчас мы идем к столу). I have three men whom I will bitterly avenge (у меня три человека, за кого я горько отомщу) — Harry Shelton, Simon Malmesbury, and" — striking his broad bosom — "and Ellis Duckworth, by the mass (Гарри Шелтон, Саймон Малмсбери и — бия себя кулаком в грудь: «бия свою широкую грудь» — и Эллис Дакуорт, клянусь мессой)!"

restrain [rI`streIn], surprise [sq`praIz], assume [q`sjV:m], avenge [q`venG]

Matcham could not restrain a little cry, which he instantly stifled, and even Dick started with surprise, and dropped the windac from his fingers. But to the fellows on the lawn, this shaft was an expected signal. They were all afoot together, tightening their belts, testing their bow-strings, loosening sword and dagger in the sheath. Ellis held up his hand; his face had suddenly assumed a look of savage energy; the white of his eyes shone in his sun-brown face.

"Lads," he said, "ye know your places. Let not one man's soul escape you. Appleyard was a whet before a meal; but now we go to table. I have three men whom I will bitterly avenge — Harry Shelton, Simon Malmesbury, and" — striking his broad bosom — "and Ellis Duckworth, by the mass!"

Another man came (другой человек пришел), red with hurry (раскрасневшийся от спешки), through the thorns (через колючки).

"'Tis not Sir Daniel!" he panted (это не сэр Дэниел! — сказал он, запыхаясь). "They are but seven (их только семеро). Is the arrow gone (стрела улетела = пущена; to go — идти)?"

"It struck but now," replied Ellis (она вонзилась только что, — ответил Эллис; to strike — ударять).

"A murrain!" cried the messenger (черт возьми: «ящур/чума»! — вскричал гонец). "Methought I heard it whistle (мне казалось, я слышал, как она просвистела; to hear — слышать). And I go dinnerless (а я пойду без обида)!"

In the space of a minute (в течение минуты), some running (некоторые бегом; to run — бежать), some walking sharply (некоторые быстрым шагом; to walk — идти пешком; sharply — резко; sharp — острый), according as their stations were nearer or farther away (в зависимости от того, были ли их местоположения ближе или дальше), the men of the Black Arrow had all disappeared from the neighbourhood of the ruined house (люди Черной Стрелы все исчезли = ушли от разрушенного дома; neighbourhood — окрестности); and the caldron, and the fire (и котел, и костер), which was now burning low (который теперь горел тихо), and the dead deer's carcase on the hawthorn (и оленья туша на кусте боярышника), remained alone to testify they had been there (остались одни = единственным, чтобы свидетельствовать, что они там были).

whistle [wIsl], disappear [dIsq`pIq], caldron [`kO:ldrqn], testify [`testIfaI]

Another man came, red with hurry, through the thorns.

"'Tis not Sir Daniel!" he panted. "They are but seven. Is the arrow gone?"

"It struck but now," replied Ellis.

"A murrain!" cried the messenger. "Methought I heard it whistle. And I go dinnerless!"

In the space of a minute, some running, some walking sharply, according as their stations were nearer or farther away, the men of the Black Arrow had all disappeared from the neighbourhood of the ruined house; and the caldron, and the fire, which was now burning low, and the dead deer's carcase on the hawthorn, remained alone to testify they had been there.