Ray Bradbury A Sound of Thunder (13/25)

"Strange (странно)," murmured (пробормотал) Eckels. "Up ahead, sixty million years (впереди шестьдесят миллионов лет), Election Day over (день выборов прошел).

Keith made President (Кейт стал Президентом: одно из значений слова to make – становиться). Everyone celebrating (все празднуют). And here we are (и вот мы здесь), a million years lost (миллиона лет нет: lost – потерянный), and they don't exist (и они не существуют). The things we worried about for months, a lifetime (вещи, о которых мы беспокоились месяцами, всю жизнь), not even born or thought of yet (даже не появились на свет или о них еще и не думали)."

"Safety catches off, everyone (всем снять ружья с предохранителя: safety catch – предохранительная задвижка)!" ordered (приказал) Travis. "You, first shot (ваш первый выстрел), Eckels. Second, Billings, Third, Kramer."

"I've hunted tiger, wild boar, buffalo, elephant (я охотился на тигра, дикого кабана, буйвола, слона), but now, this is it (но сейчас другое дело: this is it – 1) вот оно; началось 2) вот и все; и больше к этому нечего добавить)," said Eckels. "I'm shaking like a kid (я дрожу как ребенок: kid – козленок, ребенок /разг./)."

"Ah," said Travis.

Everyone stopped (все остановились).

Travis raised his hand (поднял руку). "Ahead (впереди)," he whispered (прошептал).

"In the mist (в тумане). There he is. There's His Royal Majesty now (вот Его Королевское Величество сейчас)."

The jungle was wide (джунгли были обширными) and full of twitterings, rustlings, murmurs, and sighs (и полными щебетания, шорохов, бормотания и вздохов).

Suddenly it all ceased (внезапно все прекратилось), as if someone had shut a door (как будто кто-то закрыл дверь).

Silence (тишина).

A sound of thunder (звук грома).

"Strange," murmured Eckels. "Up ahead, sixty million years, Election Day over.

Keith made President. Everyone celebrating. And here we are, a million years lost, and they don't exist. The things we worried about for months, a lifetime, not even born or thought of yet."

"Safety catches off, everyone!" ordered Travis. "You, first shot, Eckels. Second, Billings, Third, Kramer."

"I've hunted tiger, wild boar, buffalo, elephant, but now, this is it," said Eckels.

"I'm shaking like a kid."

"Ah," said Travis.

Everyone stopped.

Travis raised his hand. "Ahead," he whispered. "In the mist. There he is. There's His Royal Majesty now."

The jungle was wide and full of twitterings, rustlings, murmurs, and sighs.

Suddenly it all ceased, as if someone had shut a door.

Silence.

A sound of thunder.