Ray Bradbury A Sound of Thunder (20/25)

A sound on the floor of the Time Machine stiffened them (звук на полу Машины Времени оледенил их: to stiffen – делать жестким). Eckels sat there, shivering (сидел там, дрожа).

"I'm sorry (простите)," he said at last (сказал он наконец).

"Get up (вставайте)!" cried (закричал) Travis.

Eckels got up.

"Go out on that Path alone (выходите на Тропу один)," said Travis. He had his rifle pointed (он прицелился), "You're not coming back in the Machine (вы не вернетесь назад в Машине). We're leaving you here (мы оставляем вас здесь)!"

Lesperance seized Travis's arm (схватил руку Тревиса). "Wait (подожди) –"

"Stay out of this (держись подальше от этого)!" Travis shook his hand away (стряхнул его руку: to shake-shook-shaken – трясти, away – прочь). "This fool nearly killed us (этот дурак едва не убил нас). But it isn't that so much, no (но это еще не все, нет). It's his shoes (его ботинки)! Look at them (посмотри на них)! He ran off the Path (он сошел с Тропы). That ruins us (это разорит нас)! We'll forfeit (мы поплатимся)! Thousands of dollars of insurance (тысячи долларов страховки)! We guarantee no one leaves the Path (мы гарантируем, что никто не покинет Тропу). He left it (он покинул). Oh, the fool (дурак)! I'll have to report to the government (мне придется доложить правительству). They might revoke our license to travel (они могут аннулировать нашу лицензию на путешествия). Who knows what he's done to Time, to History (кто знает, что он сделал со временем, с историей)!"

"Take it easy (не принимай близко к сердцу), all he did was kick up some dirt (он просто собрал немного грязи: to kick up – швырять вверх ударом ноги; поднимать)."

"How do we know (как = откуда мы знаем)?" cried Travis. "We don't know anything (мы не знаем ничего)! It's all a mystery (все это тайна)! Get out of here (уходите отсюда), Eckels!"

Eckels fumbled his shirt (ощупал свою рубашку: to fumble – щупать, мять, теребить). "I'll pay anything (я заплачу сколько угодно). A hundred thousand dollars (сто тысяч долларов)!"

Travis glared at Eckels' checkbook and spat (посмотрел пристально на чековую книжку Экельса и плюнул: to glare – уставляться взглядом /часто злым/, пристально смотреть, to spit-spat-spat – плеваться). "Go out there (выходите). The Monster's next to the Path (чудовище /лежит/ рядом с Тропой). Stick your arms up to your elbows in his mouth (суньте руки до локтей в его рот: stick – палка, to stick – втыкать). Then you can come back with us (тогда вы вернетесь назад с нами)."

"That's unreasonable (это неразумно, несправедливо)!"

"The Monster's dead, you idiot (чудовище мертво, идиот). The bullets! The bullets can't be left behind (пули не могут оставаться в прошлом: behind – позади). They don't belong in the Past (они не относятся к прошлому); they might change anything (они могут изменить что-то). Here's my knife (вот мой нож). Dig them out (вырежьте их: to dig out – выкапывать)!"

A sound on the floor of the Time Machine stiffened them. Eckels sat there, shivering.

"I'm sorry," he said at last.

"Get up!" cried Travis.

Eckels got up.

"Go out on that Path alone," said Travis. He had his rifle pointed, "You're not coming back in the Machine. We're leaving you here!"

Lesperance seized Travis's arm. "Wait –"

"Stay out of this!" Travis shook his hand away. "This fool nearly killed us. But it isn't that so much, no. It's his shoes! Look at them! He ran off the Path. That ruins us! We'll forfeit! Thousands of dollars of insurance! We guarantee no one leaves the Path. He left it. Oh, the fool! I'll have to report to the government. They might revoke our license to travel. Who knows what he's done to Time, to History!"

"Take it easy, all he did was kick up some dirt."

"How do we know?" cried Travis. "We don't know anything! It's all a mystery! Getout of here, Eckels!"

Eckels fumbled his shirt. "I'll pay anything. A hundred thousand dollars!"

Travis glared at Eckels' checkbook and spat. "Go out there. The Monster's next to the Path. Stick your arms up to your elbows in his mouth. Then you can come back with us."

"That's unreasonable!"

"The Monster's dead, you idiot. The bullets! The bullets can't be left behind. They don't belong in the Past; they might change anything. Here's my knife. Dig them out!"