Just then he saw a man-of-war bird with his long black wings circling in the sky ahead of him. He made a quick drop, slanting down on his back-swept wings, and then circled again

"He's got something," the old man said aloud. "He's not just looking."

He rowed slowly and steadily toward where the bird was circling (он греб медленно и монотонно к тому месту, где кружила птица). He did not hurry (он не спешил) and he kept his lines straight up and down (и держал лесы прямыми; up and down — вверх и вниз; вертикально). But he crowded the current a little (но он несколько быстрее пошел по течению; to crowd /on/ sail — спешить, идти на всех парусах) so that he was still fishing correctly (так что он все еще рыбачил правильно) though faster than he would have fished if he was not trying to use the bird (хотя быстрее, чем он бы рыбачил, если бы не пытался использовать птицу).

The bird went higher in the air and circled again (птица поднялась выше в воздух и снова закружила), his wings motionless (ее крылья /были при этом/ неподвижны). Then he dove suddenly (затем она неожиданно нырнула; to dive — нырять) and the old man saw flying fish spurt out of the water (и старик увидел, как летучая рыба выпрыгнула из воды; to spurt out — бить струей, выбрасывать /пламя/) and sail desperately over the surface (и отчаянно поплыла по поверхности).

"Dolphin (дорадо)," the old man said aloud (сказал вслух). "Big dolphin (крупная дорадо)."

He rowed slowly and steadily toward where the bird was circling. He did not hurry and he kept his lines straight up and down. But he crowded the current a little so that he was still fishing correctly though faster than he would have fished if he was not trying to use the bird.

The bird went higher in the air and circled again, his wings motionless. Then he dove suddenly and the old man saw flying fish spurt out of the water and sail desperately over the surface.

"Dolphin," the old man said aloud. "Big dolphin."

He shipped his oars (он поднял весла на борт; to ship — поднимать /весла/ на борт) and brought a small line from under the bow (и достал небольшую лесу из-под настила на носу лодки). It had a wire leader and a medium-sized hook (на ней была проволока и среднего размера крючок) and he baited it with one of the sardines (и он насадил на него одну из сардин). He let it go over the side and then made it fast to a ring bolt in the stern (он закинул ее /леску/ за борт и затем прикрепил к шурупу с ушком в корме). Then he baited another line and left it coiled in the shade of the bow (затем он насадил наживку на другую лесу и оставил ее свернутой в тени носа лодки). He went back to rowing and to watching the long-winged black bird who was working, now, low over the water (он продолжил грести и наблюдать за длиннокрылой черной птицей, которая работала = передвигалась/охотилась сейчас низко над водой).

As he watched the bird dipped again slanting his wings for the dive (пока он наблюдал, птица снова нырнула в воду, сложив крылья для погружения; to slant — отклонять) and then swinging them wildly and ineffectually as he followed the flying fish (и затем махая ими неистово и неэффективно, пока она следовала за летучей рыбой = пытаясь догнать летучую рыбу). The old man could see the slight bulge in the water (старик видел небольшую выпуклость в воде = как вода слегка вздымалась; slight — небольшой, незначительный; bulge — выпуклость, округлый выступ) that the big dolphin raised as they followed the escaping fish (которую поднимала крупная дорадо, гонясь за убегающей рыбой; to escape — убегать, спасаться бегством). The dolphin were cutting through the water below the flight of the fish (дорадо шла ей наперерез под /линией/ полета птицы; to cut — резать; сокращать путь, срезать) and would be in the water (и будет в воде), driving at speed (идя на скорости), when the fish dropped (когда рыба упадет). It is a big school of dolphin (это большая стая дорадо), he thought. They are widespread (они широко распространены = они плывут поодаль друг от друга) and the flying fish have little chance (и у летучей рыбы мало шансов). The bird has no chance (у птицы нет шансов). The flying fish are too big for him (летучая рыба слишком большая для нее) and they go too fast (и они слишком быстры).

He shipped his oars and brought a small line from under the bow. It had a wire leader and a medium-sized hook and he baited it with one of the sardines. He let it go over the side and then made it fast to a ring bolt in the stern. Then he baited another line and left it coiled in the shade of the bow. He went back to rowing and to watching the long-winged black bird who was working, now, low over the water.

As he watched the bird dipped again slanting his wings for the dive and then swinging them wildly and ineffectually as he followed the flying fish. The old man could see the slight bulge in the water that the big dolphin raised as they followed the escaping fish. The dolphin were cutting through the water below the flight of the fish and would be in the water, driving at speed, when the fish dropped. It is a big school of dolphin, he thought. They are widespread and the flying fish have little chance. The bird has no chance. The flying fish are too big for him and they go too fast.

He watched the flying fish burst out again and again and the ineffectual movements of the bird (он наблюдал, как летучая рыба выпрыгивает снова и снова, и за бесплодными движениями птицы). That school has gotten away from me (эта стая ушла от меня; to get away — убежать), he thought. They are moving out too fast and too far (они движутся слишком быстро и слишком далеко). But perhaps I will pick up a stray (но, возможно, я поймаю отбившегося от стаи; stray — отбившийся от стада; to stray — сбиться с пути, заблудиться; отбиться) and perhaps my big fish is around them (и, может, моя большая рыба среди них = где-нибудь поблизости). My big fish must be somewhere (моя большая рыба должна где-то быть).

The clouds over the land now rose like mountains (облака над землей сейчас возвышались, словно горы; to rise) and the coast was only a long green line with the gray blue hills behind it (и побережье было всего лишь длинной зеленой линией с серо-голубыми холмами позади). The water was a dark blue now (вода была теперь темно-синей), so dark that it was almost purple (настолько темной, что она была почти фиолетовой). As he looked down into it he saw the red sifting of the plankton in the dark water (когда он посмотрел вниз в нее, он увидел красные переливы: «пересыпания» планктона в темной воде; to sift — просеивать, сыпать через сито) and the strange light the sun made now (и причудливый: «странный» свет, отбрасываемый сейчас солнцем). He watched his lines to see them go straight down out of sight into the water (он наблюдал за своими лесами, уходящими прямо вниз, скрываясь из виду, в воду) and he was happy to see so much plankton because it meant fish (и он был рад видеть так много планктона, потому что это означало рыбу = сулило рыбу). The strange light the sun made in the water (причудливый отсвет, который делало солнце в воде), now that the sun was higher (сейчас, когда солнце было выше), meant good weather (означал хорошую погоду) and so did the shape of the clouds over the land (об этом же говорила и форма облаков над землей). But the bird was almost out of sight now (но птица уже почти скрылась из виду) and nothing showed on the surface of the water (и ничего не показывалось на поверхности воды) but some patches of yellow, sun-bleached Sargasso weed (кроме нескольких клочков желтых выгоревших на солнце саргассовых водорослей; to bleach — белить, отбеливать) and the purple, formalized, iridescent, gelatinous bladder (и фиолетового переливчатого студенистого пузыря) of a Portuguese man-of-war floating close beside the boat (португальской физалии, плывшей поблизости позади лодки; close — закрытый; близкий /о времени и месте/; близко расположенный). It turned on its side and then righted itself (она перевернулась на бок, а затем снова выправила себя = приняла прежнее положение). It floated cheerfully as a bubble (она весело плыла, как пузырек) with its long deadly purple filaments trailing a yard behind it in the water (с ее длинными смертоносными фиолетовыми щупальцами, тянущимися сзади в воде на целый ярд; filament — нить; волокно; маленькая толика чего-либо; trail — тянуться сзади).

He watched the flying fish burst out again and again and the ineffectual movements of the bird. That school has gotten away from me, he thought. They are moving out too fast and too far. But perhaps I will pick up a stray and perhaps my big fish is around them. My big fish must be somewhere.

The clouds over the land now rose like mountains and the coast was only a long green line with the gray blue hills behind it. The water was a dark blue now, so dark that it was almost purple. As he looked down into it he saw the red sifting of the plankton in the dark water and the strange light the sun made now. He watched his lines to see them go straight down out of sight into the water and he was happy to see so much plankton because it meant fish. The strange light the sun made in the water, now that the sun was higher, meant good weather and so did the shape of the clouds over the land. But the bird was almost out of sight now and nothing showed on the surface of the water but some patches of yellow, sun-bleached Sargasso weed and the purple, formalized, iridescent, gelatinous bladder of a Portuguese man-of-war floating close beside the boat. It turned on its side and then righted itself. It floated cheerfully as a bubble with its long deadly purple filaments trailing a yard behind it in the water.

"Agua mala (исп. ядовитая медуза; досл. плохая/злая вода)," the man said. "You whore (ах ты сука; whore — шлюха)."

From where he swung lightly against his oars he looked down into the water (cлегка наклонившись, опираясь на весла, он заглянул в воду; to swing — качать/ся/; махать, размахивать) and saw the tiny fish that were coloured like the trailing filaments (и увидел крошечных рыбешек, которые были окрашены так же, как и волочащиеся щупальца) and swam between them (и плавали между ними; to swim) and under the small shade the bubble made as it drifted (и под маленькой тенью, отбрасываемой плывущим пузырем). They were immune to its poison (они были неуязвимы к ее яду). But men were not (но люди нет) and when same of the filaments would catch on a line (и когда подобная щупальца зацепится за лесу) and rest there slimy and purple while the old man was working a fish (и пристает к ней, липкая и фиолетовая, пока старик вытаскивает рыбу), he would have welts and sores on his arms and hands (у него будут все руки до локтей в рубцах и язвах) of the sort that poison ivy or poison oak can give (наподобие тех, что могут дать ядовитый плющ или сумах: «ядовитый дуб»). But these poisonings from the agua mala came quickly and struck like a whiplash (но этот яд ядовитой медузы действовал быстро и бил словно кнутом; whip — кнут; to lash — хлестать, стегать).

The iridescent bubbles were beautiful (переливчатые пузыри были красивы). But they were the falsest thing in the sea (но они были самыми коварными жителями моря; false — фальшивый, обманный, коварный) and the old man loved to see the big sea turtles eating them (и старик любил смотреть, как их поедают большие морские черепахи). The turtles saw them (черепахи замечали их), approached them from the front (приближались к ним спереди), then shut their eyes so they were completely carapaced (затем закрывали глаза, чтобы быть полностью защищенными; carapace — панцирь) and ate them filaments and all (и съедали их вместе с щупальцами). The old man loved to see the turtles eat them (старик любил смотреть, как черепахи поедали их) and he loved to walk on them on the beach after a storm (и он любил пройтись по ним на берегу после шторма) and hear them pop when he stepped on them with the horny soles of his feet (и слышать, как они лопаются, когда он наступает на них мозолистой подошвой своих ног; horny — мозолистый, затвердевший; sole — подошва, ступня).

"Agua mala," the man said. "You whore."

From where he swung lightly against his oars he looked down into the water and saw the tiny fish that were coloured like the trailing filaments and swam between them and under the small shade the bubble made as it drifted. They were immune to its poison. But men were not and when same of the filaments would catch on a line and rest there slimy and purple while the old man was working a fish, he would have welts and sores on his arms and hands of the sort that poison ivy or poison oak can give. But these poisonings from the agua mala came quickly and struck like a whiplash.

The iridescent bubbles were beautiful. But they were the falsest thing in the sea and the old man loved to see the big sea turtles eating them. The turtles saw them, approached them from the front, then shut their eyes so they were completely carapaced and ate them filaments and all. The old man loved to see the turtles eat them and he loved to walk on them on the beach after a storm and hear them pop when he stepped on them with the horny soles of his feet.

He loved green turtles and hawk-bills (он любил зеленых черепах и бисс; hawk-bill — бисса /морская черепаха/) with their elegance and speed and their great value (за их изящество, скорость и большую ценность; elegance — изящность, элегантность) and he had a friendly contempt for the huge, stupid loggerheads (и он испытывал дружеское = снисходительное презрение к огромным глупым грифовым черепахам; contempt — презрение), yellow in their armour-plating (желтым в своей пластинчатой броне; plating — покрытие из пластин), strange in their love-making (чудным/прихотливым в своих любовных играх), and happily eating the Portuguese men-of-war with their eyes shut (и счастливым, когда поедают португальских физалий с закрытыми глазами).

He had no mysticism about turtles (он не разделял суеверных верований в черепах) although he had gone in turtle boats for many years (хотя он и ходил с охотниками за черепахами: «черепашьих лодках» много лет). He was sorry for them all (ему было их всех жалко), even the great trunk backs (даже больших кожистых черепах; trunkback — кожистая черепаха) that were as long as the skiff and weighed a ton (которые длинные, как лодка, и весят тонну). Most people are heartless about turtles (большинство людей бессердечны к черепахам) because a turtle's heart will beat for hours after he has been cut up and butchered (потому что черепашье сердце будет биться несколько часов после того, как черепаху разрежут на куски). But the old man thought, I have such a heart too and my feet and hands are like theirs (но у меня такое же сердце, а ноги и руки такие же как у них = похожи на их лапы). He ate the white eggs to give himself strength (он ел белые яйца, чтобы дать себе силы). He ate them all through May to be strong in September and October for the truly big fish (он ел их весь май, чтобы быть сильным в сентябре и октябре для действительно большой рыбы).

He loved green turtles and hawk-bills with their elegance and speed and their great value and he had a friendly contempt for the huge, stupid loggerheads, yellow in their armour-plating, strange in their love-making, and happily eating the Portuguese men-of-war with their eyes shut.

He had no mysticism about turtles although he had gone in turtle boats for many years. He was sorry for them all, even the great trunk backs that were as long as the skiff and weighed a ton. Most people are heartless about turtles because a turtle's heart will beat for hours after he has been cut up and butchered. But the old man thought, I have such a heart too and my feet and hands are like theirs. He ate the white eggs to give himself strength. He ate them all through May to be strong in September and October for the truly big fish.

He also drank a cup of shark liver oil each day (он также выпивал кружку жира из акульей печенки каждый день) from the big drum in the shack where many of the fishermen kept their gear (из большой бочки в сарае, где многие рыбаки хранили свои снасти). It was there for all fishermen who wanted it (жир был там для всех рыбаков, кто захочет). Most fishermen hated the taste (большинство рыбаков ненавидели = терпеть не могли вкус). But it was no worse than getting up at the hours that they rose (но это было не хуже, чем вставать в часы, в которые они вставали) and it was very good against all colds (и был очень хорош против всяких простуд) and grippes (и гриппа) and it was good for the eyes (и был полезен для глаз).

Now the old man looked up and saw that the bird was circling again (сейчас старик посмотрел вверх и увидел, что птица снова кружится).

"He's found fish (она нашла рыбу)," he said aloud (сказал он вслух). No flying fish broke the surface (ни одна летучая рыба не нарушила гладь воды; to break — ломать, разбивать) and there was no scattering of bait fish (и не было видно мелкой рыбешки; scattering — рассеивание, рассыпание; небольшое количество; to scatter — рассеивать). But as the old man watched, a small tuna rose in the air, turned and dropped head first into the water (но пока старик наблюдал, маленьких тунец выпрыгнул: «поднялся» в воздух, перевернулся и упал головой вниз в воду). The tuna shone silver in the sun (тунец сверкнул серебром на солнце; to shine — светить, сиять) and after he had dropped back into the water (и после того, как он ушел назад в воду) another and another rose and they were jumping in all directions (другие стали подниматься и прыгали во всех направлениях), churning the water and leaping in long jumps after the bait (взбалтывая воду и прыгая длинными прыжками за мелкой рыбешкой; to churn — взбалтывать, вспенивать; to leap — прыгать). They were circling it and driving it (они кружили вокруг нее и гнали ее перед собой; to drive — гнать, преследовать).

He also drank a cup of shark liver oil each day from the big drum in the shack where many of the fishermen kept their gear. It was there for all fishermen who wanted it. Most fishermen hated the taste. But it was no worse than getting up at the hours that they rose and it was very good against all colds and grippes and it was good for the eyes.