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| "How well it was said," answered the fisherman, "that Swords can be kept off with shields but the Eye of Wisdom pierces through every defence! | - Давно сказал кто-то, - отвечал рыбак, - что око мудрости острее копья! |
| Know then, O my formidable guest, that because of my extreme poverty I have never married and have no child. | Знай же, о мой высокородный гость, что я, по бедности своей, никогда не был женат. |
| But in that same year in which the Tisroc (may he live for ever) began his august and beneficent reign, on a night when the moon was at her full, it pleased the gods to deprive me of my sleep. | Но в год, когда Тисрок (да живет он вечно) начал свое великое и благословенное царствование, в ночь полнолуния, боги лишили меня сна. |
| Therefore I arose from my bed in this hovel and went forth to the beach to refresh myself with looking upon the water and the moon and breathing the cool air. | Я встал с постели и вышел поглядеть на луну. |
| And presently I heard a noise as of oars coming to me across the water and then, as it were, a weak cry. | Вдруг послышался плеск воды, словно кто-то греб веслами, и слабый крик. |
| And shortly after, the tide brought to the land a little boat in which there was nothing but a man lean with extreme hunger and thirst who seemed to have died but a few moments before (for he was still warm), and an empty water-skin, and a child, still living. | Немного позже прилив прибил к берегу маленькую лодку, в которой лежал иссушенный голодом человек. Должно быть, он только что умер, ибо он еще не остыл, а рядом с ним был пустой сосуд и живой младенец. |
| "Doubtless," said I, "these unfortunates have escaped from the wreck of a great ship, but by the admirable designs of the gods, the elder has starved himself to keep the child alive and has perished in sight of land." Accordingly, remembering how the gods never fail to reward those who befriend the destitute, and being moved by compassion (for your servant is a man of tender heart) -" | Вспомнив о том, что боги не оставляют без награды доброе дело, я прослезился, ибо раб твой мягкосердечен, и... |
| "Leave out all these idle words in your own praise," interrupted the Tarkaan. | - Не хвали себя, - прервал его тархан. |
| "It is enough to know that you took the child - and have had ten times the worth of his daily bread out of him in labour, as anyone can see. | - Ты взял младенца, и он отработал тебе вдесятеро твою скудную пищу. |
| And now tell me at once what price you put on him, for I am wearied with your loquacity." | Теперь скажи мне цену, ибо я устал от твоего пусторечия. |
| "You yourself have wisely said," answered Arsheesh, "that the boy's labour has been to me of inestimable value. This must be taken into account in fixing the price. | - Ты мудро заметил, господин, - сказал рыбак, -что труд его выгоден мне. |
| For if I sell the boy I must undoubtedly either buy or hire another to do his work." | Если я продам этого отрока, я должен купить или нанять другого. |
| "I'll give you fifteen crescents for him," said the Tarkaan. | - Даю тебе пятнадцать полумесяцев, - сказал тархан. |
| "Fifteen!" cried Arsheesh in a voice that was something between a whine and a scream. | - Пятнадцать! - взвыл Аршиш. |
| "Fifteen! For the prop of my old age and the delight of my eyes! | - Пятнадцать монет за усладу моих очей и опору моей старости! |
| Do not mock my grey beard, Tarkaan though you be. | Не смейся надо мною, я сед. |
| My price is seventy." | Моя цена - семьдесят полумесяце?.. |
| At this point Shasta got up and tiptoed away. | Тут Шаста поднялся и тихо ушел. |
| He had heard all he wanted, for he had open listened when men were bargaining in the village and knew how it was done. | Он знал, как люди торгуются. |
| He was quite certain that Arsheesh would sell him in the end for something much more than fifteen crescents and much less than seventy, but that he and the Tarkaan would take hours in getting to an agreement. | Он знал, что Аршиш выручит за него больше пятнадцати монет, но меньше семидесяти, и что спор протянется не один час. |
| You must not imagine that Shasta felt at all as you and I would feel if we had just overheard our parents talking about selling us for slaves. |
