×

We use cookies to help make LingQ better. By visiting the site, you agree to our cookie policy.


image

The Princess and the Goblin, CHAPTER 29, part 1

CHAPTER 29, part 1

CHAPTER 29

Masonwork

He had all at once remembered the resolution of the goblins to carry out their second plan upon the failure of the first. No doubt they were already busy, and the mine was therefore in the greatest danger of being flooded and rendered useless--not to speak of the lives of the miners.

When he reached the mouth of the mine, after rousing all the miners within reach, he found his father and a good many more just entering. They all hurried to the gang by which he had found a way into the goblin country. There the foresight of Peter had already collected a great many blocks of stone, with cement, ready for building up the weak place--well enough known to the goblins. Although there was not room for more than two to be actually building at once, they managed, by setting all the rest to work in preparing the cement and passing the stones, to finish in the course of the day a huge buttress filling the whole gang, and supported everywhere by the live rock. Before the hour when they usually dropped work, they were satisfied the mine was secure.

They had heard goblin hammers and pickaxes busy all the time, and at length fancied they heard sounds of water they had never heard before. But that was otherwise accounted for when they left the mine, for they stepped out into a tremendous storm which was raging all over the mountain. The thunder was bellowing, and the lightning lancing out of a huge black cloud which lay above it and hung down its edges of thick mist over its sides. The lightning was breaking out of the mountain, too, and flashing up into the cloud. From the state of the brooks, now swollen into raging torrents, it was evident that the storm had been storming all day.

The wind was blowing as if it would blow him off the mountain, but, anxious about his mother and the princess, Curdie darted up through the thick of the tempest. Even if they had not set out before the storm came on, he did not judge them safe, for in such a storm even their poor little house was in danger. Indeed he soon found that but for a huge rock against which it was built, and which protected it both from the blasts and the waters, it must have been swept if it was not blown away; for the two torrents into which this rock parted the rush of water behind it united again in front of the cottage--two roaring and dangerous streams, which his mother and the princess could not possibly have passed. It was with great difficulty that he forced his way through one of them, and up to the door.

The moment his hand fell on the latch, through all the uproar of winds and Waters came the joyous cry of the princess:

'There's Curdie! Curdie! Curdie!'

CHAPTER 29, part 1

CHAPTER 29

Masonwork

He had all at once remembered the resolution of the goblins to carry out their second plan upon the failure of the first. No doubt they were already busy, and the mine was therefore in the greatest danger of being flooded and rendered useless--not to speak of the lives of the miners. Несомненно, они уже были заняты, и поэтому рудник находился в величайшей опасности быть затопленным и сделаться бесполезным, не говоря уже о жизнях горняков.

When he reached the mouth of the mine, after rousing all the miners within reach, he found his father and a good many more just entering. They all hurried to the gang by which he had found a way into the goblin country. Все они поспешили к банде, с которой он нашел путь в страну гоблинов. There the foresight of Peter had already collected a great many blocks of stone, with cement, ready for building up the weak place--well enough known to the goblins. Там предусмотрительность Питера уже собрала великое множество каменных блоков с цементом, готовых для застройки слабых мест, достаточно хорошо известных гоблинам. Although there was not room for more than two to be actually building at once, they managed, by  setting all the rest to work in preparing the cement and passing the stones, to finish in the course of the day a huge buttress filling the whole gang, and supported everywhere by the live rock. Хотя в действительности не было места больше чем для двоих, чтобы строить сразу, им удалось, заставив всех остальных работать над приготовлением цемента и передачей камней, закончить в течение дня огромный контрфорс, заполняющий всю банду. , и везде поддерживается живым роком. Before the hour when they usually dropped work, they were satisfied the mine was secure.

They had heard goblin hammers and pickaxes busy all the time, and at length fancied they heard sounds of water they had never heard before. But that was otherwise accounted for when they left the mine, for they stepped out into a tremendous storm which was raging all over the mountain. Но это было иначе, когда они покинули шахту, потому что они вступили в страшную бурю, бушевавшую по всей горе. The thunder was bellowing, and the lightning lancing out of a huge black cloud which lay above it and hung down  its edges of thick mist over its sides. Ревел гром, и молнии вырывались из огромной черной тучи, которая лежала над ним и свисала краями густого тумана над его боками. The lightning was breaking out of the mountain, too, and flashing up into the cloud. Молния тоже вырвалась из горы и вспыхнула в облаке. From the state of the brooks, now swollen into raging torrents, it was evident that the storm had been storming all day.

The wind was blowing as if it would blow him off the mountain, but, anxious about his mother and the princess, Curdie darted up through the thick of the tempest. Ветер дул так, будто хотел сдуть его с горы, но, беспокоясь о своей матери и принцессе, Курди рванулся вверх сквозь самую гущу бури. Even if they had not set out before the storm came on, he did not judge them safe, for in such a storm even their poor little house was in danger. Даже если они не отправились в путь до того, как разразилась буря, он не считал их в безопасности, потому что в такую бурю даже их бедный домик был в опасности. Indeed he soon found that but for a huge rock against which it was built, and which protected it both from the blasts and the waters, it must have been swept if it was not blown away; for the two torrents into which this rock parted the rush of water behind it united again in front of the cottage--two roaring and dangerous streams, which his mother and the princess could not possibly have passed. Действительно, вскоре он обнаружил, что, если бы не огромная скала, на которой он был построен и которая защищала его как от порывов ветра, так и от воды, его должно было бы снести, если бы он не был унесен ветром; ибо два ручья, на которые эта скала разделяла бегущую за ней воду, снова соединялись перед хижиной, - два ревущих и опасных потока, которые его мать и принцесса никак не могли пройти. It was with great difficulty that he forced his way through one of them, and up to the door.

The moment his hand fell on the latch, through all the uproar of winds and Waters came the joyous cry of the princess:

'There's Curdie! Curdie! Curdie!'