Остров сокровищ / Treasure Island. Уровень 1

1. The Old Sea-dog at the Admiral Benbow[1]

I remember him. He was a tall, strong and heavy man. He came to the inn door. When my father appeared, the man called roughly for a glass of wine.

“I’ll stay here for a bit,” he said. “I’m a plain man. All I need is rum, bacon and eggs. Call me captain.” He threw down three or four gold pieces.

He seemed like a skipper. He was a very silent man. All day he stood upon the sea cliffs with a brass telescope. All evening he sat in the corner and drank rum and water. Mostly he did not speak. Every day after his walk, he asked me, “Did you see any seamen on the road?” He even promised me a silverfourpenny[2] if I ever see one and tell him.

How many times I saw him in my nightmares! On stormy nights, I saw him in all forms and with all expressions possible.

He often sang his old and scary sea-songs. His stories about storms were dreadful and frightened people. But I really believe his presence was good for us. Many young men admired him and called him a ‘true sea-dog’[3].

He was staying for weeks but didn’t pay us anymore. The great sea chest was always closed.

He was angry only once. One afternoonDr. Livesey[4] came to see my father when he was ill. The captain was drunk. He was sitting with his arms crossed. Suddenly he began to sing a song:

The doctor was talking to the gardener. The captain shouted, “Silence, there, between decks!