"There." Lesperance checked his watch. "Right on time. That's the giant tree that was scheduled to fall and kill this animal originally." He glanced at the two hunters. "You want the trophy picture?"
"What?"
"We can't take a trophy back to the Future. The body has to stay right here where it would have died originally, so the insects, birds, and bacteria can get at it, as they were intended to. Everything in balance. The body stays. But we can take a picture of you standing near it."
The two men tried to think, but gave up, shaking their heads.
They let themselves be led along the metal Path. They sank wearily into the Machine cushions. They gazed back at the ruined Monster, the stagnating mound, where already strange reptilian birds and golden insects were busy at the steaming armor.
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! Get out 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!"
The jungle was alive again (джунгли опять были живы), full of the old tremorings and bird cries (полные древних звуков и птичьих криков: tremor – дрожание). Eckels turned slowly to regard the primeval garbage dump (медленно повернулся, чтобы рассмотреть первобытную мусорную кучу /т.е. динозавра/: garbage – мусор, dump – свалка, мусорная куча), that hill of nightmares and terror (этот холм кошмаров и ужаса). After a long time (спустя немало времени), like a sleepwalker he shuffled out along the Path (как лунатик он, шаркая, ушел по Тропе: to sleep – спать, to walk – гулять, a sleepwalker – лунатик, to shuffle – шаркать, to shuffle out – выйти, волоча ноги).
He returned, shuddering, five minutes later (он вернулся, дрожа, через пять минут), his arms soaked and red to the elbows (его руки мокрые и красные до локтей). He held out his hands (он вытянул руки: to hold out – протягивать; предлагать). Each held a number of steel bullets (в каждой было несколько стальных пуль: a number of – некоторое количество). Then he fell (затем он упал). He lay where he fell, not moving (он лежал там, где упал, не двигаясь).
"You didn't have to make him do that (ты не должен был заставлять его делать это)," said Lesperance.
"Didn't I (неужели)? It's too early to tell (слишком рано об этом говорить)." Travis nudged the still body (толкнул неподвижное тело: to nudge – слегка подталкивать локтем). "He'll live (он будет жить = ничего, от этого не умирают). Next time he won't go hunting game like this (в следующий раз он не пойдет охотиться на такую дичь: a game – дичь). Okay." He jerked his thumb wearily (он устало сделал движение большим пальцем: to jerk – резко толкать) at Lesperance. "Switch on (включай). Let's go home (поехали домой)."
1492. 1776. 1812.
They cleaned their hands and faces (они вымыли руки и умылись). They changed their caking shirts and pants (они сменили свои заскорузлые от крови рубашки и брюки: a cake – торт, to cake – спекаться, застывать). Eckels was up and around again (поднялся и был в сознании: to be up – встать, to come around – прийти в сознание), not speaking (не разговаривая). Travis glared at him for a full ten minutes (пристально смотрел на него в течение целых десяти минут).
"Don't look at me (не смотрите на меня)," cried (закричал) Eckels. "I haven't done anything (я ничего не сделал)."
"Who can tell (кто может сказать = кто знает)?"
"Just ran off the Path (только сошел с Тропы), that's all (это все), a little mud on my shoes (немного грязи на моих ботинках) – what do you want me to do (что вы хотите, чтобы я сделал) – get down and pray (упал на колени и молился: to get down – спуститься)?"
"We might need it (может, это понадобится). I'm warning you (предупреждаю вас), Eckels, I might kill you yet (я еще могу вас убить). I've got my gun ready (у меня ружье наготове)."
"I'm innocent (я невиновен). I've done nothing (я ничего не сделал)!"
The jungle was alive again, full of the old tremorings and bird cries. Eckels turned slowly to regard the primeval garbage dump, that hill of nightmares and terror. After a long time, like a sleepwalker he shuffled out along the Path.
He returned, shuddering, five minutes later, his arms soaked and red to the elbows. He held out his hands. Each held a number of steel bullets. Then he fell. He lay where he fell, not moving.
"You didn't have to make him do that," said Lesperance.
"Didn't I? It's too early to tell." Travis nudged the still body. "He'll live. Next time he won't go hunting game like this. Okay." He jerked his thumb wearily at Lesperance. "Switch on. Let's go home."
1492. 1776. 1812.
They cleaned their hands and faces. They changed their caking shirts and pants. Eckels was up and around again, not speaking. Travis glared at him for a full ten minutes.
"Don't look at me," cried Eckels. "I haven't done anything."
"Who can tell?"
"Just ran off the Path, that's all, a little mud on my shoes – what do you want me to do – get down and pray?"
"We might need it. I'm warning you, Eckels, I might kill you yet. I've got my gun ready."
"I'm innocent. I've done nothing!"
1999.2000.2055.
The Machine stopped (машина остановилась).
"Get out (выходите)," said Travis.
The room was there as they had left it (комната была такой же, какой они ее оставили). But not the same as they had left it (но не точно такой же). The same man sat behind the same desk (тот же человек сидел за тем же письменным столом). But the same man did not quite sit behind the same desk (но не совсем тот же человек не совсем за тем же письменным столом). Travis looked around swiftly (огляделся поспешно). "Everything okay here (все нормально)?" he snapped (отрывисто спросил: to snap – разговаривать отрывисто, раздраженно).
"Fine (прекрасно). Welcome home (добро пожаловать домой)!"
Travis did not relax (не расслабился). He seemed to be looking through the one high window (казалось, он смотрит через высокое окно).
"Okay, Eckels, get out (выходите). Don't ever come back (никогда не возвращайтесь)." Eckels could not move (не двигался).
"You heard me (вы меня слышали)," said Travis. "What're you staring at (на что вы уставились)?"
1999.2000.2055.
The Machine stopped.
"Get out," said Travis.
The room was there as they had left it. But not the same as they had left it. The same man sat behind the same desk. But the same man did not quite sit behind the same desk. Travis looked around swiftly. "Everything okay here?" he snapped.
"Fine. Welcome home!"