Harrigan — Page 9
They became a flying wedge with the jabbing fists of the black-haired man for a point--and they sank into the mass of soldiers like a hot knife into butter, shearing them apart.
Formarono un cuneo volante con i pugni incalzanti dell'uomo dai capelli neri come punta — e si affondarono nella massa di soldati come un coltello rovente nel burro, fendendoli in due.
There were few who wished more action, for the police reserves were capturing man after man.
Erano in pochi a desiderare ancora scontri, poiché le riserve di polizia catturavano un uomo dopo l'altro.
One or two resisted, but a revolver fired straight in the air put a sudden period to such thoughts.
Uno o due resistettero, ma un colpo di rivoltella sparato dritto in aria pose fine di colpo a tali velleità.
The crowd scattered in all directions and Harrigan was taking to his heels among the rest when an iron hand caught his shoulder and jerked him to a halt.
La folla si disperse in tutte le direzioni e Harrigan stava dando i tacchi alla fuga insieme agli altri quando una mano di ferro gli afferrò la spalla e lo fermò di scatto.
It was the black-haired man.
Era l'uomo dai capelli neri.
"Easy," he cautioned.
«Calma,» lo ammonì.
He pulled a cap out and settled it upon his head.
Tirò fuori un berretto e se lo calò in testa.
Harrigan followed suit with his soft hat.
Harrigan fece lo stesso con il suo cappello morbido.
"Are you after givin' yourself away to the law?" he queried, bewildered.
«Vuoi forse consegnarti alla legge?» chiese, sconcertato.
"Steady, you fool," said the other; "they're only after the ones who run away."
«Fermo, sciocco,» disse l'altro; «inseguono solo quelli che scappano.»
An excited Kanaka confronted them with brandished club.
Un Canaco agitato si parò davanti a loro con il manganello brandito.
"What's the cause of the disturbance, officer?" asked the big man.
«Qual è la causa del tumulto, agente?» chiese l'uomo imponente.
The policeman for answer waved them away and darted after a running soldier.
Il poliziotto per tutta risposta li scacciò con un gesto e si lanciò all'inseguimento di un soldato in fuga.
"I'll be damned!" murmured Harrigan, and his eyes dwelt on his companion's face almost tenderly.
«Che mi venga un colpo!» mormorò Harrigan, e i suoi occhi si posarono sul viso del compagno quasi con tenerezza.
They were at the edge of the crowd when a shrill voice called: "Those two big men! Halt 'em! Stand!"
Si trovavano ai margini della folla quando una voce stridula gridò: «Quei due uomini grandi! Fermateli! Fermi!»
Officer Akana ran through the crowd with his regulation Colt brandished above his head.
L'agente Akana si fece largo tra la folla con la sua Colt regolamentare brandita sopra la testa.
"The time's come!" said Harrigan's new friend, and broke into a run.
«È arrivato il momento!» disse il nuovo amico di Harrigan, e si mise a correre.
Vocabulary
- Formarono
- They formed or created a wedge-shaped formation.
- cuneo
- A wedge; a pointed formation used in combat.
- volante
- Flying or moving swiftly; mobile tactical unit.
- pugni
- Fists; plural of pugno.
- incalzanti
- Pressing, pursuing, or chasing relentlessly forward.
- uomo
- Man; a male human being.
- capelli
- Hair; strands growing from the head.
- neri
- Black; dark in color.
- punta
- Point or tip of a weapon or object.
- affondarono
- They sank or plunged into something.
- massa
- Mass; a large group or crowd.
- soldati
- Soldiers; military personnel or fighting men.
- coltello
- Knife; a blade for cutting.
- burro
- Butter; dairy product made from cream.
- Erano
- They were; past tense of essere.
- pochi
- Few; a small number of people.
- desiderare
- To desire or wish for something.
- scontri
- Clashes or confrontations between groups.
- poiché
- Because; since or given that.
- riserve
- Reserves; backup forces or supplies.
- polizia
- Police; law enforcement officers.
- catturavano
- They were capturing or arresting repeatedly.
- resistettero
- They resisted or stood firm against.
- colpo
- Blow, stroke, or gunshot.
- rivoltella
- Revolver; a handgun with rotating chamber.
- sparato
- Fired or shot; discharged a weapon.
- aria
- Air; the atmosphere or breeze.
- pose
- Put or placed; past tense of porre.
- fine
- End; the conclusion of something.
- folla
- Crowd; a large gathering of people.
- disperse
- Dispersed or scattered in all directions.
- direzioni
- Directions; points toward which things move.
- stava
- Was; past continuous tense of stare.
- dando
- Giving; present participle of dare.
- tacchi
- Heels; the rear part of feet.
- fuga
- Flight; the act of fleeing away.
- insieme
- Together; with others at same time.
- ferro
- Iron; the metallic element.
- afferrò
- Grabbed or seized something forcefully.
- spalla
- Shoulder; upper limb joint area.
- fermò
- Stopped or halted someone or something.
- scatto
- Jerk or sudden movement or start.
- Calma
- Calm; peace or tranquility.
- ammonì
- Warned or cautioned someone about danger.
- Tirò
- Pulled or drew; past tense of tirare.
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