Основы теории английского языка. Листунова Е.И. - 94 стр.

       d) Manner or attending circumstances:
       After supper they sat on the narrow porch, facing the dark whis-
pering stream, the night pouring into the deep, still valley (Hergeshe-
imer). On the back of a wave the boat came riding in, the ears stretched
out, their point tipping the water. Away go the two vehicles, horses
galloping, boys cheering, horns playing loudly (Dickens).
       Sometimes, the «Nominative Absolute» expresses attributive re-
lations:
       Tall trees, their barks covered with lichen and moss, shut out
the sun (Gordon). Near by... lies an old, old hamlet, its brown roofs
decked with golden lichen... (Gissing).
       2. The «Nominative Absolute» is usually synonymous to a sub-
ordinate clause:
       ...My eyes being very heavy, I lay down again, and slept... — (as
my eyes were very heavy...) (Dickens). This being done, they set off
with light hearts (Irving). (When this was done...). ...That business
having been performed, he occupied himself with other matters...
(Eliot) (= when that business had been performed).
       3. When the «Nominative Absolute» expresses manner or at-
tending circumstances (ñîïóòñòâóþùèå îáñòîÿòåëüñòâà) it is usual-
ly synonymous to the «Partici ple Construction Introduced by with
(without), sometimes to a clause introduced by while (See «Adverbial
clauses»):
       Andrew lay with closed eyes, his head resting near her. (Cro-
nin) (with his head resting near her). ...She had the window opened,
and sat looking out, the feeble sun shining full upon her (Hardy)
(...while the feeble sun was shining full upon her).
       4. There are «Nominative Absolute» constructions without a par-
tici ple.In such cases the noun er pronoun is followed by an adjective,
a noun with a preposition or an adverb in the function of a) a predica-
tive or b) an adverbial modifier:
       a) And so the days of early June went by, each finer than the
last (Galsworthy). Dinner over, Mr. Hartley and Anthony withdrew to
the study... (Gordon). Blanchard tapped the pencil on the table several
times, his mind deep in thoughts (Caldwell).
       b) They sat leaning forward, their elbows on the counter (Hem-
ingway). Then she sat down and waited, her hands on her lap (La
Mure). They were seated in the boat, Nick in the stern, his father
rowing (Hemingway).

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