Читать интересную книгу Английский язык с Э. Р. Берроузом. Принцесса Марса - Edgar Burroughs

circumstance ['sWkqmstqns], consideration [kqn"sIdq'reIS(q)n], unequal [An'i:kwql]

As he banged me down upon my feet, his face was bent close to mine and I did the only thing a gentleman might do under the circumstances of brutality, boorishness, and lack of consideration for a stranger's rights: I swung my fist squarely to his jaw and he went down like a felled ox. As he sunk to the floor I wheeled around with my back toward the nearest desk, expecting to be overwhelmed by the vengeance of his fellows, but determined to give them as good a battle as the unequal odds would permit before I gave up my life.

My fears were groundless, however (однако мои опасения оказались безосновательными; groundless — беспричинный, беспочвенный), as the other Martians, at first struck dumb with wonderment (так как другие марсиане, вначале лишившиеся дара речи от изумления; dumb — немой; to be struck dumb — лишитьсядараречи; to strike — ударять), finally broke into wild peals of laughter and applause (наконец разразились взрывами смеха и аплодисментами; to break into laughter — рассмеяться; peal — раскат). I did not recognize the applause as such (я не понял, что означали эти аплодисменты: «я не воспринял эти аплодисменты как таковые»; to recognize — узнавать, признавать; as such — вкачестветакового), but later, when I had become acquainted with their customs (но позднее, когда я познакомился с их обычаями), I learned that I had won what they seldom accord (я узнал, что я завоевал то, что они редко даруют; toaccord — предоставлять, жаловать), a manifestation of approbation (проявление одобрения; manifestation — проявление, обнаружение).

wonderment ['wAndqmqnt], applause [q'plO:z], manifestation ["mxnIfes'teIS(q)n]

My fears were groundless, however, as the other Martians, at first struck dumb with wonderment, finally broke into wild peals of laughter and applause. I did not recognize the applause as such, but later, when I had become acquainted with their customs, I learned that I had won what they seldom accord, a manifestation of approbation.

The fellow whom I had struck lay where he had fallen (тип, которого я ударил, лежал там, где упал), nor did any of his mates approach him (и ни один из его товарищей не приблизился к нему). Tars Tarkas advanced toward me (Тарс Таркас подошел ко мне), holding out one of his arms (протягивая одну из своих рук), and we thus proceeded to the plaza without further mishap (и таким образом мы подошли к площади без дальнейших неприятностей; mishap — неудача; неприятноепроисшествие). I did not, of course, know the reason for which we had come to the open (я, конечно, не знал причину, по которой мы вышли на открытое место), but I was not long in being enlightened (но я недолго оставался в неведении: «меня просветили»; long — медленный; долгийсрок; to enlighten — просвещать, ставитьвизвестность). They first repeated the word "sak" a number of times (вначале они несколько раз повторили слово «сак»), and then Tars Tarkas made several jumps (а затем Тарс Таркас совершил несколько прыжков), repeating the same word before each leap (повторяя это же слово перед каждым прыжком); then, turning to me, he said (затем, повернувшись ко мне, он сказал), "sak!" I saw what they were after (я понял, чего они добивались; to be after — намереваться), and gathering myself together I "sakked" with such marvelous success (и, собравшись с силами, я сделал «сак» с таким великолепным результатом; to gather oneself together — собратьсяссилами; success — успех; результат) that I cleared a good hundred and fifty feet (что я преодолел расстояние в целых сто пятьдесят футов; to clear — очищать; взять, преодолетьпрепятствие); nor did I, this time, lose my equilibrium (и в этот раз я не потерял равновесия), but landed squarely upon my feet without falling (а приземлился прямо на ноги, не упав; squarely — прямо, непосредственно; square — квадрат; квадратный). I then returned by easy jumps of twenty-five or thirty feet to the little group of warriors (затем легкими прыжками в двадцать пять — тридцать футов я вернулся к небольшой группе воинов).

enlighten [In'laIt(q)n], marvelous ['mQ:vIlqs], equilibrium ["i:kwI'lIbrIqm]

The fellow whom I had struck lay where he had fallen, nor did any of his mates approach him. Tars Tarkas advanced toward me, holding out one of his arms, and we thus proceeded to the plaza without further mishap. I did not, of course, know the reason for which we had come to the open, but I was not long in being enlightened. They first repeated the word "sak" a number of times, and then Tars Tarkas made several jumps, repeating the same word before each leap; then, turning to me, he said, "sak!" I saw what they were after, and gathering myself together I "sakked" with such marvelous success that I cleared a good hundred and fifty feet; nor did I, this time, lose my equilibrium, but landed squarely upon my feet without falling. I then returned by easy jumps of twenty-five or thirty feet to the little group of warriors.

My exhibition had been witnessed by several hundred lesser Martians (мое представление наблюдали несколько сотен маленьких марсиан), and they immediately broke into demands for a repetition (и они немедленно стали требовать повторения; to break into smth. — внезапно начинатьчто-либо), which the chieftain then ordered me to make (что вождь тогда же и приказал мне сделать); but I was both hungry and thirsty (но я был и голоден, и хотел пить), and determined on the spot (и решил тут же, на месте; spot — место; on the spot — наместе) that my only method of salvation was to demand the consideration from these creatures (что мой единственный способ спасения заключался в том, чтобы потребовать /к себе/ внимания со стороны этих созданий; salvation — спасение; consideration — внимание, уважение) which they evidently would not voluntarily accord (которое они, со всей очевидностью, не предоставят добровольно). I therefore ignored the repeated commands to "sak" (поэтому я игнорировал повторяющиеся команды «сак»), and each time they were made (и каждый раз, когда они отдавались) I motioned to my mouth and rubbed my stomach (я показывал на свой рот и потирал живот; to motion — показыватьжестом, знаком).

ignore [Ig'nO:], voluntary ['vOlqntrI], rub [rAb], stomach ['stAmqk]

My exhibition had been witnessed by several hundred lesser Martians, and they immediately broke into demands for a repetition, which the chieftain then ordered me to make; but I was both hungry and thirsty, and determined on the spot that my only method of salvation was to demand the consideration from these creatures which they evidently would not voluntarily accord. I therefore ignored the repeated commands to "sak," and each time they were made I motioned to my mouth and rubbed my stomach.

Tars Tarkas and the chief exchanged a few words (Тарс Таркас и вождь обменялись несколькими словами), and the former, calling to a young female among the throng (и первый, вызвав молодую женщину из толпы; throng — толпа, скоплениелюдей), gave her some instructions and motioned me to accompany her (дал ей какие-то указания и сделал мне знак идти вместе с ней; to accompany — сопровождать, сопутствовать). I grasped her proffered arm (я схватил предложенную ею руку; to proffer — предлагать) and together we crossed the plaza toward a large building on the far side (и вместе мы пересекли площадь по направлению к большому зданию на дальней стороне).

My fair companion was about eight feet tall (рост моей прекрасной спутницы составлял около восьми футов), having just arrived at maturity (она уже достигла зрелости), but not yet to her full height (но еще не своего полного роста). She was of a light olive-green color, with a smooth, glossy hide (она была светлого оливково-зеленого цвета, с гладкой, лоснящейся кожей; hide — шкура, кожа). Her name, as I afterward learned, was Sola (ее имя, как я позже узнал, было Сола), and she belonged to the retinue of Tars Tarkas (и она принадлежала к свите Тарса Таркаса; retinue — свита, эскорт). She conducted me to a spacious chamber (она провела меня в просторную комнату; to conduct — вести, сопровождать) in one of the buildings fronting on the plaza (в одном из зданий, выходящих на площадь; to front — выходитьна, бытьобращенным), and which, from the litter of silks and furs upon the floor (и которую из-за набросанных на полу шелков и мехов; litter — набросанныевещи), I took to be the sleeping quarters of several of the natives (я принял за спальные помещения нескольких аборигенов; to take — воспринимать).

among [q'mAN], maturity [mq'tjuqrItI], quarter ['kwO:tq], native ['neItIv]

Tars Tarkas and the chief exchanged a few words, and the former, calling to a young female among the throng, gave her some instructions and motioned me to accompany her. I grasped her proffered arm and together we crossed the plaza toward a large building on the far side.

My fair companion was about eight feet tall, having just arrived at maturity, but not yet to her full height. She was of a light olive-green color, with a smooth, glossy hide. Her name, as I afterward learned, was Sola, and she belonged to the retinue of Tars Tarkas. She conducted me to a spacious chamber in one of the buildings fronting on the plaza, and which, from the litter of silks and furs upon the floor, I took to be the sleeping quarters of several of the natives.

The room was well lighted by a number of large windows (комната была хорошо освещена благодаря нескольким большим окнам) and was beautifully decorated with mural paintings and mosaics (и была красиво украшена настенными росписями и мозаикой; mural — стенной; mural painting — стенная роспись), but upon all there seemed to rest that indefinable touch of the finger of antiquity (но на всем там, казалось, лежал неопределенный отпечаток древности: «прикосновение пальца»; indefinable — неподдающийсяопределению) which convinced me that the architects and builders of these wondrous creations (что убедило меня, что архитекторы и строители этих поразительных творений) had nothing in common with the crude half-brutes which now occupied them (не имели ничего общего с грубыми полу-животными, которые сейчас обитали в них; brute — животное, тварь).

painting ['peIntIN], indefinable ["IndI'faInqbl], brute [bru:t]

The room was well lighted by a number of large windows and was beautifully decorated with mural paintings and mosaics, but upon all there seemed to rest that indefinable touch of the finger of antiquity which convinced me that the architects and builders of these wondrous creations had nothing in common with the crude half-brutes which now occupied them.

Sola motioned me to be seated upon a pile of silks near the center of the room (Сола сделала мне знак сесть на груду шелков у центра комнаты), and, turning, made a peculiar hissing sound (и, повернувшись, издала своеобразный шипящий звук; peculiar— специфический, особенный), as though signaling to someone in an adjoining room (как-будто подавая кому-то сигнал в соседней комнате). In response to her call (в ответ на ее призыв) I obtained my first sight of a new Martian wonder (я получил /возможность/ впервые увидеть новое марсианское чудо). It waddled in on its ten short legs (оно проковыляло на десяти коротких ножках; towaddle— ходитьвразвалку, ковылять), and squatted down before the girl like an obedient puppy (и присело перед девушкой как послушный щенок). The thing was about the size of a Shetland pony (существо было размером с шетландского[1] пони), but its head bore a slight resemblance to that of a frog (но его голова до некоторой степени напоминала лягушачью; resemblance— сходство; tobearresemblanceto— иметьсходство; to resemble — походить, иметь сходство), except that the jaws were equipped with three rows of long, sharp tusks (за исключением того, что его челюсти были оснащены тремя рядами длинных, острых клыков; toequip— оборудовать, оснащать).