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

apprehension ["xprI'henS(q)n], protruding [prq'tru:dIN], haughty ['hO:tI], majesty ['mxdZIstI], insignificance ["InsIg'nIfIkqns]

But the sight that froze me with apprehension was that of Dejah Thoris and Sola standing there before him, and the fiendish leer of him as he let his great protruding eyes gloat upon the lines of her beautiful figure. She was speaking, but I could not hear what she said, nor could I make out the low grumbling of his reply. She stood there erect before him, her head high held, and even at the distance I was from them I could read the scorn and disgust upon her face as she let her haughty glance rest without sign of fear upon him. She was indeed the proud daughter of a thousand jeddaks, every inch of her dear, precious little body; so small, so frail beside the towering warriors around her, but in her majesty dwarfing them into insignificance; she was the mightiest figure among them and I verily believe that they felt it.

Presently Tal Hajus made a sign that the chamber be cleared (вскоре Тал Хаджус сделал знак, чтобы зал очистили), and that the prisoners be left alone before him (и чтобы пленников оставили с ним наедине). Slowly the chieftains, the warriors and the women melted away into the shadows of the surrounding chambers (медленно вожди, воины и женщины растворились в тенях окружающих комнат; to melt — таять; to melt away — растаять; исчезнуть), and Dejah Thoris and Sola stood alone before the jeddak of the Tharks (и Дежа Торис с Солой стояли одни перед джеддаком тарков).

One chieftain alone had hesitated before departing (только один вождь заколебался, прежде чем уйти); I saw him standing in the shadows of a mighty column (я видел, как он стоит в тени большой колонны), his fingers nervously toying with the hilt of his great-sword (его пальцы нервно теребили рукоятку его большого меча; to toy — играть; вертетьвруках; toy — забава, игрушка) and his cruel eyes bent in implacable hatred upon Tal Hajus (а его жестокие глаза были устремлены на Тала Хаджуса с /выражением/ неукротимой ненависти; to bend — обратитьвзор; implacable — неумолимый; implacable hatred — неукротимаяненависть). It was Tars Tarkas, and I could read his thoughts (это был Тарс Таркас, и я мог читать его мысли) as they were an open book for the undisguised loathing upon his face (как будто это была открытая книга, по неприкрытому отвращению на его лице). He was thinking of that other woman (он думал о той другой женщине) who, forty years ago, had stood before this beast (которая сорок лет назад стояла перед этим животным), and could I have spoken a word into his ear at that moment (и если бы я мог в этот момент сказать хоть слово ему по секрету; a word in somebody’s ear — посекрету; наушко) the reign of Tal Hajus would have been over (то с царствованием Тала Хаджуса было бы покончено); but finally he also strode from the room (но в конце концов он тоже вышел из комнаты; to stride — шагать /большими шагами/), not knowing that he left his own daughter at the mercy of the creature he most loathed (не зная, что он оставил свою собственную дочь на милость существа, которое он больше всего ненавидел).

mighty ['maItI],nervously ['nWvqslI], implacable [Im'plxkqbl], undisguised ["AndIs'gaIzd]

Presently Tal Hajus made a sign that the chamber be cleared, and that the prisoners be left alone before him. Slowly the chieftains, the warriors and the women melted away into the shadows of the surrounding chambers, and Dejah Thoris and Sola stood alone before the jeddak of the Tharks.

One chieftain alone had hesitated before departing; I saw him standing in the shadows of a mighty column, his fingers nervously toying with the hilt of his great-sword and his cruel eyes bent in implacable hatred upon Tal Hajus. It was Tars Tarkas, and I could read his thoughts as they were an open book for the undisguised loathing upon his face. He was thinking of that other woman who, forty years ago, had stood before this beast, and could I have spoken a word into his ear at that moment the reign of Tal Hajus would have been over; but finally he also strode from the room, not knowing that he left his own daughter at the mercy of the creature he most loathed.

Tal Hajus arose, and I, half fearing, half anticipating his intentions (Тал Хаджус поднялся, и я, частично страшась, частично предвидя его намерения; to anticipate — ожидать, предвидеть), hurried to the winding runway which led to the floors below (поспешил по спиральной лестнице, которая вела к нижним этажам). No one was near to intercept me (никого не было рядом, чтобы перехватить меня), and I reached the main floor of the chamber unobserved (и я добрался до главного этажа зала незамеченным), taking my station in the shadow of the same column (и занял позицию в тени той самой колонны; station — место, местоположение) that Tars Tarkas had but just deserted (которую только что покинул Тарс Таркас). As I reached the floor Tal Hajus was speaking (когда я добрался до этого этажа, Тал Хаджус говорил).

fear [fIq], anticipate [xn'tIsIpeIt], unobserved ["Anqb'zWvd]

Tal Hajus arose, and I, half fearing, half anticipating his intentions, hurried to the winding runway which led to the floors below. No one was near to intercept me, and I reached the main floor of the chamber unobserved, taking my station in the shadow of the same column that Tars Tarkas had but just deserted. As I reached the floor Tal Hajus was speaking.

"Princess of Helium, I might wring a mighty ransom from your people (я мог бы получить огромный выкуп у твоего народа; to wring from — вымогать, исторгать) would I but return you to them unharmed (лишь за то, что вернул бы тебя им невредимой; unharmed — неповрежденный, целый), but a thousand times rather would I watch that beautiful face writhe in the agony of torture (но я тысячу раз предпочту наблюдать, как это прекрасное лицо корчится в агонии от пытки; to writhe — корчиться, извиваться); it shall be long drawn out, that I promise you (она продлится долго, это я тебе обещаю; to draw out — удлинять, растягивать); ten days of pleasure were all too short to show the love I harbor for your race (десяти дней удовольствия было бы слишком мало, чтобы проявить всю ту любовь, которую я питаю к твоей расе). The terrors of your death (ужасы твой смерти) shall haunt the slumbers of the red men through all the ages to come (будут преследовать в снах красных людей все грядущие века; slumber — сон, дремота); they will shudder in the shadows of the night (они будут содрогаться в тенях ночи) as their fathers tell them of the awful vengeance of the green men (когда их отцы будут рассказывать им о страшной мести зеленых людей); of the power and might and hate and cruelty of Tal Hajus (о силе, мощи, ненависти и жестокости Тала Хаджуса). But before the torture you shall be mine for one short hour (но перед пыткой ты станешь моей на один короткий час), and word of that too shall go forth to Tardos Mors (и известие об этом также дойдет до Тардоса Мора), Jeddak of Helium, your grandfather, that he may grovel upon the ground in the agony of his sorrow (чтобы он мог кататься по земле в агонии своих страданий; to grovel — бытьраспростертымниц; ползать; sorrow — горе, печаль; муки). Tomorrow the torture will commence (завтра пытка начнется); tonight thou art Tal Hajus'; come (сегодня ночью ты принадлежишь Тал Хаджусу, иди сюда; art — уст. 2-елицоедчислаотto be)!"

unharmed [An'hQ:md], vengeance ['vendZ(q)ns], torture ['tO:tSq]

"Princess of Helium, I might wring a mighty ransom from your people would I but return you to them unharmed, but a thousand times rather would I watch that beautiful face writhe in the agony of torture; it shall be long drawn out, that I promise you; ten days of pleasure were all too short to show the love I harbor for your race. The terrors of your death shall haunt the slumbers of the red men through all the ages to come; they will shudder in the shadows of the night as their fathers tell them of the awful vengeance of the green men; of the power and might and hate and cruelty of Tal Hajus. But before the torture you shall be mine for one short hour, and word of that too shall go forth to Tardos Mors, Jeddak of Helium, your grandfather, that he may grovel upon the ground in the agony of his sorrow. Tomorrow the torture will commence; tonight thou art Tal Hajus'; come!"

He sprang down from the platform and grasped her roughly by the arm (он спрыгнул с платформы и грубо схватил ее за руку), but scarcely had he touched her (но едва лишь он прикоснулся к ней) than I leaped between them (как я прыгнул между ними). My short-sword, sharp and gleaming was in my right hand (мой короткий меч, острый и сверкающий, был в моей правой руке); I could have plunged it into his putrid heart (я мог бы вонзить его в его гнилое сердце; putrid — гнилостный; испорченный, извращенный) before he realized that I was upon him (прежде чем он поймет, что я напал на него); but as I raised my arm to strike (но когда я занес руку, чтобы ударить) I thought of Tars Tarkas (я подумал о Тарсе Таркасе), and, with all my rage, with all my hatred (и при всей своей ярости, при всей своей ненависти), I could not rob him of that sweet moment (я не мог украсть у него этот сладостный миг) for which he had lived and hoped all these long, weary years (ради которого он жил и надеялся все эти долгие, томительные годы; weary — усталый, томительный), and so, instead, I swung my good right fist full upon the point of his jaw (и поэтому я размахнулся и ударил моим добрым правым кулаком прямо ему в челюсть). Without a sound he slipped to the floor as one dead (без единого звука он соскользнул на пол, как мертвый).

roughly ['rAflI], putrid ['pju:trId], jaw [dZO:]

He sprang down from the platform and grasped her roughly by the arm, but scarcely had he touched her than I leaped between them. My short-sword, sharp and gleaming was in my right hand; I could have plunged it into his putrid heart before he realized that I was upon him; but as I raised my arm to strike I thought of Tars Tarkas, and, with all my rage, with all my hatred, I could not rob him of that sweet moment for which he had lived and hoped all these long, weary years, and so, instead, I swung my good right fist full upon the point of his jaw. Without a sound he slipped to the floor as one dead.

In the same deathly silence I grasped Dejah Thoris by the hand (в той же мертвой тишине я схватил Дежу Торис за руку), and motioning Sola to follow (и, сделав знак Соле следовать за нами) we sped noiselessly from the chamber and to the floor above (мы бесшумно поспешили из зала на верхний этаж; to speed — двигаться поспешно; спешить, торопиться). Unseen we reached a rear window (незамеченные, мы добрались до окна сзади) and with the straps and leather of my trappings (и с помощью лямок и ремней моей амуниции; strap — ремень; лямка; leather — кожа; кожаноеизделие, ремень) I lowered, first Sola and then Dejah Thoris to the ground below (я опустил вначале Солу, а затем и Дежу Торис на землю). Dropping lightly after them (легко соскочив следом за ними) I drew them rapidly around the court in the shadows of the buildings (я быстро потащил их вдоль двора в тени зданий), and thus we returned over the same course (и таким образом мы вернулись по тому же пути) I had so recently followed from the distant boundary of the city (по которому я так недавно следовал от дальней границы города).

We finally came upon my thoats (наконец, мы наткнулись на наших тотов; to come on — натыкаться, наталкиваться) in the courtyard where I had left them (в том дворе, где я оставил их), and placing the trappings upon them (и, надев на них сбрую) we hastened through the building to the avenue beyond (мы поспешили через здание на улицу за ним). Mounting Sola upon one beast (усадив Солу верхом на одно животное), and Dejah Thoris behind me upon the other (а Дежу Торис позади себя — на другое), we rode from the city of Thark through the hills to the south (мы поскакали из города Тарка через холмы к югу).