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

snuggle [snAgl], trackless ['trxklIs], awaken [q'weIk(q)n]

I was awakened early in the morning by some huge body pressing close to mine, and opening my eyes with a start I beheld my blessed old Woola snuggling close to me; the faithful brute had followed us across that trackless waste to share our fate, whatever it might be. Putting my arms about his neck I pressed my cheek close to his, nor am I ashamed that I did it, nor of the tears that came to my eyes as I thought of his love for me. Shortly after this Dejah Thoris and Sola awakened, and it was decided that we push on at once in an effort to gain the hills.

We had gone scarcely a mile (мы едва успели пройти милю) when I noticed that my thoat was commencing to stumble and stagger in a most pitiful manner (когда я заметил, что мой тот начал спотыкаться и шататься самым жалким образом), although we had not attempted to force them out of a walk (хотя мы и не пытались принудить их перейти с шага /на бег/) since about noon of the preceding day (примерно с полудня предыдущего дня). Suddenly he lurched wildly to one side (внезапно он резко накренился на одну сторону; to lurch — крениться, накреняться) and pitched violently to the ground (и грузно рухнул на землю; to pitch — падать, ударяться; violent — сильнейший, резкий). Dejah Thoris and I were thrown clear of him (Дежа Торис и я были «полностью» сброшены с него) and fell upon the soft moss with scarcely a jar (и упали на мягкий мох практически без повреждений; jar — потрясение, неприятноевпечатление); but the poor beast was in a pitiable condition (однако бедное животное находилось в плачевном состоянии), not even being able to rise (оно было даже не способно подняться), although relieved of our weight (хотя и освободилось от нашей тяжести; to relieve — облегчать, освобождать). Sola told me that the coolness of the night (Сола сказала мне, что прохлада ночи), when it fell (когда она наступит), together with the rest would doubtless revive him (вместе с отдыхом, без сомнения, возродят его), and so I decided not to kill him (и поэтому я решил не убивать его), as was my first intention (каким было мое первоначальное намерение), as I had thought it cruel to leave him alone there (так как я считал жестоким оставить его там одного) to die of hunger and thirst (умирать от голода и жажды).

pitiful ['pItIful], violent ['vaIqlqnt], although [O:l'Dou]

We had gone scarcely a mile when I noticed that my thoat was commencing to stumble and stagger in a most pitiful manner, although we had not attempted to force them out of a walk since about noon of the preceding day. Suddenly he lurched wildly to one side and pitched violently to the ground. Dejah Thoris and I were thrown clear of him and fell upon the soft moss with scarcely a jar; but the poor beast was in a pitiable condition, not even being able to rise, although relieved of our weight. Sola told me that the coolness of the night, when it fell, together with the rest would doubtless revive him, and so I decided not to kill him, as was my first intention, as I had thought it cruel to leave him alone there to die of hunger and thirst.

Relieving him of his trappings (освободив его от сбруи), which I flung down beside him (которую я бросил рядом с ним; to fling — бросать, метать, кидать, швырять), we left the poor fellow to his fate (мы предоставили бедолагу его судьбе; to leave — оставить; предоставить), and pushed on with the one thoat as best we could (и поспешили дальше на одном тоте как только могли;to push on — спешить; best — наилучшимобразом). Sola and I walked, making Dejah Thoris ride, much against her will (Сола и я шли, заставив Дежу Торис ехать верхом во многом против ее воли). In this way we had progressed to within about a mile of the hills (таким образом мы продвигались вперед, пока /не оказались/ примерно в миле холмов; to progress — продвигатьсявперед) we were endeavoring to reach (к которым мы старались добраться; to endeavor — прилагатьусилия, стараться) — when Dejah Thoris, from her point of vantage upon the thoat (когда Дежа Торис с ее выгодной позиции на /спине/ тота; vantage — преимущество, выгоднаяпозиция) cried out that she saw a great party of mounted men (выкрикнула, что она видит большой отряд всадников) filing down from a pass in the hills several miles away (которые передвигаются колонной по проходу в холмах в нескольких милях /от нас/; to file — идтигуськом, продвигатьсяколонной). Sola and I both looked in the direction she indicated (мы оба, Сола и я, посмотрели в том направлении, куда она указывала), and there, plainly discernible, were several hundred mounted warriors (и там, ясно различимых, было несколько сотен конных воинов). They seemed to be headed in a southwesterly direction (очевидно, они направлялись в юго-западном направлении; to head — направляться, держатькурс), which would take them away from us (которое уведет их прочь от нас).

relieve [rI'li:v], endeavor [In'devq], discernible [dI'sWnqbl]

Relieving him of his trappings, which I flung down beside him, we left the poor fellow to his fate, and pushed on with the one thoat as best we could. Sola and I walked, making Dejah Thoris ride, much against her will. In this way we had progressed to within about a mile of the hills we were endeavoring to reach when Dejah Thoris, from her point of vantage upon the thoat, cried out that she saw a great party of mounted men filing down from a pass in the hills several miles away. Sola and I both looked in the direction she indicated, and there, plainly discernible, were several hundred mounted warriors. They seemed to be headed in a southwesterly direction, which would take them away from us.

They doubtless were Thark warriors (это, без сомнения, были таркианские воины) who had been sent out to capture us (которые были посланы, чтобы захватить нас), and we breathed a great sigh of relief (и мы вздохнули с большим облегчением; sigh — вздох; to breath a sigh of relief — вздохнутьоблегченно) that they were traveling in the opposite direction (от того, что они двигались в противоположном направлении). Quickly lifting Dejah Thoris from the thoat (быстро сняв Дежу Торис с тота), I commanded the animal to lie down (я приказал животному лечь) and we three did the same (и мы трое сделали то же самое), presenting as small an object as possible (постаравшись стать как можно незаметнее: «представляя собой настолько маленький объект, насколько возможно») for fear of attracting the attention of the warriors toward us (из страха привлечь к нам внимание воинов).

doubtless ['dautlIs], breathe [brJD], travel [trxvl]

They doubtless were Thark warriors who had been sent out to capture us, and we breathed a great sigh of relief that they were traveling in the opposite direction. Quickly lifting Dejah Thoris from the thoat, I commanded the animal to lie down and we three did the same, presenting as small an object as possible for fear of attracting the attention of the warriors toward us.

We could see them as they filed out of the pass (мы могли видеть их, когда они вереницей выходили из прохода; to file — идтигуськом, передвигатьсяколонной), just for an instant, before they were lost to view behind a friendly ridge (всего на мгновение, прежде чем они исчезли из вида за спасительным гребнем; friendly — дружественный, благоприятный); to us a most providential ridge (для нас просто ниспосланным провидением гребнем); since, had they been in view for any great length of time (так как, если бы они были в поле зрения еще какое-то время; length — длина; протяженностьвовремени), they scarcely could have failed to discover us (они обязательно: «вряд ли бы не удалось» обнаружили нас). As what proved to be the last warrior came into view from the pass (когда оказавшийся последним воин очутился на виду в проходе; to come into view — попастьвполезрения), he halted and, to our consternation (он остановился и, к нашему ужасу; consternation — ужас, испуг), threw his small but powerful fieldglass to his eye (поднес небольшой, но мощный полевой бинокль к глазам; to throw — бросать; направлять) and scanned the sea bottom in all directions (и внимательно осмотрел дно моря во всех направлениях; to scan — внимательносмотреть). Evidently he was a chieftain (очевидно, он был вождем), for in certain marching formations among the green men (так как в некоторых походных формированиях зеленых людей) a chieftain brings up the extreme rear of the column (вождь замыкает самый конец колонны). As his glass swung toward us (когда его бинокль развернулся к нам) our hearts stopped in our breasts (наши сердца остановились у нас в груди), and I could feel the cold sweat start from every pore in my body (и я почувствовал, как холодный пот выступает из каждой поры моего тела; to start — начинать; выступать).

providential ["prOvI'denS(q)l], consternation ["kOnstq'neISn], fieldglass ['fi:ldglQ:s]

We could see them as they filed out of the pass, just for an instant, before they were lost to view behind a friendly ridge; to us a most providential ridge; since, had they been in view for any great length of time, they scarcely could have failed to discover us. As what proved to be the last warrior came into view from the pass, he halted and, to our consternation, threw his small but powerful fieldglass to his eye and scanned the sea bottom in all directions. Evidently he was a chieftain, for in certain marching formations among the green men a chieftain brings up the extreme rear of the column. As his glass swung toward us our hearts stopped in our breasts, and I could feel the cold sweat start from every pore in my body.

Presently it swung full upon us and stopped (вскоре он полностью развернулся к нам и остановился). The tension on our nerves was near the breaking point (напряжение наших нервов достигло почти крайнего предела; breakingpoint— предел; переломный момент), and I doubt if any of us breathed for the few moments (и я сомневаюсь, что кто-то из нас дышал те несколько мгновений) he held us covered by his glass (пока он держал нас под прицелом своего бинокля; tocover— покрывать; держать под прицелом); and then he lowered it (а затем он опустил его) and we could see him shout a command to the warriors (и мы могли видеть, как он выкрикивает команду воинам) who had passed from our sight behind the ridge (которые скрылись у нас из виду за гребнем). He did not wait for them to join him, however (однако он не стал ждать, когда они присоединятся к нему), instead he wheeled his thoat and came tearing madly in our direction (вместо этого он развернул своего тота и бешено помчался в нашем направлении; totear— разрывать, мчаться).

tension [tenSn], cover ['kAvq]

Presently it swung full upon us and stopped. The tension on our nerves was near the breaking point, and I doubt if any of us breathed for the few moments he held us covered by his glass; and then he lowered it and we could see him shout a command to the warriors who had passed from our sight behind the ridge. He did not wait for them to join him, however, instead he wheeled his thoat and came tearing madly in our direction.

There was but one slight chance and that we must take quickly (был только один слабый шанс /на спасение/, и мы должны были воспользоваться им немедленно). Raising my strange Martian rifle to my shoulder (вскинув мое необычное марсианское ружье к плечу) I sighted and touched the button which controlled the trigger (я прицелился и дотронулся до кнопки, которая управляла спусковым крючком; tosight— увидеть, прицелиться); there was a sharp explosion as the missile reached its goal (последовал сильный взрыв, когда снаряд достиг своей цели; sharp— острый; сильный), and the charging chieftain pitched backward from his flying mount (и атакующий вождь упал навзничь со своего летящего /стрелой/ тота).