Английский язык с Э. Р. Берроузом. Принцесса Марса
Шрифт:
gearing ['gIqrIN], pursuer [pq'sju: q], congratulating [kqn" grxtju'leItIN], capsize [kxp'saIz]
Kantos Kan had shown me a trick of gearing, which is known only to the navy of Helium, that greatly increased the speed of our machines, so that I felt sure I could distance my pursuers if I could dodge their projectiles for a few moments.
As I sped through the air the screeching of the bullets around me convinced me that only by a miracle could I escape, but the die was cast, and throwing on full speed I raced a straight course toward Helium. Gradually I left my pursuers further and further behind, and I was just congratulating myself on my lucky escape, when a well-directed shot from the cruiser exploded at the prow of my little craft. The concussion nearly capsized her, and with a sickening plunge she hurtled downward through the dark night.
How far I fell before I regained control of the plane (насколько
plainly ['pleInlI], scan [skxn], landing ['lxndIN]
How far I fell before I regained control of the plane I do not know, but I must have been very close to the ground when I started to rise again, as I plainly heard the squealing of animals below me. Rising again I scanned the heavens for my pursuers, and finally making out their lights far behind me, saw that they were landing, evidently in search of me.
Not until their lights were no longer discernible (и только после того, как их огни были более неразличимы) did I venture to flash my little lamp upon my compass (я отважился осветить маленькой лампой свой компас), and then I found to my consternation (и тогда я обнаружил к своему ужасу; consternation — ужас; испуг; оцепенение /от страха/) that a fragment of the projectile had utterly destroyed my only guide (что осколок снаряда полностью уничтожил мой единственный указатель), as well as my speedometer (а также мой спидометр). It was true I could follow the stars in the general direction of Helium (правда, я мог следовать по звездам в общем направлении к Гелиуму), but without knowing the exact location of the city (но, не зная точного расположения города) or the speed at which I was traveling (или скорости, с которой я путешествовал) my chances for finding it were slim (мои шансы найти его были ничтожны; slim — стройный, тонкий, худой /обыкн. о людях, животных/; /разг./ слабый, скудный, небольшой, незначительный).
discernible [dI'sWnqbl], consternation ["kOnstq'neIS(q)n], speedometer [spI'dOmItq]
Not until their lights were no longer discernible did I venture to flash my little lamp upon my compass, and then I found to my consternation that a fragment of the projectile had utterly destroyed my only guide, as well as my speedometer. It was true I could follow the stars in the general direction of Helium, but without knowing the exact location of the city or the speed at which I was traveling my chances for finding it were slim.
Helium lies a thousand miles southwest of Zodanga (Гелиум лежит в тысяче миль к юго-западу от Зоданги), and with my compass intact (и если бы мой компас не был поврежден; intact — неповрежденный, целый) I should have made the trip (я должен был совершить это путешествие), barring accidents (не учитывая случайностей; to bar — исключать), in between four and five hours (за четыре-пять часов). As it turned out, however (но так случилось, однако; to turn out — оказаться), morning found me speeding over a vast expanse of dead sea bottom (что утро застало меня, мчащимся над обширным пространством дна мертвого моря) after nearly six hours of continuous flight at high speed (после почти шести часов беспрерывного полета на большой скорости). Presently a great city showed below me (вскоре внизу показался большой город), but it was not Helium (но это был не Гелиум), as that alone of all Barsoomian metropolises (так как он один из всех метрополий Барсума) consists in two immense circular walled cities (состоит из двух огромных, обнесенных по окружности стенами городов) about seventy-five miles apart (отстоящих
immense [I'mens], expanse [Ik'spxns], distinguishable [dIs'tINgwISqbl]
Helium lies a thousand miles southwest of Zodanga, and with my compass intact I should have made the trip, barring accidents, in between four and five hours. As it turned out, however, morning found me speeding over a vast expanse of dead sea bottom after nearly six hours of continuous flight at high speed. Presently a great city showed below me, but it was not Helium, as that alone of all Barsoomian metropolises consists in two immense circular walled cities about seventy-five miles apart and would have been easily distinguishable from the altitude at which I was flying.
Believing that I had come too far to the north and west (полагая, что я залетел слишком далеко на северо-запад), I turned back in a southeasterly direction (я повернул назад в юго-восточном направлении), passing during the forenoon several other large cities (пролетев в течение утра над несколькими другими большими городами; forenoon — время от восхода до полудня) but none resembling the description which Kantos Kan had given me of Helium (но ни один из них не подходил под описание: «не напоминал описание», которое дал мне Кантос Кан). In addition to the twin-city formation of Helium (вдобавок к структуре Гелиума в виде городов-близнецов; in addition to — вдобавок, кроме того), another distinguishing feature is the two immense towers (еще одной его отличительной особенностью являются две огромные башни), one of vivid scarlet rising nearly a mile into the air from the center of one of the cities (одна — ярко-красная, поднимающаяся примерно на милю в небо из центра одного из городов), while the other, of bright yellow and of the same height (а вторая — ярко-желтая и такой же высоты), marks her sister (выглядит как ее сестра; to mark — отличать, характеризовать).
forenoon ['fO: nu:n], addition [q'dIS(q)n], scarlet ['skQ: lIt]
Believing that I had come too far to the north and west, I turned back in a southeasterly direction, passing during the forenoon several other large cities, but none resembling the description which Kantos Kan had given me of Helium. In addition to the twin-city formation of Helium, another distinguishing feature is the two immense towers, one of vivid scarlet rising nearly a mile into the air from the center of one of the cities, while the other, of bright yellow and of the same height, marks her sister.
CHAPTER XXIV
About noon I passed low over a great dead city of ancient Mars (около полудня я низко пролетал над огромным мертвым городом древнего Марса), and as I skimmed out across the plain beyond (и когда я скользил над равниной за ним; to skim — едва касаться, нестись, скользить) I came full upon several thousand green warriors (я наткнулся на несколько тысяч зеленых воинов; to come upon — натолкнуться) engaged in a terrific battle (вовлеченных в ужасающую битву/занятых ужасной битвой). Scarcely had I seen them than a volley of shots was directed at me (едва я увидел их, как залп выстрелов был направлен на меня), and with the almost unfailing accuracy of their aim (и при почти безупречной точности их прицела; unfailing — неизменный, безотказный) my little craft was instantly a ruined wreck (мое маленькое суденышко мгновенно превратилось в «разрушенные» обломки; wreck — обломки), sinking erratically to the ground (хаотично опускающиеся на землю).
ancient ['eInS(q)nt], unfailing [An'feIlIN], erratic [I'rxtIk]
About noon I passed low over a great dead city of ancient Mars, and as I skimmed out across the plain beyond I came full upon several thousand green warriors engaged in a terrific battle. Scarcely had I seen them than a volley of shots was directed at me, and with the almost unfailing accuracy of their aim my little craft was instantly a ruined wreck, sinking erratically to the ground.