Английский язык с Э. Р. Берроузом. Принцесса Марса
Шрифт:
doom [du: m], building ['bIldIN], detachment [dI'txtSmqnt]
I had learned from Kantos Kan the secret of opening these gates, and in another moment my twenty great fighting men stood within the doomed city of Zodanga.
I found to my delight that I had entered at the lower boundary of the enormous palace grounds. The building itself showed in the distance a blaze of glorious light, and on the instant I determined to lead a detachment of warriors directly within the palace itself, while the balance of the great horde was attacking the barracks of the soldiery.
Dispatching one of my men to Tars Tarkas for a detail of fifty Tharks (отправив одного из моих людей к Тарсу Таркасу за отрядом из пятидесяти тарков), with word of my intentions (с сообщением о моих намерениях), I ordered ten warriors to capture and open one of the great gates (я
detail ['di: teIl], perfection [pq'fekS(q)n]
Dispatching one of my men to Tars Tarkas for a detail of fifty Tharks, with word of my intentions, I ordered ten warriors to capture and open one of the great gates while with the nine remaining I took the other. We were to do our work quietly, no shots were to be fired and no general advance made until I had reached the palace with my fifty Tharks. Our plan worked to perfection. The two sentries we met were dispatched to their fathers upon the banks of the lost sea of Korus, and the guards at both gates followed them in silence.
CHAPTER XXV
As the great gate where I stood swung open (когда большие ворота, у которых я стоял, распахнулись) my fifty Tharks, headed by Tars Tarkas himself (мои пятьдесят тарков, возглавляемые самим Тарсом Таркасом), rode in upon their mighty thoats (въехали внутрь на своих могучих тотах). I led them to the palace walls (я повел их к дворцовым стенам), which I negotiated easily without assistance (через которые я легко перебрался без посторонней помощи). Once inside, however (однако, как только /я попал/ внутрь), the gate gave me considerable trouble (ворота доставили мне большие затруднения), but I finally was rewarded by seeing it swing upon its huge hinges (но наконец я был вознагражден, увидев, как они поворачиваются на своих огромных петлях; hinge — шарнир, петля), and soon my fierce escort was riding across the gardens of the jeddak of Zodanga (и вскоре мой свирепый эскорт скакал через сады джеддака Зоданги).
As we approached the palace (когда мы приблизились ко дворцу) I could see through the great windows of the first floor (я смог заглянуть через большие окна первого этажа) into the brilliantly illuminated audience chamber of Than Kosis (в ярко освещенный зал для аудиенций Тана Косиса). The immense hall was crowded with nobles and their women (огромный зал был заполнен знатью и их женщинами), as though some important function was in progress (как будто происходила какая-то важная церемония; function — торжественная церемония, торжество). There was not a guard in sight without the palace (ни одного стража не было видно за пределами дворца), due, I presume, to the fact that the city and palace walls were considered impregnable (благодаря тому факту, я полагаю, что стены города и дворца считались неприступными; impregnable — неприступный, неуязвимый), and so I came close and peered within (и поэтому я подошел поближе и заглянул внутрь).
negotiate [nI'gouSIeIt], reward [rI'wO: d], hinge [hIndZ], impregnable [Im'pregnqbl]
As the great gate where I stood swung open my fifty Tharks, headed by Tars Tarkas himself, rode in upon their mighty thoats. I led them to the palace walls, which I negotiated easily without assistance. Once inside, however, the gate gave me considerable trouble, but I finally was rewarded by seeing it swing upon its huge hinges, and soon my fierce escort was riding across the gardens of the jeddak of Zodanga.
As we approached the palace I could see through the great windows of the first floor into the brilliantly illuminated audience chamber of Than Kosis. The immense hall was crowded with nobles and their women, as though some important function was in progress. There was not a guard in sight without the palace, due, I presume, to the fact that the city and palace walls were considered impregnable, and so I came close and peered within.
At one end of the chamber (в
First there marched four officers of the jeddak's Guard (первыми шли четыре офицера Стражи джеддака) bearing a huge salver (которые несли огромный поднос) on which reposed, upon a cushion of scarlet silk, a great golden chain with a collar and padlock at each end (на котором на подушке из алого шелка лежала огромная золотая цепь с ошейником и висячим замком на каждом конце; collar — воротник; ошейник; padlock — висячий замок). Directly behind these officers came four others (прямо позади этих офицеров шли четверо других) carrying a similar salver (/которые/ несли похожий поднос) which supported the magnificent ornaments of a prince and princess of the reigning house of Zodanga (нагруженный: «который поддерживал…» великолепными украшениями принца и принцессы правящего дома Зоданга).
dignitary ['dIgnIt(q)rI], aisle [aIl], cushion [kuSn], padlock ['pxdlOk]
At one end of the chamber, upon massive golden thrones encrusted with diamonds, sat Than Kosis and his consort, surrounded by officers and dignitaries of state. Before them stretched a broad aisle lined on either side with soldiery, and as I looked there entered this aisle at the far end of the hall, the head of a procession which advanced to the foot of the throne.
First there marched four officers of the jeddak's Guard bearing a huge salver on which reposed, upon a cushion of scarlet silk, a great golden chain with a collar and padlock at each end. Directly behind these officers came four others carrying a similar salver which supported the magnificent ornaments of a prince and princess of the reigning house of Zodanga.
At the foot of the throne these two parties separated and halted (у подножия трона эти две группы разделились и остановились), facing each other at opposite sides of the aisle (лицом друг к другу с противоположных сторон прохода). Then came more dignitaries (затем вошли еще сановники), and the officers of the palace and of the army (и офицеры дворца и армии), and finally two figures entirely muffled in scarlet silk (и, наконец, две фигуры, полностью закутанные в алые шелка; to muffle — закутывать, кутать), so that not a feature of either was discernible (так, что нельзя было различить ни одной черты ни одного из них). These two stopped at the foot of the throne, facing Than Kosis (эти двое остановились у подножия трона лицом к Тану Косису). When the balance of the procession had entered (когда остальная часть процессии вошла) and assumed their stations (и заняла свои места) Than Kosis addressed the couple standing before him (Тан Косис обратился к паре, которая стояла перед ним). I could not hear his words (я не мог слышать его слов), but presently two officers advanced and removed the scarlet robe from one of the figures (но вскоре два офицера подошли и сняли алое одеяние с одной из фигур), and I saw that Kantos Kan had failed in his mission (и я увидел, что Кантос Кан потерпел неудачу в своей миссии), for it was Sab Than, Prince of Zodanga, who stood revealed before me (так как это был Саб Тан, принц Зоданги, тот, кто стоял «обнаруженный» передо мной).