Английский язык с Э. Р. Берроузом. Принцесса Марса
Шрифт:
intensely [In'tenslI], locality [lou'kxlItI], seldom ['seldqm]
This last device produces an intensely brilliant far-reaching white light, but as the natural oil which it requires can only be obtained by mining in one of several widely separated and remote localities it is seldom used by these creatures whose only thought is for today, and whose hatred for manual labor has kept them in a semi-barbaric state for countless ages.
After Sola had replenished my coverings (после того, как Сола пополнила мой /запас/ покрывал; to replenish — снова пополнять) I again slept, nor did I awaken until daylight (я снова спал и не просыпался до /наступления/ дня). The other occupants of the room, five in number (другие обитатели комнаты, числом пять), were all females, and they were still sleeping (все были женщины, и они все еще спали), piled high with a motley array of silks and furs (высоко заваленные пестрой массой шелков и мехов; to pile —
replenish [rI'plenIS], threshold ['TreShould], apparently [q'pxrqntlI]
After Sola had replenished my coverings I again slept, nor did I awaken until daylight. The other occupants of the room, five in number, were all females, and they were still sleeping, piled high with a motley array of silks and furs. Across the threshold lay stretched the sleepless guardian brute, just as I had last seen him on the preceding day; apparently he had not moved a muscle; his eyes were fairly glued upon me, and I fell to wondering just what might befall me should I endeavor to escape.
I have ever been prone to seek adventure (я всегда был склонен искать приключения; prone to — склонный) and to investigate and experiment (и исследовать и экспериментировать /там/) where wiser men would have left well enough alone (/куда/ более разумные люди и не совались бы: «где полностью оставили бы в покое»; to leave alone — оставлять в покое, не трогать; well enough — вполне). It therefore now occurred to me (и таким образом мне пришла в голову мысль) that the surest way of learning the exact attitude of this beast toward me (что самым надежным способом проверить истинное отношение этого животного ко мне) would be to attempt to leave the room (будет попытаться выйти из комнаты). I felt fairly secure in my belief (я чувствовал себя в достаточной безопасности в свой уверенности) that I could escape him should he pursue me (что я могу сбежать от него, если оно будет преследовать меня) once I was outside the building (как только я выйду из здания), for I had begun to take great pride in my ability as a jumper (так как я начал сильно гордиться своими способностями прыгуна). Furthermore, I could see from the shortness of his legs (более того, я видел по его коротким ножкам) that the brute himself was no jumper and probably no runner (что само животное не было ни прыгуном, ни, по всей вероятности, бегуном).
investigate [In'vestIgeIt], furthermore ["fWDq'mO: ], shortness ['SO: tnIs], jumper ['dZAmpq]
I have ever been prone to seek adventure and to investigate and experiment where wiser men would have left well enough alone. It therefore now occurred to me that the surest way of learning the exact attitude of this beast toward me would be to attempt to leave the room. I felt fairly secure in my belief that I could escape him should he pursue me once I was outside the building, for I had begun to take great pride in my ability as a jumper. Furthermore, I could see from the shortness of his legs that the brute himself was no jumper and probably no runner.
Slowly and carefully, therefore, I gained my feet (таким образом, медленно и осторожно я встал на ноги), only to see that my watcher did the same (только для того, чтобы увидеть, что мой страж сделал то же самое); cautiously I advanced toward him (осторожно я продвинулся к нему), finding that by moving with a shuffling gait (обнаружив, что при передвижении скользящей походкой; to shuffle — шаркать, скользить) I could retain my balance as well as make reasonably rapid progress (я могу сохранять равновесие и довольно быстро продвигаться вперед: «равно как довольно быстро…»; to retain — удерживать, сохранять). As I neared the brute (когда я приблизился к животному) he backed cautiously away from me (оно осторожно попятилось от меня), and when I had reached the open (и когда я добрался до открытого места) he moved to one side to let me pass (оно отодвинулось в сторону, чтобы дать мне пройти). He then fell in behind me (затем оно пристроилось позади меня; to fallin — становиться в строй) and followed about ten paces in my rear (и следовало за мной примерно в десяти шагах; rear —
shuffle [SAfl], retain [rI'teIn], reasonably ['ri: znqblI], rear [rIq]
Slowly and carefully, therefore, I gained my feet, only to see that my watcher did the same; cautiously I advanced toward him, finding that by moving with a shuffling gait I could retain my balance as well as make reasonably rapid progress. As I neared the brute he backed cautiously away from me, and when I had reached the open he moved to one side to let me pass. He then fell in behind me and followed about ten paces in my rear as I made my way along the deserted street.
Evidently his mission was to protect me only, I thought (очевидно, его миссия заключалась исключительно в том, чтобы защищать меня, думал я), but when we reached the edge of the city (однако, когда мы подошли к окраине города) he suddenly sprang before me (он внезапно прыгнул передо мной), uttering strange sounds and baring his ugly and ferocious tusks (издавая странные звуки и обнажая уродливые и ужасные клыки). Thinking to have some amusement at his expense (думая немного повеселиться за его счет), I rushed toward him (я бросился к нему), and when almost upon him sprang into the air (и когда был уже почти возле него, подпрыгнул в воздух), alighting far beyond him and away from the city (приземлившись далеко позади него и прочь от города = в сторону, уводящую от города). He wheeled instantly and charged me (он немедленно развернулся и атаковал меня) with the most appalling speed I had ever beheld (с самой потрясающей скоростью, которую я когда-либо видел; to appall — ужасать, потрясать; to behold — смотреть, созерцать). I had thought his short legs a bar to swiftness (я думал, что его короткие ножки являются препятствием для быстроты /бега/; bar to smth. — препятствие, помеха для чего-либо; bar — брусок, блок, кусок; полено), but had he been coursing with greyhounds (но если бы он мчался вместе с гончими собаками; to course — быстро бежать, нестись) the latter would have appeared as though asleep on a door mat (последние показались бы как будто спящими на половике; door — дверь; mat — коврик). As I was to learn (как мне предстояло узнать), this is the fleetest animal on Mars (это самое быстрое животное на Марсе), and owing to its intelligence, loyalty, and ferocity (и благодаря своему интеллекту, преданности и свирепости) is used in hunting, in war, and as the protector of the Martian man (используется на охоте, на войне и как защитник марсианина).
ferocious [fq'rouSqs], swiftness ['swIftnIs], coursing ['kO: sIN], greyhound ['greIhaund]
Evidently his mission was to protect me only, I thought, but when we reached the edge of the city he suddenly sprang before me, uttering strange sounds and baring his ugly and ferocious tusks. Thinking to have some amusement at his expense, I rushed toward him, and when almost upon him sprang into the air, alighting far beyond him and away from the city. He wheeled instantly and charged me with the most appalling speed I had ever beheld. I had thought his short legs a bar to swiftness, but had he been coursing with greyhounds the latter would have appeared as though asleep on a door mat. As I was to learn, this is the fleetest animal on Mars, and owing to its intelligence, loyalty, and ferocity is used in hunting, in war, and as the protector of the Martian man.
I quickly saw that I would have difficulty in escaping the fangs of the beast (я быстро понял, что мне будет трудно ускользнуть от клыков чудовища) on a straightaway course (при беге по прямой: «по прямому курсу»; straightaway — прямая беговая дорожка; on the straightaway — по прямой), and so I met his charge by doubling in my tracks (и поэтому я ответил на его атаку, /начав/ петлять по своему следу; doubling — удвоение; петляние), and leaping over him as he was almost upon me (и перепрыгивая его, когда он почти настигал меня). This maneuver gave me a considerable advantage (этот маневр дал мне значительное преимущество), and I was able to reach the city quite a bit ahead of him (и я смог достичь города намного раньше его; quite — весьма; a bit — небольшое количество, немного), and as he came tearing after me (и пока он, свирепствуя, бежал за мной; to tear — рвать; бушевать, неистовствовать; нестись, мчаться) I jumped for a window (я прыгнул к окну) about thirty feet from the ground (/расположенному/ примерно в тридцати футах над землей) in the face of one of the buildings overlooking the valley (на фасаде одного из зданий, выходивших на долину).
straightaway ["streItq'weI], considerable [kqn'sIdrqbl], advantage [qd'vQ: ntIdZ]
I quickly saw that I would have difficulty in escaping the fangs of the beast on a straightaway course, and so I met his charge by doubling in my tracks and leaping over him as he was almost upon me. This maneuver gave me a considerable advantage, and I was able to reach the city quite a bit ahead of him, and as he came tearing after me I jumped for a window about thirty feet from the ground in the face of one of the buildings overlooking the valley.