Английский язык с Э. Р. Берроузом. Принцесса Марса
Шрифт:
coax [kouks], remarkable [rI'mQ: kqbl], distortion [dIs'tO: S(q)n]
I had never petted nor fondled him, but now I sat upon the ground and putting my arms around his heavy neck I stroked and coaxed him, talking in my newly acquired Martian tongue as I would have to my hound at home, as I would have talked to any other friend among the lower animals. His response to my manifestation of affection was remarkable to a degree; he stretched his great mouth to its full width, baring the entire expanse of his upper rows of tusks and wrinkling his snout until his great eyes were almost hidden by the folds of flesh. If you have ever seen a collie smile you may have some idea of Woola's facial distortion.
He threw himself upon his back (он упал: «бросился» на спину) and fairly wallowed at my feet (и /стал/ прямо-таки кататься у моих ног; to wallow — кататься, валяться); jumped up and sprang upon me (подскочил и прыгнул
squirm [skwWm],ludicrous ['lu: dIkrqs], precipitately [prI'sIpItItlI], headforemost ["hed'fO: moust]
He threw himself upon his back and fairly wallowed at my feet; jumped up and sprang upon me, rolling me upon the ground by his great weight; then wriggling and squirming around me like a playful puppy presenting its back for the petting it craves. I could not resist the ludicrousness of the spectacle, and holding my sides I rocked back and forth in the first laughter which had passed my lips in many days; the first, in fact, since the morning Powell had left camp when his horse, long unused, had precipitately and unexpectedly bucked him off headforemost into a pot of frijoles.
My laughter frightened Woola (мой смех испугал Вулу), his antics ceased and he crawled pitifully toward me (его кривлянья прекратились, и он с жалким видом подполз ко мне; antics — гримасы, ужимки), poking his ugly head far into my lap (тычась своей уродливой головой «глубоко» мне в колени; to poke — тыкать, толкать); and then I remembered what laughter signified on Mars (а затем я вспомнил, что означал смех на Марсе) — torture, suffering, death (пытки, страдания, смерть). Quieting myself, I rubbed the poor old fellow's head and back (успокоившись, я погладил бедного старого приятеля по голове и спине; old fellow — старина), talked to him for a few minutes (поговорил с ним несколько минут), and then in an authoritative tone commanded him to follow me (а затем властным тоном приказал ему следовать за мной), and arising started for the hills (и, поднявшись, направился к холмам).
antic ['xntIk], torture ['tO: tSq], authoritative [O:'TOrItqtIv]
My laughter frightened Woola, his antics ceased and he crawled pitifully toward me, poking his ugly head far into my lap; and then I remembered what laughter signified on Mars — torture, suffering, death. Quieting myself, I rubbed the poor old fellow's head and back, talked to him for a few minutes, and then in an authoritative tone commanded him to follow me, and arising started for the hills.
There was no further question of authority between us (теперь между нами больше не было вопроса о власти); Woola was my devoted slave from that moment hence (Вула стал моим преданным рабом с этого момента; hence — с этих пор, с этого времени), and I his only and undisputed master (а я — его единственным и бесспорным хозяином; to dispute — обсуждать, ставить под сомнение; undisputed — неоспоримый). My walk to the hills occupied but a few minutes (моя прогулка к холмам заняла всего несколько минут), and I found nothing of particular interest to reward me (и я не нашел там ничего особенно интересного, что /могло бы/ вознаградить меня; to reward — вознаграждать). Numerous brilliantly colored and strangely formed wild flowers dotted the ravines (многочисленные ярко окрашенные и странной формы дикие цветы усеивали лощины) and from the summit of the first hill (и с вершины первого холма) I saw still other hills stretching off toward the north (я увидел еще другие холмы, тянувшиеся к северу), and rising, one range above another (и вздымающиеся, /одна/ гряда выше другой), until lost in mountains of quite respectable dimensions (пока
undisputed ['AndIs'pju: tId], respectable [rI'spektqbl], magnitude ['mxgnItju: d]
There was no further question of authority between us; Woola was my devoted slave from that moment hence, and I his only and undisputed master. My walk to the hills occupied but a few minutes, and I found nothing of particular interest to reward me. Numerous brilliantly colored and strangely formed wild flowers dotted the ravines and from the summit of the first hill I saw still other hills stretching off toward the north, and rising, one range above another, until lost in mountains of quite respectable dimensions; though I afterward found that only a few peaks on all Mars exceed four thousand feet in height; the suggestion of magnitude was merely relative.
My morning's walk had been large with importance to me (моя утренняя прогулка имела большое значение для меня) for it had resulted in a perfect understanding with Woola (так как ее итогом стало полное взаимопонимание с Вулой), upon whom Tars Tarkas relied for my safe keeping (на которого Тарс Таркас полагался как на моего охранника; safe keeping — хранение). I now knew that while theoretically a prisoner I was virtually free (теперь я знал, что хотя теоретически я был пленником, фактически я был свободен; virtually — фактически, наделе), and I hastened to regain the city limits (и я поспешил вернуться в пределы города; to regain — снова достичь) before the defection of Woola could be discovered by his erstwhile masters (прежде чем отступничество Вулы будет обнаружено его прежними хозяевами; defection — нарушение долга; erstwhile — прежний, былой). The adventure decided me never again to leave the limits of my prescribed stamping grounds (это приключение привело меня к решению больше никогда не покидать пределов предписанной мне территории; to stamp — топать ногами; stamping ground — часто посещаемое место) until I was ready to venture forth for good and all (пока я не буду готов рискнуть /отправиться/ дальше насовсем; for good and all — навсегда, окончательно), as it would certainly result in a curtailment of my liberties, as well as the probable death of Woola, were we to be discovered (так как, если бы мы были разоблачены, то это, без сомнения, привело бы к ограничению моей свободы, а также к вероятной смерти Вулы; curtailment — сокращение, урезание).
result [rI'zAlt], virtually ['vWtjuqlI], curtailment [kW'teIlmqnt]
My morning's walk had been large with importance to me for it had resulted in a perfect understanding with Woola, upon whom Tars Tarkas relied for my safe keeping. I now knew that while theoretically a prisoner I was virtually free, and I hastened to regain the city limits before the defection of Woola could be discovered by his erstwhile masters. The adventure decided me never again to leave the limits of my prescribed stamping grounds until I was ready to venture forth for good and all, as it would certainly result in a curtailment of my liberties, as well as the probable death of Woola, were we to be discovered.
On regaining the plaza (вновь вернувшись на площадь) I had my third glimpse of the captive girl (я в третий раз получил /возможность/ взглянуть на пленную девушку). She was standing with her guards before the entrance to the audience chamber (она стояла вместе со своими стражами перед входом в зал для аудиенций), and as I approached (и когда я приблизился) she gave me one haughty glance and turned her back full upon me (она одарила меня одним надменным взглядом и развернулась ко мне спиной; glance — быстрый взгляд; to give a glance — взглянуть; haughty — надменный, высокомерный; to turn back upon — повернуться спиной/к кому-либо/, отвернуться). The act was so womanly (этот поступок был настолько женственным), so earthly womanly (настолько по-земному женственным), that though it stung my pride (что хотя он и уязвил мою гордость; to sting — жалить; причинять острую боль) it also warmed my heart with a feeling of companionship (он в то же время согрел мою душу: «сердце» чувством близости: «товарищества»); it was good to know (было приятно узнать) that someone else on Mars beside myself (что у кого-то еще на Марсе, кроме меня) had human instincts of a civilized order (были чувства цивилизованного человека: «чувства цивилизованного порядка»; order — порядок; род, свойство), even though the manifestation of them was so painful and mortifying (даже если их проявление было настолько болезненным и оскорбительным; to mortify — унижать, обижать).