Английский язык с Конаном-варваром
Шрифт:
"My name is Balthus," he offered (мое имя Балтус = меня зовут Балтус, — попробовал он /завязать беседу/; to offer — предлагать, пробовать, пытаться, вызваться). "I was at Velitrium last night (я был в Велитриуме прошлой ночью / вчера вечером). I haven't decided whether I'll take up a hide of land, or enter fort service (я не решил, займу / возьму ли я надел земли или поступлю на службу в форт)."
together [t'ed], name [nem], service ['s: vs]
Casually the slayer shoved the body deeper into the thickets with his foot, pulled the bushes together and turned away down the trail. The other followed him.
"My name is Balthus," he offered. "I was at Velitrium last night. I haven't decided whether I'll take up a hide of land, or enter fort service."
"The best land near Thunder River is already taken," grunted the slayer (лучшая земля возле Громовой реки уже занята, — проворчал убийца). "Plenty of good land between Scalp Creek — you crossed it a few miles back — and the fort, but that's getting too devilish close to the river (полно
29
Как вам сей перл страдательного залога? И это еще не предел возможного. Но меня мучит мысль: может, лучше «охочимыми».
good [d], murder [m: d], business ['bzns]
"The best land near Thunder River is already taken," grunted the slayer. "Plenty of good land between Scalp Creek — you crossed it a few miles back — and the fort, but that's getting too devilish close to the river. The Picts steal over to burn and murder — as that one did. They don't always come singly. Some day they'll try to sweep the settlers out of Conajohara. And they may succeed — probably will succeed. This colonization business is mad, anyway. There's plenty of good land east of the Bossonian marches. If the Aquilonians would cut up some of the big estates of their barons, and plant wheat where now only deer are hunted, they wouldn't have to cross the border and take the land of the Picts away from them."
"That's queer talk from a man in the service of the governor of Conajohara," objected Balthus (это странные речи от = для человека в = на службе /у/ губернатора Конджобары, — возразил Балтус). [30]
"That's queer talk from a man in the service of the governor of Conajohara," objected Balthus.
"It's nothing to me," the other retorted (это ничего для меня = мне-то что / а мне наплевать, — парировал другой). "I'm a mercenary (я /есть/ наемник). I sell my sword to the highest bidder (я продаю мой меч тому, кто больше платит; the highest bidder — лицо, предложившее наивысшую цену; to bid — предлагать). I never planted wheat and never will, so long as there are other harvests to be reaped with the sword (я никогда не сажал пшеницу и никогда /не/ буду, покуда есть другие урожаи, которые /надо/ жать мечом; so long as — покуда, пока). But you Hyborians have expanded as far as you'll be allowed to expand (но вы, хайборийцы, распространились так далеко, как вам будет позволено распространяться). You've crossed the marches, burned a few villages (вы перешли болота, сожгли несколько поселков), exterminated a few clans and pushed back the frontier to Black River (истребили несколько кланов и отодвинули назад = дальше границу к Черной реке); but I doubt if you'll even be able to hold what you've conquered, and you'll never push the frontier any further westward (но я сомневаюсь, сможете ли вы удержать даже то, что вы завоевали, и вы никогда не отодвинете границу дальше на запад; even — даже; westward — на запад, в западном направлении). Your idiotic king doesn't understand conditions here (ваш идиот-король не понимает условий здесь = здешних условий). He won't send you enough reinforcements (он не пошлет вам достаточно пополнения), and there are not enough settlers to withstand the shock of a concerted attack from across the river (и /есть/ недостаточно поселенцев, /чтобы/ противостоять удару согласованной атаки из-за реки)."
30
Да это не Балтус, а оболтус, чтобы возражать самому Конану.
mercenary ['m: snr], harvest ['h: vst], doubt [daut]
"It's nothing to me," the other retorted. "I'm a mercenary. I sell my sword to the highest bidder. I never planted wheat and never will, so long as there are other harvests to be reaped with the sword. But you Hyborians have expanded as far as you'll be allowed to expand. You've crossed the marches, burned a few villages, exterminated a few clans and pushed back the frontier to Black River; but I doubt if you'll even be able to hold what you've conquered, and you'll never push the frontier any further westward. Your idiotic king doesn't understand conditions here. He won't send you enough reinforcements, and there are not enough settlers to withstand the shock of a concerted attack from across the river."
"But the Picts are divided into small clans," persisted Balthus (но
"Or any three or four clans," admitted the slayer (или любые три или четыре клана, — согласился убийца). "But some day a man will rise and unite thirty or forty clans, just as was done among the Cimmerians, when the Gundermen tried to push the border northward, years ago (но однажды один человек возвысится и объединит тридцать или сорок = тридцать-сорок кланов, точно /так же/, как /это/ было сделано среди киммерийцев, когда гундеры попытались отодвинуть границу на север, годы = много лет назад). They tried to colonize the southern marches of Cimmeria: destroyed a few small clans, built a fort-town, Venarium — you've heard the tale (они попытались колонизовать южные рубежи Киммерии: уничтожили несколько небольших кланов, построили город-крепость, Венариум — ты слышал историю)."
unite [ju:'nat], town [taun], tale [tel]
"But the Picts are divided into small clans," persisted Balthus. "They'll never unite. We can whip any single clan."
"Or any three or four clans," admitted the slayer. "But some day a man will rise and unite thirty or forty clans, just as was done among the Cimmerians, when the Gundermen tried to push the border northward, years ago. They tried to colonize the southern marches of Cimmeria: destroyed a few small clans, built a fort-town, Venarium — you've heard the tale."
"So I have indeed," replied Balthus, wincing (так я /слышал/ действительно, — ответил Балтус, вздрагивая; to wince — вздрагивать, морщиться (от боли)). The memory of that red disaster was a black blot in the chronicles of a proud and warlike people (память о той кровавой беде = бойне была черным пятном в хрониках гордого и воинственного народа). "My uncle was at Venarium when the Cimmerians swarmed over the walls (мой дядя был в Венариуме, когда киммерийцы полезли через стены; swarm — рой, стая; to swarm — роиться; кишеть; лезть, карабкаться). He was one of the few who escaped that slaughter (он был одним из немногих, кто избежал этой бойни). I've heard him tell the tale, many a time (я слышал его рассказывать = как он рассказывал эту историю много раз). The barbarians swept out of the hills in a ravening horde, without warning, and stormed Venarium with such fury none could stand before them (варвары обрушились из холмов всепожирающей ордой без предупреждения и атаковали Венариум с такой яростью, /что/ никто /не/ мог выстоять перед ними). Men, women, and children were butchered (мужчин, женщин и детей безжалостно убивали: «были убиваемы»; to butcher — безжалостно убивать; butcher — мясник). Venarium was reduced to a mass of charred ruins, as it is to this day (Венариум был превращен в груду обуглившихся развалин, каким он является = остается до сего дня). The Aquilonians were driven back across the marches, and have never since tried to colonize the Cimmerian country (аквилонцы были отогнаны назад за рубежи, и никогда с тех пор /не/ пытались колонизовать киммерийскую страну). But you speak of Venarium familiarly (но ты говоришь о Венариуме не понаслышке). Perhaps you were there (возможно, ты был там)?"
proud [praud], fury ['fjur], butcher ['b]
"So I have indeed," replied Balthus, wincing. The memory of that red disaster was a black blot in the chronicles of a proud and warlike people. "My uncle was at Venarium when the Cimmerians swarmed over the walls. He was one of the few who escaped that slaughter. I've heard him tell the tale, many a time. The barbarians swept out of the hills in a ravening horde, without warning, and stormed Venarium with such fury none could stand before them. Men, women, and children were butchered. Venarium was reduced to a mass of charred ruins, as it is to this day. The Aquilonians were driven back across the marches, and have never since tried to colonize the Cimmerian country. But you speak of Venarium familiarly. Perhaps you were there?"
"I was," grunted the other (я был = да, — проворчал другой). "I was one of the horde that swarmed over the walls (я был одним из орды, которая лезла через стены). I hadn't yet seen fifteen snows, but already my name was repeated about the council fires (я еще не видел пятнадцати снегов = зим, но уже мое имя было повторяемо = повторялось у костров совета; to see — видеть)."
Balthus involuntarily recoiled, staring (Балтус невольно отпрянул, широко раскрыв глаза; staring — с широко раскрытыми глазами). It seemed incredible that the man walking tranquilly at his side (это казалось невероятным, что человек, шедший спокойно возле него) should have been one of those screeching, blood-mad devils (должен был быть одним из тех визжащих кровожадных дьяволов) that poured over the walls of Venarium on that long- gone day to make her streets run crimson (которые хлынули через стены Венариума в тот давно прошедший день, /чтобы/ заставить ее = его улицы истекать кровью = залить кровью его улицы; to run — течь, струиться).