Английский язык с Конаном-варваром
Шрифт:
"Why don't we keep to the canoe and make the trip by water (почему /бы/ нам не оставить /себе/ каноэ и не совершить путешествие по воде)?"
"Because, considering the current we've got to brace, and the bends in the river, we can go faster afoot (потому что, учитывая поток, /который/ нам нужно преодолевать, и излучины на реке, мы можем идти быстрее пешком). Besides, remember Gwawela is south of the fort; if the Picts are crossing the river we'd run right into them (кроме того, помни = не забывай, /что/ Гвавела южнее форта, если пикты пересекают реку, мы бы натолкнулись на них)."
"Why don't we keep to the canoe and make the trip by water?"
"Because, considering the current we've got to brace, and the bends in the river, we can go faster afoot. Besides, remember Gwawela is south of the fort; if the Picts are crossing the river we'd run right into them."
Dusk was gathering as they stepped upon the eastern bank (собирались = сгущались сумерки,
ache [ek], want [wnt], constantly ['knstntl]
Dusk was gathering as they stepped upon the eastern bank. Without pause Conan pushed on northward, at a pace that made Balthus' sturdy legs ache.
"Valannus wanted a fort built at the mouths of North and South Creeks," grunted the Cimmerian. "Then the river could be patrolled constantly. But the Government wouldn't do it.
"Soft-bellied fools sitting on velvet cushions with naked girls offering them iced wine on their knees (толстопузые глупцы, сидящие на бархатных подушках с обнаженными девицами, предлагающими им охлажденное /льдом/ вино на /своих/ коленях; ice — лед). — I know the breed (я знаю эту породу). They can't see any farther than their palace wall (они не могут видеть дальше их дворцовой стены). Diplomacy — hell (дипломатия — ад = проклятие)! They'd fight Picts with theories of territorial expansion (они сражались бы с пиктами с помощью теорий территориальной экспансии). Valannus and men like him have to obey the orders of a set of damned fools (Валаннусу и людям, таким как он, приходится подчиняться приказам кучки треклятых дураков; set — круг людей, связанных своим статусом, общими интересами, привычками или занятием: группа, компания, шайка и т. п.). They'll never grab any more Pictish land, any more than they'll ever rebuild Venarium (они никогда /не/ захватят больше пиктской земли, /не/ больше, чем если = даже если /они/ когда- нибудь восстановят Венариум). The time may come when they'll see the barbarians swarming over the walls of the eastern cities (возможно, придет время, когда они увидят варваров, кишащих за стенами восточных городов)!"
velvet ['velvt], cushion ['kn], damned [daemd]
"Soft-bellied fools sitting on velvet cushions with naked girls offering them iced wine on their knees. — I know the breed. They can't see any farther than their palace wall. Diplomacy — hell! They'd fight Picts with theories of territorial expansion. Valannus and men like him have to obey the orders of a set of damned fools. They'll never grab any more Pictish land, any more than they'll ever rebuild Venarium. The time may come when they'll see the barbarians swarming over the walls of the eastern cities!"
A week before, Balthus would have laughed at any such preposterous suggestion (неделей раньше Балтус посмеялся бы над любым таким абсурдным предположением). Now he made no reply (теперь он не ответил: «сделал никакого ответа»; to make — делать, изготовлять). He had seen the unconquerable ferocity of the men who dwelt beyond the frontiers (он /уже/ видел непобедимую ярость людей, которые жили за границей; to dwell — жить, проживать).
He shivered, casting glances at the sullen river, just visible through the bushes (он вздрогнул, бросая взгляды на медленную реку, как раз видимую сквозь кусты), at the arches of the trees which crowded close to its banks (на своды деревьев, которые теснились возле ее берегов). He kept remembering that the Picts might have crossed the river and be lying in ambush between them and the fort (он продолжал помнить = все еще помнил, что пикты, возможно, пересекли реку и лежат в засаде между ними и фортом). It was fast growing dark (/оно/ быстро становилось темно = быстро темнело).
preposterous [pr'pstrs], unconquerable [n'kkrbl], ferocity [f'rst]
A week before, Balthus would have laughed at any such preposterous suggestion. Now he made no reply. He had seen the unconquerable ferocity of the men who dwelt beyond the frontiers.
He shivered, casting glances at the sullen river, just visible through the bushes, at the arches of the trees which crowded close to its banks. He kept remembering that the Picts might have crossed the river and be lying in ambush between them and the fort. It was fast growing dark.
A slight sound ahead of them jumped his heart into his throat (легкий звук = шорох впереди них подбросил его сердце к его горлу = от легкого шороха у него подпрыгнуло сердце), and Conan's sword gleamed in the air (а меч Конана сверкнул в воздухе). He lowered it when a dog, a great, gaunt, scarred beast (он опустил его, когда собака, огромный сухопарый зверь в шрамах), slunk out of the bushes and stood staring at them (выскользнул из кустов и стоял, уставившись на них; to slink out — выскользнуть).
"That dog belonged to a settler who tried to build his cabin on the bank of the river a few miles south of the fort," grunted Conan (этот пес принадлежал поселенцу, который попытался построить свою хижину на берегу реки /в/ нескольких милях южнее форта, — проворчал Конан). "The Picts slipped over and killed him, of course, and burned his cabin (пикты переправились и убили его, конечно, и сожгли его хижину). We found him dead among the embers, and the dog lying senseless among three Picts he'd killed (мы нашли его мертвым среди углей и пса, лежащим без чувств между трех пиктов, /которых/ он убил). He was almost cut to pieces (он был почти разрезан на куски). We took him to the fort and dressed his wounds (мы отнесли его в форт и перевязали его раны), but after he recovered he took to the woods and turned wild (но после того как он оправился, он подался в лес и одичал; to turn wild — одичать). — What now, Slasher, are you hunting the men who killed your master (что теперь, Задира, ты охотишься на людей, которые убили твоего хозяина)?"
ember ['emb], senseless ['sensls], master ['m:st]
A slight sound ahead of them jumped his heart into his throat, and Conan's sword gleamed in the air. He lowered it when a dog, a great, gaunt, scarred beast, slunk out of the bushes and stood staring at them.
"That dog belonged to a settler who tried to build his cabin on the bank of the river a few miles south of the fort," grunted Conan. "The Picts slipped over and killed him, of course, and burned his cabin. We found him dead among the embers, and the dog lying senseless among three Picts he'd killed. He was almost cut to pieces. We took him to the fort and dressed his wounds, but after he recovered he took to the woods and turned wild. — What now, Slasher, are you hunting the men who killed your master?"