Английский язык с М. Муркоком
Шрифт:
`We'll discuss the heart of the Knight of the Swords (/давай/ обсудим сердце Рыцаря Мечей), Corum said. `How do I steal it (как мне украсть его)?
`Come (пойдем), said Shool.
They stood in a garden of monstrous blossoms that gave off an almost overpoweringly sweet scent (они стояли в саду гигантских цветов, которые испускали почти нестерпимо сладкий аромат; monstrous — чудовищный, уродливый; громадный; overpoweringly — непреодолимо, всепоглощающе). The sun was red in the sky above them (солнце было красным в небе над ними). The leaves of the plants were dark, near black (листья растений были темными, почти черными). They rustled (они шелестели).
Shool had returned to his earlier form of a youth dressed in a flowing blue robe (Шул
overpoweringly [, uv'paurl] scent [sent] rustled [rsld]
`You are a fool to give so much for this creature. She, like all her kind, fears knowledge, fears the deep, dark wisdom that brings power.
`We'll discuss the heart of the Knight of the Swords, Corum said. `How do I steal it?
`Come, said Shool.
They stood in a garden of monstrous blossoms that gave off an almost overpoweringly sweet scent. The sun was red in the sky above them. The leaves of the plants were dark, near black. They rustled.
Shool had returned to his earlier form of a youth dressed in a flowing blue robe. He led Corum along a path.
`This garden I have cultivated for millennia (этот сад я растил тысячелетия; to cultivate — возделывать, обрабатывать; выращивать). It has many peculiar plants (в нем множество необычных растений). Filling most of the island not filled by my castle, it serves a useful purpose (занимая большую часть острова, не занятую моим замком, он служит полезной цели = имеет практическую ценность; to serve a purpose — служить определенной цели). It is a peaceful place in which to relax (это тихое место, где можно расслабиться), it is hard for any unwanted guests to find their way through (/но/ нежелательным гостям трудно пройти через него).
`Why is the island called the Home of the Gorged God (почему остров называется Жилищем прожорливого бога)?
`I named it that — after the being from whom I inherited it (я назвал его так — в честь существа, от которого я унаследовал его; to name after). Another God used to dwell here, you see, and all feared him (другой бог жил здесь, видишь ли, и все боялись его). Looking for a safe place where I could continue with my studies, I found the island (ища безопасное место, где я мог бы продолжать свои исследования, я обнаружил этот остров). But I had heard that a fearsome God inhabited it and, naturally, I was wary (но я слышал, что какой-то грозный бог обитает здесь, и, естественно, я был осторожен; fearsome — грозный, страшный, зловещий). I had only a fraction of my present wisdom then (я имел лишь частицу моей теперешней мудрости тогда = был не так мудр), being little more than a few centuries old (будучи только несколько веков от роду), so I knew that I did not have the power to destroy a God (поэтому я знал, что у меня не сил, чтобы уничтожить бога).
`This garden I have cultivated for millennia. It has many peculiar plants. Filling most of the island not filled by my castle, it serves a useful purpose. It is a peaceful place in which to relax, it is hard for any unwanted guests to find their way through.
`Why is the island called the Home of the Gorged God?
`I named it that — after the being from whom I inherited it. Another God used to dwell here, you see, and all feared him. Looking for a safe place where I could continue with my studies, I found the island. But I had heard that a fearsome God inhabited it and, naturally, I was wary. I had only a fraction of my present wisdom then, being little more than a few centuries old, so I knew that I did not have the power to destroy a God.
A huge orchid reached out and stroked Corum's new hand (огромная орхидея потянулась и погладила новую руку Корума). He pulled it away (он оттолкнул ее; to pull away — выдергивать, выхватывать).
`Then how did you take over this island (тогда как же ты завладел этим островом; to take over — принимать /должность и т. д. / от другого; вступать во владение)? he asked Shool.
`I heard that the God ate children (я слышал, что этот бог ест детей). One a day was sacrificed to him by the ancestors of those you call the Nhadragh (по одному /ребенку/ в день ему приносили в жертву предки тех, кого ты называешь надрагами). Having plenty of money it occurred to me to buy a good number of children (имея много денег, я решил: «мне пришло в голову» купить изрядное количество = побольше детей) and feed them to him all at once, to see what would happen (и скормить их ему всех сразу, чтобы посмотреть, что произойдет).
`What did happen (что произошло)?
`He gobbled them all and fell into a gorged slumber (он сожрал их всех и погрузился в сытую дремоту).
`And you crept up and killed him (а ты подкрался и убил его)!
orchid [':kd] sacrificed ['saekrfast] gorged [:d]
A huge orchid reached out and stroked Corum's new hand. He pulled it away.
`Then how did you take over this island? he asked Shool.
`I heard that the God ate children. One a day was sacrificed to him by the ancestors of those you call the Nhadragh. Having plenty of money it occurred to me to buy a good number of children and feed them to him all at once, to see what would happen.
`What did happen?
`He gobbled them all and fell into a gorged slumber.
`And you crept up and killed him!
`No such thing (ничего подобного)! I captured him (я взял его в плен). He is still in one of his own dungeons somewhere (он по-прежнему находится в одной из своих темниц где-то; dungeon — подземная тюрьма, подземелье), though he is no longer the fine being he was when I inherited his palace (хотя он больше не утонченное существо, каким был, когда я получил в наследство его дворец). He was only a little god, of course, but some relative to the Knight of Swords (он был всего лишь незначительным богом, конечно, но /зато/ родственником Рыцаря Мечей). That is another reason why the Knight, or any of the others, does not trouble me too much, for I hold Pilproth prisoner (это еще одна причина, почему Рыцарь или любой другой из остальных /Повелителей Мечей/ не слишком меня беспокоит, так как я держу Пилпрота в качестве пленника).
`To destroy your island would be to destroy their brother (уничтожить твой остров означало бы уничтожить своего брата).
`Quite (совершенно верно).
`And that is another reason why you must employ me to do this piece of thievery (и это еще одна причина = вот почему ты должен использовать меня, чтобы совершить это воровство; to employ — нанимать; использовать, применять). You are afraid that if you leave they will be able to extinguish you (ты боишься, что если покинешь /остров/, они смогут уничтожить тебя).
dungeon ['dnn] relative ['reltv] trouble [trbl] thievery ['i:vr]
`No such thing! I captured him. He is still in one of his own dungeons somewhere, though he is no longer the fine being he was when I inherited his palace. He was only a little god, of course, but some relative to the Knight of Swords. That is another reason why the Knight, or any of the others, does not trouble me too much, for I hold Pilproth prisoner.
`To destroy your island would be to destroy their brother.