Английский язык с Р. Э. Говардом
Шрифт:
dance [d:ns], writhe [rad], python ['pan]
All over the chamber went on that devil's dance, in utter silence except for the quick breathing of the man, the low scuff of his bare feet on the shining floor, the castanet rattle of the monstrosity's fangs. The gray strands lay in coils on the floor; they were looped along the walls; they overlaid the jewel-chests and silken couches, and hung in dusky festoons from the jeweled ceiling. Conan's steel-trap quickness of eye and muscle had kept him untouched, though the sticky loops had passed him so close they rasped his naked hide. He knew he could not always avoid them; he not only had to watch the strands swinging from the ceiling, but to keep his eye on the floor, lest he trip in the coils that lay there. Sooner or later a gummy loop would writhe about him, pythonlike, and then, wrapped like a cocoon, he would lie at the monster's mercy.
The spider raced across the chamber floor (паук помчался по полу комнаты), the gray rope waving out behind it (с серым канатом, развевающимся позади него). Conan leaped high, clearing a couch (Конан высоко подпрыгнул, перескочив кушетку; to clear — очищать; преодолеть препятствие) — with a quick wheel the fiend ran up the wall (быстро повернув, злодей взбежал по стене; to wheel —
complete [km'pli:t], capture ['kaep], riot ['rat]
The spider raced across the chamber floor, the gray rope waving out behind it. Conan leaped high, clearing a couch — with a quick wheel the fiend ran up the wall, and the strand, leaping off the floor like a live thing, whipped about the Cimmerian's ankle. He caught himself on his hands as he fell, jerking frantically at the web which held him like a pliant vise, or the coil of a python. The hairy devil was racing down the wall to complete its capture. Stung to frenzy, Conan caught up a jewel chest and hurled it with all his strength. Full in the midst of the branching black legs the massive missile struck, smashing against the wall with a muffled sickening crunch. Blood and greenish slime spattered, and the shattered mass fell with the burst gem-chest to the floor. The crushed black body lay among the flaming riot of jewels that spilled over it; the hairy legs moved aimlessly, the dying eyes glittered redly among the twinkling gems.
Conan glared about (Конан огляделся), but no other horror appeared (но других кошмаров не появилось), and he set himself to working free of the web (и он принялся освобождаться от паутины; to set oneself to smth. — приниматься за что-л.). The substance clung tenaciously to his ankle and his hands (вещество цепко приклеилось к лодыжке и рукам; to cling — цепляться; прилипать), but at last he was free (но наконец он был свободен), and taking up his sword (и, подняв меч), he picked his way among the gray coils and loops to the inner door (он стал осторожно пробираться среди серых колец и петель ко внутренней двери; to pick one’s way — пробираться /с осторожностью/). What horrors lay within he did not know (какие ужасы находились внутри = за ней, он не знал). The Cimmerian's blood was up (кровь закипела в жилах киммерийца; one's blood is up — он вышел из себя; кровь кипит в жилах, кровь закипела) and, since he had come so far and overcome so much peril (и, поскольку он зашел так далеко и преодолел столько опасностей; to overcome — побороть; преодолеть), he was determined to go through to the grim finish of the adventure (он был полон решимости пройти до страшного конца приключения; determined — решительный, полный решимости; to go through — пройти; grim — жестокий; страшный), whatever that might be (каким бы он ни был). And he felt that the jewel he sought was not among the many so carelessly strewn about the gleaming chamber (и он почувствовал, что драгоценного камня, который он искал, нет среди того множества /камней/, столь небрежно разбросанных по светящейся комнате; to strew — разбрасывать).
substance ['sbstns], tenacious [t'nes], determine [d't:mn]
Conan glared about, but no other horror appeared, and he set himself to working free of the web. The substance clung tenaciously to his ankle and his hands, but at last he was free, and taking up his sword, he picked his way among the gray coils and loops to the inner door. What horrors lay within he did not know. The Cimmerian's blood was up and, since he had come so far and overcome so much peril, he was determined to go through to the grim finish of the adventure, whatever that might be. And he felt that the jewel he sought was not among the many so carelessly strewn about the gleaming chamber.
Stripping off the loops that fouled the inner door (сняв петли, которые запутали внутреннюю дверь; to foul — загрязнять; запутываться), he found that it, like the other, was not locked (он обнаружил, что она, как и другая, не заперта на замок; to find — обнаруживать; устанавливать). He wondered if the soldiers below were still unaware of his presence (он гадал, всё ли еще солдаты внизу не знают о его присутствии; to wonder — удивляться; интересоваться; размышлять; unaware — незнающий, неведающий). Well, he was high above their heads (в общем-то, он был высоко над их головами; well — ну, итак), and if tales were to be believed (и
foul [faul], wonder ['wnd], agony ['aen]
Stripping off the loops that fouled the inner door, he found that it, like the other, was not locked. He wondered if the soldiers below were still unaware of his presence. Well, he was high above their heads, and if tales were to be believed, they were used to strange noises in the tower above them — sinister sounds, and screams of agony and horror.
Yara was on his mind (у него на уме был Яра; on one's mind — в мыслях, на уме), and he was not altogether comfortable as he opened the golden door (и ему было не вполне спокойно, когда он открыл золотистую дверь). But he saw only a flight of silver steps leading down (но он увидел лишь пролет серебряных ступеней, ведущих вниз), dimly lighted by what means he could not ascertain (тускло освещенных источником света: «какими средствами», который он не мог установить; by what means — каким образом, какими средствами). Down these he went silently, gripping his sword (он бесшумно пошел вниз по этим = по ступеням, крепко сжимая свой меч). He heard no sound and came presently to an ivory door (он не слышал ни звука и вскоре пришел к двери из слоновой кости), set with bloodstones (украшенной кровавиком/гелиотропом; to set — ставить; украшать /драгоценными камнями/). He listened, but no sound came from within (он прислушался, но изнутри не доносилось ни звука); only thin wisps of smoke drifted lazily from beneath the door (лишь тонкие облачка дыма медленно поднимались из-под двери; to drift — относить; сноситься, смещаться, сдвигаться; wisp — пучок, жгут, клок /соломы, сена и т. п./; клочок, обрывок; след, остаток: a thin wisp of smoke — тонкое облачко дыма), bearing a curious exotic odor unfamiliar to the Cimmerian (донося необычный диковинный запах, незнакомый киммерийцу; curious — любопытный; необычный). Below him the silver stair wound down to vanish in the dimness (ниже него серебряная лестница вилась вниз, исчезая во мраке; to wind — виться), and up that shadowy well no sound floated (и вверх по этому темному колодцу не всплывало ни звука; shadowy — тенистый; темный; to float — плавать; всплывать; держаться на поверхности воды); he had an eery feeling that he was alone in a tower occupied only by ghosts and phantoms (у него возникло жуткое чувство, что он один в башне, занятой = населенной лишь привидениями и призраками; to occupy — занимать /дом, квартиру/; арендовать; eery — жуткий, зловещий, мрачный; сверхъестественный).
altogether [:lt'ed], flight [flat], eery ['r]
Yara was on his mind, and he was not altogether comfortable as he opened the golden door. But he saw only a flight of silver steps leading down, dimly lighted by what means he could not ascertain. Down these he went silently, gripping his sword. He heard no sound and came presently to an ivory door, set with bloodstones. He listened, but no sound came from within; only thin wisps of smoke drifted lazily from beneath the door, bearing a curious exotic odor unfamiliar to the Cimmerian. Below him the silver stair wound down to vanish in the dimness, and up that shadowy well no sound floated; he had an eery feeling that he was alone in a tower occupied only by ghosts and phantoms.
3
Cautiously he pressed against the ivory door, and it swung silently inward (он осторожно нажал на дверь из слоновой кости, и она бесшумно качнулась вовнутрь; to swing — качать; качаться). On the shimmering threshold Conan stared like a wolf in strange surroundings (на мерцающем пороге Конан присмотрелся, как волк в незнакомом окружении), ready to fight or flee on the instant (готовый тотчас сражаться или мгновенно убежать; on the instant — тотчас, немедленно). He was looking into a large chamber with a domed golden ceiling (он заглядывал = заглянул в большую комнату с куполообразным золотистым потолком); the walls were of green jade (стены были из зеленого нефрита), the floor of ivory, partly covered with thick rugs (пол из слоновой кости, частично покрытой толстыми коврами). Smoke and exotic scent of incense floated up from a brazier on a golden tripod (дым и диковинный аромат ладана воспарял от жаровни на золотом треножнике; to float — плавать; парить, плыть в воздухе), and behind it sat an idol on a sort of marble couch (а за ним сидел идол на своего рода мраморном ложе; to sit — сидеть; couch — диван; ложе). Conan stared aghast (Конан уставился, пораженный ужасом); the image had the body of a man, naked, and green in color (у изваяния было тело мужчины, обнаженное и зеленого цвета); but the head was one of nightmare and madness (а голова была головой из страшного сна и безумного видения; madness — сумасшествие; безумство). Too large for the human body, it had no attributes of humanity (слишком большая для человеческого тела, она не имела характерных признаков человеческой расы; humanity — человечество; человеческая природа). Conan stared at the wide flaring ears, the curling proboscis (Конан уставился на широкие расширяющиеся книзу уши, закручивающийся хобот; flaring — ярко, неровно горящий; расширяющийся книзу, выступающий наружу), on either side of which stood white tusks tipped with round golden balls (по обе стороны которого располагались белые бивни с круглыми золотыми шариками на кончиках; to stand — стоять; быть расположенным, находиться; tipped — с наконечником). The eyes were closed, as if in sleep (глаза были закрыты словно во сне).
threshold ['rehuld], aghast [':st], proboscis [pr'bss]
Cautiously he pressed against the ivory door, and it swung silently inward. On the shimmering threshold Conan stared like a wolf in strange surroundings, ready to fight or flee on the instant. He was looking into a large chamber with a domed golden ceiling; the walls were of green jade, the floor of ivory, partly covered with thick rugs. Smoke and exotic scent of incense floated up from a brazier on a golden tripod, and behind it sat an idol on a sort of marble couch. Conan stared aghast; the image had the body of a man, naked, and green in color; but the head was one of nightmare and madness. Too large for the human body, it had no attributes of humanity. Conan stared at the wide flaring ears, the curling proboscis, on either side of which stood white tusks tipped with round golden balls. The eyes were closed, as if in sleep.