Английский язык с Р. Э. Говардом
Шрифт:
scrutinize ['skru:tnaz], relief [r'li:f], immeasurably ['merbl]
Crouching in the deep, velvet-black shadows of the bushes, he scrutinized the great jut of rock which stood out in bold relief in the moonlight. It was covered with strange, grotesque carvings, depicting men and animals, and half-bestial creatures that might have been gods or devils. The style of art differed so strikingly from that of the rest of the valley, that Conan wondered if it did not represent a different era and race, and was itself a relic of an age lost and forgotten at whatever immeasurably distant date the people of Alkmeenon had found and entered the haunted valley.
A great door stood open in the sheer curtain of the cliff (громадная дверь стояла открытой на отвесном барьере утеса; curtain — занавес; барьер), and a gigantic dragon's head was carved about it so that the open door was like the dragon's gaping mouth (и
dragon ['draen], weigh [we], ton [tn]
A great door stood open in the sheer curtain of the cliff, and a gigantic dragon's head was carved about it so that the open door was like the dragon's gaping mouth. The door itself was of carven bronze and looked to weigh several tons. There was no lock that he could see, but a series of bolts showing along the edge of the massive portal, as it stood open, told him that there was some system of locking and unlocking — a system doubtless known only to the priests of Keshan.
The trail showed that Gorulga and his henchmen had gone through that door (следы показывали, что Горулга и его приспешники прошли через эту дверь). But Conan hesitated (но Конан колебался). To wait until they emerged would probably mean to see the door locked in his face (ждать, пока они появятся, означало бы, возможно, увидеть, как дверь закроется перед самым его носом; to shut/lock the door in smb.’s face — закрыть дверь перед самым носом у кого-л.), and he might not be able to solve the mystery of its unlocking (а он, возможно, не сумеет решить = раскрыть тайну ее отпирания; to be able to — уметь, мочь). On the other hand, if he followed them in (с другой стороны, если бы он последовал за ними внутрь; on the other hand — с другой стороны), they might emerge and lock him in the cavern (они могли бы выйти и запереть его в пещере).
Throwing caution to the winds (отбросив всякую осторожность; to throw caution to the winds — отбросить всякую осторожность), he glided through the great portal (он скользнул сквозь огромный портал). Somewhere in the cavern were the priests, the Teeth of Gwahlur, and perhaps a clue to the fate of Muriela (где-то в пещере были жрецы, Зубы Гвалура и, возможно, ключ к судьбе Муриелы). Personal risks had never yet deterred him from any purpose (личный риск = соображения личной безопасности никогда еще не отпугивали его от какой-либо цели; to deter — удерживать; отпугивать).
caution ['k:n], cavern ['kaevn], deter [d't:]
The trail showed that Gorulga and his henchemen had gone through that door. But Conan hesitated. To wait until they emerged would probably mean to see the door locked in his face, and he might not be able to solve the mystery of its unlocking. On the other hand, if he followed them in, they might emerge and lock him in the cavern.
Throwing caution to the winds, he glided through the great portal. Somewhere in the cavern were the priests, the Teeth of Gwahlur, and perhaps a clue to the fate of Muriela. Personal risks had never yet deterred him from any purpose.
Moonlight illumined, for a few yards, the wide tunnel in which he found himself (лунный свет освещал на несколько ярдов широкий туннель, в котором он очутился; to find oneself — оказаться, очутиться). Somewhere ahead of him he saw a faint glow and heard the echo of a weird chanting (где-то впереди себя он увидел слабый свет и услышал эхо причудливого пения; weird — жуткий; причудливый). The priests were not so far ahead of him as he had thought (жрецы не так уж и опередили его, как он думал; to be ahead of smb. — быть впереди кого-л., чего-л., опережать кого-л., что-л.). The tunnel debouched into a wide room before the moonlight played out (прежде чем потерял силу лунный свет, туннель вывел в обширное помещение; to debouch — выводить на открытое место, давать выход; to play out — закончить; терять силу, исчерпаться), an empty cavern of no great dimensions, but with a lofty, vaulted roof, glowing with a phosphorescent encrustation (в пустую пещеру небольших размеров, но с очень высоким, сводчатым потолком, светящимся от фосфоресцирующей инкрустации), which, as Conan knew, was a common phenomenon in that part of the world (которая, как знал Конан, была обычным явлением в этой части света). It made a ghostly half-light (это создавало призрачный полумрак), in which he was able to see a bestial image squatting on a shrine (в котором он смог увидеть на гробнице изваяние животного, припавшего к земле; to squat — припадать к земле; image — образ; изваяние;shrine — рака; гробница, усыпальница), and the black mouths of six or seven tunnels leading off from the chamber (и черные жерла/входы шести-семи туннелей, берущих начало из комнаты; mouth — рот; вход; жерло;to lead off — начинать). Down the widest of these (в самом широком из них) — the one directly behind the squat image which looked toward the outer opening (в том = в туннеле непосредственно за присевшим изваянием, которое смотрело в сторону наружного проема; opening — открывание; проем) — he caught the gleam of torches wavering (он заметил отблески колеблющихся факелов; to catch — ловить; увидеть мельком), whereas the phosphorescent glow was fixed, and heard the chanting increase in volume (в то время как фосфоресцирующий свет был ровным, и услышал, как пение набирает громкость = становится громче; to increase in volume — увеличиваться по громкости).
illumine ['lu:mn], debouch [d'bau], phosphorescent [fsf'resnt]
Moonlight illumined, for a few yards, the wide tunnel in which he found himself. Somewhere ahead of him he saw a faint glow and heard the echo of a weird chanting. The priests were not so far ahead of him as he had thought. The tunnel debouched into a wide room before the moonlight played out, an empty cavern of no great dimensions, but with a lofty, vaulted roof, glowing with a phosphorescent encrustation, which, as Conan knew, was a common phenomenon in that part of the world. It made a ghostly half-light, in which he was able to see a bestial image squatting on a shrine, and the black mouths of six or seven tunnels leading off from the chamber. Down the widest of these — the one directly behind the squat image which looked toward the outer opening — he caught the gleam of torches wavering, whereas the phosphorescent glow was fixed, and heard the chanting increase in volume.
Down it he went recklessly (он беспечно пошел по нему), and was presently peering into a larger cavern than the one he had just left (и вскоре заглядывал в пещеру, большую, чем та, которую он только что покинул; to leave — покидать, оставлять). There was no phosphorus here (здесь не было фосфора), but the light of the torches fell on a larger altar and a more obscene and repulsive god squatting toad-like upon it (но свет факелов падал на алтарь побольше и на более непристойное и омерзительное божество, похожее на жабу, сидевшую на корточках на нем; to squat — сидеть на корточках). Before this repugnant deity Gorulga and his ten acolytes knelt and beat their heads upon the ground (перед этим отталкивающим божеством Горулга и его десять аколитов встали на колени и бились головами о землю; to kneel — преклонять колени, становиться на колени;to beat — бить, ударять), while chanting monotonously (при этом монотонно напевая). Conan realized why their progress had been so slow (Конан понял, почему их продвижение было таким медленным). Evidently approaching the secret crypt of the Teeth was a complicated and elaborate ritual (очевидно, приближение к секретному тайнику Зубов было сложным и замысловатым ритуалом; elaborate — тщательно, детально разработанный; замысловатый).
altar [':lt], obscene [b'si:n], ritual ['rul]
Down it he went recklessly, and was presently peering into a larger cavern than the one he had just left. There was no phosphorus here, but the light of the torches fell on a larger altar and a more obscene and repulsive god squatting toad-like upon it. Before this repugnant deity Gorulga and his ten acolytes knelt and beat their heads upon the ground, while chanting monotonously. Conan realized why their progress had been so slow. Evidently approaching the secret crypt of the Teeth was a complicated and elaborate ritual.