Английский язык с Р. Э. Говардом
Шрифт:
exalt ['z:lt], routine [ru:'ti:n], gnaw [n:]
Another jailer took his place, a stolid, dependable creature whom no amount of bribery could have shaken from his duty. He was unimaginative, but he had an exalted idea of the importance of his job.
After Athicus had been marched away to be formally arraigned before a magistrate, this jailer made the round of the cells as a matter of routine. As he passed that of Conan, his sense of propriety was shocked and outraged to see the prisoner free of his chains and in the act of gnawing the last shreds of meat from a huge beefbone.
The jailer was so upset that he made the mistake of entering the cell alone (тюремщик так огорчился, что допустил ошибку, войдя в камеру один; upset — расстроенный, огорченный; to make a mistake — сделать ошибку), without calling guards from the other parts of the prison (не позвав караульных из других частей тюрьмы). It was his first mistake in the line of duty, and his last (это была его первая ошибка в служебных обязанностях и последняя; line of duty — служебные обязанности). Conan brained him with the beef bone (Конан размозжил ему
key [ki:], leisurely ['lel], departure [d'p:]
The jailer was so upset that he made the mistake of entering the cell alone, without calling guards from the other parts of the prison. It was his first mistake in the line of duty, and his last. Conan brained him with the beef bone, took his poniard and his keys, and made a leisurely departure. As Murilo had said, only one guard was on duty there at night. The Cimmerian passed himself outside the walls by means of the keys he had taken and presently emerged into the outer air, as free as if Murilo's plan had been successful.
In the shadows of the prison walls, Conan paused to decide his next course of action (в тени тюремных стен Конан остановился, чтобы принять решение о следующем ходе действий; course of action — образ действия). It occurred to him that since he had escaped through his own actions (ему пришло в голову, что поскольку он совершил побег благодаря собственным действиям; to occur to — приходить на ум), he owed nothing to Murilo (он ничем не обязан Мурило); yet it had been the young nobleman who had removed his chains and had the food sent to him (однако именно молодой дворянин снял его цепи и велел прислать ему еду; to send — посылать), without either of which his escape would have been impossible (без того и другого его побег был бы невозможен; either — тот или другой; и тот и другой). Conan decided that he was indebted to Murilo (Конан решил, что он в долгу перед Мурило) and, since he was a man who discharged his obligations eventually (а так как он был человеком, который в конечном счете возвращал долги; to discharge — разгружать; выплачивать /долги/; eventually — в конечном счете, в конце концов; со временем), he determined to carry out his promise to the young aristocrat (он принял решение выполнить свое обещание молодому аристократу; to determine — определять; выносить решение;to carry out — выполнять). But first he had some business of his own to attend to (но прежде всего ему нужно было позаботиться о кое-каких своих делах; first — ранее, сначала; прежде всего; to attend to — заботиться /о чем-л./).
course [k:s], owe [u], indebted [n'detd]
In the shadows of the prison walls, Conan paused to decide his next course of action. It occurred to him that since he had escaped through his own actions, he owed nothing to Murilo; yet it had been the young nobleman who had removed his chains and had the food sent to him, without either of which his escape would have been impossible. Conan decided that he was indebted to Murilo and, since he was a man who discharged his obligations eventually, he determined to carry out his promise to the young aristocrat. But first he had some business of his own to attend to.
He discarded his ragged tunic and moved off through the night naked but for a loincloth (он избавился от истрепанной туники и тронулся сквозь ночь обнаженным, за исключением набедренной повязки; to discard — сбрасывать карту; избавляться от чего-л.; to move off — трогаться). As he went he fingered the poniard he had captured (когда он шел = на ходу он ощупывал кинжал, которым он завладел; to capture — захватывать; завладеть) — a murderous weapon with a broad, double-edged blade nineteen inches long (смертельное оружие с широким обоюдоострым лезвием длиной в девятнадцать дюймов). He slunk along alleys and shadowed plazas (он крался по узким улочкам и затененным площадям; to slink — красться) until he came to the district which was his destination — the Maze (пока не дошел до района, который был его целью — Лабиринта). Along its labyrinthian ways he went with the certainty of familiarity (по запутанным дорожкам он шел с уверенностью знания = с уверенностью знающего человека; familiarity — близкое общение; знание, ознакомленность, осведомленность). It was indeed a maze of black alleys and enclosed courts and devious ways (это действительно был лабиринт темных улочек, замкнутых дворов и окольных путей; black — черный; мрачный); of furtive sounds, and stenches (скрытых звуков и зловония). There was no paving on the streets (на улицах не было дорожного покрытия = улицы не были мощенными;paving — мощение улиц; мостовая, дорожное покрытие); mud and filth mingled in an unsavory mess (грязь и отбросы смешались в отвратительное месиво; unsavory — безвкусный; отвратительный; mess — беспорядок; месиво). Sewers were unknown (сточных труб не знали); refuse was dumped into the alleys to form reeking heaps and puddles (отходы вываливали на узкие улочки,
weapon ['wepn], double [dbl], nauseous ['n:zs]
He discarded his ragged tunic and moved off through the night naked but for a loincloth. As he went he fingered the poniard he had captured — a murderous weapon with a broad, double-edged blade nineteen inches long. He slunk along alleys and shadowed plazas until he came to the district which was his destination — the Maze. Along its labyrinthian ways he went with the certainty of familiarity. It was indeed a maze of black alleys and enclosed courts and devious ways; of furtive sounds, and stenches. There was no paving on the streets; mud and filth mingled in an unsavory mess. Sewers were unknown; refuse was dumped into the alleys to form reeking heaps and puddles. Unless a man walked with care he was likely to lose his footing and plunge waist-deep into nauseous pools. Nor was it uncommon to stumble over a corpse lying with its throat cut or its head knocked in, in the mud. Honest folk shunned the Maze with good reason.
Conan reached his destination without being seen (Конан добрался до своей цели никем не замеченный; destination — назначение; цель), just as one he wished fervently to meet was leaving it (как раз когда человек, которого он страстно желал встретить, выходил оттуда). As the Cimmerian slunk into the courtyard below (когда киммериец прокрался во /внутренний/ двор внизу; to slink — красться), the girl who had sold him to the police (девица, которая продала его полиции; to sell — продавать) was taking leave of her new lover in a chamber one flight up (прощалась со своим новым любовником в спальне на один лестничный пролет выше; to take leave of — прощаться с). This young thug, her door closed behind him (этот молодой головорез, когда ее дверь закрылась за ним), groped his way down a creaking flight of stairs, intent on his own meditations (стал наощупь спускаться по скрипучему лестничному пролету, погруженный в свои раздумья; to grope one’s way — пробираться на ощупь; intent — полный решимости; погруженный, поглощенный), which, like those of most of the denizens of the Maze, had to do with the unlawful acquirement of property (которые, как и те = мысли большинства обитателей Лабиринта касались незаконного присвоения собственности; to have to do with — иметь дело с чем-л., касаться чего-л., иметь отношение к чему-л.). Part-way down the stairs, he halted suddenly (на полпути вниз по лестнице он вдруг остановился; partway — на полпути), his hair standing up (/и/ у него встали /дыбом/ волосы; to stand up — встать; подняться). A vague bulk crouched in the darkness before him (неясное тело пригнулось в темноте перед ним; bulk — груда; тело), a pair of eyes blazed like the eyes of a hunting beast (пара глаз пылала, как глаза охотящегося = хищного зверя). A beastlike snarl was the last thing he heard in life (звериное рычание было последним: «последней вещью», что он услышал в жизни; to hear — слышать), as the monster lurched against him and a keen blade ripped through his belly (когда чудовище накренилось к нему, и острое лезвие распороло его брюхо). He gave one gasping cry and slumped down limply on the stairway (он издал один задыхающийся крик и безвольно осел на лестницу).
flight [flat], acquirement ['kwamnt], vague [ve]
Conan reached his destination without being seen, just as one he wished fervently to meet was leaving it. As the Cimmerian slunk into the courtyard below, the girl who had sold him to the police was taking leave of her new lover in a chamber one flight up. This young thug, her door closed behind him, groped his way down a creaking flight of stairs, intent on his own meditations, which, like those of most of the denizens of the Maze, had to do with the unlawful acquirement of property. Part-way down the stairs, he halted suddenly, his hair standing up. A vague bulk crouched in the darkness before him, a pair of eyes blazed like the eyes of a hunting beast. A beastlike snarl was the last thing he heard in life, as the monster lurched against him and a keen blade ripped through his belly. He gave one gasping cry and slumped down limply on the stairway.
The barbarian loomed above him for an instant, ghoul-like (варвар на мгновение навис над ним, как упырь; to loom — маячить; нависать), his eyes burning in the gloom (а его глаза горели во мраке). He knew the sound was heard (он знал, что звук услышан), but the people in the Maze were careful to attend to their own business (но люди в Лабиринте были осторожны, чтобы заниматься = и занимались своими собственными делами = и не лезли в чужие дела; to attend to one's own business — заботиться о собственных делах). A death cry on darkened stairs was nothing unusual (смертельный крик на темной лестнице не был чем-то необычным). Later, some one would venture to investigate (позднее кто-нибудь отважится расследовать = выяснить причину; to investigate — расследовать; собирать сведения), but only after a reasonable lapse of time (но лишь спустя разумный промежуток времени).