Английский язык с М. Муркоком

Corum struck at the first rider and his blow was a lucky one, for it hurled the man from his saddle. The other rider had tried to strike at Corum but had missed and overshot.

Corum swung himself up into the pony's primitive saddle (Корум поднял себя = запрыгнул в примитивное седло пони). For stirrups there were just two leather loops hanging from the girth strap (вместо стремян использовались просто две кожаные петли, свисавшие с подпруги). Painfully, Corum managed to get his feet into these and block the sword blow from the returning rider (болезненно = с большим трудом, Корум сумел вдеть ноги в них и блокировать удар мечом возвращающегося всадника). Another rider came up now and his sword clanged on Corum's shield (еще один наездник подоспел теперь, и его меч лязгнул о щит Корума; to come up — приезжать; возникать). The horses were snorting and trying to rear (кони фыркали и пытались встать на дыбы), but the causeway was so narrow there was little room for manoeuvre (но дамба была столь узкой, /что/ было недостаточно места для движений; manoeuvre — маневр, ход, шаг) and neither Corum nor the other two could use their swords effectively as they tried to control their half-panicked horses (ни Корум, ни другие двое не могли эффективно использовать свои мечи, так как они пытались сдержать полуиспуганных = встревоженных коней).

The rest of the masked riders were forced to rein in their beasts for fear of toppling off the causeway into the sea (остальные всадники в масках должны были осадить своих животных = лошадей из страха упасть с дамбы в море; to rein in — остановить/ся/, обуздать, осадить /лошадь/; to top — падать /головой вниз/, опрокидывать/ся/) and this gave Beldan's archers the opportunity they required (и это дало лучникам Белдана возможность, в которой они нуждались = сыграло на руку). Dark sheets of arrows sped from the battlements and into the ranks of the Pony Tribesmen (темные тучи стрел летели со стен /замка/ в ряды варваров из пленен на пони; sheet — лист, простыня; пелена, стена /дождя, снега, огня и т. д. /; to speed — мчаться, проноситься). More ponies went down than men, but it added further to the confusion (погибло больше лошадей, чем людей, но это добавило беспорядка = усилило суматоху; to go down — опускаться; ухудшаться, умирать; further — дальнейший, дополнительный; confusion — беспорядок, замешательство).

manoeuvre [m'nu:v] rein [ren] required [r'kwad] confusion [kn'fju: n]

Corum swung himself up into the pony's primitive saddle. For stirrups there were just two leather loops hanging from the girth strap. Painfully, Corum managed to get his feet into these and block the sword blow from the returning rider. Another rider came up now and his sword clanged on Corum's shield. The horses were snorting and trying to rear, but the causeway was so narrow there was little room for manoeuvre and neither Corum nor the other two could use their swords effectively as they tried to control their half-panicked horses.

The rest of the masked riders were forced to rein in their beasts for fear of toppling off the causeway into the sea and this gave Beldan's archers the opportunity they required. Dark sheets of arrows sped from the battlements and into the ranks of the Pony Tribesmen. More ponies went down than men, but it added further to the confusion.

Slowly Corum retreated down the causeway until he was almost at the gate (медленно Корум отступал по дамбе, пока не оказался почти у ворот). His shield arm was completely paralysed and his sword arm aching dreadfully (его рука со щитом была полностью парализована, а рука с мечом ужасно болела), but he still managed to continue defending himself against the riders (но он по-прежнему мог продолжать защищаться от всадников).

Glandyth was screaming at the pony barbarians (Гландит кричал на варваров на пони), trying to force them to retreat and regroup (пытаясь заставить их отступить и перестроиться). Evidently his plans of attack had not been followed (очевидно, его планы атаки не были приняты; to follow — следовать; придерживаться, разделять взгляды). Corum managed to grin (Корум сумел усмехнуться). At least that was something he had gained (по крайней мере, это было что-то, чего он добился = он добился разногласий в рядах врага).

Now the gates of the castle suddenly opened behind him (тут ворота замка внезапно открылись позади него). Beldan stood there with fifty archers poised to shoot (там = внутри стоял Белдан с пятьюдесятью лучниками, готовыми стрелять; to poise — удерживать в равновесии; быть готовым к действию).

`In, Corum, quickly (внутрь, Корум, быстро)! Beldan cried.

paralysed ['paerlazd] dreadfully ['dredful] regroup [, ri:'ru:p]

Slowly Corum retreated down the causeway until he was almost at the gate. His shield arm was completely paralysed and his sword arm aching dreadfully, but he still managed to continue defending himself against the riders.

Glandyth was screaming at the pony barbarians, trying to force them to retreat and regroup. Evidently his plans of attack had not been followed. Corum managed to grin. At least that was something he had gained.

Now the gates of the castle suddenly opened behind him. Beldan stood there with fifty archers poised to shoot.

`In, Corum, quickly! Beldan cried.

Understanding Beldan's intention (понимая намерение/замысел Белдана), Corum flung himself from the back of the pony and bent double (Корум соскочил со спины лошади и согнулся пополам; to fling — бросаться, кидаться), running towards the gates as the first flight of arrows rushed over his head (побежал к воротам, когда первый полет = залп стрел пронесся над его головой; to rush — бросаться, нестись). Then he was through the gates and they had closed (затем он вбежал в ворота и они закрылись).

Corum leant panting against a pillar (Корум прислонился, тяжело дыша, к столбу; pillar — столб, колонна; опора). He felt he had failed in his intention (он чувствовал, что не выполнил свой замысел; to fail — потерпеть неудачу, не исполнить). But now Beldan was slapping his shoulder (но теперь Белдан хлопал его по плечу).

`The tide's coming in, Corum (прилив прибывает, Корум)! We succeeded (у нас получилось; to succeed — достигать цели, удаваться)!

The slap was enough to topple Corum (этого хлопка было достаточно, чтобы опрокинуть Корума). He saw Beldan's surprised expression as he fell to the flagstones (он видел удивленное выражение /лица/ Белдана, когда падал на плиты) and for a moment he was amused by the situation before he passed out completely (и на миг его позабавила эта ситуация, прежде, чем он совсем потерял сознание; to pass out — падать в обморок, терять сознание, «отключаться»).

succeeded [sk'si:dd] through [ru:] amused ['mju:zd]

Understanding Beldan's intention, Corum flung himself from the back of the pony and bent double, running towards the gates as the first flight of arrows rushed over his head. Then he was through the gates and they had closed.

Corum leant panting against a pillar. He felt he had failed in his intention. But now Beldan was slapping his shoulder.

`The tide's coming in, Corum! We succeeded!

The slap was enough to topple Corum. He saw Beldan's surprised expression as he fell to the flagstones and for a moment he was amused by the situation before he passed out completely.

As he awoke, in his own bed with Rhalina sitting at the table nearby, still reading from the manuscripts (когда он проснулся в своей постели, Ралина сидела за столом недалеко, по-прежнему читая рукописи; to awake), Corum realised that no matter how well he trained himself to fight (Корум понял, что как бы хорошо он ни подготовился к бою; no matter how — независимо от того, как; как бы ни), no matter how well he had survived during the battle of the causeway (как бы ни выдержал = ни проявил себя в бою на дамбе), he would not survive long in the Mabden world with both a hand and an eye gone (он долго не проживет в мире мабденов без руки и без глаза; to survive — выжить, уцелеть; пережить).