Английский язык с Р. Э. Говардом

consume [kn'sju:m], truth [tru:], sweat [swet]

There was no hesitation in obeying. Chattering with fear the priests scrambled up and ran for the door that opened behind the bestial god. Gorulga led the flight. They jammed briefly in the doorway, yelping as wildly waving torches touched squirming black bodies; they plunged through, and the patter of their speeding feet dwindled down the tunnel.

Conan did not follow. He was consumed with a furious desire to learn the truth of this fantastic affair. Was that indeed Yelaya, as the cold sweat on the backs of his hands told him, or was it that little hussy Muriela, turned traitress after all? If it was -

Before the last torch had vanished down the black tunnel (прежде чем последний факел исчез в черном туннеле) he was bounding vengefully up the stone stair (он мстительно скакал вверх по каменной лестнице). The blue glow was dying down (синий свет гас; to die down — отмирать; затухать), but he could still make out that the ivory figure stood motionless on the gallery (но он мог еще различить, что фигура цвета слоновой кости стоит неподвижно на галерее). His blood ran cold as he approached it (у него кровь стыла /в жилах/ по мере приближения; to run cold — холодеть), but he did not hesitate (но он не колебался). He came on with his sword lifted (он налетел с поднятым мечом; to come on — наступать, приближаться; налетать), and towered like a threat of death over the inscrutable shape (и навис как угроза смерти над загадочной фигурой).

"Yelaya!" he snarled (прорычал он). "Dead as she's been for a thousand years (такая же мертвая, какой она была тысячу лет)! Ha (ха)!"

vengeful ['venful], threat [ret], inscrutable [n'skru:tbl]

Before the last torch had vanished down the black tunnel he was bounding vengefully up the stone stair. The blue glow was dying down, but he could still make out that the ivory figure stood motionless on the gallery. His blood ran cold as he approached it, but he did not hesitate. He came on with his sword lifted, and towered like a threat of death over the inscrutable shape.

"Yelaya!" he snarled. "Dead as she's been for a thousand years! Ha!"

From the dark mouth of a tunnel behind him a dark form lunged (из мрачного зева туннеля позади него ринулась темная фигура; to lunge — делать выпад; неожиданно наброситься; ринуться). But the sudden, deadly rush of unshod feet had reached the Cimmerian's quick ears (но внезапное, смертельное стремительное движение босых ног достигло чуткого слуха киммерийца; unshod — неподкованный; необутый; quick — быстрый; острый, тонкий /о слухе, зрении/). He whirled like a cat and dodged the blow aimed murderously at his back (он извернулся, как кот, и уклонился от удара, смертоносно нацеленного ему в спину). As the gleaming steel in the dark hand hissed past him (когда сверкающая сталь в темнокожей руке просвистела мимо него; to hiss — шипеть; свистеть), he struck back with the fury of a roused python (он нанес ответный удар с яростью разбуженного питона; to strike back — ответить на выпад, нанести ответный удар), and the long straight blade impaled his assailant and stood out a foot and a half between his shoulders (и длинный, прямой клинок пронзил нападавшего и вышел на полтора фута между его лопаток; to stand out — выступать).

deadly ['dedl], python ['pan], assailant ['selnt]

From the dark mouth of a tunnel behind him a dark form lunged. But the sudden, deadly rush of unshod feet had reached the Cimmerian's quick ears. He whirled like a cat and dodged the blow aimed murderously at his back. As the gleaming steel in the dark hand hissed past him, he struck back with the fury of a roused python, and the long straight blade impaled his assailant and stood out a foot and a half between his shoulders.

"So (вот так)!" Conan tore his sword free (Конан высвободил меч; to tear — рвать; вырывать; free — свободный) as the victim sagged to the floor, gasping and gurgling (пока жертва оседала на пол, ловя воздух /ртом/ и булькая; to gasp — задыхаться; ловить воздух). The man writhed briefly and stiffened (человек недолго корчился = скорчился пару раз и застыл/умер; to writhe — скручивать; корчиться /от боли/; to stiffen — застыть; умереть). In the dying light Conan saw a black body and ebon countenance, hideous in the blue glare (в угасающем свете Конан увидел черное тело и эбеновое лицо, страшное в синем сиянии; dying — умирающий; угасающий). He had killed Gwarunga (он убил Гварунгу).

Conan turned from the corpse to the goddess (Конан повернулся от трупа к богине). Thongs about her knees and breast held her upright against the stone pillar (ремни вокруг ее коленей и груди держали ее вертикально /прислоненной/ к каменной колонне), and her thick hair, fastened to the column, held her head up (а ее густые волосы, привязанные к колонне, поддерживали ее голову; to hold up — выставлять; поддерживать, подпирать). At a few yards' distance these bonds were not visible in the uncertain light (на расстоянии в несколько ярдов эти узы не были видны в неясном свете; uncertain — неопределенный).

writhe [rad], hideous ['hds], column ['klm]

"So!" Conan tore his sword free as the victim sagged to the floor, gasping and gurgling. The man writhed briefly and stiffened. In the dying light Conan saw a black body and ebon countenance, hideous in the blue glare. He had killed Gwarunga.

Conan turned from the corpse to the goddess. Thongs about her knees and breast held her upright against the stone pillar, and her thick hair, fastened to the column, held her head up. At a few yards' distance these bonds were not visible in the uncertain light.

"He must have come to after I descended into the tunnel (должно быть, он пришел в себя, после того как я спустился в туннель; to come to — приходить в себя)," muttered Conan (пробормотал Конан). "He must have suspected I was down there (наверное, он предполагал, что я спущусь туда; to suspect — подозревать; предполагать). So he pulled out the dagger (поэтому он вытащил кинжал)" — Conan stooped and wrenched the identical weapon from the stiffening fingers (Конан наклонился и вырвал то самое оружие из застывающих пальцев; identical — тот же самый, идентичный), glanced at it and replaced it in his own girdle (взглянул на него и вернул себе за пояс) — "and shut the door (и закрыл дверь). Then he took Yelaya to befool his brother idiots (потом он забрал Елаю, чтобы одурачить своих собратьев-дураков). That was he shouting a while ago (это он кричал некоторое недавно; a while ago — недавно). You couldn't recognize his voice, under this echoing roof (ты не мог = невозможно было узнать его голос под этим отдающимся эхом потолком). And that bursting blue flame (а это вспыхнувшее синее пламя) — I thought it looked familiar (мне показалось, что оно выглядит знакомым). It's a trick of the Stygian priests (это фокус стигийских жрецов; trick — обман; фокус). Thutmekri must have given some of it to Gwarunga (должно быть, Тутмекри дал немного его Гварунге)."

suspect [ss'pekt], weapon ['wepn], familiar [f'ml]

"He must have come to after I descended into the tunnel," muttered Conan. "He must have suspected I was down there. So he pulled out the dagger" — Conan stooped and wrenched the identical weapon from the stiffening fingers, glanced at it and replaced it in his own girdle — "and shut the door. Then he took Yelaya to befool his brother idiots. That was he shouting a while ago. You couldn't recognize his voice, under this echoing roof. And that bursting blue flame — I thought it looked familiar. It's a trick of the Stygian priests. Thutmekri must have given some of it to Gwarunga."

The man could easily have reached this cavern ahead of his companions (этот человек, вероятно, без труда добрался до этой пещеры впереди своих товарищей; easily — без труда). Evidently familiar with the plan of the caverns by hearsay or by maps handed down in the priestcraft (явно знакомый с планом пещер по слухам или по картам, передаваемым младшим поколениям с искусством священнослужителя; to hand down — передавать по наследству, передавать младшим поколениям; priestcraft — искусство, дело священнослужителя; исполнение обязанностей священнослужителя), he had entered the cave after the others (он вошел в пещеру после остальных), carrying the goddess (неся богиню), followed a circuitous route through the tunnels and chambers (пошел по окольной дороге через туннели и залы), and ensconced himself and his burden on the balcony (и укрылся сам и укрыл свою ношу на балконе) while Gorulga and the other acolytes were engaged in their endless rituals (пока Горулга и остальные прислужники были заняты своими бесконечными ритуалами; to be engaged in smth. — заниматься).