Английский язык с Р. Э. Говардом
Шрифт:
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
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.
This then, was the reason for the name, the Tower of the Elephant (значит, это была причина названия Башни Слона), for the head of the thing was much like that of the beasts described by the Shemitish wanderer (ибо голова этого существа была очень похожа на голову животных, описанных шемитским странником). This was Yara's god (это было божество Яры); where then should the gem be, but concealed in the idol (где же тогда должен быть камень, как не спрятан в идоле), since the stone was called the Elephant's Heart (поскольку камень назывался Сердцем Слона)?
As Conan came forward (когда Конан вышел вперед = шагнул вперед; to come), his eyes fixed on the motionless idol (устремив взгляд на неподвижного идола; to fix on — устремлять, сосредоточивать /взгляд, внимание на ком-л., чем-л./), the eyes of the thing opened suddenly (глаза существа внезапно открылись)! The Cimmerian froze in his tracks (киммериец застыл на месте; to freeze — замерзать; застыть; in one's tracks — на месте; track — след). It was no image (это было не изваяние) — it was a living thing, and he was trapped in its chamber (это было живое существо, а он оказался в ловушке в его комнате; to trap — ловить в ловушку; trap — ловушка)!
wanderer ['wndr], idol ['adl], image ['m]
This then, was the reason for the name, the Tower of the Elephant, for the head of the thing was much like that of the beasts described by the Shemitish wanderer. This was Yara's god; where then should the gem be, but concealed in the idol, since the stone was called the Elephant's Heart?
As Conan came forward, his eyes fixed on the motionless idol, the eyes of the thing opened suddenly! The Cimmerian froze in his tracks. It was no image — it was a living thing, and he was trapped in its chamber!
That he did not instantly explode in a burst of murderous frenzy is a fact that measured his horror (действительно, то, что он тотчас не взорвался вспышкой кровопролитного бешенства, определило степень его ужаса; it is a fact that — факт, что/верно, действительно/; to measure — измерять, мерить; оценивать, определять; measure — мера; степень), which paralyzed him where he stood (который парализовал его там, где он стоял). A civilized man in his position would have sought doubtful refuge in the conclusion that he was insane (цивилизованный человек на его месте стал бы искать сомнительное убежище в том умозаключении, что он сошел с ума; insane — душевнобольной; сумасшедший); it did not occur to the Cimmerian to doubt his senses (киммерийцу не пришло в голову сомневаться в своих ощущениях; to occur — случаться; приходить на ум). He knew he was face to face with a demon of the Elder World (он понял, что он оказался лицом к лицу с демоном Древнего Мира), and the realization robbed him of all his faculties except sight (и осознание /этого/ он лишило его всех его способностей /восприятия/, кроме зрения; to rob — грабить; лишать).
measure ['me], refuge ['refju:], faculty ['faeklt]
That he did not instantly explode in a burst of murderous frenzy is a fact that measured his horror, which paralyzed him where he stood. A civilized man in his position would have sought doubtful refuge in the conclusion that he was insane; it did not occur to the Cimmerian to doubt his senses. He knew he was face to face with a demon of the Elder World, and the realization robbed him of all his faculties except sight.