occasionally [q'keIZqnqlI], swordsmanship ['sO:dsmqnSIp], mighty ['maItI], piercing ['pIqsIN]
Kantos Kan had fought several times during the day and like myself had always proven victorious, but occasionally by the smallest of margins, especially when pitted against the green warriors. I had little hope that he could best his giant adversary who had mowed down all before him during the day. The fellow towered nearly sixteen feet in height, while Kantos Kan was some inches under six feet. As they advanced to meet one another I saw for the first time a trick of Martian swordsmanship which centered Kantos Kan's every hope of victory and life on one cast of the dice, for, as he came to within about twenty feet of the huge fellow he threw his sword arm far behind him over his shoulder and with a mighty sweep hurled his weapon point foremost at the green warrior. It flew true as an arrow and piercing the poor devil's heart laid him dead upon the arena.
Kantos Kan and I were now pitted against each other (теперь Кантоса Кана и меня выставили друг против друга) but as we approached to the encounter (но когда мы сблизились для схватки) I whispered to him to prolong the battle until nearly dark (я прошептал ему, что /нужно/ продлить битву до темноты) in the hope that we might find some means of escape (в надежде, что мы найдем какой-то способ спастись). The horde evidently guessed that we had no hearts to fight each other (племя, видимо, догадалось, что у нас не было решимости сражаться друг с другом; heart— мужество, смелость; to have the heart to do smth.— решитьсясделатьчто-либо) and so they howled in rage (и поэтому они выли от ярости) as neither of us placed a fatal thrust (так как ни один из нас не наносил рокового удара). Just as I saw the sudden coming of dark (как только я заметил резкое наступление темноты; sudden— внезапный; резкий) I whispered to Kantos Kan to thrust his sword between my left arm and my body (я шепнул Кантосу Кану, чтобы он вонзил свой меч между моей левой рукой и моим телом). As he did so I staggered back (как только он сделал это, я отшатнулся; tostaggerback— отшатнуться) clasping the sword tightly with my arm (крепко зажав меч рукой) and thus fell to the ground with his weapon apparently protruding from my chest (и так упал на землю, при этом казалось, что его оружие торчит у меня из груди). Kantos Kan perceived my coup (понял мою задумку; to perceive — понимать, постигать; coup— удачныйход) and stepping quickly to my side he placed his foot upon my neck (и быстро подошел ко мне сбоку и поставил ногу мне на шею) and withdrawing his sword from my body (и, вытащив свой меч из моего тела) gave me the final death blow through the neck (нанес мне последний смертельный удар в шею) which is supposed to sever the jugular vein (который, предположительно, /должен был/ перерезать мне яремную вену; tosever— отделять; отрезать), but in this instance the cold blade slipped harmlessly into the sand of the arena (но в это мгновение холодный клинок без всякого вреда скользнул в песок арены). In the darkness which had now fallen (в темноте, которая уже опустилась) none could tell but that he had really finished me (любой мог бы сказать, что он действительно прикончил меня: «никто не мог бы сказать иначе»). I whispered to him to go and claim his freedom (я шепнул ему, чтобы он шел и требовал себе свободу) and then look for me in the hills east of the city (а затем искал меня в холмах к востоку от города), and so he left me (и так он оставил меня; toleave).
When the amphitheater had cleared (когда амфитеатр опустел; toclear— очистить, освободить) I crept stealthily to the top (я тайком пробрался наверх) and as the great excavation lay far from the plaza (и так как этот большой котлован находился далеко от площади; excavation— яма, котлован) and in an untenanted portion of the great dead city (и в необитаемой части большого мертвого города) I had little trouble in reaching the hills beyond (то мне не составило большого труда добраться до холмов за ним; trouble— затруднение, усилие).
whisperer ['wIsprq], stagger ['stxgq], protrude [prq'tru:d], withdraw [wID'drO:], jugular ['dZAgjulq], harmless ['hQ:mlIs], untenantable ['An'tenqntqbl]
Kantos Kan and I were now pitted against each other but as we approached to the encounter I whispered to him to prolong the battle until nearly dark in the hope that we might find some means of escape. The horde evidently guessed that we had no hearts to fight each other and so they howled in rage as neither of us placed a fatal thrust. Just as I saw the sudden coming of dark I whispered to Kantos Kan to thrust his sword between my left arm and my body. As he did so I staggered back clasping the sword tightly with my arm and thus fell to the ground with his weapon apparently protruding from my chest. Kantos Kan perceived my coup and stepping quickly to my side he placed his foot upon my neck and withdrawing his sword from my body gave me the final death blow through the neck which is supposed to sever the jugular vein, but in this instance the cold blade slipped harmlessly into the sand of the arena. In the darkness which had now fallen none could tell but that he had really finished me. I whispered to him to go and claim his freedom and then look for me in the hills east of the city, and so he left me.
When the amphitheater had cleared I crept stealthily to the top and as the great excavation lay far from the plaza and in an untenanted portion of the great dead city I had little trouble in reaching the hills beyond.
CHAPTER XX (глава двадцатая)
IN THE ATMOSPHERE FACTORY (на атмосферной фабрике)
For two days I waited there for Kantos Kan (два дня я ожидал там Кантоса Кана), but as he did not come I started off on foot in a northwesterly direction toward a point (но так как он не появился, я отправился пешком в северо-западном направлении к тому месту) where he had told me lay the nearest waterway (где, как он сказал мне, пролегал ближайший канал). My only food consisted of vegetable milk (мою единственную пищу составляло растительное молоко) from the plants which gave so bounteously of this priceless fluid (из тех растений, которые так щедро дарили эту бесценную жидкость; bounteously — щедро, обильно; bounty — щедрость).
Through two long weeks I wandered (две долгие недели я блуждал; to wander— бродить, блуждать), stumbling through the nights guided only by the stars (идя, спотыкаясь, ночами и ориентируясь только по звездам; to guide — направлять, служитьориентиром; to stumble — спотыкаться; идтиспотыкаясь) and hiding during the days behind some protruding rock (и прячась днем за какой-нибудь выступающей скалой; to protrude — выступать, выдаваться) or among the occasional hills I traversed (или среди редких холмов, через которые я проходил; to traverse — пересекать). Several times I was attacked by wild beasts (несколько раз на меня нападали дикие животные); strange, uncouth monstrosities that leaped upon me in the dark (странные, невиданные чудовища, которые выпрыгивали на меня из темноты; uncouth — странный, чудной; неуклюжий), so that I had ever to grasp my long-sword in my hand (так что мне постоянно приходилось держать свой длинный меч в руке) that I might be ready for them (чтобы быть готовым /к встрече/ с ними). Usually my strange, newly acquired telepathic power warned me in ample time (обычно мои необычные, недавно приобретенные телепатические силы предупреждали меня заблаговременно; ample— обильный, достаточный), but once I was down with vicious fangs at my jugular (но однажды я был опрокинут, при этом страшные клыки были у моей шеи: «яремной вены») and a hairy face pressed close to mine before I knew that I was even threatened (а волосатая морда близко прижалась к моему /лицу/, прежде чем я осознал, что мне вообще угрожали).
bounteous ['bauntIqs], priceless ['praIslIs], traverse ['trxvWs], monstrosity [mOn'strOsItI], threaten [Tretn]
For two days I waited there for Kantos Kan, but as he did not come I started off on foot in a northwesterly direction toward a point where he had told me lay the nearest waterway. My only food consisted of vegetable milk from the plants which gave so bounteously of this priceless fluid.
Through two long weeks I wandered, stumbling through the nights guided only by the stars and hiding during the days behind some protruding rock or among the occasional hills I traversed. Several times I was attacked by wild beasts; strange, uncouth monstrosities that leaped upon me in the dark, so that I had ever to grasp my long-sword in my hand that I might be ready for them. Usually my strange, newly acquired telepathic power warned me in ample time, but once I was down with vicious fangs at my jugular and a hairy face pressed close to mine before I knew that I was even threatened.
What manner of thing was upon me I did not know (что за существо напало на меня, — я не знал), but that it was large and heavy and many-legged I could feel (но то, что оно было большим, тяжелым и со множеством ног, я мог чувствовать). My hands were at its throat (мои руки оказались на его горле) before the fangs had a chance to bury themselves in my neck (прежде, чем его клыки получили возможность погрузиться в мою шею), and slowly I forced the hairy face from me (и медленно я оттолкнул от себя волосатую морду; toforce— заставлять; вытеснять) and closed my fingers, vise-like, upon its windpipe (и сомкнул пальцы, подобно тискам, на его горле; windpipe— дыхательноегорло, трахея; pipe— трубка).
