delicious [dI'lISqs], noticeable ['noutIsqbl], poisonous ['pOIznqs], fathom ['fxDqm]
A sense of delicious dreaminess overcame me, my muscles relaxed, and I was on the point of giving way to my desire to sleep when the sound of approaching horses reached my ears. I attempted to spring to my feet but was horrified to discover that my muscles refused to respond to my will. I was now thoroughly awake, but as unable to move a muscle as though turned to stone. It was then, for the first time, that I noticed a slight vapor filling the cave. It was extremely tenuous and only noticeable against the opening which led to daylight. There also came to my nostrils a faintly pungent odor, and I could only assume that I had been overcome by some poisonous gas, but why I should retain my mental faculties and yet be unable to move I could not fathom.
I lay facing the opening of the cave (я лежал лицом к выходу из пещеры) and where I could see the short stretch of trail (и там, где я мог видеть короткий участок тропы; stretch— участок, отрезок) which lay between the cave and the turn of the cliff around which the trail led (который находился между пещерой и поворотом утеса, вокруг которого вела эта тропа). The noise of the approaching horses had ceased (звук приближающихся лошадей прекратился; to cease— прекращать, останавливать), and I judged the Indians were creeping stealthily upon me (и я пришел к выводу, что индейцы осторожно крадутся ко мне; tojudge— судить, делатьвывод; stealthy— тайный, скрытый) along the little ledge which led to my living tomb (вдоль небольшого выступа, который вел к моей живой могиле). I remember that I hoped they would make short work of me (я помню, что я надеялся, что они быстро расправятся со мной; to make short work of smth. — быстросправиться, разделатьсясчем-либо) as I did not particularly relish the thought of the innumerable things (так как меня не особенно радовала мысль о тех бесчисленных вещах; particularly — очень, вособенности; to relish smth. — получатьудовольствиеотчего-либо, наслаждатьсячем-либо) they might do to me if the spirit prompted them (которые они могли совершить со мной, если так им подскажет их настроение; to prompt — побуждать; spirit — душа; натура;сущность).
particularly [pq'tIkjulqlI], innumerable [I'njHmrqbl], relish ['relIS]
I lay facing the opening of the cave and where I could see the short stretch of trail which lay between the cave and the turn of the cliff around which the trail led. The noise of the approaching horses had ceased, and I judged the Indians were creeping stealthily upon me along the little ledge which led to my living tomb. I remember that I hoped they would make short work of me as I did not particularly relish the thought of the innumerable things they might do to me if the spirit prompted them.
I had not long to wait (мне не пришлось долго ждать) before a stealthy sound apprised me of their nearness (прежде чем осторожный звук оповестил меня об их близости; to apprise— осведомлять, извещать), and then a war-bonneted, paint-streaked face (и затем физиономия в военном головном уборе /и/ раскрашенная « покрытая полосами краски»; war-bonnet— головнойубориндейскоговоинаs; to streak— проводитьполосы; streak — полоска) was thrust cautiously around the shoulder of the cliff (осторожно высунулась: «была высунута» из-за поворота скалы; to thrust— толкать; просовывать; shoulder— плечо; изгиб), and savage eyes looked into mine (и свирепые глаза уставились в мои /глаза/; savage — дикий/находящийсявпервобытномсостоянии/; свирепый). That he could see me in the dim light of the cave I was sure (в том, что он мог видеть меня в слабом свете пещеры, я был уверен; dim — тусклый), for the early morning sun was falling full upon me through the opening (так как /лучи/ утреннего солнца падали прямо на меня через входное отверстие: «солнце раннего утра…»; full — прямо, точно).
apprise [q'praIz], shoulder ['Souldq], savage ['sxvIG]
I had not long to wait before a stealthy sound apprised me of their nearness, and then a war-bonneted, paint-streaked face was thrust cautiously around the shoulder of the cliff, and savage eyes looked into mine. That he could see me in the dim light of the cave I was sure, for the early morning sun was falling full upon me through the opening.
The fellow, instead of approaching (этот тип, вместо того, чтобы приблизиться; fellow— человек; тип), merely stood and stared (просто стоял и смотрел; to stare— пристальносмотреть); his eyes bulging and his jaw dropped (его глаза /были/ вытаращены, а челюсть отвисла; to bulge — выпячиваться, выпирать; to drop— падать; выпадать). And then another savage face appeared (а затем появилась еще одна дикая физиономия), and a third and fourth and fifth (и третья, и четвертая, и пятая), craning their necks over the shoulders of their fellows (вытягивающие шеи из-за плеч своих товарищей; to crane — вытягиватьшею; crane — журавль, цапля) whom they could not pass upon the narrow ledge (которых они не могли обойти на узком выступе). Each face was the picture of awe and fear (каждое лицо было олицетворением благоговейного страха и ужаса; picture — картина; воплощение, олицетворение), but for what reason I did not know (но по какой причине — я не знал), nor did I learn until ten years later (и я узнал об этом только десять лет спустя). That there were still other braves (то, что там были и другие воины) behind those who regarded me (позади тех, кто рассматривал меня) was apparent from the fact (было очевидно по тому обстоятельству) that the leaders passed back whispered word to those behind them (что вожди передавали /какие-то/ слова шепотом тем, кто /стоял/ позади них; to whisper — шептать).
jaw [GL], leader ['lJdq], whisper ['wIspq]
The fellow, instead of approaching, merely stood and stared; his eyes bulging and his jaw dropped. And then another savage face appeared, and a third and fourth and fifth, craning their necks over the shoulders of their fellows whom they could not pass upon the narrow ledge. Each face was the picture of awe and fear, but for what reason I did not know, nor did I learn until ten years later. That there were still other braves behind those who regarded me was apparent from the fact that the leaders passed back whispered word to those behind them.
Suddenly a low but distinct moaning sound (внезапно тихий, но отдаленный стон «звук стенания») issued from the recesses of the cave behind me (раздался из глубин пещеры позади меня; toissue— выпускать; исходить; recess— углубление) and, as it reached the ears of the Indians (и когда он достиг ушей индейцев), they turned and fled in terror, panic-stricken (они повернулись и побежали в ужасе, охваченные паникой;tostrike— ударять; поражать; to flee — спасатьсябегством). So frantic were their efforts to escape from the unseen thing behind me (настолько сильно было их стремление спастись от невидимой опасности: «вещи» позади меня; frantic— неистовый) that one of the braves was hurled headlong from the cliff to the rocks below (что один из воинов был сброшен вниз головой с утеса на скалы внизу; tohurl— бросатьссилой; headlong— головойвперед). Their wild cries echoed in the canyon for a short time (их дикие крики повторялись эхом из каньона недолгое время), and then all was still once more (а затем все снова стихло: «стало тихим»).
moaning ['mounIN], unseen ["An'si:n], headlong ['hedlON]
Suddenly a low but distinct moaning sound issued from the recesses of the cave behind me, and, as it reached the ears of the Indians, they turned and fled in terror, panic-stricken. So frantic were their efforts to escape from the unseen thing behind me that one of the braves was hurled headlong from the cliff to the rocks below. Their wild cries echoed in the canyon for a short time, and then all was still once more.
The sound which had frightened them was not repeated (звук, который испугал их, больше не повторялся), but it had been sufficient as it was (но и этого было достаточно;sufficient— достаточный) to start me speculating on the possible horror (чтобы я начал задумываться о вероятном кошмаре; to speculate — размышлять) which lurked in the shadows at my back (который скрывался в тени у меня за спиной; tolurk— скрываться). Fear is a relative term (страх — относительное понятие) and so I can only measure my feelings at that time (и поэтому я могу сравнить мои ощущения в это время; to measure— измерять; сравнивать) by what I had experienced in previous positions of danger (с теми, которые я испытывал в других опасных положениях) and by those that I have passed through since (и тех, через которые я прошел с тех пор); but I can say without shame (но я могу сказать без стыда) that if the sensations I endured during the next few minutes were fear (что если ощущения, которые я испытал в течение нескольких следующих минут, были страхом; to endureвынести, вытерпеть), then may God help the coward (да поможет Господь трусу), for cowardice is of a surety its own punishment (так как трусость, несомненно, сама по себе наказание; of a surety— несомненно; surety— гарантия, залог).
