Dejah Thoris only smiled the more (продолжала улыбаться только еще больше) and with the roguish dimples playing at the corners of her mouth she made answer (и с плутовскими ямочками, играющими у уголков ее рта, ответила; roguish — плутоватый; шаловливый; rogue — плут):
ago [q'gou], pride [praId], dimple [dImpl]
Sab Than, Prince of Zodanga, advanced to meet her, and hand in hand they approached close to the jeddak. Then Kosis looked up in surprise, and, rising, saluted her.
"To what strange freak do I owe this visit from the Princess of Helium, who, two days ago, with rare consideration for my pride, assured me that she would prefer Tal Hajus, the green Thark, to my son?"
Dejah Thoris only smiled the more and with the roguish dimples playing at the corners of her mouth she made answer:
"From the beginning of time upon Barsoom (с начала времен на Барсуме) it has been the prerogative of woman to change her mind as she listed (это было привилегией женщин менять свои взгляды, как она пожелает; to list — желать, хотеть) and to dissemble in matters concerning her heart (и притворяться в вопросах, касающихся ее сердца; to dissemble — скрывать, притворяться). That you will forgive, Than Kosis, as has your son (это вы должны простить, Тан Косис, как простил ваш сын). Two days ago I was not sure of his love for me (два дня тому назад я не была уверена в его любви ко мне), but now I am (но теперь уверена), and I have come to beg of you to forget my rash words (и я пришла просить вас забыть мои опрометчивые слова; rash— поспешный, необдуманный) and to accept the assurance of the Princess of Helium (и принять уверения принцессы Гелиума) that when the time comes she will wed Sab Than, Prince of Zodanga (что, когда придет время, она выйдет за Саба Тана, принца Зоданги)."
prerogative [prI'rOgqtIv], dissemble [dI'sembl], forget [fq'get]
"From the beginning of time upon Barsoom it has been the prerogative of woman to change her mind as she listed and to dissemble in matters concerning her heart. That you will forgive, Than Kosis, as has your son. Two days ago I was not sure of his love for me, but now I am, and I have come to beg of you to forget my rash words and to accept the assurance of the Princess of Helium that when the time comes she will wed Sab Than, Prince of Zodanga."
"I am glad that you have so decided (я счастлив, что ты так решила)," replied Than Kosis. "It is far from my desire to push war further against the people of Helium (это вовсе не соответствует моему желанию — дальше развивать войну с народом Гелиума; far from— далеконе; вовсене; to push — толкать; развивать), and your promise shall be recorded (и твое обещание будет записано) and a proclamation to my people issued forthwith (и официальное объявление будет немедленно сделано моему народу; proclamation — официальноеобъявление; forthwith— тотчас, немедленно)."
proclamation ["prOklq'meIS(q)n], forthwith ['fO:TwID]
"I am glad that you have so decided," replied Than Kosis. "It is far from my desire to push war further against the people of Helium, and your promise shall be recorded and a proclamation to my people issued forthwith."
"It were better (было бы лучше), Than Kosis," interrupted Dejah Thoris (прервала), "that the proclamation wait the ending of this war (чтобы с официальным объявлением подождали до конца войны). It would look strange indeed to my people and to yours (это выглядело бы очень странно, как для моего народа, так и для твоего) were the Princess of Helium to give herself to her country's enemy in the midst of hostilities (если бы принцесса Гелиума отдала себя врагу своей страны в разгар военных действий; in the midst — среди, посреди)."
"Cannot the war be ended at once (нельзя ли остановить войну немедленно)?" spoke Sab Than. "It requires but the word of Than Kosis to bring peace — (достаточно лишь слова Тан Косиса, чтобы воцарился мир). Say it, my father (произнеси его, мой отец), say the word that will hasten my happiness (произнеси слово, которое ускорит /приход/ моего счастья; to hasten — спешить, ускорять), and end this unpopular strife (и положит конец этому непопулярному раздору; strife — борьба, спор)."
"We shall see (посмотрим)," replied Than Kosis, "how the people of Helium take to peace (как народ Гелиума отнесется к миру). I shall at least offer it to them (я, во всяком случае, предложу его им)."
midst [mIdst], hostility [hO'stIlItI], unpopular [An'pOpjulq], strife [straIf]
"It were better, Than Kosis," interrupted Dejah Thoris, "that the proclamation wait the ending of this war. It would look strange indeed to my people and to yours were the Princess of Helium to give herself to her country's enemy in the midst of hostilities."
"Cannot the war be ended at once?" spoke Sab Than. "It requires but the word of Than Kosis to bring peace. Say it, my father, say the word that will hasten my happiness, and end this unpopular strife."
"We shall see," replied Than Kosis, "how the people of Helium take to peace. I shall at least offer it to them."
Dejah Thoris, after a few words, turned and left the apartment (после нескольких слов Дежа Торис повернулась и покинула комнату), still followed by her guards (все еще в сопровождении своих стражников).
Thus was the edifice of my brief dream of happiness dashed (таким образом воздушный замок: «здание» моей быстротечной мечты о счастье обрушился; to dash — бросать, швырять), broken, to the ground of reality (разбитый о жестокую реальность: «о землю реальности»). The woman for whom I had offered my life (женщина, которой я предложил свою жизнь), and from whose lips I had so recently heard a declaration of love for me (и из уст которой я так недавно получил: «услышал» объяснение в любви ко мне; declaration— объявление, объяснение; declaration of love— объяснениевлюбви), had lightly forgotten my very existence (легко забыла о самом моем существовании) and smilingly given herself to the son of her people's most hated enemy (и, улыбаясь, отдала себя сыну самого ненавистного врага своего народа; to hate — ненавидеть).
dash [dxS], declaration ["deklq'reIS(q)n], smile [smaIl]
Dejah Thoris, after a few words, turned and left the apartment, still followed by her guards.
Thus was the edifice of my brief dream of happiness dashed, broken, to the ground of reality. The woman for whom I had offered my life, and from whose lips I had so recently heard a declaration of love for me, had lightly forgotten my very existence and smilingly given herself to the son of her people's most hated enemy.
Although I had heard it with my own ears (хотя я слышал это своими собственными ушами) I could not believe it (я не мог этому поверить). I must search out her apartments (я должен разыскать ее апартаменты) and force her to repeat the cruel truth to me alone (и заставить ее повторить жестокую правду мне самому) before I would be convinced (прежде, чем я буду убежден /в этом/), and so I deserted my post (поэтому я покинул свой пост) and hastened through the passage behind the tapestries toward the door (и поспешил по проходу позади гобеленов по направлению к двери) by which she had left the chamber (через которую она покинула комнату). Slipping quietly through this opening (тихонько проскользнув через этот проход) I discovered a maze of winding corridors (я обнаружил лабиринт извилистых коридоров), branching and turning in every direction (которые разветвлялись и поворачивали во всех направлениях).
although [O:l'Dou], slip [slIp], deserted [dI'zWtId]
Although I had heard it with my own ears I could not believe it. I must search out her apartments and force her to repeat the cruel truth to me alone before I would be convinced, and so I deserted my post and hastened through the passage behind the tapestries toward the door by which she had left the chamber. Slipping quietly through this opening I discovered a maze of winding corridors, branching and turning in every direction.
Running rapidly down the first one and then another of them (/когда/ я побежал по первому из них, а затем по другому) I soon became hopelessly lost (я вскоре безнадежно заблудился) and was standing panting against a side wall (и стоял, задыхаясь, возле боковой стены; to pant — частоитяжелодышать) when I heard voices near me (когда поблизости от себя я услышал голоса). Apparently they were coming from the opposite side of the partition (по-видимому, они исходили из-за противоположной стороны перегородки; partition — раздел; перегородка) against which I leaned (к которой я прислонился) and presently I made out the tones of Dejah Thoris (и вскоре я различил голос Дежи Торис). I could not hear the words (я не мог слышать слов) but I knew that I could not possibly be mistaken in the voice (но я знал, что никак не мог ошибиться в голосе).
