detail ['di:teIl], perfection [pq'fekS(q)n]
Dispatching one of my men to Tars Tarkas for a detail of fifty Tharks, with word of my intentions, I ordered ten warriors to capture and open one of the great gates while with the nine remaining I took the other. We were to do our work quietly, no shots were to be fired and no general advance made until I had reached the palace with my fifty Tharks. Our plan worked to perfection. The two sentries we met were dispatched to their fathers upon the banks of the lost sea of Korus, and the guards at both gates followed them in silence.
CHAPTER XXV (глава двадцать пятая)
THE LOOTING OF ZODANGA (разграбление Зоданги)
As the great gate where I stood swung open (когда большие ворота, у которых я стоял, распахнулись) my fifty Tharks, headed by Tars Tarkas himself (мои пятьдесят тарков, возглавляемые самим Тарсом Таркасом), rode in upon their mighty thoats (въехали внутрь на своих могучих тотах). I led them to the palace walls (я повел их к дворцовым стенам), which I negotiated easily without assistance (через которые я легко перебрался без посторонней помощи). Once inside, however (однако, как только /я попал/ внутрь), the gate gave me considerable trouble (ворота доставили мне большие затруднения), but I finally was rewarded by seeing it swing upon its huge hinges (но наконец я был вознагражден, увидев, как они поворачиваются на своих огромных петлях; hinge — шарнир, петля), and soon my fierce escort was riding across the gardens of the jeddak of Zodanga (и вскоре мой свирепый эскорт скакал через сады джеддака Зоданги).
As we approached the palace (когда мы приблизились ко дворцу) I could see through the great windows of the first floor (я смог заглянуть через большие окна первого этажа) into the brilliantly illuminated audience chamber of Than Kosis (в ярко освещенный зал для аудиенций Тана Косиса). The immense hall was crowded with nobles and their women (огромный зал был заполнен знатью и их женщинами), as though some important function was in progress (как будто происходила какая-то важная церемония; function — торжественнаяцеремония, торжество). There was not a guard in sight without the palace (ни одного стража не было видно за пределами дворца), due, I presume, to the fact that the city and palace walls were considered impregnable (благодаря тому факту, я полагаю, что стены города и дворца считались неприступными; impregnable — неприступный, неуязвимый), and so I came close and peered within (и поэтому я подошел поближе и заглянул внутрь).
negotiate [nI'gouSIeIt], reward [rI'wO:d], hinge [hIndZ], impregnable [Im'pregnqbl]
As the great gate where I stood swung open my fifty Tharks, headed by Tars Tarkas himself, rode in upon their mighty thoats. I led them to the palace walls, which I negotiated easily without assistance. Once inside, however, the gate gave me considerable trouble, but I finally was rewarded by seeing it swing upon its huge hinges, and soon my fierce escort was riding across the gardens of the jeddak of Zodanga.
As we approached the palace I could see through the great windows of the first floor into the brilliantly illuminated audience chamber of Than Kosis. The immense hall was crowded with nobles and their women, as though some important function was in progress. There was not a guard in sight without the palace, due, I presume, to the fact that the city and palace walls were considered impregnable, and so I came close and peered within.
At one end of the chamber (в одном конце зала), upon massive golden thrones encrusted with diamonds (на массивных золотых тронах, инкрустированных бриллиантами), sat Than Kosis and his consort (сидели Тан Косис и его супруга; consort — супруг, супруга), surrounded by officers and dignitaries of state (окруженные офицерами и государственными сановниками; dignitary — сановник). Before them stretched a broad aisle (перед ними простирался широкий проход; aisle— боковой неф храма; придел; проход /между рядами в театре, вагоне и т. п./) lined on either side with soldiery (по обеим сторонам которого выстроились в ряд солдаты; to line — выстраиватьвряд), and as I looked there entered this aisle at the far end of the hall (и когда я посмотрел, в этот проход вошла с дальнего конца зала), the head of a procession which advanced to the foot of the throne (передняя часть процессии, которая приблизилась к подножию трона).
First there marched four officers of the jeddak's Guard (первыми шли четыре офицера Стражи джеддака) bearing a huge salver (которые несли огромный поднос) on which reposed, upon a cushion of scarlet silk, a great golden chain with a collar and padlock at each end (на котором на подушке из алого шелка лежала огромная золотая цепь с ошейником и висячим замком на каждом конце; collar — воротник; ошейник; padlock — висячийзамок). Directly behind these officers came four others (прямо позади этих офицеров шли четверо других) carrying a similar salver (/которые/ несли похожий поднос) which supported the magnificent ornaments of a prince and princess of the reigning house of Zodanga (нагруженный: «который поддерживал…» великолепными украшениями принца и принцессы правящего дома Зоданга).
dignitary ['dIgnIt(q)rI], aisle [aIl], cushion [kuSn], padlock ['pxdlOk]
At one end of the chamber, upon massive golden thrones encrusted with diamonds, sat Than Kosis and his consort, surrounded by officers and dignitaries of state. Before them stretched a broad aisle lined on either side with soldiery, and as I looked there entered this aisle at the far end of the hall, the head of a procession which advanced to the foot of the throne.
First there marched four officers of the jeddak's Guard bearing a huge salver on which reposed, upon a cushion of scarlet silk, a great golden chain with a collar and padlock at each end. Directly behind these officers came four others carrying a similar salver which supported the magnificent ornaments of a prince and princess of the reigning house of Zodanga.
At the foot of the throne these two parties separated and halted (у подножия трона эти две группы разделились и остановились), facing each other at opposite sides of the aisle (лицом друг к другу с противоположных сторон прохода). Then came more dignitaries (затем вошли еще сановники), and the officers of the palace and of the army (и офицеры дворца и армии), and finally two figures entirely muffled in scarlet silk (и, наконец, две фигуры, полностью закутанные в алые шелка; to muffle — закутывать, кутать), so that not a feature of either was discernible (так, что нельзя было различить ни одной черты ни одного из них). These two stopped at the foot of the throne, facing Than Kosis (эти двое остановились у подножия трона лицом к Тану Косису). When the balance of the procession had entered (когда остальная часть процессии вошла) and assumed their stations (и заняла свои места) Than Kosis addressed the couple standing before him (Тан Косис обратился к паре, которая стояла перед ним). I could not hear his words (я не мог слышать его слов), but presently two officers advanced and removed the scarlet robe from one of the figures (но вскоре два офицера подошли и сняли алое одеяние с одной из фигур), and I saw that Kantos Kan had failed in his mission (и я увидел, что Кантос Кан потерпел неудачу в своей миссии), for it was Sab Than, Prince of Zodanga, who stood revealed before me (так как это был Саб Тан, принц Зоданги, тот, кто стоял «обнаруженный» передо мной).
assume [q'sju:m], discernible [dI'sWnqbl], reveal [rI'vi:l]
At the foot of the throne these two parties separated and halted, facing each other at opposite sides of the aisle. Then came more dignitaries, and the officers of the palace and of the army, and finally two figures entirely muffled in scarlet silk, so that not a feature of either was discernible. These two stopped at the foot of the throne, facing Than Kosis. When the balance of the procession had entered and assumed their stations Than Kosis addressed the couple standing before him. I could not hear his words, but presently two officers advanced and removed the scarlet robe from one of the figures, and I saw that Kantos Kan had failed in his mission, for it was Sab Than, Prince of Zodanga, who stood revealed before me.
Than Kosis now took a set of the ornaments from one of the salvers (затем Тан Косис взял набор украшений с одного из подносов) and placed one of the collars of gold about his son's neck (и надел одно из золотых ожерелий на шею своему сыну; collar — /предмет, надеваемый на шею/; воротник; воротничок; ожерелье; ошейник), springing the padlock fast (крепко защелкнув замок; to spring — защелкиватьспомощьюпружины). After a few more words addressed to Sab Than (после еще нескольких слов, адресованных Сабe Тfну) he turned to the other figure (он повернулся к другой фигуре), from which the officers now removed the enshrouding silks (с которой офицеры теперь снимали окутывающие /ее/ шелка; to enshroud — закутывать, обволакивать; shroud — саван; покров), disclosing to my now comprehending view Dejah Thoris (открывая моему теперь уже /все/ понимающему взгляду Дежу Торис; to comprehend — понять, постигнуть), Princess of Helium.
