sometime ['sAmtaIm], reduce [rI'dju:s], resistance [rI'zIstqns]
Sometime later Tars Tarkas and Kantos Kan returned to report that Zodanga had been completely reduced. Her forces were entirely destroyed or captured, and no further resistance was to be expected from within. Several battleships had escaped, but there were thousands of war and merchant vessels under guard of Thark warriors.
The lesser hordes had commenced looting and quarreling among themselves (меньшие племена приступили к грабежу и ссорам между собой), so it was decided that we collect what warriors we could (и поэтому было решено, что мы соберем столько воинов, сколько сможем), man as many vessels as possible with Zodangan prisoners (снабдим экипажами из зодангианских пленных столько кораблей, сколько возможно; to man — укомплектовыватьличнымсоставом) and make for Helium without further loss of time (и направимся к Гелиуму, не теряя больше времени: «без дальнейшей потери времени»).
Five hours later we sailed from the roofs of the dock buildings (пять часов спустя мы отплыли с крыш зданий доков) with a fleet of two hundred and fifty battleships (флотом из двухсот пятидесяти боевых кораблей), carrying nearly one hundred thousand green warriors (несущих около ста тысяч зеленых воинов), followed by a fleet of transports with our thoats (за которым следовал транспортный флот с нашими тотами).
quarrel ['kwOrql], carrying ['kxrIIN], fleet [fli:t]
The lesser hordes had commenced looting and quarreling among themselves, so it was decided that we collect what warriors we could, man as many vessels as possible with Zodangan prisoners and make for Helium without further loss of time.
Five hours later we sailed from the roofs of the dock buildings with a fleet of two hundred and fifty battleships, carrying nearly one hundred thousand green warriors, followed by a fleet of transports with our thoats.
Behind us we left the stricken city (позади себя мы оставили побежденный город; stricken— пораженный) in the fierce and brutal clutches of some forty thousand green warriors of the lesser hordes (в жестоких и грубых лапах примерно сорока тысяч зеленых воинов меньших племен; clutch — сжатие; захват; clutches— когти, лапы; to clutch —схватить; зажать). They were looting, murdering, and fighting amongst themselves (они занимались грабежом, убийствами и драками между собой). In a hundred places they had applied the torch (в сотне мест они подожгли город: «применили факел»), and columns of dense smoke were rising above the city (и столбы густого дыма поднимались над городом) as though to blot out from the eye of heaven the horrid sights beneath (как будто для того, чтобы скрыть от взора небес ужасное зрелище внизу; to blot out — стирать; полностьюзакрывать).
In the middle of the afternoon we sighted the scarlet and yellow towers of Helium (в середине дня мы увидели алую и желтую башни Гелиума), and a short time later a great fleet of Zodangan battleships rose from the camps of the besiegers without the city (и вскоре после этого огромный флот зодангианских военных кораблей поднялся из лагерей тех, кто осаждал город; besieger — осаждающаясторона; to besiege — осаждать /крепость, город/), and advanced to meet us (и двинулся нам навстречу).
stricken ['strIk(q)n], murder ['mWdq], besieger [bI'si:dZq]
Behind us we left the stricken city in the fierce and brutal clutches of some forty thousand green warriors of the lesser hordes. They were looting, murdering, and fighting amongst themselves. In a hundred places they had applied the torch, and columns of dense smoke were rising above the city as though to blot out from the eye of heaven the horrid sights beneath.
In the middle of the afternoon we sighted the scarlet and yellow towers of Helium, and a short time later a great fleet of Zodangan battleships rose from the camps of the besiegers without the city, and advanced to meet us.
The banners of Helium had been strung from stem to stern of each of our mighty craft (флаги Гелиума были протянуты от носа до кормы на каждом из наших могучих кораблей; to string — вешать, протягивать; string —веревка), but the Zodangans did not need this sign to realize that we were enemies (но зодангианцам не нужно было этого символа, чтобы понять, что мы — враги), for our green Martian warriors had opened fire upon them (так как наши зеленые марсианские воины открыли по ним огонь) almost as they left the ground (почти /в тот же миг/ как они оторвались от земли). With their uncanny marksmanship (со своей сверхъестественной меткостью; uncanny — жуткий, сверхъестественный; marksmanship — меткаястрельба) they raked the on-coming fleet with volley after volley (они обстреливали приближающийся флот залп за залпом; to rake — рыхлить, разравнивать /граблями/; обстреливатьпродольнымогнем; rake —грабли).
The twin cities of Helium, perceiving that we were friends (города-близнецы Гелиума, осознав, что мы друзья; to perceive — осознавать, понимать), sent out hundreds of vessels to aid us (выслали сотни судов нам на помощь; to send), and then began the first real air battle I had ever witnessed (и тогда началась первая настоящая воздушная битва, которую мне когда-либо пришлось наблюдать).
uncanny [An'kxnI], marksmanship ['mQ:ksmqnSIp]
The banners of Helium had been strung from stem to stern of each of our mighty craft, but the Zodangans did not need this sign to realize that we were enemies, for our green Martian warriors had opened fire upon them almost as they left the ground. With their uncanny marksmanship they raked the on-coming fleet with volley after volley.
The twin cities of Helium, perceiving that we were friends, sent out hundreds of vessels to aid us, and then began the first real air battle I had ever witnessed.
The vessels carrying our green warriors (корабли, несущие наших зеленых воинов) were kept circling above the contending fleets (все время кружили над сражающимися флотами; to keep — обозначаетпродолжениедействия; to contend — бороться, сражаться) of Helium and Zodanga, since their batteries were useless in the hands of the Tharks (так как их батареи были бесполезны в руках тарков) who, having no navy, have no skill in naval gunnery (которые, не имея флота, не имели и навыка обращения с корабельной артиллерией; skill — опыт, умение). Their small-arm fire, however, was most effective (однако огонь из их стрелкового оружия был чрезвычайно действенным; small-arm— стрелковоеоружие) and the final outcome of the engagement was strongly influenced (и на конечный исход битвы сильно повлияло), if not wholly determined, by their presence (если не полностью определило его, их наличие).
contend [kqn'tend], gunnery ['gAn(q)rI], effective [I'fektIv]
The vessels carrying our green warriors were kept circling above the contending fleets of Helium and Zodanga, since their batteries were useless in the hands of the Tharks who, having no navy, have no skill in naval gunnery. Their small-arm fire, however, was most effective, and the final outcome of the engagement was strongly influenced, if not wholly determined, by their presence.
At first the two forces circled at the same altitude (вначале обе воздушные армии кружили на одной высоте), pouring broadside after broadside into each other (обрушивая друг на друга один бортовой залп за другим; broadside — бортовойзалп; to pour —лить, выливать). Presently a great hole was torn in the hull of one of the immense battle craft from the Zodangan camp (вскоре большущая дыра была проделана в корпусе одного из громадных боевых кораблей зодангианской стороны; camp — лагерь, сторона); with a lurch she turned completely over (накренившись, он полностью перевернулся; lurch — крен), the little figures of her crew plunging, turning and twisting toward the ground a thousand feet below (и крошечные фигурки его экипажа полетели вниз, переворачиваясь и крутясь, по направлению к земле в тысяче футов внизу; to plunge — нырять; крутоопускаться); then with sickening velocity she tore after them (затем он /корабль/ с вызывающей дурноту скоростью понесся вслед за ними; to tear — рвать; нестисьстремглав), almost completely burying herself in the soft loam of the ancient sea bottom (и почти полностью зарылся в мягкую глину древнего морского дна; loam — суглинок /clay loam/; крупный песок; плодородная земля; глина и песок с перегноем; грунт).
altitude ['xltItju:d], broadside ['brO:dsaId], lurch [lWtS], sickening ['sIkqnIN]
At first the two forces circled at the same altitude, pouring broadside after broadside into each other. Presently a great hole was torn in the hull of one of the immense battle craft from the Zodangan camp; with a lurch she turned completely over, the little figures of her crew plunging, turning and twisting toward the ground a thousand feet below; then with sickening velocity she tore after them, almost completely burying herself in the soft loam of the ancient sea bottom.
