`Shool sent me! And me!
`And Shool sent me, said Corum. `I had not realised he had tried so many times before.
`It is a game Arioch plays with him, murmured one of the Mabden warriors. `I learned that Shool has little power of his own at all. Arioch gives Shool the power he thinks is his own, for Arioch enjoys the sport of having an enemy with whom he can play. Every action Arioch makes is inspired by nothing but boredom. And now you have his heart. Plainly he did not expect the game to get so out of hand.
`Aye, Corum agreed (согласился Корум). `It was only Arioch's carelessness that allowed me to reach this place (лишь беспечность Ариоха позволила мне добраться до этого места). Now, I return (теперь я возвращаюсь). I must find a way from the palace before he realises what has happened (я должен найти выход из дворца прежде, чем он поймет, что случилось).
`May we come with you (можно нам пойти с тобой)? the Mabden asked.
Corum nodded.
`But hurry (но торопитесь).
They crept back down the ramp (они прокрались обратно по пандусу).
Half-way down, one of the Mabden screamed, flailed at the air (на полпути назад один из мабденов вскрикнул, /принялся/ бить по воздуху; to flail — молотить; бить, ударять), staggered to the edge of the ramp (пошел, шатаясь к краю пандуса) and went drifting down into the sparkling emptiness (и прыгнул /медленно опускаясь/ в сверкавшую пустоту; to go down — спускаться, понижаться; to drift down — снижаться).
carelessness [ˈkeəlɪsnɪs] edge [eʤ]
`Aye, Corum agreed. `It was only Arioch's carelessness that allowed me to reach this place. Now, I return. I must find a way from the palace before he realises what has happened.
`May we come with you? the Mabden asked.
Corum nodded.
`But hurry.
They crept back down the ramp.
Half-way down, one of the Mabden screamed, flailed at the air, staggered to the edge of the ramp and went drifting down into the sparkling emptiness.
Their pace increased until they reached the tiny crack at the bottom of the huge door and crawled through it, one by one (их шаг ускорился = они пошли быстрее, пока не дошли до маленькой трещины внизу огромной двери и не проползли через нее один за другим).
Down the ramp of light they went (они пошли вниз по пандусу из света). Through the gallery of coruscating marble (через галерею из сверкающего мрамора). Down the stairway into the darkened hall (вниз по лестнице в затемненный зал).
Corum sought the silver door through which he had entered the palace (Корум искал серебряную дверь, через которую вошел во дворец). He made one complete circuit of the hall (он сделал один полный круг = обошел кругом весь зал) and his feet were aching before he realised that the door had vanished (его ноги /начали/ болеть, прежде чем он понял, что дверь исчезла).
The hall was suddenly alive with light again and the vast, fat figure Corum had originally seen was laughing on the floor (зал внезапно осветился, и громадная жирная фигура Ариоха, которую Корум увидел первоначально, засмеялась на полу), lying amidst filth, with the Mabden parasites peering from out of the hair beneath his arms, from his navel, from his ears (лежа среди отбросов, а мабдены-паразиты выглядывали из волос под его руками = из-под рук, с пупка, из ушей).
aching [ˈeɪkɪŋ] originally [əˈrɪʤɪn (ə) lɪ] navel [ˈneɪv (ə) l]
Their pace increased until they reached the tiny crack at the bottom of the huge door and crawled through it, one by one.
Down the ramp of light they went. Through the gallery of coruscating marble. Down the stairway into the darkened hall.
Corum sought the silver door through which he had entered the palace. He made one complete circuit of the hall and his feet were aching before he realised that the door had vanished.
The hall was suddenly alive with light again and the vast, fat figure Corum had originally seen was laughing on the floor, lying amidst filth, with the Mabden parasites peering from out of the hair beneath his arms, from his navel, from his ears.
`Ha, ha! You see, Corum, I am kind (видишь, Корум, я добрый)! I have let you have almost everything you desired of me (я позволил тебе получить почти все, что ты пожелал /получить/ от меня). You even have my heart (у тебя даже мое сердце)! But I cannot let you take it away from me, Corum (но я не могу позволить тебе забрать его у меня, Корум). Without my heart, I could not rule here (без сердца я не могу править здесь). I think I will restore it into this flesh of mine (думаю, я верну его обратно в эту мою плоть).
Corum's shoulders slumped (плечи Корума опустились; to slump — резко падать; горбиться, сутулиться).
`He has tricked us (он обманул нас), he said to his terrified Mabden companions (сказал он своим напуганным мабденским товарищам).
But one Mabden said.
`He has used you, Sir Vadhagh (он использовал тебя, сэр вадаг). He could never have taken his heart himself (он никогда бы сам не достал свое сердце). Did you not know that (разве ты этого не знал)?
`Ha, ha! You see, Corum, I am kind! I have let you have almost everything you desired of me. You even have my heart! But I cannot let you take it away from me, Corum. Without my heart, I could not rule here. I think I will restore it into this flesh of mine.
Corum's shoulders slumped.
`He has tricked us, he said to his terrified Mabden companions.
But one Mabden said.
`He has used you, Sir Vadhagh. He could never have taken his heart himself. Did you not know that?
Arioch laughed and his belly shook and Mabden fell to the floor (Ариох расхохотался, и его брюхо затряслось, а мабдены попадали на пол).
`True (верно)! True! You have done me a service, Prince Corum (ты оказал мне услугу, принц Корум). The heart of each Sword Ruler is kept in a place that is banned to him (сердце каждого Повелителя Мечей хранится в месте, недоступном для него; to ban — налагать запрет, запрещать), so that the others may know that he dwells only in his own domain and may travel to no other (чтобы остальные могли знать = быть уверены, что он пребывает лишь в своих владениях и не может перемещаться ни в какое другое), thus he cannot usurp some rival ruler's power (таким образом, он не может захватить власть какого-нибудь другого соперничающего правителя; to usurp — узурпировать, незаконно захватывать). But you, Corum, with your ancient blood, with your peculiar characteristics (но ты, Корум, с твоим древним происхождением, с твоими особенными чертами; blood — кровь; происхождение, род, родовитость), were able to do that which I am unable to do (сумел сделать то, что я не смог). Now I have my heart and I may extend my domain wherever I choose (теперь у меня есть мое сердце, и я могу расширить свои владения куда пожелаю). Or not, of course, if I choose not to (или не стану, конечно, если не захочу).
`Then I have helped you (значит, я помог тебе), Corum said bitterly (горько сказал Корум), `when I wished to hinder you (когда захотел помешать тебе; to hinder — мешать, препятствовать) …
usurp [ju:ˈzə: p] ancient [ˈeɪŋʃ (ə) nt] hinder [ˈhaɪndə]
Arioch laughed and his belly shook and Mabden fell to the floor.
`True! True! You have done me a service, Prince Corum. The heart of each Sword Ruler is kept in a place that is banned to him, so that the others may know that he dwells only in his own domain and may travel to no other, thus he cannot usurp some rival ruler's power. But you, Corum, with your ancient blood, with your peculiar characteristics, were able to do that which I am unable to do. Now I have my heart and I may extend my domain wherever I choose. Or not, of course, if I choose not to.
`Then I have helped you, Corum said bitterly, `when I wished to hinder you…
Arioch's laughter filled the hall (смех Ариоха заполнил зал).
`Yes. Exactly (именно). A fine joke, eh (прекрасная шутка, а)? Now, give me my heart, little Vadhagh (а теперь, отдай мне мое сердце, маленький вадаг).
Corum pressed his back to the wall and drew his blade (Корум прижался спиной к стене и вытащил клинок). He stood there with the Heart of Arioch in his left hand and his sword in his right (он стоял с сердцем Ариоха в левой руке, /держа/ меч в правой).
`I think I will die first, Arioch (думаю, я прежде умру, Ариох).
`As you please (как пожелаешь).
laughter [ˈlɑ:ftə] sword [sɔ:d]
Arioch's laughter filled the hall.
`Yes. Exactly. A fine joke, eh? Now, give me my heart, little Vadhagh.
Corum pressed his back to the wall and drew his blade. He stood there with the Heart of Arioch in his left hand and his sword in his right.
`I think I will die first, Arioch.
`As you please.
The monstrous hand reached out for Corum (громадная рука потянулась к Коруму). He dodged it (он увернулся от нее). Arioch bellowed with laughter again and plucked two of the Mabden warriors from the floor (Ариох снова громко расхохотался и поднял двух мабденских воинов с пола; to bellow — мычать, реветь, орать; to pluck — собирать, щипать; силой утащить). They screamed and writhed as he drew them towards his great, wet mouth, full of blackened teeth (они кричали и извивались, когда он поднес их к своему огромному рту, полному почерневших зубов). Then he popped them into his maw and Corum heard their bones crunch (затем он бросил их в пасть, и Корум услышал, как хрустят их кости; maw — утроба, брюхо; пасть, глотка). Arioch swallowed and spat out a sword (Ариох проглотил /их/ и выплюнул меч). Then he returned his gaze to Corum (потом снова обратил взор на Корума).
