Corum jumped behind a pillar (Корум прыгнул за колонну). Arioch's hand came round it, feeling for him (рука Ариоха шарила вокруг нее, ища его; to come round — обходить, объезжать кругом; to feel for — нащупывать, искать ощупью). Corum ran (Корум побежал).
More laughter and the hall reverberated (снова смех, и зал задрожал; to reverberate — отражаться, отдаваться /о звуке/). The God's mirth was echoed by the uttering voices of his Mabden parasites (радость = смех бога подхватили голоса его мабденов-паразитов; to echo — вторить, подражать; to utter — издавать звук, произносить). A pillar crashed as Arioch struck at it, seeking Corum (колонна разрушилась, когда Ариох ударил по ней, ища Корума).
pillar [ˈpɪlə] reverberated [rɪˈvə: b (ə) reɪt]
The monstrous hand reached out for Corum. He dodged it. Arioch bellowed with laughter again and plucked two of the Mabden warriors from the floor. They screamed and writhed as he drew them towards his great, wet mouth, full of blackened teeth. Then he popped them into his maw and Corum heard their bones crunch. Arioch swallowed and spat out a sword. Then he returned his gaze to Corum.
Corum jumped behind a pillar. Arioch's hand came round it, feeling for him. Corum ran.
More laughter and the hall reverberated. The God's mirth was echoed by the uttering voices of his Mabden parasites. A pillar crashed as Arioch struck at it, seeking Corum.
Corum dashed across the floor of the hall (Корум помчался по полу зала), leaping over the broken bodies of the Mabden who had fallen from the corpulent body of the God (перепрыгивая через разбитые тела мабденов, которые упали с тучного тела бога).
And then Arioch saw him, seized him, and his chuckles subsided (тут Ариох увидел его, схватил, и его хихиканье утихло).
`Give me my heart now.
Corum gasped for breath and freed his two hands from the soft flesh that enclosed him (Корум дышал с трудом/задыхался и высвободил свои руки из мягкой плоти, что окружала его). The giant's great hand was warm and filthy (огромная рука великана была теплой и грязной). The nails were broken (ногти были обломаны).
`Give me my heart, little being (отдай мне мое сердце, малявка).
`No! Corum drove his sword deep into the thumb, but the God did not notice (Корум вогнал меч глубоко в большой палец, но бог не заметил этого).
corpulent [ˈkɔ:pjulənt] thumb [Ɵʌm]
Corum dashed across the floor of the hall, leaping over the broken bodies of the Mabden who had fallen from the corpulent body of the God.
And then Arioch saw him, seized him, and his chuckles subsided.
`Give me my heart now.
Corum gasped for breath and freed his two hands from the soft flesh that enclosed him. The giant's great hand was warm and filthy. The nails were broken.
`Give me my heart, little being.
`No! Corum drove his sword deep into the thumb, but the God did not notice.
Mabden clung to the hair of the chest and watched, their grins blank (мабдены вцепились в волосы на груди и наблюдали с бесцветными/пустыми усмешками).
Corum's ribs were near to breaking, but still he would not release the Heart of Arioch that lay in his left fist (ребра Корума почти сломались = трещали, но он по-прежнему не выпускал сердце Ариоха, которое лежало в его левой руке).
`No matter (неважно), said Arioch, his grip relaxing a trifle (сказал Ариох, ослабляя немного сжатие), `I can absorb both you and the heart at the same time (я могу поглотить и тебя, и сердце; at the same time — одновременно, вместе).
Now Arioch began to carry his great hand towards his open mouth (Ариох начал подносить свою огромную руку к открытому рту; to carry — переносить, перевозить). His breath came out in stinking blasts and Corum choked on it, but still he stabbed and stabbed (его дыхание было зловонным, и Корум задыхался от него, но по-прежнему колол и колол /мечом/; to come out — выходить, появляться; blast — сильный порыв ветра, поток воздуха).
A grin spread over the gigantic lips (усмешка разлилась по гигантским губам). All Corum could see now was that mouth, the scabrous nostrils, the huge eyes (все, что Корум мог теперь видеть, были тот рот, противные ноздри и громадные глаза; scabrous — грубый на ощупь, шершавый; покрытый грязью). The mouth opened wider to swallow him (рот широко открылся, чтобы проглотить его). He struck at the upper lip, staring into the red darkness of the God's throat (он нанес удар по верхней губе, глядя в красную тьму глотки бога).
absorb [əbˈzɔ:b] breath [breƟ] scabrous [ˈskeɪbrəs]
Mabden clung to the hair of the chest and watched, their grins blank.
Corum's ribs were near to breaking, but still he would not release the Heart of Arioch that lay in his left fist.
`No matter, said Arioch, his grip relaxing a trifle, `I can absorb both you and the heart at the same time.
Now Arioch began to carry his great hand towards his open mouth. His breath came out in stinking blasts and Corum choked on it, but still he stabbed and stabbed.
A grin spread over the gigantic lips. All Corum could see now was that mouth, the scabrous nostrils, the huge eyes. The mouth opened wider to swallow him. He struck at the upper lip, staring into the red darkness of the God's throat.
Then his left hand contracted (тут его левая рука сжалась /в кулак/). It squeezed the Heart of Arioch (она сдавила сердце Ариоха). Corum's own strength could not have done it (собственная сила Корума не могла этого сделать), but once again the Hand of Kwll was possessed of a power of its own (но снова Рука Кулла обладала своей собственной силой = ожила). It squeezed.
Arioch's laughter faded (смех Ариоха /постепенно/ утих). The vast eyes widened and a new light filled them (огромные глаза расширились, и новый свет наполнил их). A bellow came from the throat (рев раздался из его горла).
The hand of Kwll squeezed tighter still (тем не менее, Рука Кулла сдавливала /сердце/ сильнее).
Arioch shrieked (Ариох вскрикнул).
The heart began to crumble in the hand (сердце начало крошиться в руке). Rays of a reddish blue light sprang from between Corum's fingers (лучи красновато-синего света проходили между пальцами Корума). Pain flooded up his arm (боль поднялась по его руке).
There was a high whistling sound (раздался высокий свистящий звук).
squeezed [skwi:zd] possessed [pəˈzest] flooded [ˈflʌdɪd]
Then his left hand contracted. It squeezed the Heart of Arioch. Corum's own strength could not have done it, but once again the Hand of Kwll was possessed of a power of its own. It squeezed.
Arioch's laughter faded. The vast eyes widened and a new light filled them. A bellow came from the throat.
The hand of Kwll squeezed tighter still.
Arioch shrieked.
The heart began to crumble in the hand. Rays of a reddish blue light sprang from between Corum's fingers. Pain flooded up his arm.
There was a high whistling sound.
Arioch began to weep (Ариох зарыдал). His grasp on Corum weakened (сжатие Корума ослабло). He staggered backwards (шатаясь, он отступил назад).
`No, mortal (нет, смертный). No… The voice was pathetic (голос был жалостным). `Please, mortal, we can (пожалуйста, смертный, мы можем) …
Corum saw the God's bloated form begin to melt into the air (Корум увидел, как жирная фигура бога начала растворяться в воздухе; to melt — таять, плавиться). The hand that held him began to lose its shape (рука, которая держала его, стала терять форму). And then Corum was falling towards the floor of the hall (потом Корум стал падать на пол зала), the broken pieces of Arioch's heart scattering as he fell (разбитые куски = осколки сердца Ариоха разлетались, пока он падал; to scatter — разбрасывать/ся/, рассеивать/ся/).
He landed with a crash, tried to rise, saw what was left of Arioch's body writhing in the air (он приземлился с грохотом, попытался подняться, увидел, как то, что осталось от тела Ариоха, кружилось в воздухе), heard a mournful sound, and then Corum lost consciousness (услышал печальный/скорбный звук и потом потерял сознание), hearing, as he did so, Arioch's last whispered words (слыша при этом последние прошептанные слова Ариоха).
`Corum of the Vadhagh. You have won the eternal bane of the Sword Rulers (ты навлек на себя вечное проклятие Повелителей Мечей; to win — побеждать, выигрывать; добиваться; bane — смерть, убийство; несчастье, проклятие) …
pathetic [pəˈƟetɪk] mournful [ˈmɔ:nf (ə) l] consciousness [ˈkɔnʃəsnɪs]
Arioch began to weep. His grasp on Corum weakened. He staggered backwards.
`No, mortal. No… The voice was pathetic. `Please, mortal, we can…
Corum saw the God's bloated form begin to melt into the air. The hand that held him began to lose its shape. And then Corum was falling towards the floor of the hall, the broken pieces of Arioch's heart scattering as he fell.
