symbol [ˈsɪmbəl], mold [məuld], inscrutably [ɪnˈskru: təblɪ]
"Wait!"
Conan turned, squatted and with his knife began scratching a curious symbol in the mold. Stooping to look at it over his shoulder, Balthus felt a crawling of the flesh along his spine, he knew not why. He felt no wind against his face, but there was a rustling of leaves above them and a weird moaning swept ghostily through the branches. Conan glanced up inscrutably, then rose and stood staring somberly down at the symbol he had drawn.
"What is it?" whispered Balthus (что это? — прошептал Балтус). It looked archaic and meaningless to him (он = знак казался архаичным и бессмысленным для него). He supposed that it was his ignorance of artistry which prevented his identifying it as one of the conventional designs of some prevailing culture (он предположил, что это было его незнание искусства, которое = что его невежество мешало ему отождествить его как = с одним из условных знаков какой-то господствующей культуры; to prevail — торжествовать (over), одержать победу; достигать цели; преобладать, господствовать, превалировать). But had he been the most erudite artist in the world, he would have been no nearer the solution (но если бы он был = но будь он /даже/ самым эрудированным художником в мире, он не подошел бы ближе к решению).
archaic [ɑ:ˈkeɪɪk], suppose [səˈpəuz], ignorance [ˈɪɡnərəns]
"What is it?" whispered Balthus. It looked archaic and meaningless to him. He supposed that it was his ignorance of artistry which prevented his identifying it as one of the conventional designs of some prevailing culture. But had he been the most erudite artist in the world, he would have been no nearer the solution.
"I saw it carved in the rock of a cave no human had visited for a million years," muttered Conan (я видел его высеченным в скале пещеры, /которую/ ни один человек не посещал в течение миллиона лет, — пробормотал Конан), "in the uninhabited mountains beyond the Sea of Vilayet, half a world away from this spot (в необитаемых горах за морем Вилайет, на расстоянии в полмира: «полмира прочь» от этого места). Later I saw a black witch-finder of Kush scratch it in the sand of a nameless river (позже я видел, /как/ черный = чернокожий искатель ведьм из Куша нацарапал его на песке безымянной реки). He told me part of its meaning — it's sacred to Jhebbal Sag and the creatures which worship him (он рассказал мне часть его значения — это священный /знак/ Джеббала Сага и созданий, которые поклоняются ему). Watch (смотри)!"
year [jə: ], sacred [ˈsekrɪd], watch [wɔʧ]
"I saw it carved in the rock of a cave no human had visited for a million years," muttered Conan, "in the uninhabited mountains beyond the Sea of Vilayet, half a world away from this spot. Later I saw a black witch-finder of Kush scratch it in the sand of a nameless river. He told me part of its meaning — it's sacred to Jhebbal Sag and the creatures which worship him. Watch!"
They drew back among the dense foliage some yards away and waited in tense silence (они отступили среди = в густую листву на несколько ярдов /прочь/ и ждали = стали ждать в напряженной тишине). To the east drums muttered and somewhere to north and west other drums answered (на востоке глухо грохотали барабаны, а где-то на севере и западе отвечали другие барабаны). Balthus shivered, though he knew long miles of black forest separated him from the grim beaters of those drums (Балтус вздрогнул, хотя он знал, /что/ долгие мили черного леса отделяли его от мрачных барабанщиков тех барабанов) whose dull pulsing was a sinister overture that set the dark stage for bloody drama (чей унылый ритмичный бой был зловещей увертюрой, которая готовила темную сцену для кровавой драмы; to set the stage — готовить сцену, монтировать декорации).
north [nɔ: Ɵ], overture [ˈəuvətjuə], drama [drɑ:mə]
They drew back among the dense foliage some yards away and waited in tense silence. To the east drums muttered and somewhere to north and west other drums answered. Balthus shivered, though he knew long miles of black forest separated him from the grim beaters of those drums whose dull pulsing was a sinister overture that set the dark stage for bloody drama.
Balthus found himself holding his breath (Балтус обнаружил себя задерживающим дыхание = обнаружил, что затаил дыхание). Then with a slight shaking of the leaves, the bushes parted (потом, с легким дрожанием листьев, кусты разошлись) and a magnificent panther came into view (и появилась внушительная пантера; to come into view — появиться). The moonlight dappling through the leaves (лунный свет, образуя пятнистый рисунок сквозь листья) shone on its glossy coat rippling with the play of the great muscles beneath it (блестел на ее лоснящейся шкуре, перекатываясь от игры огромных мускулов под ней; to ripple — производить волнообразные движения, волновать(ся), колыхать(ся)).
magnificent [mæɡˈnɪfɪsnt], view [vju: ], panther [ˈpænƟə]
Balthus found himself holding his breath. Then with a slight shaking of the leaves, the bushes parted and a magnificent panther came into view. The moonlight dappling through the leaves shone on its glossy coat rippling with the play of the great muscles beneath it.
With its head low it glided toward them (с ее головой низко = опустив голову, она скользнула к ним). It was smelling out their trail (она вынюхивала их след). Then it halted as if frozen, its muzzle almost touching the symbol cut in the mold (затем она остановилась, словно застывшая, ее морда почти касалась символа, вырезанного в рыхлой земле). For a long space it crouched motionless; it flattened its long body and laid its head on the ground before the mark (долгое время она сидела неподвижно, она расправила свое длинное тело и положила свою голову на землю перед меткой). And Balthus felt the short hairs stir on his scalp (и Балтус почувствовал, /что/ его короткие волосы на голове зашевелились). For the attitude of the great carnivore was one of awe and adoration (ибо поза огромного хищника была одной = позой страха и обожания = преклонения, благоговения).
attitude [ˈætɪtju: d], carnivore [ˈkɑ:nɪvɔ: ], awe [ɔ:]
With its head low it glided toward them. It was smelling out their trail. Then it halted as if frozen, its muzzle almost touching the symbol cut in the mold. For a long space it crouched motionless; it flattened its long body and laid its head on the ground before the mark. And Balthus felt the short hairs stir on his scalp. For the attitude of the great carnivore was one of awe and adoration.
Then the panther rose and backed away carefully, belly almost to the ground (затем пантера поднялась и осторожно попятилась, почти /касаясь/ брюхом земли). With his hind-quarters among the bushes he wheeled as if in sudden panic and was gone like a flash of dappled light (своей задней частью среди кустов она описала круг, словно в неожиданной панике, и пропала, как вспышка пятнистого света; to wheel — описывать круг, поворачивать; wheel — колесо).
Balthus mopped his brow with a trembling hand and glanced at Conan (Балтус вытер /свой/ лоб дрожащей рукой и посмотрел на Конана).
Then the panther rose and backed away carefully, belly almost to the ground. With his hind-quarters among the bushes he wheeled as if in sudden panic and was gone like a flash of dappled light.
Balthus mopped his brow with a trembling hand and glanced at Conan.
The barbarian's eyes were smoldering with fires that never lit the eyes of men bred to the ideas of civilization (глаза варвара тлели огнями, которые никогда не освещали глаза людей, воспитанный в идеях цивилизации; to light — освещать). In that instant he was all wild, and had forgotten the man at his side (в тот миг он был совершенно дикий и забыл о человеке рядом с собой: «у его бока / стороны»). In his burning gaze Balthus glimpsed and vaguely recognized pristine images and half-embodied memories (в его горящем взоре Балтус углядел и смутно распознал незамутненные образы и полувоплощенные воспоминания), shadows from Life's dawn (тени с = времен рассвета Жизни), forgotten and repudiated by sophisticated races (забытые и отвергнутые искушенными расами) — ancient, primeval fantasms unnamed and nameless (древние, первобытные фантомы, безымянные и неизвестные).
Then the deeper fires were masked and Conan was silently leading the way deeper into the forest (потом более глубокие огни были скрыты = скрылись, и Конан молча возглавлял путь / вел путем глубже в лес).
smolder [ˈsməuldə], barbarian [bɑ:ˈbɛərɪən], idea [aɪˈdɪə]
The barbarian's eyes were smoldering with fires that never lit the eyes of men bred to the ideas of civilization. In that instant he was all wild, and had forgotten the man at his side. In his burning gaze Balthus glimpsed and vaguely recognized pristine images and half-embodied memories, shadows from Life's dawn, forgotten and repudiated by sophisticated races — ancient, primeval fantasms unnamed and nameless.
Then the deeper fires were masked and Conan was silently leading the way deeper into the forest.
"We've no more to fear from the beasts," he said after a while, "but we've left a sign for men to read (нам не нужно больше бояться животных, — он сказал через некоторое время, — но мы оставили знак для людей /чтобы прочитать/). They won't follow our trail very easily (они не пойдут по нашему следу очень легко), and until they find that symbol they won't know for sure we've turned south (и пока они /не/ найдут этот символ, они не будут знать наверняка, /что/ мы повернули на юг). Even then it won't be easy to smell us out without the beasts to aid them (даже тогда /это/ будет нелегко вынюхать нас без зверей чтобы помочь им = без помощи зверей). But the woods south of the trail will be full of warriors looking for us (но леса южнее тропинки будут полны воинов, ищущих нас). If we keep moving after daylight, we'll be sure to run into some of them (если мы /будем/ продолжать движение после рассвета, мы наверняка наткнемся на кого-то из них; to run into — наткнуться, налететь на). As soon as we find a good place we'll hide and wait until another night to swing back and make the river (как только мы найдем хорошее место, мы спрячемся и подождем, пока /не/ наступит еще одна ночь и направимся к реке; to make (for) — направляться, двигаться). We've got to warn Valannus, but it won't help him any if we get ourselves killed (мы должны предупредить Валаннуса, но /это/ никоим образом не поможет ему, если мы сами погибнем; to get killed — стать убитым, погибнуть)."
while [waɪl], sign [saɪn], find [faɪnd]
"We've no more to fear from the beasts," he said after a while, "but we've left a sign for men to read. They won't follow our trail very easily, and until they find that symbol they won't know for sure we've turned south. Even then it won't be easy to smell us out without the beasts to aid them. But the woods south of the trail will be full of warriors looking for us. If we keep moving after daylight, we'll be sure to run into some of them. As soon as we find a good place we'll hide and wait until another night to swing back and make the river. We've got to warn Valannus, but it won't help him any if we get ourselves killed."
"Warn Valannus (предупредить Валаннуса)?"
"Hell, the woods along the river are swarming with Picts (ад = проклятие, лес вдоль реки кишит пиктами)! That's why they got us (поэтому /они/ нас достали = обнаружили). Zogar's brewing war-magic; no mere raid this time (Зогар готовит военную магию, не просто рейд /на/ этот раз; to brew — варить (пиво); замышлять (мятеж, заговор и т. п.)). He's done something no Pict has done in my memory — united as many as fifteen or sixteen clans (он сделал что- то, /чего/ /не/ делал ни один пикт на моей памяти — объединил целых: «так много как» пятнадцать или шестнадцать кланов). His magic did it; they'll follow a wizard farther than they will a war-chief (его магия сделала это, они пойдут за чародеем дальше, чем /они пойдут/ за военным вождем). You saw the mob in the village (ты видел сборище в поселке); and there were hundreds hiding along the river bank that you didn't see (и были сотни, прячущихся вдоль берега реки, которых ты не видел). More coming, from the farther villages (еще больше придет из дальних селений). He'll have at least three thousand fighting- men (он будет иметь = у него будет, по крайней мере, три тысячи бойцов). I lay in the bushes and heard their talk as they went past (я лежал в кустах и слышал их разговор, когда они проходили мимо). They mean to attack the fort; when, I don't know, but Zogar doesn't dare delay long (они хотят атаковать форт, когда, я не знаю, но Зогар не осмеливается откладывать надолго). He's gathered them and whipped them into a frenzy (он собрал их и привел их в неистовство). If he doesn't lead them into battle quickly, they'll fall to quarreling with one another (если он не поведет их в битву быстро, они распадутся в ссорах = рассорятся друг с другом). They're like blood-mad tigers (они словно кровожадные тигры).
