plunge [plʌnʤ], parallel [ˈpærəlel], pursuit [pəˈsju: t]
Conan did not plunge deeply into the forest. A few hundred yards from the river, he altered his slanting course and ran parallel with it. Balthus recognized a grim determination not to be hunted away from the river which they must cross if they were to warn the men in the fort. Behind them rose more loudly the yells of the forest men. Balthus believed the Picts had reached the glade where the bodies of the slain men lay. Then further yells seemed to indicate that the savages were streaming into the woods in pursuit. They had left a trail any Pict could follow.
Conan increased his speed (Конан увеличил свою скорость), and Balthus grimly set his teeth and kept on his heels, though he felt he might collapse any time (а Балтус мрачно стиснул /свои/ зубы и последовал за ним, хотя он чувствовал, /что/ он может свалиться /в/ любой момент). It seemed centuries since he had eaten last (это казалось веками = казалось века прошли, с тех пор как он ел последний раз). He kept going more by an effort of will than anything else (он продолжал двигаться усилием воли — более, чем чем-либо еще = только усилие воли заставляло его двигаться). His blood was pounding so furiously in his ear-drums that he was not aware when the yells died out behind them (его кровь стучала так бешено в его барабанных перепонках, что он не заметил, когда затихли вопли позади них).
speed [spi: d], collapse [kəˈlæps], else [els]
Conan increased his speed, and Balthus grimly set his teeth and kept on his heels, though he felt he might collapse any time. It seemed centuries since he had eaten last. He kept going more by an effort of will than anything else. His blood was pounding so furiously in his ear-drums that he was not aware when the yells died out behind them.
Conan halted suddenly (Конан неожиданно остановился)… Balthus leaned against a tree and panted (Балтус оперся о дерево и тяжело дышал).
"They've quit!" grunted the Cimmerian, scowling (они прекратили /погоню/! — пробормотал киммериец, хмуря брови).
"Sneaking — up — on — us!" gasped Balthus (подкрадываются не-за-мет-но к нам! — задыхался = выпалил, задыхаясь, Балтус).
Conan shook his head (Конан покачал /своей/ головой).
Conan halted suddenly… Balthus leaned against a tree and panted. "They've quit!" grunted the Cimmerian, scowling.
"Sneaking — up — on — us!" gasped Balthus. Conan shook his head.
"A short chase like this they'd yell every step of the way (/при/ такой короткой погоне они бы кричали на каждом шагу пути). No (нет). They've gone back (они вернулись). I thought I heard somebody yelling behind them a few seconds before the noise began to get dimmer (я слышал, /как/ кто-то крикнул позади них за несколько секунд до того, как шум начал становиться слабее = стал слабеть). They've been recalled (их позвали назад). And that's good for us, but damned bad for the men in the fort (и это хорошо для нас, но ужасно плохо для людей в форте). It means the warriors are being summoned out of the woods for the attack (это значит, /что/ воины вызываются = воинов вызывают из лесов для атаки). Those men we ran into were warners from a tribe down the river (те люди, /на которых/ мы наткнулись, были вестниками из племени ниже по реке). They were undoubtedly headed for Gwawela to join in the assault on the fort (они несомненно направлялись к Гвавеле, /чтобы/ присоединиться к атаке на форт). Damn it, we're farther away than ever, now (проклятие, мы сейчас дальше, чем /были/ когда-либо). We've got to get across the river (мы имеем = нам нужно перебраться через реку)."
warnor [ˈwɔ: nə], assault [əˈsɔ: lt], undoubtedly [ʌnˈdautɪdlɪ]
"A short chase like this they'd yell every step of the way. No. They've gone back. I thought I heard somebody yelling behind them a few seconds before the noise began to get dimmer. They've been recalled. And that's good for us, but damned bad for the men in the fort. It means the warriors are being summoned out of the woods for the attack. Those men we ran into were warnors from a tribe down the river. They were undoubtedly headed for Gwawela to join in the assault on the fort. Damn it, we're farther away than ever, now. We've got to get across the river."
Turning east he hurried through the thickets with no attempt at concealment (повернув на восток, он поспешил через заросли без попытки = не пытаясь, скрываться). Balthus followed him, for the first time feeling the sting of lacerations on his breast and shoulder where the Pict's savage teeth had scored him (Балтус последовал за ним, в первый раз почувствовав острую боль на /его/ груди и плече, где свирепые зубы пикта оставили глубокие следы /на нем/). He was pushing through the thick bushes that hinged the bank when Conan pulled him back (он пробивался сквозь густые кусты, которые нависали над берегом, когда Конан потащил его назад). Then he heard a rhythmic splashing (затем он услышал ритмичный плеск), and peering through the leaves (и, глядя сквозь листья; to peer — вглядываться, вперять взгляд), saw a dugout canoe coming up the river (увидел каноэ-долбленку, идущую вверх по реке; to dig — копать, рыть), its single occupant paddling hard against the current (ее единственный обитатель упорно греб против течения). He was a strongly built Pict with a white heron feather (он был крепкосложенным пиктом с белым пером цапли) thrust in a copper band (вставленным в медную ленту) that confined his square- cut mane (которая охватывала его прямоугольно постриженную гриву).
rhythmic [ˈrɪðmɪk], current [ˈkʌrənt], heron [ˈherən]
Turning east he hurried through the thickets with no attempt at concealment. Balthus followed him, for the first time feeling the sting of lacerations on his breast and shoulder where the Pict's savage teeth had scored him. He was pushing through the thick bushes that hinged the bank when Conan pulled him back. Then he heard a rhythmic splashing, and peering through the leaves, saw a dugout canoe coming up the river, its single occupant paddling hard against the current. He was a strongly built Pict with a white heron feather thrust in a copper band that confined his square-cut mane.
"That's a Gwawela man," muttered Conan (это человек из Гвавелы, — пробормотал Конан). "Emissary from Zogar (эмиссар от Зогара). White plume shows that (белое перо указывает на это). He's carried a peace talk to the tribes down the river (он нес слово о мире племенам в низовьях реки) and now he's trying to get back and take a hand in the slaughter (а сейчас он пытается вернуться и принять участие в бойне; to take a hand in — участвовать, принять участие)."
emissary [ˈemɪsərɪ], peace [pi: s], hand [hænd]
"That's a Gwawela man," muttered Conan. "Emissary from Zogar. White plume shows that. He's carried a peace talk to the tribes down the river and now he's trying to get back and take a hand in the slaughter."
The lone ambassador was now almost even with their hiding-place, and suddenly Balthus almost jumped out of his skin (одинокий посол /был/ теперь почти поравнялся с их укрытием, и вдруг Балтус чуть не выпрыгнул из своей кожи). At his very ear had sounded the harsh gutturals of a Pict (у самого его уха раздались резкие гортанные звуки пикта). Then he realized that Conan had called to the paddler in his own tongue (затем он понял, что Конан позвал гребца на его собственном = родном языке). The man started, scanned the bushes and called back something (человек дернулся, осмотрел кусты и ответил что-то), then cast a startled glance across the river (затем бросил испуганный взгляд за реку), bent low and sent the canoe shooting in toward the western bank (низко наклонился и направил каноэ быстро = стрелой к западному берегу). Not understanding, Balthus saw Conan take from his hand the bow he had picked up in the glade, and notch an arrow (не понимая, Балтус увидел, /как/ Конан взял из его руки лук, /который/ он подобрал на поляне и наложил стрелу; notch — выемка, метка, зарубка; to notch — /зд./ ставить стрелу на тетиву).
ambassador [æmˈbæsədə], paddler [ˈpædlə], startled [ˈstɑ:tld]
The lone ambassador was now almost even with their hiding-place, and suddenly Balthus almost jumped out of his skin. At his very ear had sounded the harsh gutturals of a Pict. Then he realized that Conan had called to the paddler in his own tongue. The man started, scanned the bushes and called back something, then cast a startled glance across the river, bent low and sent the canoe shooting in toward the western bank. Not understanding, Balthus saw Conan take from his hand the bow he had picked up in the glade, and notch an arrow.
The Pict had run his canoe in close to the shore, and staring up into the bushes, called out something (пикт подогнал /свое/ каноэ близко к берегу и вглядываясь в кусты, выкрикнул что-то). His answer came in the twang of the bow-string (его ответ пришел в звоне тетивы = ему ответил звон тетивы), the streaking flight of the arrow (стремительный полет стрелы) that sank to the feathers in his broad breast (которая погрузилась в перья на его широкой груди). With a choking gasp he slumped sidewise and rolled into the shallow water (с задыхающимся дыханием = хрипом он упал вбок и скатился в мелкую воду = в мелководье). In an instant Conan was down the bank and wading into the water to grasp the drifting canoe (черег миг Конан был вниз берега = спустился на берег и вошел в воду, /чтобы/ схватить дрейфующее каноэ). Balthus stumbled after him and somewhat dazedly crawled into the canoe (Балтус заковылял за ним и как-то обалдело заполз в каноэ; to daze — изумить; ошеломить, удивить, поразить). Conan scrambled in, seized the paddle (Конан вскарабкался вовнутрь, схватил весло) and sent the craft shooting toward the eastern shore (и направил суденышко стрелой к восточному берегу). Balthus noted with envious admiration the play of the great muscles beneath the sun-burnt skin (Балтус заметил с завистливым восхищением перекатывание огромных мускулов под загорелой кожей). The Cimmerian seemed an iron man, who never knew fatigue (киммериец казался железным человеком, который никогда /не/ знал усталости).
shallow [ˈʃæləu], craft [krɑ:ft], fatigue [fəˈti: ɡ]
The Pict had run his canoe in close to the shore, and staring up into the bushes, called out something. His answer came in the twang of the bow-string, the streaking flight of the arrow that sank to the feathers in his broad breast. With a choking gasp he slumped sidewise and rolled into the shallow water. In an instant Conan was down the bank and wading into the water to grasp the drifting canoe. Balthus stumbled after him and somewhat dazedly crawled into the canoe. Conan scrambled in, seized the paddle and sent the craft shooting toward the eastern shore. Balthus noted with envious admiration the play of the great muscles beneath the sun-burnt skin. The Cimmerian seemed an iron man, who never knew fatigue.
"What did you say to the Pict?" asked Balthus (что ты сказал пикту? — спросил Балтус).
"Told him to pull into shore (велел ему подплыть к берегу); said there was a white forest runner on the bank who was trying to get a shot at him (сказал, /что/ на берегу /есть/ белый лазутчик, который пытается подстрелить его; to get a shot at — выстрелить в, стрельнуть по)."
"That doesn't seem fair," Balthus objected (это, кажется, нечестно, — неодобрительно заметил Балтус; to object — возражать, не одобрять, сказать неодобрительно). "He thought a friend was speaking to him (он думал, друг разговаривает с ним). You mimicked a Pict perfectly — (ты скопировал пикта в совершенстве)"
fair [fɛə], friend [frend], perfectly [ˈpə: fəktlɪ]
