"Yes. We've got to warn the settlers (да = нет, можем. Мы должны предупредить поселенцев; to warn — предостеречь). Do you know why the Picts are not trying to burn the fort with fire-arrows (/ты/ знаешь, почему пикты не пытаются поджечь форт горящими стрелами)? Because they don't want a flame that might warn the people to the east (потому что они не хотят пламени = им не нужен огонь, который мог бы предупредить людей на востоке). They plan to stamp out the fort, and then sweep east before anyone knows of its fall (они планируют уничтожить форт, а потом обрушиться на восток, пока никто /не/ знает о его падении). They may cross Thunder River and take Velitrium before the people know what's happened (они могут пересечь Громовую реку и взять Велитриум, прежде чем люди узнают = поймут, что случилось). At least they'll destroy every living thing between the fort and Thunder River (по меньшей мере, они уничтожат все живое: «каждую живую вещь» между фортом и Громовой рекой).
burn [bə: n], fall [fɔ: l], destroy [dɪˈstrɔɪ]
"There's nothing we can do but save our own hides, then?"
"Yes. We've got to warn the settlers. Do you know why the Picts are not trying to burn the fort with fire-arrows? Because they don't want a flame that might warn the people to the east. They plan to stamp out the fort, and then sweep east before anyone knows of its fall. They may cross Thunder River and take Velitrium before the people know what's happened. At least they'll destroy every living thing between the fort and Thunder River.
"We've failed to warn the fort (нам не удалось предупредить форт; to fail — не удаваться, не получаться, подводить), and I see now it would have done no good if we had succeeded и я вижу теперь, это ни принесло бы никакой пользы, если бы мы преуспели /в этом/; to do good — приносить пользу). The fort's too poorly manned (в форте слишком мало людей: «форт слишком бедно облюден»). A few more charges and the Picts will be over the walls and breaking down the gates (еще несколько атак, и пикты будут за стенами и разнесут ворота). But we can start the settlers toward Velitrium (но мы можем отправить поселенцев к Велитриуму). Come on (давай / шевелись)! We're outside the circle the Picts have thrown around the fort (мы снаружи кольца, /которое/ пикты раскинули вокруг форта). We'll keep clear of it (мы избежим его / будем держаться вне его; to keep clear of — остерегаться, избегать)."
see [si: ], poorly [ˈpuəlɪ], clear [klɪə]
"We've failed to warn the fort, and I see now it would have done no good if we had succeeded. The fort's too poorly manned. A few more charges and the Picts will be over the walls and breaking down the gates. But we can start the settlers toward Velitrium. Come on! We're outside the circle the Picts have thrown around the fort. We'll keep clear of it."
They swung out in a wide arc (они повернули по широкой дуге), hearing the rising and falling of the volume of the yells, marking each charge and repulse (слыша подъем и падение громкости криков = как усиливаются и стихают крики, знаменуя каждую атаку и /ее/ отражение). The men in the fort were holding their own (люди в форте сдерживали свои); but the shrieks of the Picts did not diminish in savagery (но крики пиктов не становились тише по свирепости; to diminish — убывать, уменьшаться). They vibrated with a timbre that held assurance of ultimate victory (они вибрировали с тембром, который поддерживал уверенность в окончательной победе).
Before Balthus realized they were close to it, they broke into the road leading east (прежде чем Балтус понял, /что/ они вблизи нее, они вышли на дорогу, ведущую на восток).
arc [ɑ:k], charge [ʧɑ:ʤ], assurance [əˈʃuərəns]
They swung out in a wide arc, hearing the rising and falling of the volume of the yells, marking each charge and repulse. The men in the fort were holding their own; but the shrieks of the Picts did not diminish in savagery. They vibrated with a timbre that held assurance of ultimate victory.
Before Balthus realized they were close to it, they broke into the road leading east.
"Now run!" grunted Conan (теперь беги! — рыкнул Конан). Balthus set his teeth (Балтус стиснул /свои/ зубы). It was nineteen miles to Velitrium, a good five to Scalp Creek beyond which began the settlements (/это/ было девятнадцать миль до Велитриума, добрых пять до притока Скальп, за которым начинались поселения). It seemed to the Aquilonian that they had been fighting and running for centuries (/это/ казалось аквилонцу = аквилонцу казалось, что они сражаются и бегут уже века). But the nervous excitement that rioted through his blood stimulated him to herculean efforts (но нервное возбуждение, которое будоражило /его/ кровь, стимулировало его на титанические: «геркулесовские» усилия).
nervous [ˈnə: vəs], excitement [ɪkˈsaɪtmənt], riot [ˈraɪət]
"Now run!" grunted Conan. Balthus set his teeth. It was nineteen miles to Velitrium, a good five to Scalp Creek beyond which began the settlements. It seemed to the Aquilonian that they had been fighting and running for centuries. But the nervous excitement that rioted through his blood stimulated him to herculean efforts.
Slasher ran ahead of them, his head to the ground (Задира бежал впереди них: /его/ голова /опущена/ к земле), snarling low, the first sound they had heard from him (низкий рык — первый звук, /который/ они услышали от него).
"Picts ahead of us!" snarled Conan, dropping to one knee and scanning the ground in the starlight (пикты перед нами! — прорычал Конан, припадая на одно колено и рассматривая землю в звездном свете). He shook his head, baffled (он покачал /своей/ головой озадаченно). "I can't tell how many (я не могу сказать сколько). Probably only a small party (возможно, лишь маленький отряд).
Some that couldn't wait to take the fort (несколько, которые не могли дождаться взятия форта). They've gone ahead to butcher the settlers in their beds (они ушли вперед, /чтобы/ убивать поселенцев в /их/ постелях)! Come on (вперед)!"
ahead [əˈhed], scan [skæn], small [smɔ: l]
Slasher ran ahead of them, his head to the ground, snarling low, the first sound they had heard from him.
"Picts ahead of us!" snarled Conan, dropping to one knee and scanning the ground in the starlight. He shook his head, baffled. "I can't tell how many. Probably only a small party. Some that couldn't wait to take the fort. They've gone ahead to butcher the settlers in their beds! Come on!"
Ahead of them presently they saw a small blaze through the trees, and, heard a wild and ferocious chanting (перед ними = собой теперь они увидели маленькое пламя среди деревьев и услышали дикое и свирепое пение). The trail bent there, and leaving it, they cut across the bend, through the thickets (тропа там сворачивала, и сойдя с нее, они срезали изгиб через заросли). A few moments later they were looking on a hideous sight (несколько секунд спустя они смотрели на отвратительное зрелище). An ox-wain stood in the road (телега, запряженная быками, стояла на дороге) piled with meager household furnishings (нагруженная скудной домашней утварью); it was burning (она горела); the oxen lay near with their throats cut (быки лежали рядом с перерезанным горлом; an ox — бык, вол, oxen — быки, волы). A man and a woman lay in the road, stripped and mutilated (мужчина и женщина лежали на дороге, раздетые и изуродованные). Five Picts were dancing about them with fantastic leaps and bounds (пять пиктов плясали вокруг них с причудливыми прыжками и скачками), waving bloody axes; one of them brandished the woman's red-smeared gown (размахивая окровавленными топорами, один из них выставлял женское платье, испачканное красным).
chanting [ʧɑ:ntɪŋ], household [ˈhaushəuld], gown [ɡaun]
Ahead of them presently they saw a small blaze through the trees, and, heard a wild and ferocious chanting. The trail bent there, and leaving it, they cut across the bend, through the thickets. A few moments later they were looking on a hideous sight. An ox-wain stood in the road piled with meager household furnishings; it was burning; the oxen lay near with their throats cut. A man and a woman lay in the road, stripped and mutilated. Five Picts were dancing about them with fantastic leaps and bounds, waving bloody axes; one of them brandished the woman's red-smeared gown.
At the sight a red haze swam before Balthus (при виде /этого/ красный туман поплыл перед /глазами/ Балтуса). Lifting his bow he lined the prancing figure, black against the fire, and loosed (подняв /свой/ лук, он навел /его/ на скачущую фигуру, черную на фоне огня, и отпустил тетиву). The slayer leaped convulsively and fell dead with the arrow through his heart (убийца подпрыгнул конвульсивно и упал мертвый, со стрелой в сердце). Then the two white men and the dog were upon the startled survivors (затем двое белых мужчин и пес набросились на пораженных уцелевших). Conan was animated merely by his fighting spirit and an old, old racial hate (Конан был воодушевлен своим бойцовским духом и старой-старой расовой ненавистью), but Balthus was afire with wrath (а Балтус был охвачен огнем гнева: «был зажжен гневом / был в огне от гнева»; afire — охваченный огнем).
prancing [prɑ:nsɪŋ], racial [ˈreʃəl], wrath [rɔƟ]
At the sight a red haze swam before Balthus. Lifting his bow he lined the prancing figure, black against the fire, and loosed. The slayer leaped convulsively and fell dead with the arrow through his heart. Then the two white men and the dog were upon the startled survivors. Conan was animated merely by his fighting spirit and an old, old racial hate, but Balthus was afire with wrath.
He met the first Pict to oppose him with a ferocious swipe (он встретил первого пикта, /который/ выступил против него, жестоким сильным ударом; swipe — сильный удар) that split the painted skull (который расколол раскрашенный череп), and sprang over his failing body to grapple with the others (и перепрыгнул его падающее: «слабеющее» тело, /чтобы/ схватиться с остальными). But Conan had already killed one of the two he had chosen, and the leap of the Aquilonian was a second late (но Конан уже убил одного из двух, /которых/ он выбрал, и прыжок аквилонца на секунду опоздал). The warrior was down with the long sword through him even as Balthus' ax was lifted (воин упал /пронзенный/ длинным мечом, как раз когда был поднят топор Балтуса). Turning toward the remaining Pict, Balthus saw Slasher rise from his victim, his great jaws dripping blood (обернувшись к оставшемуся пикту, Балтус увидел, /как/ Задира поднялся от своей жертвы, /а/ /из/ его огромных челюстей стекала кровь).
He met the first Pict to oppose him with a ferocious swipe that split the painted skull, and sprang over his failing body to grapple with the others. But Conan had already killed one of the two he had chosen, and the leap of the Aquilonian was a second late. The warrior was down with the long sword through him even as Balthus' ax was lifted. Turning toward the remaining Pict, Balthus saw Slasher rise from his victim, his great jaws dripping blood.
Balthus said nothing as he looked down at the pitiful forms in the road beside the burning wain (Балтус /не/ сказал ничего, когда /он/ посмотрел вниз на жалкие фигуры на дороге возле горящей повозки). Both were young, the woman little more than a girl (оба были молоды, женщина — почти девочка: «чуть больше, чем девочка»). By some whim of chance the Picts had left her face unmarred, and even in the agonies of an awful death it was beautiful (по какой-то прихоти судьбы пикты оставили ее лицо нетронутым, и даже в муках ужасной смерти оно было прекрасно). But her soft young body had been hideously slashed with many knives (но ее нежное молодое тело было страшно исполосовано множеством ножей) — a mist clouded Balthus' eyes and he swallowed chokingly (дымка затуманила глаза Балтуса, и он сглотнул, задыхаясь = пытаясь избавиться от комка в горле).[45] The tragedy momentarily overcame him (трагедия на минуту переполнила его). He felt like falling upon the ground and weeping and biting the earth (ему захотелось упасть на землю и рыдать, и грызть землю; to feel like V-ing — хотеться сделать что-л.).
