He fiercely hugged the head of the great dog growling at his side, muttered: "All right, boy, give 'em hell!" (он ободряюще обнял голову огромного пса, рычащего рядом с ним, прошептал: хорошо, парень, поддай им жару: «дай им ада») and sprang to his feet, drawing his ax (и вскочил на /свои/ ноги, поднимая топор; to draw — извлекать, обнажать (оружие), поднимать).[48] Then the dark figures flooded over the breastworks and closed in a storm of flailing axes, stabbing knives and ripping fangs (затем темные фигуры хлынули через бруствер и вошли в ближний бой в вихре рубящих топоров, колющих ножей и рвущих клыков).
fiercely [ˈfɪəslɪ], growl [ɡraul], draw [drɔ:]
He fiercely hugged the head of the great dog growling at his side, muttered: "All right, boy, give 'em hell!" and sprang to his feet, drawing his ax. Then the dark figures flooded over the breastworks and closed in a storm of flailing axes, stabbing knives and ripping fangs.
7. The Devil in the Fire
(Демон в огне)
When Conan turned from the Velitrium road, he expected a run of some nine miles and set himself to the task (когда Конан свернул с дороги на Велитриум, он ожидал пробежки миль на девять и взялся за это дело; some — около, приблизительно). But he had not gone four when he heard the sounds of a party of men ahead of him (но он не прошел /и/ четырех, когда он услышал звуки отряда людей перед собой). From the noise they were making in their progress he knew they were not Picts (по шуму, который они производили при продвижении, он знал = понял, /что/ они = это не пикты). He hailed them (он окликнул их).
"Who's there?" challenged a harsh voice (кто там? — потребовал ответа грубый голос). "Stand where you are until we know you, or you'll get an arrow through you (стой, где /стоишь/, пока мы /не/ опознаем тебя, или /ты/ получишь стрелу /сквозь тебя/)."
"You couldn't hit an elephant in this darkness," answered Conan impatiently (ты не смог бы попасть /и/ в слона в этой темноте, — ответил Конан нетерпеливо). "Come on, fool; it's I–Conan (давай = кончай, болван, это я — Конан). The Picts are over the river (пикты перешли: «находятся через» реку)."
task [tɑ:sk], progress [ˈprəuɡrəs], impatiently [ɪmˈpeɪʃəntlɪ]
When Conan turned from the Velitrium road, he expected a run of some nine miles and set himself to the task. But he had not gone four when he heard the sounds of a party of men ahead of him. From the noise they were making in their progress he knew they were not Picts. He hailed them.
"Who's there?" challenged a harsh voice. "Stand where you are until we know you, or you'll get an arrow through you."
"You couldn't hit an elephant in this darkness," answered Conan impatiently. "Come on, fool; it's I–Conan. The Picts are over the river."
"We suspected as much," answered the leader of the men, as they strode forward — tall, rangy men, stern-faced, with bows in their hands (мы так и подозревали, — ответил предводитель людей, когда они пошли вперед — высокие, поджарые мужчины, с суровыми лицами, с луками в /их/ руках). "One of our party wounded an antelope and tracked it nearly to Black River (один из нашего отряда ранил антилопу и шел по следу за ней почти до Черной реки). He heard them yelling down the river and ran back to our camp (он услышал их вопли ниже по реке и прибежал назад в наш лагерь). We left the salt and the wagons, turned the oxen loose, and came as swiftly as we could (мы оставили соль и телеги, освободили волов и пришли = пошли назад, как можно быстрее: «так быстро, как мы могли»). If the Picts are besieging the fort, war- parties will be ranging up the road toward our cabins (если пикты осаждают форт, военные отряды будут рыскать вверх по дороге в сторону наших хижин = забредут по дороге к нашим хижинам)."
forward [ˈfɔ: wəd], nearly [ˈnɪəlɪ], oxen [ɔksən]
"We suspected as much," answered the leader of the men, as they strode forward — tall, rangy men, stern-faced, with bows in their hands. "One of our party wounded an antelope and tracked it nearly to Black River. He heard them yelling down the river and ran back to our camp. We left the salt and the wagons, turned the oxen loose, and came as swiftly as we could. If the Picts are besieging the fort, war-parties will be ranging up the road toward our cabins."
"Your families are safe," grunted Conan (ваши семьи в безопасности, — пробурчал Конан). "My companion went ahead to take them to Velitrium (мой товарищ пошел вперед, чтобы отвести их в Велитриум). If we go back to the main road we may run into the whole horde (если мы пойдем назад по главной дороге, мы можем наткнуться на целую орду). We'll strike southeast, through the timber (мы пойдем на юго-восток, через лес). Go ahead (идите вперед). I'll scout behind (я разведаю сзади / прикрою)."
"Your families are safe," grunted Conan. "My companion went ahead to take them to Velitrium. If we go back to the main road we may run into the whole horde. We'll strike southeast, through the timber. Go ahead. I'll scout behind."
A few moments later the whole band was hurrying southeastward (несколько секунд спустя весь отряд спешил на юго-восток). Conan followed more slowly, keeping just within ear-shot (Конан шел за ними медленнее, держась как раз в пределах слышимости). He cursed the noise they were making (он проклинал шум, /который/ они создавали); that many Picts or Cimmerians would have moved through the woods with no more noise than the wind makes as it blows through the black branches (столько пиктов или киммерийцев прошли бы через лес с шумом не больше, чем от ветра: «чем ветер делает», когда он дует между черных ветвей). He had just crossed a small glade when he wheeled, answering the conviction of his primitive instincts that he was being followed (он только что пересек небольшую поляну, когда он повернулся, отвечая на = повинуясь вере в свои первобытные инстинкты, которым он следовал). Standing motionless among the bushes he heard the sounds of the retreating settlers fade away (стоя неподвижно среди кустов, он услышал, как затихают звуки удаляющихся поселенцев). Then a voice called faintly back along the way he had come: "Conan! Conan! Wait for me, Conan (потом голос позвал слабо сзади с той стороны: «вдоль пути», откуда он пришел: Конан! Конан! Подожди меня, Конан)!"
wind [wɪnd], blow [bləu], conviction [kənˈvɪkʃn]
A few moments later the whole band was hurrying southeastward. Conan followed more slowly, keeping just within ear-shot. He cursed the noise they were making; that many Picts or Cimmerians would have moved through the woods with no more noise than the wind makes as it blows through the black branches. He had just crossed a small glade when he wheeled, answering the conviction of his primitive instincts that he was being followed. Standing motionless among the bushes he heard the sounds of the retreating settlers fade away. Then a voice called faintly back along the way he had come: "Conan! Conan! Wait for me, Conan!"
"Balthus!" he swore bewilderedly (Балтус! — он озадаченно ругнулся). Cautiously he called: "Here I am (осторожно /он/ позвал: я здесь)!"
"Wait for me, Conan!" the voice came more distinctly (подожди меня, Конан! — голос донесся более отчетливо).
Conan moved out of the shadows, scowling (Конан вышел из теней, хмурясь). "What the devil are you doing here (какого черта ты делаешь здесь)? — Crom (о, Кром)!"
He half crouched, the flesh prickling along his spine (он наполовину пригнулся, мурашки побежали по спине). It was not Balthus who was emerging from the other side of the glade (это /был/ не Балтус /который/ возник с = на другой стороне поляны). A weird glow burned through the trees (причудливый свет горел сквозь = среди деревьев). It moved toward him, shimmering weirdly — a green witchfire that moved with purpose and intent (он двигался к нему, причудливо мерцая — зеленый колдовской огонь, который двигался целенаправленно и намеренно: «с целью и намерением»).
distinctly [dɪsˈtɪŋktlɪ], scowl [skaul], purpose [ˈpə: pəs]
"Balthus!" he swore bewilderedly. Cautiously he called: "Here I am!" "Wait for me, Conan!" the voice came more distinctly.
Conan moved out of the shadows, scowling. "What the devil are you doing here? — Crom!"
He half crouched, the flesh prickling along his spine. It was not Balthus who was emerging from the other side of the glade. A weird glow burned through the trees. It moved toward him, shimmering weirdly — a green witchfire that moved with purpose and intent.
It halted some feet away and Conan glared at it (он остановился в нескольких футах /прочь/, и Конан уставился на него), trying to distinguish its fire-misted outlines (пытаясь разобрать его огненно-туманные контуры). The quivering flame had a solid core (колышущееся пламя имело твердое ядро); the flame was but a green garment that masked some animate and evil entity (пламя было лишь покровом, которое маскировало некую живую и злобную сущность); but the Cimmerian was unable to make out its shape or likeness (но Конан не смог разобрать его форму или облик). Then, shockingly, a voice spoke to him from amidst the fiery column (затем, поразительно, из середины огненной колонны с ним заговорил голос).
distinguish [dɪsˈtɪŋɡwɪʃ], outline [ˈautlaɪn], fiery [ˈfaɪərɪ]
It halted some feet away and Conan glared at it, trying to distinguish its fire-misted outlines. The quivering flame had a solid core; the flame was but a green garment that masked some animate and evil entity; but the Cimmerian was unable to make out its shape or likeness. Then, shockingly, a voice spoke to him from amidst the fiery column.
"Why do you stand like a sheep waiting for the butcher, Conan (почему ты стоишь как овца, ждущая мясника, Конан)?"
The voice was human but carried strange vibrations that were not human (голос был человеческий, но нес странные вибрации, которые не были человеческими).
"Sheep?" Conan's wrath got the best of his momentary awe (овца? — гнев Конана пересилил его секундный страх). "Do you think I'm afraid of a damned Pictish swamp devil (ты думаешь, я боюсь проклятого пиктского болотного демона)? A friend called me (друг позвал меня = меня позвал друг)."
why [waɪ], sheep [ʃi: p], butcher [ˈbʋʧə]
"Why do you stand like a sheep waiting for the butcher, Conan?"
The voice was human but carried strange vibrations that were not human. "Sheep?" Conan's wrath got the best of his momentary awe. "Do you think I'm afraid of a damned Pictish swamp devil? A friend called me."
"I called in his voice," answered the other (я позвал его голосом, — ответил другой = собеседник / призрак). "The men you follow belong to my brother; I would not rob his knife of their blood (люди, за которыми ты идешь, принадлежат моему брату, я не лишил бы его нож их крови). But you are mine (но ты мой). O fool, you have come from the far gray hills of Cimmeria to meet your doom in the forests of Conajohara (о, глупец, ты пришел с далеких серых холмов Киммерии, /чтобы/ встретить свою смерть в лесах Конаджохары)." "You've had your chance at me before now," snorted Conan (у тебя уже был шанс /разделаться/ со мной прежде, — фыркнул Конан). "Why didn't you kill me then, if you could (почему /же/ ты не убил меня тогда, если /ты/ мог)?"
belong [bɪˈlɔŋ], brother [ˈbrʌðə], far [fɑ:]
"I called in his voice," answered the other. "The men you follow belong to my brother; I would not rob his knife of their blood. But you are mine. O fool, you have come from the far gray hills of Cimmeria to meet your doom in the forests of Conajohara."
"You've had your chance at me before now," snorted Conan. "Why didn't you kill me then, if you could?"
"My brother had not painted a skull black for you and hurled it into the fire that burns for ever on Gullah's black altar (мой брат /тогда еще/ не раскрасил череп черным для тебя и /не/ бросил его в огонь, который горит вечно на черном алтаре Гуллы). He had not whispered your name to the black ghosts that haunt the uplands of the Dark Land (он не прошептал твое имя черным призракам, которые обитают на нагорьях Темной Страны). But a bat has flown over the Mountains of the Dead (но летучая мышь перелетела Горы Мертвых) and drawn your image in blood on the white tiger's hide (и нарисовала твой образ кровью на шкуре белого тигра) that hangs before the long hut where sleep the Four Brothers of the Night (которая висит перед длинной хижиной, где спять Четыре Брата Ночи). The great serpents coil about their feet and the stars burn like fireflies in their hair (огромные змеи сворачиваются = свернулись у их ног, а звезды горят, как светлячки, в их волосах)."
