comrade [ˈkɔmrɪd], roast [rəust], confusion [kənˈfju: ʒn]
"Aye. I saw him die That's why the Picts didn't press the fight against Velitrium as fiercely as they did against the fort. It was strange. He took no wounds in battle.
He was dancing among the slain, waving an ax with which he'd just brained the last of my comrades. He came at me, howling like a wolf — and then he staggered and dropped the ax, and began to reel in a circle screaming as I never heard a man or beast scream before. He fell between me and the fire they'd built to roast me, goggling and frothing at the mouth, and all at once he went rigid and the Picts shouted that he was dead. It was during the confusion that I slipped my cords and ran for the woods.
"I saw him lying in the firelight (я видел его, лежащим в свете костра). No weapon had touched him (ни одно оружие /не/ коснулось его). Yet there were red marks like the wounds of a sword in the groin, belly, and neck (однако были красные отметины, как раны от меча, в паху, животе и на шее) — the last as if his head had been almost severed from his body (последняя, как будто его голова была почти отрезана от тела). What do you make of that (что ты понимаешь из этого = что тебе понятно из этого)?"
"I saw him lying in the firelight. No weapon had touched him. Yet there were red marks like the wounds of a sword in the groin, belly, and neck — the last as if his head had been almost severed from his body. What do you make of that?"
Conan made no reply, and the forester, aware of the reticence of barbarians on certain matters, continued (Конан не сделал ответа = не ответил, а лесник, знающий о скрытности / немногословии варваров по некоторым вопросам, продолжал): "He lived by magic, and somehow, he died by magic (он жил магией, и каким-то образом он умер от магии). It was the mystery of his death that took the heart out of the Picts (это /была/ тайна его смерти, /которая/ отняла мужество у пиктов: «выхватила сердце из пиктов»). Not a man who saw it was in the fighting before Velitrium (ни один человек, который видел это, /не/ был в сражении перед Велитриумом). They hurried back across Black River (они поспешили назад через Черную реку). Those that struck Thunder River were warriors who had come on before Zogar Sag died (те, кто ударил по Громовой реке, были воинами, которые напали раньше, чем умер Зогар Саг). They were not enough to take the city by themselves (их было недостаточно, /чтобы/ взять город самим).
certain [sə: tn], continue [kənˈtinju: ], enough [ɪˈnʌf]
Conan made no reply, and the forester, aware of the reticence of barbarians on certain matters, continued: "He lived by magic, and somehow, he died by magic. It was the mystery of his death that took the heart out of the Picts. Not a man who saw it was in the fighting before Velitrium. They hurried back across Black River.
Those that struck Thunder River were warriors who had come on before Zogar Sag died. They were not enough to take the city by themselves.
"I came along the road, behind their main force, and I know none followed me from the fort (я пришел по дороге за их главными силами, и я знаю, /что/ никто /не/ следовал за мной от форта). I sneaked through their lines and got into the town (я прокрался сквозь их расположение и попал в город; line — оборонительный рубеж, линия фронта, строй, шеренга солдат, расположение). You brought the settlers through all right, but their women and children got into Velitrium just ahead of those painted devils (ты провел поселенцев как нужно, но их женщины и дети попали в Велитриум как раз перед этими раскрашенными демонами). If the youth Balthus and old Slasher hadn't held them up awhile, they'd have butchered every woman and child in Conajohara (если бы юноша Балтус и старый Задира не задержали их некоторое время, они бы вырезали каждую женщину и ребенка = всех женщин и детей в Конаджохаре). I passed the place where Balthus and the dog made their last stand (я проходил через то место, где Балтус и пес оказали /их/ последнее сопротивление). They were lying amid a heap of dead Picts — I counted seven, brained by his ax (он лежали среди кучи мертвых пиктов — я насчитал семь, с размозженными его топором головами), or disemboweled by the dog's fangs (или распотрошенными собачьими клыками), and there were others in the road with arrows sticking in them (и были другие на дороге со стрелами, торчащими в них; to brain — разможжить голову). Gods, what a fight that must have been (боги, что за битва это, наверное, была)!"
force [fɔ: s], last [lɑ:st], stick [stɪk]
"I came along the road, behind their main force, and I know none followed me from the fort. I sneaked through their lines and got into the town. You brought the settlers through all right, but their women and children got into Velitrium just ahead of those painted devils. If the youth Balthus and old Slasher hadn't held them up awhile, they'd have butchered every woman and child in Conajohara. I passed the place where Balthus and the dog made their last stand. They were lying amid a heap of dead Picts — I counted seven, brained by his ax, or disemboweled by the dog's fangs, and there were others in the road with arrows sticking in them. Gods, what a fight that must have been!"
"He was a man," said Conan (он был /настоящий/ мужчина, — сказал Конан). "I drink to his shade, and to the shade of the dog, who knew no fear (я пью за его духа и за духа пса, которые не ведали страха)." He quaffed part of the wine, then emptied the rest upon the floor, with a curious heathen gesture, and smashed the goblet (он выпил большим глотком часть вина, затем вылил остальное на пол с необычным языческим жестом и разбил вдребезги кубок). "The heads of ten Picts shall pay for his, and seven heads for the dog, who was a better warrior than many a man (головы десяти пиктов заплатят за его /голову/, и семь голов за пса, который был лучшим воином, чем многие мужчины)."
heathen [hi: ðn], gesture [ˈʤesʧə], goblet [ˈɡɔblɪt]
"He was a man," said Conan. "I drink to his shade, and to the shade of the dog, who knew no fear." He quaffed part of the wine, then emptied the rest upon the floor, with a curious heathen gesture, and smashed the goblet. "The heads of ten Picts shall pay for his, and seven heads for the dog, who was a better warrior than many a man."
And the forester, staring into the moody, smoldering blue eyes, knew the barbaric oath would be kept (а лесник, пристально глядя в унылые, тлеющие синие глаза, знал, /что/ варварская клятва будет исполнена).
"They'll not rebuild the fort (/они/ не будут восстанавливать форт = форт не будут восстанавливать)?"
"No; Conajohara is lost to Aquilonia (нет, Конаджохара потеряна для Аквилонии). The frontier has been pushed back (граница отодвинулась назад). Thunder River will be the new border (Громовая река будет новым рубежом)."
forester [ˈfɔrɪstə], rebuild [ri: ˈbɪld], new [nju:]
And the forester, staring into the moody, smoldering blue eyes, knew the barbaric oath would be kept.
"They'll not rebuild the fort?"
"No; Conajohara is lost to Aquilonia. The frontier has been pushed back. Thunder River will be the new border."
The woodsman sighed and stared at his calloused hand, worn from contact with ax-
потертую от контакта с ручкой топора и рукояткой меча). Conan reached his long arm for the wine-jug (Конан потянулся своей длинной рукой за кувшином с вином). The forester stared at him, comparing him with the men about them (лесной житель разглядывал его, сравнивая его с людьми, которые были вокруг них), the men who had died along the lost river (с людьми, которые умерли вдоль утраченной реки; to lose — терять; утрачивать), comparing him with those other wild men over that river (сравнивая его с теми другими дикими людьми за той рекой). Conan did not seem aware of his gaze (Конан, казалось, не замечает его взгляда).
callous [ˈkæləs], worn [wɔ: n], compare [kəmˈpɛə]
The woodsman sighed and stared at his calloused hand, worn from contact with ax- haft and sword-hilt. Conan reached his long arm for the wine-jug. The forester stared at him, comparing him with the men about them, the men who had died along the lost river, comparing him with those other wild men over that river. Conan did not seem aware of his gaze.
"Barbarism is the natural state of mankind," the borderer said, still staring somberly at the Cimmerian (варварство /есть/ — естественное состояние человечества, — сказал пограничник, все еще хмуро уставясь на киммерийца). "Civilization is unnatural (цивилизация неестественна = противна природе). It is a whim of circumstance (это прихоть обстоятельств). And barbarism must always ultimately triumph (а варварство должно всегда одерживать окончательную победу = в конечном итоге варварство всегда победит; must — наверное, наверняка, должно быть — означает высокую степень вероятности)."
natural [ˈnæʧrəl], mankind [mænˈkaɪnd], circumstance [ˈsə: kəmstəns]
"Barbarism is the natural state of mankind," the borderer said, still staring somberly at the Cimmerian. "Civilization is unnatural. It is a whim of circumstance. And barbarism must always ultimately triumph."
Shadows in Zamboula
(Тени в Замбуле)
1. A Drum Begins
(Барабан начинает /бить/)
"Peril hides in the house of Aram Baksh (опасность таится в доме Арама Бакша)!"
The speaker's voice quivered with earnestness (голос говорящего задрожал с = от искренности) and his lean, black-nailed fingers clawed at Conan's mightily- muscled arm as he croaked his warning (и его тощие, с черными ногтями пальцы вцепились в очень мускулистую руку Конана, когда он прокаркал свое предупреждение). He was a wiry, sunburnt man with a straggling black beard (он был жилистым, загорелым мужчиной с растрепанной черной бородой), and his ragged garments proclaimed him a nomad (а его истрепанное одеяние объявляло его кочевником = свидетельствовало, что он кочевник). He looked smaller and meaner than ever in contrast to the giant Cimmerian (он выглядел меньше и более худым, чем когда-либо = чем на самом деле из-за контраста с гигантским киммерийцем) with his black brows, broad chest, and конечностями). They stood in a corner of the Sword Makers' Bazaar (они стояли в углу Базара Оружейников), and on either side of them flowed past the many- tongued, many-colored stream of the Zamboulan streets (а на каждой стороне = с обеих сторон от них проплывал мимо многоязычный, разноцветный поток замбульских улиц), which are exotic, hybrid, flamboyant, and clamorous (которые экзотичны, разнородны, цветисты и крикливы; clamor — шум, крик, ор).
peril [ˈperɪl], earnestness [ˈə: nɪstnɪs], wiry [ˈwaɪərɪ]
"Peril hides in the house of Aram Baksh!"
The speaker's voice quivered with earnestness and his lean, black-nailed fingers clawed at Conan's mightily-muscled arm as he croaked his warning. He was a wiry, sunburnt man with a straggling black beard, and his ragged garments proclaimed him a nomad. He looked smaller and meaner than ever in contrast to the giant Cimmerian with his black brows, broad chest, and powerful limbs. They stood in a corner of the Sword Makers' Bazaar, and on either side of them flowed past the many-tongued, many-colored stream of the Zamboulan streets, which are exotic, hybrid, flamboyant, and clamorous.
Conan pulled his eyes back from following a bold-eyed, red-lipped Ghanara whose short skirt bared her brown thigh at each insolent step (Конан оторвал /свои/ глаза от слежения = провожавшие взглядом красногубую Ганарку с дерзким взглядом: «дерзко-взглядная», чья короткая юбка обнажала ее коричневое бедро при каждом кичливом шаге), and frowned down at his importunate companion (и нахмурился = хмуро посмотрел на своего назойливого собеседника).
