between [bɪˈtwi: n], securely [sɪˈkjuəlɪ], agency [ˈeɪʤənsɪ]
Conan felt the skin crawl between his shoulders. He had bolted that door securely. How could it be opening now, save by supernatural agency? And how could a human being possess a head like that outlined against the stars? All the tales he had heard in the Zuagir tents of devils and goblins came back to bead his flesh with clammy sweat. Now the monster slid noiselessly into the room, with a crouching posture and a shambling gait; and a familiar scent assailed the Cimmerian's nostrils, but did not reassure him, since Zuagir legendry represented demons as smelling like that.
Noiselessly Conan coiled his long legs under him (бесшумно Конан подобрал свои длинные ноги под себя); his naked sword was in his right hand (его обнаженный меч был в его правой руке), and when he struck it was as suddenly and murderously as a tiger lunging out of the dark (и когда он ударил, это было так внезапно и смертельно, как тигр, набрасывающийся из темноты). Not even a demon could have avoided that catapulting charge (даже демон /не/ мог бы избежать этой катапультирующей = стремительной атаки). His sword met and clove through flesh and bone, and something went heavily to the floor with a strangling cry (его меч встретил и рассек плоть и кость, и что-то пошло = упало на пол с захлебывающимся криком; to cleave — рассекать, расколоть, разрезать). Conan crouched in the dark above it, sword dripping in his hand (Конан согнулся в темноте над ним /с/ мечом, /с которого капала кровь/ в его руке; to drip — капать, стекать). Devil or beast or man, the thing was dead there on the floor (демон или зверь или человек, существо было мертвым там на полу). He sensed death as any wild thing senses it (он чувствовал смерть, как любой дикое существо чувствует ее). He glared through the half-open door into the starlit court beyond (он посмотрел через полуоткрытую дверь в освещенный звездами двор снаружи). The gate stood open, but the court was empty (ворота стояли открытые, но двор был пуст).
clove [kləuv], beyond [bɪˈjɔnd], empty [ˈemptɪ]
Noiselessly Conan coiled his long legs under him; his naked sword was in his right hand, and when he struck it was as suddenly and murderously as a tiger lunging out of the dark. Not even a demon could have avoided that catapulting charge. His sword met and clove through flesh and bone, and something went heavily to the floor with a strangling cry. Conan crouched in the dark above it, sword dripping in his hand. Devil or beast or man, the thing was dead there on the floor. He sensed death as any wild thing senses it. He glared through the half-open door into the starlit court beyond. The gate stood open, but the court was empty.
Conan shut the door but did not bolt it (Конан запер дверь, но не закрыл ее на засов). Groping in the darkness he found the lamp and lighted it (пошарив в темноте, он нашел лампу и зажег ее). There was enough oil in it to burn for a minute or so (в ней было достаточно масла /чтобы гореть/ на минуту или около того). An instant later he was bending over the figure that sprawled on the floor in a pool of blood (мгновение спустя он склонялся над фигурой, которая растянулась на полу в луже крови).
minute [ˈmɪnɪt], figure [ˈfɪɡə], blood [blʌd]
Conan shut the door but did not bolt it. Groping in the darkness he found the lamp and lighted it. There was enough oil in it to burn for a minute or so. An instant later he was bending over the figure that sprawled on the floor in a pool of blood.
It was a gigantic black man, naked but for a loin cloth (это был гигантский чернокожий, обнаженный за исключением набедренной повязки). One hand still grasped a knotty-headed bludgeon (одна рука все еще сжимала сучковатую дубинку). The fellow's kinky wool was built up into hornlike spindles with twigs and dried mud (курчавые волосы парня были выстроены в роговидные стержни с = с помощью прутиков и высушенной глины). This barbaric coiffure had given the head its misshapen appearance in the starlight (эта варварская прическа придала /его/ голове ее бесформенный вид в звездном свете). Provided with a clue to the riddle, Conan pushed back the thick red lips and grunted as he stared down at teeth filed to points (обеспеченный ключом к загадке = разгадке, Конан раздвинул толстые красные губы и ругнулся, когда он посмотрел на зубы, заточенные до острия).
bludgeon [ˈblʌʤən], appearance [əˈpɪərəns], clue [klu:]
It was a gigantic black man, naked but for a loin cloth. One hand still grasped a knotty-headed bludgeon. The fellow's kinky wool was built up into hornlike spindles with twigs and dried mud. This barbaric coiffure had given the head its misshapen appearance in the starlight. Provided with a clue to the riddle, Conan pushed back the thick red lips and grunted as he stared down at teeth filed to points.
He understood now the mystery of the strangers who had disappeared from the house of Aram Baksh (он понял теперь тайну чужеземцев, которые пропадали из дома Арама Бахша; to understand — понимать); the riddle of the black drum thrumming out there beyond the palm groves (загадку черного барабана, бубнящего там за пальмовыми рощами), and of that pit of charred bones — that pit where strange meat might be roasted under the stars (и той ямы с обугленными костями — той ямы, где, возможно, жарили под звездами необычное мясо; might — возможно, вероятно — обозначает в сочетании с инфинитивом вероятность), while black beasts squatted about to glut a hideous hunger (когда черные звери сидели на корточках вокруг, /чтобы/ утолить мерзкий голод). The man on the floor was a cannibal slave from Darfar (мужчина на полу был рабом-людоедом из Дарфара).
mystery [ˈmɪstərɪ], might [maɪt], star [stɑ:]
He understood now the mystery of the strangers who had disappeared from the house of Aram Baksh; the riddle of the black drum thrumming out there beyond the palm groves, and of that pit of charred bones — that pit where strange meat might be roasted under the stars, while black beasts squatted about to glut a hideous hunger. The man on the floor was a cannibal slave from Darfar.
There were many of his kind in the city (в городе было много его типа = его брата). Cannibalism was not tolerated openly in Zamboula (каннибализм не был разрешен: «терпим» открыто в Замбуле). But Conan knew now why people locked themselves in so securely at night (но Конан знал теперь, почему люди запирались на замки внутри = в домах так надежно ночью), and why even beggars shunned the open alley and doorless ruins (и почему даже нищие опасались открытой аллеи и развалин без дверей). He grunted in disgust as he visualized brutish black shadows skulking up and down the nighted streets (он выругался в отвращении, когда он мысленно увидел зверские черные тени, крадущиеся там и сям по ночным улицам), seeking human prey (ищущих человеческую добычу = в качестве добычи людей) — and such men as Aram Baksh to open the doors to them (и такие люди, как Арам Бахш, открывают им двери). The innkeeper was not a demon; he was worse (содержатель гостиницы был не демон, он был хуже). The slaves from Darfar were notorious thieves (рабы из Дарфара были известными ворами; notorious — пользующийся дурной славой; печально известный; отъявленный); there was no doubt that some of their pilfered loot found its way into the hands of Aram Baksh (не было сомнения, что некоторая из их добычи попадала в руки Арама Бахша; to find its way — попасть). And in return he sold them human flesh (а в обмен он продавал им человеческое мясо).
were [wə: ], ruin [ˈru: ɪn], notorious [nəuˈtɔ: rɪəs]
There were many of his kind in the city. Cannibalism was not tolerated openly in Zamboula. But Conan knew now why people locked themselves in so securely at night, and why even beggars shunned the open alley and doorless ruins. He grunted in disgust as he visualized brutish black shadows skulking up and down the nighted streets, seeking human prey — and such men as Aram Baksh to open the doors to them. The innkeeper was not a demon; he was worse. The slaves from Darfar were notorious thieves; there was no doubt that some of their pilfered loot found its way into the hands of Aram Baksh. And in return he sold them human flesh.
Conan blew out the light, stepped to the door and opened it (Конан задул свет, шагнул к двери и открыл ее), and ran his hand over the ornaments on the outer side (и провел своей рукой по украшениям на внешней стороне). One of them was movable and worked the bolt inside (одно из них было подвижным и втягивало засов = открывало внутренний засов). The room was a trap to catch human prey like rabbits (комната была западней, /чтобы/ ловить человеческую добычу как кроликов). But this time, instead of a rabbit, it had caught a saber- toothed tiger (но /на/ этот раз вместо кролика она поймала саблезубого тигра; to catch — ловить, поймать).
outer [ˈautə], movable [ˈmu: vəbl], human [ˈhju: mən]
Conan blew out the light, stepped to the door and opened it, and ran his hand over the ornaments on the outer side. One of them was movable and worked the bolt inside. The room was a trap to catch human prey like rabbits. But this time, instead of a rabbit, it had caught a saber-toothed tiger.
Conan returned to the other door, lifted the bolt, and pressed against it (Конан вернулся к другой двери, поднял засов и надавил на нее). It was immovable, and he remembered the bolt on the other side (она была неподвижна, и он вспомнил засов на другой стороне). Aram was taking no chances either with his victims or the men with whom he dealt (Арам не рисковал ни со своими жертвами, ни с людьми, с которыми он имел дела). Buckling on his sword belt, the Cimmerian strode out into the court, closing the door behind him (застегнув свой пояс с мечом, киммериец вышел во двор, закрывая дверь за собой). He had no intention of delaying the settlement of his reckoning with Aram Baksh (он не имел намерения = не намеревался откладывать сведение /своих/ счетов с Арамом Бахшем). He wondered how many poor devils had been bludgeoned in their sleep (он удивился, сколько бедных парней были ударены дубинкой = получили удар дубинкой в /их/ сне) and dragged out of that room and down the road that ran through the shadowed palm groves to the roasting pit (и были вытащены = их вытащили из той комнаты и /потянули/ по дороге, которая бежала через тенистые пальмовые рощи к яме для /изготовления/ жаркого; to roast — жарить(ся); печь(ся) (особ. в духовке или на открытом огне)).
other [ˈʌðə], press [pres], against [əˈɡenst]
Conan returned to the other door, lifted the bolt, and pressed against it. It was immovable, and he remembered the bolt on the other side. Aram was taking no chances either with his victims or the men with whom he dealt. Buckling on his sword belt, the Cimmerian strode out into the court, closing the door behind him. He had no intention of delaying the settlement of his reckoning with Aram Baksh. He wondered how many poor devils had been bludgeoned in their sleep and dragged out of that room and down the road that ran through the shadowed palm groves to the roasting pit.
He halted in the court (он остановился во дворе). The drum was still muttering (барабан все еще бубнил), and he caught the reflection of a leaping red glare through the groves (и он поймал отражение скачущего красного зарева сквозь рощи). Cannibalism was more than a perverted appetite with the black men of Darfar (каннибализм был более, чем извращенная склонность у черных людей Дарфара); it was an integral element of their ghastly cult (это был неотъемлемый элемент их отвратительного культа). The black vultures were already in conclave (черные стервятники были уже на сборище). But whatever flesh filled their bellies that night, it would not be his (но какая бы плоть /ни/ наполнила их животы в эту ночь, /но/ это будет не его /мясо/).
