rear [rɪə], create [krɪˈeɪt], ever [ˈevə]
Burning censers bathed the interior in a soft, weird glow that created an illusion of unreality. Near the rear wall, behind the black stone altar, sat the god with his gaze fixed for ever on the open door, through which for centuries his victims had come, dragged by chains of roses. A faint groove ran from the sill to the altar, and when Conan's foot felt it, he stepped away as quickly as if he had trodden upon a snake. That groove had been worn by the faltering feet of the multitude of those who had died screaming on that grim altar.
Bestial in the uncertain light, Hanuman leered with his carven mask (жестокий в неверном свете, Хануман смотрел злобно своей высеченной маской). He sat, not as an ape would crouch (он сидел, не /так/, как согнулась бы обезьяна), but cross-legged as a man would sit (но скрестив ноги, ак сидел бы человек), but his aspect was no less simian for that reason (но его вид был не менее обезьяноподобным по этой причине). He was carved from black marble (он был вырублен из черного мрамора), but his eyes were rubies, which glowed red and lustful as the coals of hell's deepest pits (но его глаза были рубины, которые горели красным и похотью, как угли самых глубоких ям ада). His great hands lay upon his lap (его огромные руки лежали на его подоле = коленях), palms upward, taloned fingers spread and grasping (ладонями вверх, когтистые пальцы расставленные и хваткие; to grasp — схватывать, хватать, зажимать (в руке); захватывать). In the gross emphasis of his attributes (в грубой выразительности его черт), in the leer of his satyr-countenance (в плотоядном взгляде его сатироподобного лица), was reflected the abominable cynicism of the degenerate cult which deified him (был отражен гнусный цинизм вырождающегося культа, который обожествлял его).
mask [mɑ:sk], coal [kəul], spread [spred]
Bestial in the uncertain light, Hanuman leered with his carven mask. He sat, not as an ape would crouch, but cross-legged as a man would sit, but his aspect was no less simian for that reason. He was carved from black marble, but his eyes were rubies, which glowed red and lustful as the coals of hell's deepest pits. His great hands lay upon his lap, palms upward, taloned fingers spread and grasping. In the gross emphasis of his attributes, in the leer of his satyr-countenance, was reflected the abominable cynicism of the degererate cult which deified him.
The girl moved around the image, making toward the back wall (девушка двинулась вокруг идола: «изображения», направляясь к задней стене), and when her sleek flank brushed against a carven knee (и, когда ее округлый бок задел о высеченное колено), she shrank aside and shuddered as if a reptile had touched her (она отпрянула в сторону и содрогнулась, как будто рептилия коснулась ее). There was a space of several feet between the broad back of the idol and the marble wall with its frieze of gold leaves (между широкой спиной идола и мраморной стеной с ее фризом из золотых листьев было пространство в несколько футов). On either hand, flanking the idol, an ivory door under a gold arch was set in the wall (по обе руки = стороны сбоку от идола в стене были установлены двери из слоновой кости под золотыми арками; to set — установить, поставить).
image [ˈɪmɪʤ], around [əˈraund], wall [wɔ: l]
The girl moved around the image, making toward the back wall, and when her sleek flank brushed against a carven knee, she shrank aside and shuddered as if a reptile had touched her. There was a space of several feet between the broad back of the idol and the marble wall with its frieze of gold leaves. On either hand, flanking the idol, an ivory door under a gold arch was set in the wall.
"Those doors open into each end of a hairpin-shaped corridor," she said hurriedly (эти двери открываются в каждый конец = в оба конца шпилькоподобного коридора, — сказала она торопливо; shape — форма; to shape — придавать форму). "Once I was in the interior of the shrine — once (однажды я была внутри храма — однажды)!" She shivered and twitched her slim shoulders at a memory both terrifying and obscene (она задрожала и дернула своими тонкими плечами при воспоминании как ужасающем, так и непристойном). "The corridor is bent like a horseshoe, with each horn opening into this room (коридор изогнут, как подкова, с каждым выступом, открывающимся в это помещение = причем каждый выступ открывается в это помещение). Totrasmek's chambers are enclosed within the curve of the corridor and open into it (покои Тотрасмека заключены = находятся внутри изгиба коридора и открываются в него). But there is a secret door in this wall which opens directly into an inner chamber (но есть секретная дверь в этой стене, которая открывается непосредственно во внутреннюю комнату) —»
each [i: ʧ], once [wʌns], obscene [ɔbˈsi: n]
"Those doors open into each end of a hairpin-shaped corridor," she said hurriedly. "Once I was in the interior of the shrine — once!" She shivered and twitched her slim shoulders at a memory both terrifying and obscene. "The corridor is bent like a horseshoe, with each horn opening into this room. Totrasmek's chambers are enclosed within the curve of the corridor and open into it. But there is a secret door in this wall which opens directly into an inner chamber —»
She began to run her hands over the smooth surface (она начала прощупывать /своими/ руками гладкую поверхность), where no crack or crevice showed (где /не/ видно было ни трещины, ни расселины; to show — быть видным, появляться). Conan stood beside her, sword in hand, glancing warily about him (Конан стоял возле нее, /с/ мечом в руке, осторожно смотря вокруг него = оглядываясь). The silence, the emptiness of the shrine (тишина, пустота храма), with imagination picturing what might lie behind that wall (с фантазией, рисующей, что могло лежать за этой стеной), made him feel like a wild beast nosing a trap (заставило его почувствовать себя /как/ диким зверем, вынюхивающим западню).
crevice [ˈkrevɪs], surface [ˈsə: fɪs], smooth [smu: ð]
She began to run her hands over the smooth surface, where no crack or crevice showed. Conan stood beside her, sword in hand, glancing warily about him. The silence, the emptiness of the shrine, with imagination picturing what might lie behind that wall, made him feel like a wild beast nosing a trap.
"Ah!" The girl had found a hidden spring at last; a square opening gaped blackly in the wall (ах! — девушка наконец нашла скрытую пружину, квадратный вход зазиял черным цветом в стене). Then: "Set!" she screamed (потом — Сет! — вскрикнула она), and even as Conan leaped toward her (и как раз когда Конан прыгнул к ней), he saw that a great misshapen hand has fastened itself in her hair (он увидел, что огромная уродливая рука вцепилась в ее волосы). She was snatched off her feet and jerked headfirst through the opening (она была сдернута с /ее/ ног = сбита с ног и втянута головой вперед через проем). Conan, grabbing ineffectually at her (Конан, попытавшись безрезультатно схватить ее), felt his fingers slip from a naked limb (почувствовал, /как/ его пальцы соскользнули с обнаженной конечности), and in an instant she had vanished and the wall showed black as before (и через миг она исчезла, а стена казалась черной, как прежде). Only from beyond it came the muffled sounds of a struggle, a scream, faintly heard (лишь извне донеслись приглушенные звуки борьбы, визг, слабо слышимый), and a low laugh that made Conan's blood congeal in his veins (и низкий смех, который заставил кровь Конана застыть в его венах = от которого застыла кровь в жилах Конана).
square [skwɛə], struggle [strʌɡl], congeal [kənˈʤi: l]
"Ah!" The girl had found a hidden spring at last; a square opening gaped blackly in the wall. Then: "Set!" she screamed, and even as Conan leaped toward her, he saw that a great misshapen hand has fastened itself in her hair. She was snatched off her feet and jerked headfirst through the opening. Conan, grabbing ineffectually at her, felt his fingers slip from a naked limb, and in an instant she had vanished and the wall showed black as before. Only from beyond it came the muffled sounds of a struggle, a scream, faintly heard, and a low laugh that made Conan's blood congeal in his veins.
3. Black Hands Gripping
(Хватка черных рук)
With an oath the Cimmerian smote the wall a terrible blow with the pommel of his sword (с проклятием киммериец наказал стену страшным ударом эфеса своего меча; pommel — головка (эфеса шпаги)), and the marble cracked and chipped (и мрамор треснул и раскололся). But the hidden door did not give way (но скрытая дверь не поддалась), and reason told him that doubtless it had been bolted on the other side of the wall (и разум сказал ему, что, несомненно, она была заперта на засов с другой стороны стены). Turning, he sprang across the chamber to one of the ivory doors (повернувшись, он прыгнул через комнату к одной из дверей из слоновой кости; to spring — прыгать).
oath [əuƟ], been [bi: n], ivory [ˈaɪvərɪ]
With an oath the Cimmerian smote the wall a terrible blow with the pommel of his sword, and the marble cracked and chipped. But the hidden door did not give way, and reason told him that doubtless it had been bolted on the other side of the wall. Turning, he sprang across the chamber to one of the ivory doors.
He lifted his sword to shatter the panels (он поднял свой меч, /чтобы/ разбить панели), but on a venture tried the door first with his left hand (но наудачу попробовал /открыть/ дверь сначала /своей/ левой рукой). It swung open easily (она легко распахнулась), and he glared into a long corridor (и он заглянул в длинный коридор) that curved away into dimness under the weird light of censers similar to those in the shrine (который изгибался /уходя/ в сумрак под причудливым светом кадильниц, похожих на те = кадильницы в храме). A heavy gold bolt showed on the jamb of the door, and he touched it lightly with his fingertips (тяжелый золотой засов виднелся на косяке двери, и он коснулся его легко кончиками пальцев). The faint warmness of the metal could have been detected only by a man whose faculties were akin to those of a wolf (слабое тепло металла можно было определить /различить /только/ человеку, способности которого были сродни таковым = способностям волка). That bolt had been touched — and therefore drawn — within the last few seconds (этого засова касались — и таким образом задвигали — в пределах последних нескольких секунд). The affair was taking on more and more of the aspect of a baited trap (дело принимало все больше и больше вид ловушки с наживкой). He might have known Totrasmek would know when anyone entered the temple (он мог знать /раньше/ = ему следовало догадаться, /что/ Тотрасмек узнает, когда кто-то войдет в храм).
venture [ˈvenʧə], similar [ˈsɪmɪlə], lightly [ˈlaɪtlɪ]
He lifted his sword to shatter the panels, but on a venture tried the door first with his left hand. It swung open easily, and he glared into a long corridor that curved away into dimness under the weird light of censers similar to those in the shrine. A heavy gold bolt showed on the jamb of the door, and he touched it lightly with his fingertips. The faint warmness of the metal could have been detected only by a man whose faculties were akin to those of a wolf. That bolt had been touched — and therefore drawn — within the last few seconds. The affair was taking on more and more of the aspect of a baited trap. He might have known Totrasmek would know when anyone entered the temple.
To enter the corridor would undoubtedly be to walk into whatever trap the priest had set for him (войти в коридор несомненно было бы = означало бы войти в какую бы то ни было ловушку, /которую/ жрец поставил на него). But Conan did not hesitate (но Конан не колебался). Somewhere in that dim-lit interior Zabibi was a captive (где-то в этой неясно освещенной внутренней части Забиби была пленницей), and, from what he knew of the characteristics of Hanuman's priests (а из того, что он знал о характеристиках жрецов Ханумана), he was sure that she needed help badly (он был уверен, что ей очень нужна помощь). Conan stalked into the corridor with a pantherish tread, poised to strike right or left (Конан прокрался в коридор шагом пантеры, приготовился бить / наносить удары вправо и влево).
