Читаем без скачивания Английский язык с Э. Р. Берроузом. Принцесса Марса - Эдгар Берроуз

"The great waterway which leads to Helium is but fifty miles to the south," murmured Sola, half to herself; "a swift thoat might make it in three hours; and then to Helium it is five hundred miles, most of the way through thinly settled districts. They would know and they would follow us. We might hide among the great trees for a time, but the chances are small indeed for escape. They would follow us to the very gates of Helium, and they would take toll of life at every step; you do not know them."

"Is there no other way we might reach Helium?" I asked. "Can you not draw me a rough map of the country we must traverse, Dejah Thoris?"

"Yes," she replied, and taking a great diamond from her hair (и, вынув большой бриллиант из своих волос) she drew upon the marble floor the first map of Barsoomian territory I had ever seen (она нарисовала на мраморном полу первую карту территории Барсума, которую мне довелось увидеть). It was crisscrossed in every direction with long straight lines (во всех направлениях ее пересекали длинные прямые линии), sometimes running parallel and sometimes converging toward some great circle (которые иногда пролегали параллельно, а иногда сходились к какому-то большому кругу). The lines, she said, were waterways (линии, сказала она, были водные пути); the circles, cities (круги — города); and one far to the northwest of us she pointed out as Helium (и на один, /находящийся/ далеко к северо-западу от нас, она указала как на Гелиум). There were other cities closer (были и другие города поближе), but she said she feared to enter many of them (но она сказала, что боится заходить во многие из них), as they were not all friendly toward Helium (так как не все они были дружественно настроены по отношению к Гелиуму).

Finally, after studying the map carefully in the moonlight which now flooded the room (наконец, внимательно изучив карту в лунном свете, который теперь заливал комнату), I pointed out a waterway far to the north of us (я указал на водный путь к северу от нас) which also seemed to lead to Helium (который, казалось, тоже вел к Гелиуму).

"Does not this pierce your grandfather's territory (разве он не пересекает территорию твоего дедушки)?" I asked.

marble [mQ: bl], converge [kqn'vWdZ], flood [flAd], pierce [pIqs]

"Yes," she replied, and taking a great diamond from her hair she drew upon the marble floor the first map of Barsoomian territory I had ever seen. It was crisscrossed in every direction with long straight lines, sometimes running parallel and sometimes converging toward some great circle. The lines, she said, were waterways; the circles, cities; and one far to the northwest of us she pointed out as Helium. There were other cities closer, but she said she feared to enter many of them, as they were not all friendly toward Helium.

Finally, after studying the map carefully in the moonlight which now flooded the room, I pointed out a waterway far to the north of us which also seemed to lead to Helium.

"Does not this pierce your grandfather's territory?" I asked.

"Yes," she answered, "but it is two hundred miles north of us (но он находится в двухстах милях к северу от нас); it is one of the waterways we crossed on the trip to Thark (это один из водных путей, которые мы пересекли на пути в Тарк)."

"They would never suspect that we would try for that distant waterway (они никогда не заподозрят, что мы направились к этому дальнему водному пути; to suspect — предполагать; думать; to try for — стремиться; добиваться)," I answered, "and that is why I think that it is the best route for our escape (и поэтому я думаю, что это лучший маршрут для нашего побега; route — маршрут; путь)."

Sola agreed with me, and it was decided that we should leave Thark this same night (Сола согласилась со мной, и было решено, что мы должны покинуть Тарк этой же ночью); just as quickly, in fact, as I could find and saddle my thoats (настолько быстро, действительно, насколько я смогу найти и оседлать моих тотов). Sola was to ride one and Dejah Thoris and I the other (Сола должна была ехать на одном, а Дежа Торис и я — на другом); each of us carrying sufficient food and drink to last us for two days (каждый из нас должен был везти достаточно пищи и питья, чтобы нам хватило на два дня; to last — быть достаточным, хватать), since the animals could not be urged too rapidly for so long a distance (так как животных нельзя было гнать слишком быстро на такое большое расстояние).

route [ru: t], quickly ['kwIklI], sufficient [sq'fIS(q)nt]

"Yes," she answered, "but it is two hundred miles north of us; it is one of the waterways we crossed on the trip to Thark."

"They would never suspect that we would try for that distant waterway," I answered, "and that is why I think that it is the best route for our escape."

Sola agreed with me, and it was decided that we should leave Thark this same night; just as quickly, in fact, as I could find and saddle my thoats. Sola was to ride one and Dejah Thoris and I the other; each of us carrying sufficient food and drink to last us for two days, since the animals could not be urged too rapidly for so long a distance.

I directed Sola to proceed with Dejah Thoris (я дал указание Соле продолжить путь вместе с Дежой Торис; to proceed — продолжать путь, идти далее) along one of the less frequented avenues to the southern boundary of the city (по одной из наименее посещаемых улиц к южной границе города; to frequent — часто посещать), where I would overtake them with the thoats as quickly as possible (где я догоню их вместе с тотами так быстро, как только смогу; to overtake — догонять, наверстывать); then, leaving them to gather what food, silks, and furs we were to need (затем, оставив их, чтобы они собрали всю ту еду, шелка и меха, которые нам могли понадобиться), I slipped quietly to the rear of the first floor (я тихо проскользнул к задней половине первого этажа), and entered the courtyard (и вошел во двор), where our animals were moving restlessly about (где беспокойно двигались наши животные; restless — беспокойный, неугомонный; to move about — переходить с места на место), as was their habit, before settling down for the night (что было у них в обычае, прежде чем они успокаивались на ночь; to settle down — успокаиваться; to settle — устраиваться; поселяться).

proceed [prq'si: d], frequent [frI'kwent], restlessly ['restlIslI]

I directed Sola to proceed with Dejah Thoris along one of the less frequented avenues to the southern boundary of the city, where I would overtake them with the thoats as quickly as possible; then, leaving them to gather what food, silks, and furs we were to need, I slipped quietly to the rear of the first floor, and entered the courtyard, where our animals were moving restlessly about, as was their habit, before settling down for the night.

In the shadows of the buildings and out (в тени зданий и вне их) beneath the radiance of the Martian moons (под сиянием марсианских лун) moved the great herd of thoats and zitidars (двигалось большое стадо тотов и зитидаров), the latter grunting their low gutturals (последние ворчали низкими гортанными голосами; to grant — хрюкать, ворчать) and the former occasionally emitting the sharp squeal (а первые изредка издавали резкие крики) which denotes the almost habitual state of rage (которые обозначают почти привычное состояние ярости) in which these creatures passed their existence (в котором эти существа проводят свою жизнь). They were quieter now (теперь они были спокойнее), owing to the absence of man (благодаря отсутствию человека), but as they scented me they became more restless (но как только они почуяли меня, они стали более беспокойными) and their hideous noise increased (и ужасный шум от них усилился; hideous — отвратительный, омерзительный, страшный, ужасный). It was risky business (это было рискованное дело), this entering a paddock of thoats alone and at night (так войти в загон для тотов одному ночью; paddock — круг для лошадей; загон); first, because their increasing noisiness might warn the nearby warriors (во-первых, потому что усилившийся шум мог насторожить /находившихся/ поблизости воинов; noise — шум; noisiness — шумность) that something was amiss (/подсказав/, что что-то случилось; amiss — ошибочно, дурно; what is amiss — что случилось), and also because for the slightest cause (а также потому, что по малейшему поводу), or for no cause at all (или без всякого повода) some great bull thoat might take it upon himself to lead a charge upon me (какому-нибудь огромному самцу могло вздуматься броситься на меня; to take upon oneself — пойти на что-либо, решиться).

occasionally [q'keIZ(q)n(q)lI], increase [In'kri: s], noisiness ['nOIzInIs]

In the shadows of the buildings and out beneath the radiance of the Martian moons moved the great herd of thoats and zitidars, the latter grunting their low gutturals and the former occasionally emitting the sharp squeal which denotes the almost habitual state of rage in which these creatures passed their existence. They were quieter now, owing to the absence of man, but as they scented me they became more restless and their hideous noise increased. It was risky business, this entering a paddock of thoats alone and at night; first, because their increasing noisiness might warn the nearby warriors that something was amiss, and also because for the slightest cause, or for no cause at all some great bull thoat might take it upon himself to lead a charge upon me.

Having no desire to awaken their nasty tempers upon such a night as this (не имея ни малейшего желания пробуждать их дурной нрав в такую ночь, как эта), where so much depended upon secrecy and dispatch (когда столь много зависело от секретности и быстроты; dispatch — отправка; быстрота, скорость), I hugged the shadows of the buildings (я держался в тени зданий; to hug — крепко обнимать; держаться), ready at an instant's warning to leap into the safety of a nearby door or window (готовый в любое мгновение: «через мгновение после предупреждения» прыгнуть в спасительные ближайшую дверь или окно). Thus I moved silently to the great gates (таким образом я тихо продвигался к большим воротам) which opened upon the street at the back of the court (которые выходили на улицу с задней стороны двора), and as I neared the exit I called softly to my two animals (и когда я приблизился к выходу, я тихо позвал двух своих животных). How I thanked the kind providence (как я благодарил доброе провидение) which had given me the foresight (которое дало мне /достаточно/ предусмотрительности; foresight — предвидение, предусмотрительность) to win the love and confidence of these wild dumb brutes (чтобы завоевать любовь и доверие этих диких бессловесных тварей; dumb — немой; бессловесный), for presently from the far side of the court I saw two huge bulks forcing their way toward me (так как вскоре я увидел, как с дальней стороны двора две огромные туши прокладывают себе дорогу по направлению ко мне; presently — некоторое время спустя; bulk — груда; масса, большое количество; тело /особ. о крупном, дородном человеке/) through the surging mountains of flesh (через вздымающиеся горы плоти; to surge — вздыматься).

foresight ['fO: saIt], force [fO: s], surge [sWdZ]

Having no desire to awaken their nasty tempers upon such a night as this, where so much depended upon secrecy and dispatch, I hugged the shadows of the buildings, ready at an instant's warning to leap into the safety of a nearby door or window. Thus I moved silently to the great gates which opened upon the street at the back of the court, and as I neared the exit I called softly to my two animals. How I thanked the kind providence which had given me the foresight to win the love and confidence of these wild dumb brutes, for presently from the far side of the court I saw two huge bulks forcing their way toward me through the surging mountains of flesh.