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

negotiate [nI'gouSIeIt], exposure [Ik'spouZq], remote [rI'mout], elsewhere ["els'weq]

Suddenly an idea occurred to me, and acting on my knowledge of the construction of the buildings of these ancient Martian cities with a hollow court within the center of each square, I groped my way blindly through the dark chambers, calling the great thoats after me. They had difficulty in negotiating some of the doorways, but as the buildings fronting the city's principal exposures were all designed upon a magnificent scale, they were able to wriggle through without sticking fast; and thus we finally made the inner court where I found, as I had expected, the usual carpet of moss-like vegetation which would prove their food and drink until I could return them to their own enclosure. That they would be as quiet and contented here as elsewhere I was confident, nor was there but the remotest possibility that they would be discovered, as the green men had no great desire to enter these outlying buildings, which were frequented by the only thing, I believe, which caused them the sensation of fear — the great white apes of Barsoom.

Removing the saddle trappings (сняв седельную подпругу), I hid them just within the rear doorway of the building through which we had entered the court (я спрятал ее прямо внутри проема задней двери здания, через которое мы вошли во двор; to hide — прятать), and, turning the beasts loose (и, выпустив животных на волю; loose — свободный; to let loose — выпускать, освобождать), quickly made my way across the court (быстро прошел через двор) to the rear of the buildings upon the further side (к задней стороне зданий на другой стороне), and thence to the avenue beyond (а оттуда — на улицу за ними; beyond — указывает на нахождение за). Waiting in the doorway of the building (подождав в дверном проеме здания) until I was assured that no one was approaching (пока я не убедился, что никто не приближается), I hurried across to the opposite side (я поспешил на противоположную сторону) and through the first doorway to the court beyond (и через первую дверь — во двор за ней); thus, crossing through court after court with only the slight chance of detection (и таким образом, пересекая двор за двором лишь с небольшой вероятностью быть обнаруженным) which the necessary crossing of the avenues entailed (которую могла повлечь за собой необходимость пересекать улицы; to entail — влечь за собой, вызывать; tail — хвост), I made my way in safety to the courtyard in the rear of Dejah Thoris' quarters (я благополучно проделал путь к заднему двору жилья Дежи Торис).

trappings ['trxpINz], court [kO: t], cross [krOs]

Removing the saddle trappings, I hid them just within the rear doorway of the building through which we had entered the court, and, turning the beasts loose, quickly made my way across the court to the rear of the buildings upon the further side, and thence to the avenue beyond. Waiting in the doorway of the building until I was assured that no one was approaching, I hurried across to the opposite side and through the first doorway to the court beyond; thus, crossing through court after court with only the slight chance of detection which the necessary crossing of the avenues entailed, I made my way in safety to the courtyard in the rear of Dejah Thoris' quarters.

Here, of course, I found the beasts of the warriors (здесь я, конечно же, обнаружил животных тех воинов) who quartered in the adjacent buildings (которые квартировали в соседних зданиях), and the warriors themselves I might expect to meet within if I entered (и я мог ожидать, что я встречу и самих воинов внутри /здания/, если я войду); but, fortunately for me, I had another and safer method of reaching the upper story (но, к счастью для меня, у меня был другой и более безопасный способ добраться до верхнего этажа) where Dejah Thoris should be found (где можно было найти Дежу Торис), and, after first determining as nearly as possible which of the buildings she occupied (и после того, как вначале я определил настолько точно, насколько возможно, какое из зданий она занимала), for I had never observed them before from the court side (так как никогда до этого я не рассматривал их со стороны двора; to observe — наблюдать, следить), I took advantage of my relatively great strength and agility (я воспользовался преимуществом моей относительно большой силы и ловкости) and sprang upward until I grasped the sill of a second-story window (и /стал/ подпрыгивать вверх, пока не ухватился за подоконник окна второго этажа) which I thought to be in the rear of her apartment (которое, как я думал, находилось в задней части ее апартаментов). Drawing myself inside the room (подтянувшись и /попав/ внутрь комнаты) I moved stealthily toward the front of the building (я стал осторожно продвигаться к передней части здания), and not until I had quite reached the doorway of her room (и только когда я почти добрался до двери ее комнаты) was I made aware by voices that it was occupied (я понял по /звуку/ голосов, что в ней кто-то был; to be aware — сознавать).

adjacent [q'dZeIs(q)nt], fortunately ['fO: tS(q)nqtlI], relatively ['relqtIvlI]

Here, of course, I found the beasts of the warriors who quartered in the adjacent buildings, and the warriors themselves I might expect to meet within if I entered; but, fortunately for me, I had another and safer method of reaching the upper story where Dejah Thoris should be found, and, after first determining as nearly as possible which of the buildings she occupied, for I had never observed them before from the court side, I took advantage of my relatively great strength and agility and sprang upward until I grasped the sill of a second-story window which I thought to be in the rear of her apartment. Drawing myself inside the room I moved stealthily toward the front of the building, and not until I had quite reached the doorway of her room was I made aware by voices that it was occupied.

I did not rush headlong in (я не кинулся, сломя голову, внутрь), but listened without (но стал прислушиваться снаружи) to assure myself that it was Dejah Thoris (чтобы убедиться, что это была Дежа Торис) and that it was safe to venture within (и что было безопасно рискнуть /войти/ внутрь; to venture — отважиться, решиться). It was well indeed that I took this precaution (и действительно, было очень хорошо, что я принял такие меры предосторожности; precaution — предосторожность, предусмотрительность; to take precautions — принять меры предосторожности), for the conversation I heard was in the low gutturals of men (так как разговор, который я услышал, вели низкие гортанные голоса мужчин), and the words which finally came to me (и слова, которые, наконец, достигли моих /ушей/) proved a most timely warning (оказались очень своевременным предупреждением). The speaker was a chieftain and he was giving orders to four of his warriors (говоривший был вождем, и он отдавал приказания четверым из своих воинов).

venture ['ventSq], precaution [prI'kO: Sn], guttural ['gAt(q)r(q)l]

I did not rush headlong in, but listened without to assure myself that it was Dejah Thoris and that it was safe to venture within. It was well indeed that I took this precaution, for the conversation I heard was in the low gutturals of men, and the words which finally came to me proved a most timely warning. The speaker was a chieftain and he was giving orders to four of his warriors.

"And when he returns to this chamber," he was saying (а когда он вернется в свою комнату, — говорил он), "as he surely will when he finds she does not meet him at the city's edge (что он наверняка сделает, когда обнаружит, что она не встречает его на окраине города), you four are to spring upon him and disarm him (вы, четверо, должны напасть на него и разоружить его; to spring upon — нападать, набрасываться: «прыгать на»). It will require the combined strength of all of you to do it (чтобы сделать это, потребуются объединенные силы всех вас) if the reports they bring back from Korad are correct (если сообщения, которые приносят из Корада, верны). When you have him fast bound (когда вы его крепко свяжете) bear him to the vaults beneath the jeddak's quarters (отнесите его в подвалы под жилищем джеддака) and chain him securely where he may be found (и надежно закуйте его в цепи там, где его можно будет найти) when Tal Hajus wishes him (когда Тал Хаджус пожелает /увидеть/ его). Allow him to speak with none (не разрешайте ему ни с кем разговаривать), nor permit any other to enter this apartment before he comes (и не разрешайте никому другому входить в эту комнату, пока он не придет). There will be no danger of the girl returning (нет риска, что девушка вернется; danger — опасность; риск), for by this time she is safe in the arms of Tal Hajus (так как сейчас она в безопасности в руках Тала Хаджуса), and may all her ancestors have pity upon her (и пусть все ее предки сжалятся над ней), for Tal Hajus will have none (потому что у Тала Хаджуса не будет никакой /жалости/); the great Sarkoja has done a noble night's work (великая Саркоджа проделала ночью превосходную работу; noble — благородный; превосходный, замечательный). I go, and if you fail to capture him when he comes (я ухожу, и если вам не удастся поймать его, когда он придет), I commend your carcasses to the cold bosom of Iss (я швырну ваши тела: «я вверю ваши тела» в холодное лоно Исс; to commend — поручать; рекомендовать вниманию; доверять /кому-либо что-либо/, вверять)."

report [rI'pO: t], securely [sI'kjuqlI], capture ['kxptSq]

"And when he returns to this chamber," he was saying, "as he surely will when he finds she does not meet him at the city's edge, you four are to spring upon him and disarm him. It will require the combined strength of all of you to do it if the reports they bring back from Korad are correct. When you have him fast bound bear him to the vaults beneath the jeddak's quarters and chain him securely where he may be found when Tal Hajus wishes him. Allow him to speak with none, nor permit any other to enter this apartment before he comes. There will be no danger of the girl returning, for by this time she is safe in the arms of Tal Hajus, and may all her ancestors have pity upon her, for Tal Hajus will have none; the great Sarkoja has done a noble night's work. I go, and if you fail to capture him when he comes, I commend your carcasses to the cold bosom of Iss."

CHAPTER XVII

As the speaker ceased (когда говоривший прекратил /свою речь/) he turned to leave the apartment by the door where I was standing (он повернулся, чтобы покинуть помещение через ту дверь, у которой я стоял), but I needed to wait no longer (но мне не нужно было ждать дольше); I had heard enough to fill my soul with dread (я услышал достаточно, чтобы наполнить мою душу ужасом; dread — страх, ужас), and stealing quietly away (и, тихо выскользнув наружу; to steal — красться; скользить) I returned to the courtyard by the way I had come (я вернулся во двор тем же путем, каким пришел). My plan of action was formed upon the instant (мой план действий сложился мгновенно), and crossing the square and the bordering avenue upon the opposite side (и /когда/ я пересек квартал и прилегающую к нему улицу на противоположной стороне) I soon stood within the courtyard of Tal Hajus (я вскоре уже стоял внутри двора Тала Хаджуса).

dread [dred], courtyard ['kO: tjQ: d], border ['bO: dq]

As the speaker ceased he turned to leave the apartment by the door where I was standing, but I needed to wait no longer; I had heard enough to fill my soul with dread, and stealing quietly away I returned to the courtyard by the way I had come. My plan of action was formed upon the instant, and crossing the square and the bordering avenue upon the opposite side I soon stood within the courtyard of Tal Hajus.

The brilliantly lighted apartments of the first floor (ярко освещенные помещения первого этажа) told me where first to seek (подсказали мне, где первым делом следует искать), and advancing to the windows I peered within (и, приблизившись к окнам, я заглянул внутрь). I soon discovered that my approach was not to be the easy thing I had hoped (я вскоре обнаружил, что войти мне будет не так легко, как я надеялся), for the rear rooms bordering the court were filled with warriors and women (так как задние комнаты, выходившие во двор: «граничащие со двором», были заполнены воинами и женщинами). I then glanced up at the stories above (я затем посмотрел вверх на верхние этажи), discovering that the third was apparently unlighted (и обнаружил, что третий был явно не освещен), and so decided to make my entrance to the building from that point (и поэтому решил проникнуть в здание в этом месте). It was the work of but a moment for me to reach the windows above (добраться до окон наверху для меня было делом одной минуты), and soon I had drawn myself within the sheltering shadows of the unlighted third floor (и вскоре я уже забрался внутрь в спасительные тени неосвещенного третьего этажа).