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

dash [dxS], declaration ["deklq'reIS(q)n], smile [smaIl]

Dejah Thoris, after a few words, turned and left the apartment, still followed by her guards.

Thus was the edifice of my brief dream of happiness dashed, broken, to the ground of reality. The woman for whom I had offered my life, and from whose lips I had so recently heard a declaration of love for me, had lightly forgotten my very existence and smilingly given herself to the son of her people's most hated enemy.

Although I had heard it with my own ears (хотя я слышал это своими собственными ушами) I could not believe it (я не мог этому поверить). I must search out her apartments (я должен разыскать ее апартаменты) and force her to repeat the cruel truth to me alone (и заставить ее повторить жестокую правду мне самому) before I would be convinced (прежде, чем я буду убежден /в этом/), and so I deserted my post (поэтому я покинул свой пост) and hastened through the passage behind the tapestries toward the door (и поспешил по проходу позади гобеленов по направлению к двери) by which she had left the chamber (через которую она покинула комнату). Slipping quietly through this opening (тихонько проскользнув через этот проход) I discovered a maze of winding corridors (я обнаружил лабиринт извилистых коридоров), branching and turning in every direction (которые разветвлялись и поворачивали во всех направлениях).

although [O: l'Dou], slip [slIp], deserted [dI'zWtId]

Although I had heard it with my own ears I could not believe it. I must search out her apartments and force her to repeat the cruel truth to me alone before I would be convinced, and so I deserted my post and hastened through the passage behind the tapestries toward the door by which she had left the chamber. Slipping quietly through this opening I discovered a maze of winding corridors, branching and turning in every direction.

Running rapidly down the first one and then another of them (/когда/ я побежал по первому из них, а затем по другому) I soon became hopelessly lost (я вскоре безнадежно заблудился) and was standing panting against a side wall (и стоял, задыхаясь, возле боковой стены; to pant — часто и тяжело дышать) when I heard voices near me (когда поблизости от себя я услышал голоса). Apparently they were coming from the opposite side of the partition (по-видимому, они исходили из-за противоположной стороны перегородки; partition — раздел; перегородка) against which I leaned (к которой я прислонился) and presently I made out the tones of Dejah Thoris (и вскоре я различил голос Дежи Торис). I could not hear the words (я не мог слышать слов) but I knew that I could not possibly be mistaken in the voice (но я знал, что никак не мог ошибиться в голосе).

partition [pQ:'tIS(q)n], possibly ['pOsqblI], mistaken [mI'steIk(q)n]

Running rapidly down the first one and then another of them I soon became hopelessly lost and was standing panting against a side wall when I heard voices near me. Apparently they were coming from the opposite side of the partition against which I leaned and presently I made out the tones of Dejah Thoris. I could not hear the words but I knew that I could not possibly be mistaken in the voice.

Moving on a few steps (продвинувшись на несколько шагов) I discovered another passageway at the end of which lay a door (я обнаружил еще один проход, в конце которого находилась дверь). Walking boldly forward (смело пройдя вперед) I pushed into the room (я вломился в комнату) only to find myself in a small antechamber (только с тем, чтобы оказаться в маленькой передней) in which were the four guards who had accompanied her (в которой были четыре стражника, которые сопровождали ее). One of them instantly arose and accosted me (один из них немедленно вскочил и обратился ко мне; to accost — обращаться, заговаривать), asking the nature of my business (спрашивая о сути моего дела).

passageway ['pxsIdZweI], antechamber ['xntI" tSeImbq], accost [q'kOst]

Moving on a few steps I discovered another passageway at the end of which lay a door. Walking boldly forward I pushed into the room only to find myself in a small antechamber in which were the four guards who had accompanied her. One of them instantly arose and accosted me, asking the nature of my business.

"I am from Than Kosis," I replied (я от Тан Косиса, ответил я), "and wish to speak privately with Dejah Thoris (и хочу поговорить наедине с Дежой Торис), Princess of Helium."

"And your order?" asked the fellow (а твой пропуск, — спросил этот парень; order — приказ; разрешение, пропуск).

I did not know what he meant (я не знал, что он имеет в виду), but replied that I was a member of The Guard (но ответил, что я один из Стражи), and without waiting for a reply from him (и не ожидая от него ответа) I strode toward the opposite door of the antechamber (я направился большими шагами к противоположной двери передней; to stride — шагать /большими шагами/), behind which I could hear Dejah Thoris conversing (за которой я мог слышать, /как/ разговаривала Дежа Торис).

privately ['praIvItlI], fellow ['felou], opposite ['OpqzIt]

"I am from Than Kosis," I replied, "and wish to speak privately with Dejah Thoris, Princess of Helium."

"And your order?" asked the fellow.

I did not know what he meant, but replied that I was a member of The Guard, and without waiting for a reply from him I strode toward the opposite door of the antechamber, behind which I could hear Dejah Thoris conversing.

But my entrance was not to be so easily accomplished (но войти было не так-то легко). The guardsman stepped before me (стражник шагнул навстречу мне), saying,

"No one comes from Than Kosis without carrying an order or the password (никто не приходит от Тана Косиса, не имея при себе пропуска или пароля). You must give me one or the other before you may pass (ты должен предъявить мне то или другое, прежде, чем сможешь пройти)."

"The only order I require, my friend (единственный пропуск, который мне нужен, мой друг), to enter where I will, hangs at my side (/чтобы/ пройти туда, куда я хочу, — висит у меня на боку)," I answered, tapping my long-sword (ответил я, похлопывая по своему длинному мечу); "will you let me pass in peace or no (дашь ли ты мне пройти с миром, или нет)?"

For reply he whipped out his own sword (вместо ответа он выхватил свой собственный меч; to whip out — выхватить), calling to the others to join him (призывая других присоединиться к нему), and thus the four stood, with drawn weapons (и таким образом эти четверо стояли, обнажив оружие; drawn — обнаженный /о шпаге, мече/), barring my further progress (преградив мне дальнейшее продвижение).

guardsman ['gQ: dzmqn], carry ['kxrI], drawn [drO: n]

But my entrance was not to be so easily accomplished. The guardsman stepped before me, saying,

"No one comes from Than Kosis without carrying an order or the password. You must give me one or the other before you may pass."

"The only order I require, my friend, to enter where I will, hangs at my side," I answered, tapping my long-sword; "will you let me pass in peace or no?"

For reply he whipped out his own sword, calling to the others to join him, and thus the four stood, with drawn weapons, barring my further progress.

"You are not here by the order of Than Kosis (ты здесь не по приказу от Тана Косиса)," cried the one who had first addressed me (воскликнул тот /из них/, который первым обратился ко мне), "and not only shall you not enter the apartments of the Princess of Helium (и ты не только не войдешь в апартаменты принцессы Гелиума) but you shall go back to Than Kosis under guard (но вернешься к Тану Косису под охраной) to explain this unwarranted temerity (чтобы объяснить эту непозволительную дерзость; unwarranted — незаконный, недозволенный; to warrant — служить оправданием, основанием; давать право, полномочия; temerity — опрометчивость, безрассудство). Throw down your sword (брось свой меч); you cannot hope to overcome four of us (ты не можешь надеяться победить четырех из нас)," he added with a grim smile (добавил он с мрачной усмешкой).

unwarranted [An'wOrqntId], temerity [tI'merItI], overcome ["ouvq'kAm]

"You are not here by the order of Than Kosis," cried the one who had first addressed me, "and not only shall you not enter the apartments of the Princess of Helium but you shall go back to Than Kosis under guard to explain this unwarranted temerity. Throw down your sword; you cannot hope to overcome four of us," he added with a grim smile.

My reply was a quick thrust (моим ответом был быстрый удар) which left me but three antagonists (который оставил мне только трех противников) and I can assure you that they were worthy of my metal (и я смею уверить вас, что они были достойны моего оружия). They had me backed against the wall in no time (они быстро прижали меня к стене; in no time — очень быстро, мигом), fighting for my life (/заставляя/ сражаться за свою жизнь). Slowly I worked my way to a corner of the room (медленно я пробивал себе дорогу к углу комнаты) where I could force them to come at me only one at a time (где я мог вынудить их подходить ко мне поодиночке: «по одному за один раз»), and thus we fought upward of twenty minutes (и таким образом мы сражались около двадцати минут; upward — вверх; upward of — свыше; около) the clanging of steel on steel (/при этом/ звон стали /ударяющейся/ о сталь) producing a veritable bedlam in the little room (создавал в комнате настоящий хаос: «сумасшедший дом»; veritable — настоящий; bedlam — сумасшедший дом).

clang [klxN], veritable ['verItqbl], bedlam ['bedlqm]

My reply was a quick thrust which left me but three antagonists and I can assure you that they were worthy of my metal. They had me backed against the wall in no time, fighting for my life. Slowly I worked my way to a corner of the room where I could force them to come at me only one at a time, and thus we fought upward of twenty minutes; the clanging of steel on steel producing a veritable bedlam in the little room.

The noise had brought Dejah Thoris to the door of her apartment (шум заставил Дежу Торис подойти к дверям своей комнаты), and there she stood throughout the conflict (и там она стояла на протяжении всей схватки) with Sola at her back peering over her shoulder (а Сола /стояла/ у нее за спиной, выглядывая у нее из-за плеча). Her face was set and emotionless (ее лицо было неподвижно и безучастно) and I knew that she did not recognize me, nor did Sola (и я понял, что она не узнала меня, так же, как и Сола).

noise [nOIz], recognize ['rekqgnaIz]

The noise had brought Dejah Thoris to the door of her apartment, and there she stood throughout the conflict with Sola at her back peering over her shoulder. Her face was set and emotionless and I knew that she did not recognize me, nor did Sola.

Finally a lucky cut brought down a second guardsman (наконец удачный удар свалил другого стражника; cut — порез; удар /мечом/; to bring down — свалить) and then, with only two opposing me (и тогда, когда только двое противостояли мне), I changed my tactics (я сменил тактику) and rushed them down after the fashion of my fighting (и обрушился на них, применив такой прием борьбы; to rush — /воен./ брать стремительным натиском) that had won me many a victory (который принес мне много побед). The third fell within ten seconds after the second (третий упал через десять секунд после второго), and the last lay dead upon the bloody floor a few moments later (а через несколько мгновений и последний лежал на покрытом кровью полу). They were brave men and noble fighters (они были храбрые люди и превосходные бойцы; noble — благородный; прекрасный, замечательный) and it grieved me that I had been forced to kill them (и меня опечалило то, что я вынужден был убить их), but I would have willingly depopulated all Barsoom (но я бы охотно истребил весь Барсум; to depopulate — истреблять население) could I have reached the side of my Dejah Thoris in no other way (если бы не было иного способа оказаться рядом с моей Дежой Торис).