Английский язык с Р. Э. Говардом - Роберт Говард

weapon [ˈwepən], double [dʌbl], nauseous [ˈnɔ:zɪəs]

He discarded his ragged tunic and moved off through the night naked but for a loincloth. As he went he fingered the poniard he had captured — a murderous weapon with a broad, double-edged blade nineteen inches long. He slunk along alleys and shadowed plazas until he came to the district which was his destination — the Maze. Along its labyrinthian ways he went with the certainty of familiarity. It was indeed a maze of black alleys and enclosed courts and devious ways; of furtive sounds, and stenches. There was no paving on the streets; mud and filth mingled in an unsavory mess. Sewers were unknown; refuse was dumped into the alleys to form reeking heaps and puddles. Unless a man walked with care he was likely to lose his footing and plunge waist-deep into nauseous pools. Nor was it uncommon to stumble over a corpse lying with its throat cut or its head knocked in, in the mud. Honest folk shunned the Maze with good reason.

Conan reached his destination without being seen (Конан добрался до своей цели никем не замеченный; destination — назначение; цель), just as one he wished fervently to meet was leaving it (как раз когда человек, которого он страстно желал встретить, выходил оттуда). As the Cimmerian slunk into the courtyard below (когда киммериец прокрался во /внутренний/ двор внизу; to slink — красться), the girl who had sold him to the police (девица, которая продала его полиции; to sell — продавать) was taking leave of her new lover in a chamber one flight up (прощалась со своим новым любовником в спальне на один лестничный пролет выше; to take leave of — прощаться с). This young thug, her door closed behind him (этот молодой головорез, когда ее дверь закрылась за ним), groped his way down a creaking flight of stairs, intent on his own meditations (стал наощупь спускаться по скрипучему лестничному пролету, погруженный в свои раздумья; to grope one’s way — пробираться на ощупь; intent — полный решимости; погруженный, поглощенный), which, like those of most of the denizens of the Maze, had to do with the unlawful acquirement of property (которые, как и те = мысли большинства обитателей Лабиринта касались незаконного присвоения собственности; to have to do with — иметь дело с чем-л., касаться чего-л., иметь отношение к чему-л.). Part-way down the stairs, he halted suddenly (на полпути вниз по лестнице он вдруг остановился; partway — на полпути), his hair standing up (/и/ у него встали /дыбом/ волосы; to stand up — встать; подняться). A vague bulk crouched in the darkness before him (неясное тело пригнулось в темноте перед ним; bulk — груда; тело), a pair of eyes blazed like the eyes of a hunting beast (пара глаз пылала, как глаза охотящегося = хищного зверя). A beastlike snarl was the last thing he heard in life (звериное рычание было последним: «последней вещью», что он услышал в жизни; to hear — слышать), as the monster lurched against him and a keen blade ripped through his belly (когда чудовище накренилось к нему, и острое лезвие распороло его брюхо). He gave one gasping cry and slumped down limply on the stairway (он издал один задыхающийся крик и безвольно осел на лестницу).

flight [flaɪt], acquirement [əˈkwaɪəmənt], vague [veɪɡ]

Conan reached his destination without being seen, just as one he wished fervently to meet was leaving it. As the Cimmerian slunk into the courtyard below, the girl who had sold him to the police was taking leave of her new lover in a chamber one flight up. This young thug, her door closed behind him, groped his way down a creaking flight of stairs, intent on his own meditations, which, like those of most of the denizens of the Maze, had to do with the unlawful acquirement of property. Part-way down the stairs, he halted suddenly, his hair standing up. A vague bulk crouched in the darkness before him, a pair of eyes blazed like the eyes of a hunting beast. A beastlike snarl was the last thing he heard in life, as the monster lurched against him and a keen blade ripped through his belly. He gave one gasping cry and slumped down limply on the stairway.

The barbarian loomed above him for an instant, ghoul-like (варвар на мгновение навис над ним, как упырь; to loom — маячить; нависать), his eyes burning in the gloom (а его глаза горели во мраке). He knew the sound was heard (он знал, что звук услышан), but the people in the Maze were careful to attend to their own business (но люди в Лабиринте были осторожны, чтобы заниматься = и занимались своими собственными делами = и не лезли в чужие дела; to attend to one's own business — заботиться о собственных делах). A death cry on darkened stairs was nothing unusual (смертельный крик на темной лестнице не был чем-то необычным). Later, some one would venture to investigate (позднее кто-нибудь отважится расследовать = выяснить причину; to investigate — расследовать; собирать сведения), but only after a reasonable lapse of time (но лишь спустя разумный промежуток времени).

Conan went up the stairs and halted at a door he knew well of old (Конан поднялся по лестнице и остановился у двери, которая ему была хорошо знакома в прежнее время; of old — прежде, в прежнее время). It was fastened within (она была заперта изнутри; to fasten — прикреплять; запирать /на защелку, засов/), but his blade passed between the door and the jamb and lifted the bar (но его лезвие прошло между дверью и косяком и подняло щеколду; bar — брусок; засов, щеколда). He stepped inside, closing the door after him (он шагнул вовнутрь, закрывая за собой дверь), and faced the girl who had betrayed him to the police (и оказался лицом к лицу с девицей, которая выдала его полиции; to face — стоять лицом к лицу, встречаться).

ghoul [ɡu:l], venture [ˈvenʧə], fasten [fɑ:sn]

The barbarian loomed above him for an instant, ghoul-like, his eyes burning in the gloom. He knew the sound was heard, but the people in the Maze were careful to attend to their own business. A death cry on darkened stairs was nothing unusual. Later, some one would venture to investigate, but only after a reasonable lapse of time.

Conan went up the stairs and halted at a door he knew well of old. It was fastened within, but his blade passed between the door and the jamb and lifted the bar. He stepped inside, closing the door after him, and faced the girl who had betrayed him to the police.

The wench was sitting cross-legged in her shift on her unkempt bed (девка сидела в сорочке, поджав ноги, на неприбранной кровати; wench — девица; девка, проститутка;cross-legged — сидящий по-турецки, положив ногу на ногу или поджав ноги; unkempt — растрепанный; неопрятный). She turned white and stared at him as if at a ghost (она побелела и вытаращилась на него, словно на привидение; to turn white — побелеть, побледнеть). She had heard the cry from the stairs (она услышала крик с лестницы), and she saw the red stain on the poniard in his hand (и увидела кровавое пятно на кинжале в его руке; red — красный; окровавленный). But she was too filled with terror on her own account to waste any time lamenting the evident fate of her lover (но она была слишком наполнена = переполнена ужасом за себя, чтобы тратить даром время на причитания об очевидной судьбе своего возлюбленного; on one’s account — ради кого-л., из-за кого-л.). She began to beg for her life, almost incoherent with terror (она начала просить за свою жизнь, почти бессвязно от страха). Conan did not reply (Конан не отвечал); he merely stood and glared at her with his burning eyes (он лишь стоял и сердито уставился на нее горящими глазами), testing the edge of his poniard with a callused thumb (пробуя лезвие кинжала огрубевшим большим пальцем; callus — затвердение на коже; мозоль; бугорок; to callus — образовывать мозоль, затвердение).

ghost [ɡəust], account [əˈkaunt], thumb [Ɵʌm]

The wench was sitting cross-legged in her shift on her unkempt bed. She turned white and stared at him as if at a ghost. She had heard the cry from the stairs, and she saw the red stain on the poniard in his hand. But she was too filled with terror on her own account to waste any time lamenting the evident fate of her lover. She began to beg for her life, almost incoherent with terror. Conan did not reply; he merely stood and glared at her with his burning eyes, testing the edge of his poniard with a callused thumb.

At last he crossed the chamber (наконец, он прошел через комнату), while she cowered back against the wall, sobbing frantic pleas for mercy (в то время как она съежилась, /прижимаясь/ к стене, безумно рыдая и прося о помиловании; plea for mercy — прошение о снисхождении, помиловании). Grasping her yellow locks with no gentle hand (ухватив ее желтые локоны /отнюдь/ не нежной рукой), he dragged her off the bed (он стащил ее с кровати). Thrusting his blade in the sheath (запихнув клинок в ножны), he tucked his squirming captive under his left arm and strode to the window (он сунул извивающуюся пленницу под левую мышку и шагнул к окну; to stride — шагать /большими шагами/). As in most houses of that type, a ledge encircled each story (как в большинстве домов такого типа, каждый этаж окружал карниз; ledge — планка; выступ, карниз), caused by the continuance of the window ledges (вызванный = образованный непрерывными оконными карнизами; to cause — служить причиной; вызывать). Conan kicked the window open and stepped out on that narrow band (Конан распахнул окно ногой и вышел на эту узкую кромку; to kick — ударять ногой; to step out — выходить; band — тесьма; кромка). If any had been near or awake (если бы кто-нибудь оказался поблизости или проснулся), they would have witnessed the bizarre sight of a man moving carefully along the ledge (они = он бы стал свидетелем странного зрелища — мужчины, осторожно двигавшегося по карнизу; to witness — быть свидетелем; sight — зрение; зрелище), carrying a kicking, half-naked wench under his arm (и несущего под мышкой брыкающуюся, полураздетую потаскушку). They would have been no more puzzled than the girl (они = и свидетель был бы озадачен не меньше девицы).

cower [ˈkauə], sheath [ʃi:Ɵ], bizarre [bɪˈzɑ:]

At last he crossed the chamber, while she cowered back against the wall, sobbing frantic pleas for mercy. Grasping her yellow locks with no gentle hand, he dragged her off the bed. Thrusting his blade in the sheath, he tucked his squirming captive under his left arm and strode to the window. As in most houses of that type, a ledge encircled each story, caused by the continuance of the window ledges. Conan kicked the window open and stepped out on that narrow band. If any had been near or awake, they would have witnessed the bizarre sight of a man moving carefully along the ledge, carrying a kicking, half-naked wench under his arm. They would have been no more puzzled than the girl.

Reaching the spot he sought (добравшись до того места, которое он искал; to reach — протягивать; добираться;to seek — искать), Conan halted, gripping the wall with his free hand (Конан остановился, ухватившись за стену свободной рукой). Inside the building rose a sudden clamor (внутри здания поднялся неожиданный ор; to rise — подниматься), showing that the body had at last been discovered (указывающий на то, что тело наконец обнаружено; to show — показывать; указывать). His captive whimpered and twisted, renewing her importunities (его пленница хныкала и изгибалась, возобновив свои настойчивые мольбы; importunity — назойливость; настойчивое домогательство). Conan glanced down into the muck and slime of the alleys below (Конан взглянул мельком вниз на дерьмо и слизь улочек внизу; slime — тина; слизь); he listened briefly to the clamor inside and the pleas of the wench (он коротко = ненадолго прислушался к крикам внутри и призывам девки); then he dropped her with great accuracy into a cesspool (затем он сбросил ее с удивительной меткостью в выгребную яму; great — большой; удивительный, великолепный, восхитительный). He enjoyed her kickings and flounderings and the concentrated venom of her profanity for a few seconds (он несколько секунд наслаждался ее брыканием и барахтаньем и концентрированным ядом ее брани), and even allowed himeself a low rumble of laughter (и даже позволил себе тихо хохотнуть; low — низкий; тихий;rumble — грохот; рокот; урчание). Then he lifted his head, listened to the growing tumult within the building (потом он поднял голову, прислушался к растущему шуму внутри здания), and decided it was time for him to kill Nabonidus (и решил, что пора ему убивать Набонидуса; it is time — пора).