Английский язык с М. Муркоком

`Stop your gabbling (хватит тараторить; to gabble — говорить неясно и быстро, бормотать; гоготать). The creature spoke distinctly, as if he did not expect Corum to know what he was saying (существо говорило отчетливо, словно полагало, что Корум не знает, что оно говорит; to expect — ожидать, надеяться; полагать). He had spoken in the Low Speech (оно говорило на упрощенном языке). `You will be like me soon (ты скоро будешь таким, как я).

Corum made no reply (не ответил). He sheathed his sword and walked about the cell, inspecting it (он вложил в ножны меч и прошелся по темнице, осматривая ее; cell — ячейка; тюремная камера; клетка, отсек). There seemed no obvious way of escape (очевидного пути бегства не было = казалось, отсюда не вырваться). Above him he heard footsteps on the flagstones of the courtyard (над собой он услышал шаги по плитам внутреннего двора). He heard, quite clearly, the voices of the Ragha-da-Kheta (он услышал, вполне четко, голоса рага-да-кета). They were agitated, almost hysterical (они были взволнованными, почти истеричными).

niche [nIC] straw [strL] sheathed [SJDd] hysterical [hI`sterIk (q) l]

The creature shuffled again and placed the crude lamp in a niche on the wall. Corum saw that the chamber was covered in dirty straw. There was a pitcher and a plate and, at the far end, a heavy iron door. The place reeked of human excrement.

`Can you understand me? Corum still spoke the Nhadragh tongue.

`Stop your gabbling. The creature spoke distinctly, as if he did not expect Corum to know what he was saying. He had spoken in the Low Speech. `You will be like me soon.

Corum made no reply. He sheathed his sword and walked about the cell, inspecting it. There seemed no obvious way of escape. Above him he heard footsteps on the flagstones of the courtyard. He heard, quite clearly, the voices of the Ragha-da-Kheta. They were agitated, almost hysterical.

The creature cocked his head and listened (существо подняло голову и прислушалось).

`So that is what happened (так вот что произошло), he mused, staring at Corum and grinning to himself (проговорил он задумчиво, пристально глядя на Корума и ухмыляясь самому себе = своим мыслям). `You killed the feeble little coward, eh (ты убил этого хилого маленького труса, да; feeble — немощный, хилый; ничтожный)? Hm, well I don't resent your company nearly so much (хм, что ж, мне не будет неприятна твоя компания настолько; to resent — негодовать, возмущаться; не нравиться). Though your stay will be short, I fear (хотя, боюсь, твое пребывание /здесь/ будет недолгим). I wonder how they will destroy you (интересно, как они уничтожат тебя) …

Corum listened in silence, still not revealing that he understood the creature's words (Корум вслушивался в тишину, по-прежнему не показывая, что понимает слова существа; to reveal — открывать, обнаруживать). He heard the sound of the corpses being dragged away overhead (он услышал, как утаскивают трупы наверху). More voices came and went (еще голоса пришли и ушли = раздались и смолкли).

`Now they are in a quandary (теперь они в затруднительном положении), chuckled the creature (хихикнуло создание). `They are only good at killing by stealth (они умеют убивать лишь тайком; to be good at — быть способным к). What did they try to do to you, my friend, poison you (что они попытаются сделать с тобой, мой друг, отравить тебя)? That's the way they usually get rid of those they fear (это способ, /которым/ они обычно избавляются от тех, /кого/ боятся).

coward [`kauqd] quandary [`kwOnd (q) rI] stealth [stelT]

The creature cocked his head and listened.

`So that is what happened, he mused, staring at Corum and grinning to himself. `You killed the feeble little coward, eh? Hm, well I don't resent your company nearly so much. Though your stay will be short, I fear. I wonder how they will destroy you…

Corum listened in silence, still not revealing that he understood the creature's words. He heard the sound of the corpses being dragged away overhead. More voices came and went.

`Now they are in a quandary, chuckled the creature. `They are only good at killing by stealth. What did they try to do to you, my friend, poison you? That's the way they usually get rid of those they fear.

Poison? Corum frowned (нахмурился). Had the wine been poisoned (не было ли отравлено вино)? He looked at the hand. Had it known (неужели она знала)? Was it in some way sentient (не обладала ли она своего рода предчувствием; sentient — ощущающий, чувствующий)?

He decided to break his silence (он решил нарушить свое молчание).

`Who are you? he said in the Low Speech (он сказал на упрощенном языке).

The creature began to laugh (существо принялось смеяться).

`So you can understand me (значит, ты можешь понимать меня)! Well, since you are my guest, I feel you should answer my questions first (что ж, раз ты мой гость, думаю, тебе следовало бы ответить на мои вопросы сперва). You look like a Vadhagh to me, yet I thought all the Vadhagh perished long since (ты похож на вадага по-моему: «для меня», хотя я думал, все вадаги давно погибли). Name yourself and your folk, friend (назови себя и свой народ, друг).

sentient [`senS (q) nt] laugh [lRf] guest [gest]

Poison? Corum frowned. Had the wine been poisoned? He looked at the hand. Had it known? Was it in some way sentient?

He decided to break his silence.

`Who are you? he said in the Low Speech.

The creature began to laugh.

`So you can understand me! Well, since you are my guest, I feel you should answer my questions first. You look like a Vadhagh to me, yet I thought all the Vadhagh perished long since. Name yourself and your folk, friend.

Corum said: `I am Corum Jhaelen Irsei — the Prince in the Scarlet Robe (Принц в Алом Плаще). And I am the last of the Vadhagh (и я последний из вадагов).

`And I am Hanafax of Pengarde (а я — Ганафакс из Пенгарда), something of a soldier, something of a priest, something of an explorer (немного воин, немного жрец, немного исследователь/путешественник) — and something of a wretch, as you see (и немного оборванец, как видишь; wretch — несчастный, жалкий человек). I hail from a land called Lywm-an-Esh — a land far to the West where (я происхожу из страны, называемой Лиум-ан-Эш, — страны, /лежащей/ далеко на западе, где) …

`I know of Lywm-an-Esh. I have been a guest of the Margravine of the East (я был гостем маркграфини восточной /части страны/).

`What? Does that Margraviate still exist (неужели маркграфство все еще существует)? I had heard it had been washed away by the encroaching seas long since (я слышал, его давно смыло наступающими волнами/океаном; to encroach — вторгаться; затоплять)!

`It may be destroyed by now (возможно, оно уничтожено теперь). The Pony Tribes (племена на пони) …

soldier [`squlGq] priest [prJst] encroaching [In`krquCIN]

Corum said: `I am Corum Jhaelen Irsei — the Prince in the Scarlet Robe. And I am the last of the Vadhagh.

`And I am Hanafax of Pengarde, something of a soldier, something of a priest, something of an explorer — and something of a wretch, as you see. I hail from a land called Lywm-an-Esh — a land far to the West where…