`I know of Lywm-an-Esh. I have been a guest of the Margravine of the East.
`What? Does that Margraviate still exist? I had heard it had been washed away by the encroaching seas long since!
`It may be destroyed by now. The Pony Tribes…
`By Urleh (/клянусь/ Урлехом)! Pony Tribes! It is something from the histories (это что-то из историй = легенд).
`How come you to be so far from your own land, Sir Hanafax (как случилось, что ты оказался так далеко от своей страны, сэр Ганафакс)?
`It's a long tale, Prince Corum (это долгая история, принц Корум). Arioch — as he is called here — does not smile on the folk of Lywm-an-Esh (Ариох — как его здесь называют — не благоволит народу Лиум-ан-Эш;
history [`hIst (q) rI] vassal [`vxs (q) l] deity [`dJItI]
`By Urleh! Pony Tribes! It is something from the histories.
`How come you to be so far from your own land, Sir Hanafax?
`It's a long tale, Prince Corum. Arioch — as he is called here — does not smile on the folk of Lywm-an-Esh. He expects all the Mabden to do his work for him — chiefly in the reduction of the older races, such as your own. As you doubtless know, our folk have had no interest in destroying these races, for they have never harmed us. But Urleh is a kind of vassal deity to the Knight of the Swords. It was Urleh that I served as a priest.
Well, it seems that Arioch grows impatient (for reasons of his own) (итак, кажется, Ариох проявляет нетерпение (по каким-то своим причинам)) and commands Urleh to command the people of Lywm-an-Esh to embark on a crusade (и велит Урлеху приказать людям Лиум-ан-Эш предпринять /военный/ поход;
impatient [Im`peIS (q) nt] crusade [krH`seId] coral [`kOrql] false [fLls]
Well, it seems that Arioch grows impatient (for reasons of his own) and commands Urleh to command the people of Lywm-an-Esh to embark on a crusade, to travel far to the West where a seafolk dwell. These folk are only about fifty in all and live in castles built into coral. They are called the Shalafen. Urleh gave me Arioch's command. I decided to believe that this was a false command — coming from another entity unfriendly to Urleh. My luck, which was never of the best, changed greatly then. There was a murder. I was blamed. I fled my lands and stole a ship. After several somewhat dull adventures, I found myself among this twittering people who so patiently await Arioch's destruction. I attempted to band them together against Arioch. They offered me wine, which I refused. They seized me and placed me here, where I have been for more than a few months.
`What will they do with you (что они сделают с тобой)?
`I cannot say (не могу сказать = не знаю). Hope that I die eventually, I suppose (надеются, что умру со временем, /полагаю/). They are a misguided folk and a little stupid, but they are not by nature cruel (они — обманутый народ и немного глупый, но не жестокие по характеру;
`And you do not know how they will deal with me (ты не знаешь, как они поступят со мной;
`That is what I was considering (вот об этом я и думал). The poison has failed (яд не сработал). They would be very reluctant to use violence on you themselves (они вряд ли решатся применить к тебе силу;
`I have a mission to accomplish (мне нужно выполнить поручение), Corum told him. `I cannot afford to wait (я не могу позволить себе ждать).
Hanafax grinned (Ганафакс усмехнулся).
misguided [mIs`gaIdId] stupid [`stjHpId] violence [`vaIqlqns]
`What will they do with you?
`I cannot say. Hope that I die eventually, I suppose. They are a misguided folk and a little stupid, but they are not by nature cruel. Yet their terror of Arioch is so great that they dare not do anything that might offend him. In this way they hope he will let them live a year or two longer.
`And you do not know how they will deal with me? I killed their king, after all.
`That is what I was considering. The poison has failed. They would be very reluctant to use violence on you themselves. We shall have to see.
`I have a mission to accomplish, Corum told him. `I cannot afford to wait.
Hanafax grinned.
`I think you will have to, friend Corum (думаю, тебе придется /подождать/, друг Корум)! I am something of a sorcerer, as I told you (я немного колдун, как я говорил тебе). I have a few tricks, but none will work in this place, I know not why (у меня есть несколько фокусов/трюков, но ни один не сработает в этом месте, не знаю почему). And if sorcery cannot aid us, what can (а если колдовство не может нам помочь, что сможет)?
Corum raised his alien hand and stared at it thoughtfully (Корум поднял свою чуждую руку и посмотрел