однажды круглым).
`Aye. Well, the Vadhagh began their rise just before Order was banished (что же, вадаги начали свой подъем = расцвет как раз до того, как Порядок изгнали). That is why the Sword Rulers hate the old races so much (вот почему Повелители Мечей так ненавидят древние расы). They are not their creation at all (они вообще не являются их творением). But the Great Gods are not allowed to interfere too directly in mortal affairs (но Великим Богам не дозволено вмешиваться /слишком/ прямо в дела смертных), so they have worked through the Mabden, chiefly (поэтому они действуют через мабденов, в основном) …
`Is this the truth (это правда)?
`It is a truth (это относительная правда = возможно), Hanafax shrugged (Ганафакс пожал плечами). `I know other versions of the same tale (я знаю и другие варианты этой истории). But I am inclined to believe this one (но я склонен верить этому).
`These Great Gods — you speak of the Sword Rulers (эти Великие Боги — ты говоришь о Повелителях Мечей)?
interfere [, Intq`fIq] inclined [In`klaInd]
`Some Vadhagh legends say it was once round.
`Aye. Well, the Vadhagh began their rise just before Order was banished. That is why the Sword Rulers hate the old races so much. They are not their creation at all. But the Great Gods are not allowed to interfere too directly in mortal affairs, so they have worked through the Mabden, chiefly…
`Is this the truth?
`It is a truth, Hanafax shrugged. `I know other versions of the same tale. But I am inclined to believe this one.
`These Great Gods — you speak of the Sword Rulers?
`Aye, the Sword Rulers and others (да, о Повелителях Мечей и других). Then there are the Great Old Gods, to whom all the myriad planes of Earth are merely a tiny fragment in a greater mosaic (к тому же, существуют Великие Древние Боги, для которых все бесчисленные плоскости Земли — всего лишь ничтожные кусочки в большой мозаике). Hanafax shrugged. `This is the cosmology I was taught when I was a priest (такой космологии меня обучали, когда я был жрецом). I cannot vouch for its truth (не могу ручаться за ее истинность).
Corum frowned. He looked below and now they were crossing a bleak yellow and brown desert (он посмотрел вниз, теперь они пересекали унылую желто-коричневую пустыню;
Or was it an accident of fate (/хотя/, было ли это случайностью)?
myriad [`mIrIqd] cosmology [kOz`mOlqGI] vouch [vauC] desert [`dezqt]
`Aye, the Sword Rulers and others. Then there are the Great Old Gods, to whom all the myriad planes of Earth are merely a tiny fragment in a greater mosaic. Hanafax shrugged. `This is the cosmology I was taught when I was a priest. I cannot vouch for its truth.
Corum frowned. He looked below and now they were crossing a bleak yellow and brown desert. It was the desert called Dhroonhazat and it seemed entirely waterless. By an accident of fate he was being borne towards the Knight of the Swords faster than he had expected.
Or was it an accident of fate?
Now the heat was increasing and the sand below shimmered and danced (теперь жара усиливалась, и песок внизу переливался и прыгал;
`We're getting dangerously close to the Flamelands, Prince Corum (мы приближаемся опасно близко к Огненным землям, принц Корум). Look (смотри).
On the horizon Corum saw a thin, flickering line of red light (на горизонте Корум увидел тонкую, дрожащую линию красного света). The sky above it was also tinged red (небо над ней тоже было слегка красным).
The kite sped nearer and the heat increased (воздушный змей подлетал ближе /к огню/, и жара усиливалась;
`Hanafax, we shall be burned alive (Ганафакс, мы сгорим заживо), he said softly.
`Aye, it seems likely (да, похоже на то).
`Is there no means of turning this kite of yours (неужели нет средств = нельзя повернуть этого твоего змея)?
danced [dRnst] increased [In`krJst] astonishment [q`stOnISmqnt]
Now the heat was increasing and the sand below shimmered and danced. Hanafax licked his lips. `We're getting dangerously close to the Flamelands, Prince Corum. Look.
On the horizon Corum saw a thin, flickering line of red light. The sky above it was also tinged red.
The kite sped nearer and the heat increased. To his astonishment, Corum saw that they were approaching a wall of flame that stretched as far as he could see in both directions.
`Hanafax, we shall be burned alive, he said softly.
`Aye, it seems likely.
`Is there no means of turning this kite of yours?
`I have tried, in the past (я пытался, в прошлом = раньше). It is not the first time it has taken me away from one danger and into a worse one (это не первый раз, когда он уносит меня от одной опасности к /другой/, худшей) …
The wall of fire was now so close that Corum could feel its direct heat burning his face (огненная стена теперь была так близко, что Корум ощущал, как ее прямой = исходящий от нее жар обжигает его лицо). He heard it rumble and crackle and it seemed to feed on nothing but the air itself (он услышал, как она гремела и потрескивала и, казалось, пожирала лишь один воздух;
`Such a thing defies nature (подобная вещь нарушает /законы/ природы = это неестественно)! he gasped (проговорил он, задыхаясь).
`Is that not a fair definition of all sorcery (разве это не ясное определение всего колдовства = таковым является все колдовство)? Hanafax said. `This is Chaos work (это работа Хаоса). The disruption of the natural harmony is, after all, their pleasure (нарушение естественной гармонии — это, в конце концов, их развлечение).
`Ah, this sorcery (ох уж это колдовство). It wearies my mind (оно утомляем мой разум = как я от него устал). I cannot grasp its logic (не могу понять его логику;
definition [, defI`nIS (q) n] harmony [`hRmqnI] grasp [grRsp]
