Through the Lion's Mouth (через Пасть Льва)
The Queen gave them water from the cask that rested behind her saddle (королева дала им воды из бочонка, лежавшего позади ее седла;
Though blind, she guided her beast skillfully, and she talked all the while of what had been here, what had grown there (несмотря на то, что она была слепой, королева умело управляла своим зверем и рассказывала все время о том, что было здесь, что росло там), as if she remembered every tree and flower that had once grown in her ruined land (словно помнила каждое дерево и цветок, которые когда-то росли в ее погубленной стране).
After a good space of time she stopped and pointed directly ahead (через большой промежуток времени = они ехали долго, она остановилась и указала прямо вперед;
`What do you see there (что вы видите там)?
rein [reIn] guided [`gaIdId] ruined [`rHInd]
The Queen gave them water from the cask that rested behind her saddle and called up two of the lumbering mounts for Corum and Hanafax to ride. They climbed on to the beasts, clasped the reins, and then began to follow her over the black and green obsidian slabs, between the rivers of flame.
Though blind, she guided her beast skillfully, and she talked all the while of what had been here, what had grown there, as if she remembered every tree and flower that had once grown in her ruined land.
After a good space of time she stopped and pointed directly ahead.
`What do you see there?
Corum peered through the rippling smoke (Корум всмотрелся сквозь зыбкую дымку;
`It looks like a great rock (похоже на огромную скалу) …
`We will ride closer (подъедем ближе), she said.
And as they rode closer, Corum began to see what it was (когда они подъехали ближе, Корум увидеть, что это такое). It was, indeed, a gigantic rock (это действительно была громадная скала). A rock of smooth and shining stone that glowed like mellowed gold (скала из гладкого и блестящего камня, который сверкал, точно полированное золото;
`Gods! Who made such a thing (кто создал такую вещь)? Hanafax murmured.
mellowed [`melqud] resemble [rI`zemb (q) l] roar [rL]
Corum peered through the rippling smoke.
`It looks like a great rock…
`We will ride closer, she said.
And as they rode closer, Corum began to see what it was. It was, indeed, a gigantic rock. A rock of smooth and shining stone that glowed like mellowed gold. And it was fashioned, in perfect detail, to resemble the head of a huge lion with its sharp-fanged mouth wide open in a roar.
`Gods! Who made such a thing? Hanafax murmured.
`Arioch created it (Ариох создал ее), said Queen Oorese. `Once our peaceful city lay there (когда-то наш мирный город располагался здесь). Now we live — lived — in caves below the ground where water runs and it is a little cooler (теперь мы живем — /вернее/, жили, — в пещерах под землей, где течет вода и немного прохладнее).
Corum stared at the enormous lion's head and he looked at Queen Oorese (Корум пристально глядел на громадную львиную голову, /затем/ посмотрел на королеву Оорес).
`How old are you, queen (сколько тебе лет: «насколько ты стара», королева)?
`I do not know (не знаю). Time does not exist in Flamelands (в Огненных землях времени не существует). Perhaps ten thousand years (возможно, десять тысяч лет).
Far away another wall of flame danced (вдалеке еще одна стена огня плясала). Corum remarked upon it (Корум обратил на это внимание;
enormous [I`nLmqs] thousand [`Tauz (q) nd]
`Arioch created it, said Queen Oorese. `Once our peaceful city lay there. Now we live — lived — in caves below the ground where water runs and it is a little cooler.
Corum stared at the enormous lion's head and he looked at Queen Oorese.
`How old are you, queen?
`I do not know. Time does not exist in Flamelands. Perhaps ten thousand years.
Far away another wall of flame danced. Corum remarked upon it.
`We are surrounded by flame on all sides (мы окружены огнем со всех сторон). When Arioch first created it, many flung themselves into it rather than look upon what had become of their land (когда Ариох впервые создал его, многие кидались в него, чтобы не смотреть на то, что стало с их страной). My husband died in that manner and thus did my brothers and all my sisters perish (мой муж погиб таким образом, и так же погибли мои братья и все мои сестры). Corum noticed that Hanafax was not his usual talkative self (Корум заметил, что Ганафакс не так разговорчив, как обычно). His head was bowed and he rubbed at it from time to time as if puzzled (его голова была наклонена, и он тер ее время от времени, словно в замешательстве = в раздумье).
`What is it, friend Hanafax (что /с тобой/ такое, друг Ганафакс)?
`Nothing, Prince Corum (ничего, принц Корум). A pain in my head (боль в голове). Doubtless the heat causes it (наверняка жара вызвала ее).
Now a singular moaning sound came to their ears (и тут необычный стон донесся до их ушей). Hanafax looked up, his eyes wide and uncomprehending (Ганафакс посмотрел вверх, его глаза были расширенными и непонимающими).
`What is it?
talkative [`tLkqtIv] singular [`sINgjulq]
`We are surrounded by flame on all sides. When Arioch first created it, many flung themselves into it rather than look upon what had become of their land. My husband died in that manner and thus did my brothers and all my sisters perish. Corum noticed that Hanafax was not his usual talkative self. His head was bowed and he rubbed at it from time to time as if puzzled.
`What is it, friend Hanafax?
