The sides of the hall were tiered (по сторонам зала располагались ярусы; tiered — расположенный ярусами; tier — ряд; ярус). Uncountable tiers stretched high towards the distant dome of the ceiling which, itself, was wreathed in greasy smoke (бесчисленные ряды поднимались вверх к далекому своду потолка, который был черным от дыма; tier — ряд; ярус; to wreathe — обвивать, покрывать; клубиться /о дыме/; greasy — сальный, жирный; грязный). These tiers were occupied, mainly with Mabden of all ages (эти ряды были заняты в основном мабденами всех возрастов). Corum saw that most were naked (Корум увидел, что большинство были обнаженными). In many of the tiers they were copulating, fighting, torturing each other (на многих рядах они совокуплялись, дрались, мучили друг друга; to torture — пытать; мучить, терзать). Elsewhere were other beings — mainly scaly Shefanhow somewhat smaller than the two who were fighting together (кое-где были другие существа — в основном покрытые чешуей шефанхау = демоны, немного поменьше, чем те двое, которые дрались друг с другом).
The sword was jet black and carved with many peculiar patterns (меч /Ариоха/ был черным как уголь, и украшен многочисленными причудливыми узорами; to carve — резать, вырезать /по дереву или кости/; высекать /из камня/). Mabden were at work on the sword (мабдены трудились над мечом; at work — в действии, за работой). They knelt on the blade and polished part of a design (они = одни стояли на коленях на клинке и полировали часть рисунка), or they climbed the hilt and washed it (другие вскарабкались на эфес и мыли его), or they sat astride the handgrip and mended the gold wire which bound it (или уселись верхом на рукоять и чинили золотую проволоку, которая оплетала ее; to mend — чинить, ремонтировать).
ceiling [`sJlIN] copulating [`kOpjuleItIN] design [dI`zaIn]
The sides of the hall were tiered. Uncountable tiers stretched high towards the distant dome of the ceiling which, itself, was wreathed in greasy smoke. These tiers were occupied, mainly with Mabden of all ages. Corum saw that most were naked. In many of the tiers they were copulating, fighting, torturing each other. Elsewhere were other beings — mainly scaly Shefanhow somewhat smaller than the two who were fighting together.
The sword was jet black and carved with many peculiar patterns. Mabden were at work on the sword. They knelt on the blade and polished part of a design, or they climbed the hilt and washed it, or they sat astride the handgrip and mended the gold wire which bound it.
And other beings were busy, too (другие существа тоже суетились; busy — деятельный, занятой; суетливым). Like lice, they scampered and crawled over the God's huge bulk (как вши, они носились и ползали по огромной туше бога), picking at his skin, feeding off his blood and his flesh (они впивались в его кожу, пили его кровь и жрали плоть; to pick — клевать; есть, отщипывать; to feed — кормить/ся/, питать/ся/). Of all these activities, Arioch seemed oblivious (на все эти действия Ариох, казалось, не обращал внимания; oblivious — забывчивый, непомнящий; не замечающий). His interest continued to be the fight to the death in the gallery above (его интересом продолжал оставаться бой на смерть на галерее вверху).
Was this, then, the all-powerful Arioch, living like a drunken farmer in a pigsty (значит, это и был всемогущий Ариох, который живет, как пьяный фермер в свинарнике)? Was this the malevolent creature which had destroyed whole nations (неужели это и есть злобное создание, которое уничтожило целые народы), which pursued a vendetta upon all the races to spring up on the Earth before his coming (которое осуществляло кровную месть = мстило всем расам, что возникли на Земле до его прихода)?
Arioch's laughter shook the floor (смех Ариоха сотряс пол). Some of the parasitic Mabden fell off his body (некоторые мабдены-паразиты отвалились от его тела; parasitic — паразитический; вредный). A few were unhurt, while others lay with their backs or their limbs broken, unable to move (/лишь/ немногие были невредимы, в то время как остальные лежали со сломанными спинами и конечностями, неспособные двигаться). Their comrades ignored their plight and patiently climbed again upon the God's body (их товарищи = соплеменники не обратили внимания на их беду и снова терпеливо взбирались на тело бога; plight — положение /обычно затруднительное, бедственное/), tearing tiny pieces from him with their teeth (отрывая зубами от него крохотные кусочки).
busy [`bIzI] oblivious [q`blIvIqs] pigsty [`pIgstaI] vendetta [ven`detq]
And other beings were busy, too. Like lice, they scampered and crawled over the God's huge bulk, picking at his skin, feeding off his blood and his flesh. Of all these activities, Arioch seemed oblivious. His interest continued to be the fight to the death in the gallery above.
Was this, then, the all-powerful Arioch, living like a drunken farmer in a pigsty? Was this the malevolent creature which had destroyed whole nations, which pursued a vendetta upon all the races to spring up on the Earth before his coming?
Arioch's laughter shook the floor. Some of the parasitic Mabden fell off his body. A few were unhurt, while others lay with their backs or their limbs broken, unable to move. Their comrades ignored their plight and patiently climbed again upon the God's body, tearing tiny pieces from him with their teeth.
Arioch's hair was long, lank and dry (волосы Ариоха были длинными, прилизанными и иссохшими; lank — гладкий, невьющийся; прилизанный /о волосах/). Here, too, Mabden searched for and fought over the bits of food that clung to the strands (здесь тоже мабдены искали и дрались за кусочки пищи, которые прилипли к прядям /волос/; to cling; strand — длинный локон, прядь волос). Elsewhere in the God's body hair Mabden crept in and out (кое-где в волосах на теле бога мабдены ползали туда и сюда; to creep — ползать, пресмыкаться), hunting for scraps and crumbs or tender portions of his flesh (разыскивая кусочки и крошки или нежные части его плоти; to hunt for — искать; добиваться).
The two demons fell back (два демона упали назад). One of them was dead, the other almost dead but still laughing weakly (один был мертв, другой — почти мертв, он все равно слабо смеялся). Then the laughter stopped (затем смех прекратился).
Arioch slapped his body, killing a dozen or so Mabden, and scratched his stomach (Ариох хлопнул по телу, убив дюжину или около того мабденов, и почесал живот; to scratch — царапать/ся/, скрести/сь/; чесать/ся/, расчесывать; stomach — желудок; живот). He inspected the bloody remains in his palm and absently wiped them on his hair (он пристально посмотрел на кровавые останки на своей ладони и рассеянно вытер их о волосы). Living Mabden seized the scraps and devoured them (живые мабдены набросились на куски /прихлопнутых/ и сожрали их; to seize — хватать, ухватываться; scrap — клочок, кусочек; объедки, остатки /пищи/).
dozen [dAzn] stomach [`stAmqk] absently [`xbs (q) ntlI] devoured [dI`vauqd]
Arioch's hair was long, lank and dry. Here, too, Mabden searched for and fought over the bits of food that clung to the strands. Elsewhere in the God's body hair Mabden crept in and out, hunting for scraps and crumbs or tender portions of his flesh.
The two demons fell back. One of them was dead, the other almost dead but still laughing weakly. Then the laughter stopped.
Arioch slapped his body, killing a dozen or so Mabden, and scratched his stomach. He inspected the bloody remains in his palm and absently wiped them on his hair. Living Mabden seized the scraps and devoured them.
Then a huge sigh issued from the God's mouth (потом огромный вздох раздался из рта бога = Ариох громко вздохнул; to issue from — вытекать, исходить) and he began to pick his nose with a dirty finger that was the size of a tall poplar (и он принялся ковырять в носу грязным пальцем, который
