(плоть сгнила на их лицах и конечностях). The ship was crewed by corpses (команду судна составляли трупы).
`What is it, Beldan? he whispered (прошептал он). `Some artful illusion (какая-то искусная иллюзия)?
plunging [`plAnGIN] encrusted [In`krAstId] jewel [`GHql] crew [krH]
Beldan was already there, his jaw slack as he watched what was taking place. There was a huge ship rounding the headland to the North. It was the source of the strange green light and it sailed rapidly, though there was no wind at all now. The barbarians were scrambling on to their horses, or plunging on foot through the water that was beginning to cover the causeway. They seemed mad with fear. From the darkness on the shore, Corum heard Glandyth cursing them and trying to make them go back.
The ship flickered with many small fires, it seemed. Its masts and its hull seemed encrusted with dull jewels. And Corum saw what the barbarians had seen. He saw the crew. Flesh rotted on their faces and limbs. The ship was crewed by corpses.
`What is it, Beldan? he whispered. `Some artful illusion?
Beldan's voice was hoarse (голос Белдана был хриплым).
`I do not think it is an illusion, Prince Corum (не думаю, что это иллюзия, принц Корум).
`Then what (тогда что)?
`It is a summoning (заклятие). That is the old Margrave's ship (это корабль старого маркграфа). It has been drawn up to the surface (/магия/ подняла его на поверхность). Its crew has been given something like life (его экипажу дали что-то вроде жизни). And see (смотри) he pointed to the figure on the poop, a skeletal creature in armour (он указал на фигуру на корме, скелетное существо = скелет в доспехах) which, like Corum's, was made from great shells (которые, как и /доспехи/ Корума, были сделаны из гигантских раковин), whose sunken eyes flickered with the same green fire that covered the ship like weed (чьи ввалившиеся глаза мерцали тем же зеленым светом, который покрывал корабль, словно водоросли) — `there is the Margrave himself (это сам маркграф). Returned to save his castle (вернулся, чтобы спасти свой замок).
Corum forced himself to watch as the apparition drew closer (Корум заставил себя смотреть, как это видение приближалось).
`And what else has he returned for, I wonder (интересно, а для чего еще он вернулся)? he said.
surface [`sq: fIs] skeletal [`skelIt (q) l] apparition [, xpq`rIS (q) n]
Beldan's voice was hoarse.
`I do not think it is an illusion, Prince Corum.
`Then what?
`It is a summoning. That is the old Margrave's ship. It has been drawn up to the surface. Its crew has been given something like life. And see' he pointed to the figure on the poop, a skeletal creature in armour which, like Corum's, was made from great shells, whose sunken eyes flickered with the same green fire that covered the ship like weed — `there is the Margrave himself. Returned to save his castle.
Corum forced himself to watch as the apparition drew closer.
`And what else has he returned for, I wonder? he said.
CHAPTER TWELVE (глава двенадцатая)
The Margrave's Bargain (сделка маркграфа)
The ship reached the causeway and stopped (корабль достиг дамбы и остановился). It reeked of ozone and of decay (он вонял озоном и гниением;
`If it be an illusion (если это иллюзия), Corum murmured grimly (мрачно пробормотал Корум), `it is a good one (то она хорошая = очень правдоподобная).
Beldan made no reply (Белдан не ответил).
In the distance they heard the barbarians blundering off through the forest (они услышали, как вдалеке варвары ломятся сквозь лес;
ozone [`quzqun] decay [dI`keI] pursued [pq`sjHd] allies [`xlaIz]
The ship reached the causeway and stopped. It reeked of ozone and of decay.
`If it be an illusion, Corum murmured grimly, `it is a good one.
Beldan made no reply.
In the distance they heard the barbarians blundering off through the forest. They heard the sound of the chariots turning as Glandyth pursued his allies. Though all the corpses were armed, they did not move, simply turned their heads, as one, towards the main gate of the castle.
Corum was transfixed in astonished terror (Корум остолбенел от удивления и ужаса;
`What will they do now, Beldan (что они будут делать теперь, Белдан)?
`I have no understanding of the occult, prince (я не имею понимания = не разбираюсь в оккультизме;
transfixed [trxns`fIkst] actuality [, xkCu`xlItI] occult [`OkAlt] bargain [`bRgIn]
Corum was transfixed in astonished terror. The events he was witnessing were like something from the superstitious mind of a Mabden. They could have no existence in actuality. Such images were those created by ignorant fear and morbid imagination. They were something from the crudest and most barbaric of the tapestries he had looked at in the castle.
`What will they do now, Beldan?
`I have no understanding of the occult, prince. The Lady Rhalina is the only one of us who has made some study of such things. It was she who made this summoning. I only know that there is said to be a bargain involved…
