которые Корум не знал; eccentric — странный, необычайный; смещенный от центра). Living creatures scuffled among the piles or chittered in corners (/какие-то/ живые существа шуршали среди груд /вещей/ и пищали в углах; to scuffle — драться; ходить шаркая ногами; to chitter — чирикать). The place stank of dust and mould and death (это место воняло тленом, плесенью и смертью; to stink; dust — пыль; прах, тлен).

beautiful [`bjHtIfql] crystal [krIstl] treasure [`treZq] gauges [`geIGIz] eccentric [Ik`sentrIk] language [`lxNgwIG] mould [mquld]

Corum had been asleep. Now, suddenly, he was standing upright. He opened his eyes.

`Welcome to my little shop. Shool's voice came from behind him. He turned. This time he confronted a beautiful girl of about fifteen. The chuckle that came from the young throat was obscene.

Corum looked around the large room. It was dark and it was cluttered. All manner of plants and stuffed animals filled it. Books and manuscripts teetered on crazily leaning shelves. There were crystals of a peculiar colour and cut, bits of armour, jewelled swords, rotting sacks from which treasure, as well as other, nameless, substances, spilled. There were paintings and figurines, an assortment of instruments and gauges including balances and what appeared to be clocks with eccentric divisions marked in languages Corum did not know. Living creatures scuffled among the piles or chittered in corners. The place stank of dust and mould and death.

`You do not, I should think, attract many customers (ты, следует думать = видимо, не привлекаешь много покупателей), Corum said.

Shool sniffed (Шул /презрительно/ фыркнул).

`There are not many I should desire to serve (не многих я пожелал бы обслуживать). Now… In his young girl's form, he went to a chest (в своем обличье юной девушки он подошел к сундуку) that was partially covered by the shining skins of a beast that must have been large and fierce in life (который был частично накрыт блестящими шкурами зверя, бывшего, должно быть, большим и свирепым при жизни). He pushed away the skins and muttered something over the chest (он отодвинул шкуры и пробормотал что-то над сундуком). Of its own accord, the lid flew back (сама по себе, крышка откинулась; to fly — летать; быстро перемещаться). A cloud of black stuff rose from within and Shool staggered away a pace or two (облако черной пыли поднялось изнутри, и Шул отпрянул, покачнувшись, на шаг-два; to stagger — шататься; идти шатаясь), waving his hands and screaming in a strange speech (отмахиваясь руками и крича на странном языке). The black cloud vanished (черного облако исчезло). Cautiously, Shool approached the chest and peered in (Шул осторожно приблизился к сундуку и заглянул внутрь). He smacked his lips in satisfaction (он причмокнул губами удовлетворенно). `…here we are (а вот и мы = то, что надо)!

partially [`pRS (q) lI] fierce [fIqs] cautiously [kLSqslI]

`You do not, I should think, attract many customers, Corum said.

Shool sniffed.

`There are not many I should desire to serve. Now… In his young girl's form, he went to a chest that was partially covered by the shining skins of a beast that must have been large and fierce in life. He pushed away the skins and muttered something over the chest. Of its own accord, the lid flew back. A cloud of black stuff rose from within and Shool staggered away a pace or two, waving his hands and screaming in a strange speech. The black cloud vanished. Cautiously, Shool approached the chest and peered in. He smacked his lips in satisfaction. `…here we are!

He drew out two sacks, one smaller than the other (он вытащил два мешка, один меньше другого). He held them up, grinning at Corum (он поднял их, ухмыляясь Коруму).

`Your gifts (твои дары).

`I thought you were going to restore my hand and my eye (я думал, ты собираешься восстановить мне руку и глаз; to restore — восстанавливать; возвращать на прежнее место).

`Not «restore» exactly (не совсем восстановить). I am going to give you a much more useful gift than that (я собираюсь дать тебе намного более полезный дар, чем это). Have you heard of the Lost Gods (ты слышал об Исчезнувших Богах)?

`I have not (нет).

`The Lost Gods who were brothers (об Исчезнувших Богах, которые были братьями)? Their names were Lord Rhynn and Lord Kwll (их имена были Господин Ринн и Господин Кулл). They existed even before I came to grace the universe (они существовали даже до того, как я пришел, чтобы украсить эту вселенную /своим присутствием/; to grace — украшать; удостаивать, награждать). They became involved in a struggle of some kind, the nature of which is now obscured (они ввязались в некую борьбу, природа которой теперь неясна; to obscure — затемнять; скрывать, делать неясным /смысл, значение и т. д. /). They vanished, whether voluntarily or involuntarily, I do not know (они исчезли, либо добровольно, либо вопреки своей воле, я не знаю). But they left a little of themselves behind (но они оставили немного после себя). He held up the sacks again (он снова поднял мешки). `These (/вот/ эти).

useful [`jHsfql] universe [`jHnIvq: s] voluntarily [`vOlqnt (q) rIlI]

He drew out two sacks, one smaller than the other. He held them up, grinning at Corum.

`Your gifts.

`I thought you were going to restore my hand and my eye.

`Not «restore» exactly. I am going to give you a much more useful gift than that. Have you heard of the Lost Gods?

`I have not.

`The Lost Gods who were brothers? Their names were Lord Rhynn and Lord Kwll. They existed even before I came to grace the universe. They became involved in a struggle of some kind, the nature of which is now obscured. They vanished, whether voluntarily or involuntarily, I do not know. But they left a little of themselves behind. He held up the sacks again. `These.

Corum gestured impatiently (Корум сделал нетерпеливое движение).

Shool put out his girl's tongue and licked his girl's lips (Шул высунул свой девичий язык и облизнул девичьи губы). The old eyes glittered at Corum (старые глаза блеснули, /когда он взглянул/ на Корума; to glitter — блестеть, сверкать). `The gifts I have here, they once belonged to those warring gods (подарки, которые тут у меня, когда-то принадлежали тем воюющим богам). I heard a legend that they fought to the death (я слышал легенду, что они сражались на смерть) and only these remained to mark the fact that they had existed at all (и лишь это осталось, чтобы отметить тот факт = единственное напоминание о том, что они вообще существовали). He opened the smaller sack (он открыл меньший мешочек). A large jewelled object fell into his hand (большая, украшенная драгоценными камнями вещь упала на его ладонь). He held it out for Corum to see (он протянул его, чтобы Корум мог разглядеть). It was jewelled and faceted (предмет был украшен драгоценностями и огранен). The jewels shone with sombre colours, deep reds and blues and blacks (самоцветы сияли мрачными цветами, темно-красными, синими и черными; to shine).

`It is beautiful (это красиво), said Corum, `but I (но я) …

jewelled [`GHqld] faceted [`fxsItId] sombre [`sOmbq]

Corum gestured impatiently.

Shool put out his girl's tongue and licked his girl's lips. The old eyes glittered at Corum. `The gifts I have here, they once belonged to those warring gods. I heard a legend that they fought to the death and only these remained to mark the fact that they had existed at all. He opened the smaller sack. A large jewelled object fell into

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