Эдгар Берроуз - Английский язык с Э. Р. Берроузом. Принцесса Марса

In three days we were on the march toward Zodanga (через три дня мы были на пути в Зодангу), one hundred thousand strong (числом в сто тысяч; strong — сильный; обладающий определенной численностью ), as Tars Tarkas had been able to enlist the services of three smaller hordes (так как Тарс Таркас смог привлечь на службу три меньших племени) on the promise of the great loot of Zodanga (пообещав им большую добычу в Зоданге).

sustenance ['sAstqnqns], unquestionably [An'kwestSnqblI], speckled [spekld]

"John Carter suggests that we rescue her and return her to Helium. The loot of Zodanga would be magnificent, and I have often thought that had we an alliance with the people of Helium we could obtain sufficient assurance of sustenance to permit us to increase the size and frequency of our hatchings, and thus become unquestionably supreme among the green men of all Barsoom. What say you?"

It was a chance to fight, an opportunity to loot, and they rose to the bait as a speckled trout to a fly.

For Tharks they were wildly enthusiastic, and before another half hour had passed twenty mounted messengers were speeding across dead sea bottoms to call the hordes together for the expedition.

In three days we were on the march toward Zodanga, one hundred thousand strong, as Tars Tarkas had been able to enlist the services of three smaller hordes on the promise of the great loot of Zodanga.

At the head of the column I rode beside the great Thark (я ехал во главе колонны рядом с великим тарком) while at the heels of my mount trotted my beloved Woola (а следом за моим тотом трусил мой дорогой Вула; heel — пята, пятка ).

We traveled entirely by night (мы путешествовали исключительно ночью), timing our marches so (рассчитывая время для наших переходов так; to time — выбирать время ) that we camped during the day at deserted cities (что мы устраивали привал днем в покинутых городах) where, even to the beasts, we were all kept indoors during the daylight hours (где все мы, включая даже животных, прятались в помещениях в дневные часы). On the march Tars Tarkas, through his remarkable ability and statesmanship (во время похода Тарс Таркас, благодаря своим замечательным способностям и таланту государственного деятеля; ability — способность ), enlisted fifty thousand more warriors from various hordes (привлек в наши ряды еще пятьдесят тысяч воинов из различных племен), so that, ten days after we set out (так что через десять дней после того, как мы выступили) we halted at midnight outside the great walled city of Zodanga (мы остановились в полночь перед огромным, окруженным стенами городом Зодангой), one hundred and fifty thousand strong (численностью в сто пятьдесят тысяч).

timing ['taImIN], statesmanship ['steItsmqnSIp], enlist [In'lIst]

At the head of the column I rode beside the great Thark while at the heels of my mount trotted my beloved Woola.

We traveled entirely by night, timing our marches so that we camped during the day at deserted cities where, even to the beasts, we were all kept indoors during the daylight hours. On the march Tars Tarkas, through his remarkable ability and statesmanship, enlisted fifty thousand more warriors from various hordes, so that, ten days after we set out we halted at midnight outside the great walled city of Zodanga, one hundred and fifty thousand strong.

The fighting strength and efficiency of this horde of ferocious green monsters (боевая сила и сноровка этого племени свирепых зеленых чудовищ; efficiency — эффективность, умение ) was equivalent to ten times their number of red men (соответствовала вдесятеро большему числу красных людей). Never in the history of Barsoom, Tars Tarkas told me (никогда еще в истории Барсума, сказал мне Тарс Таркас), had such a force of green warriors marched to battle together (такая армия зеленых воинов не отправлялась в поход, чтобы сражаться вместе). It was a monstrous task (это была чудовищная задача) to keep even a semblance of harmony among them (сохранять хотя бы подобие согласия среди них; harmony — гармония; согласие ), and it was a marvel to me (а для меня было чудом) that he got them to the city without a mighty battle among themselves (что он доставил их к городу без страшной: «мощной» битвы между собой).

But as we neared Zodanga their personal quarrels were submerged by their greater hatred for the red men (но когда мы приблизились к Зоданге, их личные дрязги были поглощены их еще большей ненавистью к красным людям), and especially for the Zodangans (и в особенности к зодангианцам), who had for years waged a ruthless campaign of extermination against the green men (которые годами вели беспощадную войну на истребление зеленых людей), directing special attention toward despoiling their incubators (обращая особое внимание на разрушение их инкубаторов).

equivalent [I'kwIvqlqnt], semblance ['semblqns], submerge [sqb'mWdZ], extermination [Iks" tWmI'neIS(q)n]

The fighting strength and efficiency of this horde of ferocious green monsters was equivalent to ten times their number of red men. Never in the history of Barsoom, Tars Tarkas told me, had such a force of green warriors marched to battle together. It was a monstrous task to keep even a semblance of harmony among them, and it was a marvel to me that he got them to the city without a mighty battle among themselves.

But as we neared Zodanga their personal quarrels were submerged by their greater hatred for the red men, and especially for the Zodangans, who had for years waged a ruthless campaign of extermination against the green men, directing special attention toward despoiling their incubators.

Now that we were before Zodanga (теперь, когда мы были перед Зодангой) the task of obtaining entry to the city devolved upon me (задача получить доступ в город легла на меня; to devolve upon — переходить ), and directing Tars Tarkas to hold his forces in two divisions out of earshot of the city (и, посоветовав Тарсу Таркасу держать свои войска /разделенными/ на две группы вне пределов слышимости из города; earshot — предел слышимости; out of earshot — вне пределов слышимости ), with each division opposite a large gateway (так, чтобы каждая группа /находилась/ напротив больших ворот), I took twenty dismounted warriors and approached one of the small gates (я взял двадцать пеших воинов и подошел к одним из меньших ворот) that pierced the walls at short intervals (которые были пробиты в стенах: «пронизывали стены» с небольшими интервалами). These gates have no regular guard (у этих ворот нет постоянной стражи), but are covered by sentries (но их защищают часовые; to cover — прикрывать ), who patrol the avenue that encircles the city just within the walls (которые патрулируют улицу, которая окружает город как раз с внутренней стороны стен) as our metropolitan police patrol their beats (так, как наша городская полиция патрулирует свои участки; beat — район патрулирования ).

obtain [qb'teIn], earshot ['IqSOt], sentry ['sentrI]

Now that we were before Zodanga the task of obtaining entry to the city devolved upon me, and directing Tars Tarkas to hold his forces in two divisions out of earshot of the city, with each division opposite a large gateway, I took twenty dismounted warriors and approached one of the small gates that pierced the walls at short intervals. These gates have no regular guard, but are covered by sentries, who patrol the avenue that encircles the city just within the walls as our metropolitan police patrol their beats.

The walls of Zodanga are seventy-five feet in height and fifty feet thick (стены Зоданги имеют семьдесят пять футов в высоту, а толщину — пятьдесят футов). They are built of enormous blocks of carborundum (они построены из огромных блоков карборунда), and the task of entering the city seemed, to my escort of green warriors, an impossibility (и задача попасть в город казалась для сопровождавших меня зеленых воинов невыполнимой; impossibility — невозможность ). The fellows who had been detailed to accompany me (люди, которые были назначены, чтобы сопровождать меня) were of one of the smaller hordes (были из одного из меньших племен), and therefore did not know me (и поэтому не знали меня).

Placing three of them with their faces to the wall and arms locked (поставив трех из них лицом к стене со сцепленными руками), I commanded two more to mount to their shoulders (я приказал еще двоим взобраться им на плечи), and a sixth I ordered to climb upon the shoulders of the upper two (а шестому я дал указание взобраться на плечи верхних двух). The head of the topmost warrior towered over forty feet from the ground (голова самого верхнего воина находилась на высоте: «возвышалась» более сорока футов от земли).

carborundum ["kQ: bq'rAndqm], detailed ['di: teIld], topmost ['tOpmoust]

The walls of Zodanga are seventy-five feet in height and fifty feet thick. They are built of enormous blocks of carborundum, and the task of entering the city seemed, to my escort of green warriors, an impossibility. The fellows who had been detailed to accompany me were of one of the smaller hordes, and therefore did not know me.

Placing three of them with their faces to the wall and arms locked, I commanded two more to mount to their shoulders, and a sixth I ordered to climb upon the shoulders of the upper two. The head of the topmost warrior towered over forty feet from the ground.