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

First there marched four officers of the jeddak's Guard (первыми шли четыре офицера Стражи джеддака) bearing a huge salver (которые несли огромный поднос) on which reposed, upon a cushion of scarlet silk, a great golden chain with a collar and padlock at each end (на котором на подушке из алого шелка лежала огромная золотая цепь с ошейником и висячим замком на каждом конце; collar — воротник; ошейник; padlock — висячий замок ). Directly behind these officers came four others (прямо позади этих офицеров шли четверо других) carrying a similar salver (/которые/ несли похожий поднос) which supported the magnificent ornaments of a prince and princess of the reigning house of Zodanga (нагруженный: «который поддерживал…» великолепными украшениями принца и принцессы правящего дома Зоданга).

dignitary ['dIgnIt(q)rI], aisle [aIl], cushion [kuSn], padlock ['pxdlOk]

At one end of the chamber, upon massive golden thrones encrusted with diamonds, sat Than Kosis and his consort, surrounded by officers and dignitaries of state. Before them stretched a broad aisle lined on either side with soldiery, and as I looked there entered this aisle at the far end of the hall, the head of a procession which advanced to the foot of the throne.

First there marched four officers of the jeddak's Guard bearing a huge salver on which reposed, upon a cushion of scarlet silk, a great golden chain with a collar and padlock at each end. Directly behind these officers came four others carrying a similar salver which supported the magnificent ornaments of a prince and princess of the reigning house of Zodanga.

At the foot of the throne these two parties separated and halted (у подножия трона эти две группы разделились и остановились), facing each other at opposite sides of the aisle (лицом друг к другу с противоположных сторон прохода). Then came more dignitaries (затем вошли еще сановники), and the officers of the palace and of the army (и офицеры дворца и армии), and finally two figures entirely muffled in scarlet silk (и, наконец, две фигуры, полностью закутанные в алые шелка; to muffle — закутывать, кутать ), so that not a feature of either was discernible (так, что нельзя было различить ни одной черты ни одного из них). These two stopped at the foot of the throne, facing Than Kosis (эти двое остановились у подножия трона лицом к Тану Косису). When the balance of the procession had entered (когда остальная часть процессии вошла) and assumed their stations (и заняла свои места) Than Kosis addressed the couple standing before him (Тан Косис обратился к паре, которая стояла перед ним). I could not hear his words (я не мог слышать его слов), but presently two officers advanced and removed the scarlet robe from one of the figures (но вскоре два офицера подошли и сняли алое одеяние с одной из фигур), and I saw that Kantos Kan had failed in his mission (и я увидел, что Кантос Кан потерпел неудачу в своей миссии), for it was Sab Than, Prince of Zodanga, who stood revealed before me (так как это был Саб Тан, принц Зоданги, тот, кто стоял «обнаруженный» передо мной).

assume [q'sju: m], discernible [dI'sWnqbl], reveal [rI'vi: l]

At the foot of the throne these two parties separated and halted, facing each other at opposite sides of the aisle. Then came more dignitaries, and the officers of the palace and of the army, and finally two figures entirely muffled in scarlet silk, so that not a feature of either was discernible. These two stopped at the foot of the throne, facing Than Kosis. When the balance of the procession had entered and assumed their stations Than Kosis addressed the couple standing before him. I could not hear his words, but presently two officers advanced and removed the scarlet robe from one of the figures, and I saw that Kantos Kan had failed in his mission, for it was Sab Than, Prince of Zodanga, who stood revealed before me.

Than Kosis now took a set of the ornaments from one of the salvers (затем Тан Косис взял набор украшений с одного из подносов) and placed one of the collars of gold about his son's neck (и надел одно из золотых ожерелий на шею своему сыну; collar — /предмет, надеваемый на шею/; воротник; воротничок; ожерелье; ошейник ), springing the padlock fast (крепко защелкнув замок; to spring — защелкивать с помощью пружины ). After a few more words addressed to Sab Than (после еще нескольких слов, адресованных Сабe Тану) he turned to the other figure (он повернулся к другой фигуре), from which the officers now removed the enshrouding silks (с которой офицеры теперь снимали окутывающие /ее/ шелка; to enshroud — закутывать, обволакивать; shroud — саван; покров ), disclosing to my now comprehending view Dejah Thoris (открывая моему теперь уже /все/ понимающему взгляду Дежу Торис; to comprehend — понять, постигнуть ), Princess of Helium.

ornament['Lnqmqnt], enshroud [In'Sraud], comprehend ["kOmprI'hend]

Than Kosis now took a set of the ornaments from one of the salvers and placed one of the collars of gold about his son's neck, springing the padlock fast. After a few more words addressed to Sab Than he turned to the other figure, from which the officers now removed the enshrouding silks, disclosing to my now comprehending view Dejah Thoris, Princess of Helium.

The object of the ceremony was clear to me (цель церемонии была теперь ясна для меня); in another moment Dejah Thoris would be joined forever to the Prince of Zodanga (в следующее мгновение Дежа Торис будет навеки соединена с принцем Зоданги). It was an impressive and beautiful ceremony, I presume (это была впечатляющая и красивая церемония, я полагаю), but to me it seemed the most fiendish sight I had ever witnessed (но для меня это казалось самым отвратительным: «дьявольским» зрелищем, при котором я когда-либо присутствовал; fiend — дьявол; демон; to witness — быть свидетелем; witness — свидетель ), and as the ornaments were adjusted upon her beautiful figure (и пока украшения надевали на ее прекрасную фигуру; to adjust — приводить в порядок ) and her collar of gold swung open in the hands of Than Kosis (и ее золотое ожерелье раскрылось в руках Тана Косиса) I raised my long-sword above my head (я поднял свой длинный меч над головой), and, with the heavy hilt, I shattered the glass of the great window (и тяжелой рукояткой я вдребезги разбил стекло огромного окна; hilt — рукоятка меча ) and sprang into the midst of the astonished assemblage (и запрыгнул в гущу изумленного собрания). With a bound I was on the steps of the platform beside Than Kosis (одним прыжком я очутился на ступеньках возвышения рядом с Таном Косисом), and as he stood riveted with surprise (и пока он стоял, окаменевший от изумления; to rivet — сковывать движение ) I brought my long-sword down upon the golden chain (я опустил свой длинный меч на золотую цепь) that would have bound Dejah Thoris to another (которая должна была связать Дежу Торис с другим).

impressive [Im'presIv], fiendish ['fi: ndIS], witness ['wItnIs]

The object of the ceremony was clear to me; in another moment Dejah Thoris would be joined forever to the Prince of Zodanga. It was an impressive and beautiful ceremony, I presume, but to me it seemed the most fiendish sight I had ever witnessed, and as the ornaments were adjusted upon her beautiful figure and her collar of gold swung open in the hands of Than Kosis I raised my long-sword above my head, and, with the heavy hilt, I shattered the glass of the great window and sprang into the midst of the astonished assemblage. With a bound I was on the steps of the platform beside Than Kosis, and as he stood riveted with surprise I brought my long-sword down upon the golden chain that would have bound Dejah Thoris to another.

In an instant all was confusion (через мгновение все смешалось; confusion — беспорядок, путаница ); a thousand drawn swords menaced me from every quarter (тысяча обнаженных мечей угрожали мне со всех сторон; quarter — место, сторона; from every quarter — отовсюду ), and Sab Than sprang upon me with a jeweled dagger (а Саб Тан прыгнул на меня с украшенным драгоценностями кинжалом) he had drawn from his nuptial ornaments (который он вытащил из своих свадебных украшений; nuptial — брачный, свадебный ). I could have killed him as easily as I might a fly (я мог бы убить его так же легко, как муху), but the age-old custom of Barsoom stayed my hand (но вековой обычай Барсума остановил мою руку), and grasping his wrist as the dagger flew toward my heart (и, схватив его за запястье, когда кинжал устремлялся к моему сердцу; to fly — лететь ) I held him as though in a vise (я удерживал его, как в тисках) and with my long-sword pointed to the far end of the hall (а моим длинным мечом указал на дальний конец зала; to point — указывать, показывать ).

"Zodanga has fallen," I cried. "Look (Зоданга пала, — воскликнул я, — смотри)!"

confusion [kqn'fju: Z(q)n], nuptial ['nApS(q)l], easily ['i: zIlI]

In an instant all was confusion; a thousand drawn swords menaced me from every quarter, and Sab Than sprang upon me with a jeweled dagger he had drawn from his nuptial ornaments. I could have killed him as easily as I might a fly, but the age-old custom of Barsoom stayed my hand, and grasping his wrist as the dagger flew toward my heart I held him as though in a vise and with my long-sword pointed to the far end of the hall.