Майкл Муркок - Английский язык с М. Муркоком

bruised [bru:zd] encounter [ɪnˈkauntə] reluctant [rɪˈlʌktənt] guard [ɡɑ:d]

There was a knock. Beldan came in quickly. Corum began to get out of bed. He winced as he moved. His wounded leg was stiff and his whole body was bruised.

`They lost some thirty men in that encounter, Beldan said. `The tide goes out again just before sunset. I`m not sure if they'll try another attack then. I would say they will wait until morning.

Corum frowned.

`It depends on Glandyth, I'd say. He would judge that we wouldn't expect an evening attack and would therefore try to make one. But if those Pony Tribesmen are as superstitious as we think, they might be reluctant to fight at night. We had best prepare for an attack on the next tide. And guard all sides of the castle. How does that match with the Margrave's treatise, Rhalina?

She looked up vaguely, nodding (она подняла глаза неясно = затуманенный взгляд, кивая).

`Well enough (довольно хорошо = вполне совпадает).

Corum began painfully to buckle on his armour (Корум принялся болезненно надевать доспехи; to buckle on — застегивать, пристегивать ). Beldan helped him (Белдан помогал ему). They left for the battlements (они ушли на стену).

The Denledhyssi had regrouped on the shore (денледисси перегруппировались на берегу). The dead men and their ponies, as well as the corpse of the Brown Man of Laahr, had been washed away by the sea (мертвецов и их лошадей, а также труп мохнатого человека из Лаара, смыло морем; to wash away — смывать, сносить ). A few corpses bobbed among the rocks below the castle (несколько трупов качалось /на волнах/ среди скал внизу замка; to bob — двигаться вверх или вниз с легкими толчками, подскакивать ).

They had formed the same ranks as earlier (они построились в том же порядке, что и раньше; to form a rank — строиться в шеренгу ). The mounted masked riders were massed some ten ranks deep with Glandyth behind them and the charioteers behind Glandyth (конные воины в масках встали примерно десятью рядами с Гландитом позади /себя/, а возничие = колесницы /расположились/ позади Гландита; to mass — собираться в кучу; сосредоточивать; deep — глубокий ).

vaguely [ˈveɪɡlɪ] mounted [ˈmauntɪd] castle [kɑ:sl] charioteer [, ʧærɪəˈtɪə]

She looked up vaguely, nodding.

`Well enough.

Corum began painfully to buckle on his armour. Beldan helped him. They left for the battlements.

The Denledhyssi had regrouped on the shore. The dead men and their ponies, as well as the corpse of the Brown Man of Laahr, had been washed away by the sea. A few corpses bobbed among the rocks below the castle.

They had formed the same ranks as earlier. The mounted masked riders were massed some ten ranks deep with Glandyth behind them and the charioteers behind Glandyth.

Cauldrons of lead bubbled on fires built on the battlements (котлы со свинцом кипели на кострах, разложенных на стенах); small catapults had been erected, with piles of stone balls beside them, for ammunition (небольшие катапульты установили, кучи каменных ядер лежали возле них в качестве боеприпасов; to erect — соорудить; возвести; установить ); extra arrows and javelins were heaped by the far wall (дополнительные стрелы и метательные копья сложили у дальней стены; to heap — бросать, складывать в кучу; нагромождать; накоплять ).

Again the tide was retreating (снова течение отступало = начинался отлив).

The metallic drum began to beat again (металлический барабан начал бить снова). There was the distant jingle of harness (слышалось далекое звяканье упряжи). Glandyth was speaking to some of the horsemen (Гландит говорил с некоторыми всадниками).

`I think he will attack (думаю, он нападет), said Corum.

The sun was low and all the world seemed turned to a dark, chill grey (солнце было низко, и весь мир, казалось, стал темным, холодно-серым; to turn to — превратиться в ). They watched as the causeway gradually became exposed until only a foot or two of water covered it (они наблюдали, как дамба постепенно обнажалась, до тех пор, пока = и вскоре лишь один-два фута воды покрывали ее).

catapult [ˈkætəpʌlt] ammunition [, æmjuˈnɪʃ (ə) n] javelin [ˈʤævlɪn]

Cauldrons of lead bubbled on fires built on the battlements; small catapults had been erected, with piles of stone balls beside them, for ammunition; extra arrows and javelins were heaped by the far wall.

Again the tide was retreating.

The metallic drum began to beat again. There was the distant jingle of harness. Glandyth was speaking to some of the horsemen.

`I think he will attack, said Corum.

The sun was low and all the world seemed turned to a dark, chill grey. They watched as the causeway gradually became exposed until only a foot or two of water covered it.

Then the beat of the drum became more rapid (бой барабана стал более быстрым). There was a howl from the riders (раздался вой всадников). They began to move forward and splash on to the causeway (они двинулись вперед, на дамбу, поднимая брызги; to splash — брызгать/ся/, плескать/ся/; шлепать /по воде, грязи и т. д. / ).

The real battle for Moidel's Castle had begun (настоящая битва за замок Мойдел началась).

Not all the horsemen rode along the causeway (не все всадники поскакали по дамбе). About two-thirds of the force remained on the shore (около двух третей войска осталось на берегу). Corum guessed what this meant (Корум догадался, что это значит).

`Are all points of the castle guarded now, Beldan (все места замка охраняются, Белдан)?

`They are, Prince Corum (да, принц Корум).

`Good (хорошо). I think they'll try to swim their horses round and get a hold on the rocks so that they can attack from all sides (думаю, они попытаются переплыть на лошадях вокруг = обойти замок и взобраться по скалам, чтобы атаковать со всех сторон; to hold on — держаться за; прикреплять ). When darkness falls, have flare arrows shot regularly at all quarters (когда наступит темнота, прикажи стрелять горящими стрелами постоянно со всех сторон; to fall — падать; спускаться, наступать /о темноте, ночи и т. д. /; flare — сверкание, вспышка или язык пламени; сигнальная вспышка; regularly — регулярно, постоянно, через равные промежутки ).

rapid [ˈræpɪd] guessed [ɡest] flare [fleə] quarters [ˈkwɔ:təz]

Then the beat of the drum became more rapid. There was a howl from the riders. They began to move forward and splash on to the causeway.

The real battle for Moidel's Castle had begun.

Not all the horsemen rode along the causeway. About two-thirds of the force remained on the shore. Corum guessed what this meant.

`Are all points of the castle guarded now, Beldan?

`They are, Prince Corum.

`Good. I think they'll try to swim their horses round and get a hold on the rocks so that they can attack from all sides. When darkness falls, have flare arrows shot regularly at all quarters.

Then the horsemen were storming the castle (затем всадники /начали/ штурмовать замок). The cauldrons of lead were upended and beasts and riders screamed in pain as the white-hot metal flooded over them (котлы со свинцом перевернули, и животные и наездники пронзительно закричали от боли, когда раскаленный добела металл хлынул на них; to flood — заливать, затоплять; хлынуть потоком ). The sea hissed and steamed as the lead hit it (море шипело и пускало пар, когда свинец попадал в него; to steam — выпускать пар, подниматься в виде пара; to hit — ударять, поражать; попадать в, достигать ). Some of the riders had brought up battering rams, slung between their mounts (некоторые всадники подносили тараны, подвешенные между их лошадьми; to bring up — приводить, приносить наверх; поднимать; to batter — сильно бить, колотить; плющить /металл/; ram — баран; таран; mount — лошадь, мул и т. д. под седлом ). They began to charge at the gates (они принялись атаковать ворота; to charge — атаковать /особенно в конном строю/, набрасываться; напирать ). Riders were shot from their saddles, but the horses ran wildly on (наездники выбивались /стрелами/ из седел, но лошади продолжали дико = безумно бежать; to run on — продолжать/ся/, тянуть/ся/; бежать, лететь ). One of the rams struck the gates and smashed into them and through them, becoming jammed (один из таранов ударил ворота и пробил их насквозь, застряв: «становясь зажатым»; to jam — зажимать, заклинивать ). The riders strove to extricate it, but could not (всадники попытались вытащить его, но не смогли; to strive — стараться, прилагать усилия; to extricate — вытаскивать, освобождать ). They were struck by a wave of boiling lead, but the ram remained (на них обрушилась волна кипящего свинца, но таран остался /в воротах/).

`Get archers to the gates (/еще/ лучников к воротам; to get — получать; достигать, прибывать; устанавливать ), Corum commanded (приказал Корум). `And have horses ready in case the main hall is breached (и приготовьте лошадей на случай, если прорвутся в главный зал; to breach — пробивать брешь, проламывать стену ).