Майкл Муркок - Английский язык с М. Муркоком

upended [əˈpendɪd] flooded [ˈflʌdɪd] ready [ˈredɪ] breached [bri:ʧt]

Then the horsemen were storming the castle. The cauldrons of lead were upended and beasts and riders screamed in pain as the white-hot metal flooded over them. The sea hissed and steamed as the lead hit it. Some of the riders had brought up battering rams, slung between their mounts. They began to charge at the gates. Riders were shot from their saddles, but the horses ran wildly on. One of the rams struck the gates and smashed into them and through them, becoming jammed. The riders strove to extricate it, but could not. They were struck by a wave of boiling lead, but the ram remained.

`Get archers to the gates, Corum commanded. `And have horses ready in case the main hall is breached.

It was almost dark, but the fight continued (было почти темно, но бой продолжался). Some of the barbarians were riding round the lowers parts of the hill (некоторые из варваров скакали вокруг /нижних частей/ холма). Corum saw the next rank leave the shore and begin to swim their horses through the shallow waters (Корум увидел, как очередной ряд покидает берег и переправляется на лошадях по мелководью).

But Glandyth and his charioteers remained on the beach taking no part in the battle (но Гландит и его возничие = колесницы оставались на берегу, не принимая участия в сражении). Doubtless Glandyth planned to wait until the castle defences were breached before he crossed the causeway (несомненно, Гландит намеревался подождать, пока стены замка будут проломлены, прежде чем он пересечет дамбу; defences — укрепления, оборонительные сооружения ).

Corum's hatred of the Earl of Krae had increased since the betrayal earlier that day (ненависть Корума к Графу Краэ усилилась после предательства, /произошедшего/ раньше в тот день) and now he saw him using the superstitious barbarians for his own purposes (и теперь, /когда/ он видел, как тот использует суеверных варваров в своих собственных целях), Corum knew that his judgement of Glandyth was right (Корум понял, что его мнение о Гландите верно; judgement — приговор, решение; суждение, мнение ). The man would corrupt anything with which he came in contact (он разрушал все, с чем соприкасался: «приходил в контакт»; to corrupt — развращать, разлагать; портить ).

increased [ɪnˈkri:st] betrayal [bɪˈtreɪəl] purpose [ˈpə: pəs] corrupt [kəˈrʌpt]

It was almost dark, but the fight continued. Some of the barbarians were riding round the lowers parts of the hill. Corum saw the next rank leave the shore and begin to swim their horses through the shallow waters.

But Glandyth and his charioteers remained on the beach taking no part in the battle. Doubtless Glandyth planned to wait until the castle defences were breached before he crossed the causeway.

Corum's hatred of the Earl of Krae had increased since the betrayal earlier that day and now he saw him using the superstitious barbarians for his own purposes, Corum knew that his judgement of Glandyth was right. The man would corrupt anything with which he came in contact.

All around the castle now, the defenders were dying from spear and arrow wounds (со всех сторон замка = повсюду на стенах защитники от ран, /нанесенных/ копьями и стрелами). At least fifty were dead or badly hurt and the remaining hundred were spread very thinly (по крайней мере пятьдесят погибли или были тяжело ранены, а оставшиеся сто распространились = рассредоточились /по стенам/ очень редко).

Corum made a rapid tour of the defences, encouraging the warriors to greater efforts (Корум совершил быстрый обход = быстро обошел укрепления, подбадривая воинов на большие усилия; to encourage — ободрять, поощрять; подстрекать ), but now the boiling lead was finished and arrows and spears were running short (но теперь кипящий свинец закончился, а стрелы и копья подходили к концу; to run short — истощаться; заканчиваться ). Soon the hand-to-hand fighting would begin (вскоре рукопашная схватка начнется).

Night fell (наступила ночь). Flare arrows revealed bands of barbarians all around the castle (горящие стрелы обнаруживали = высвечивали отряды варваров со всех сторон замка). Beacons burned on the battlements (сигнальные огни горели на стенах). The fighting continued (битва продолжалась).

The barbarians reconcentrated on the main gates (варвары вновь сосредоточились на главных воротах). More rams were brought up (еще больше таранов было подтащено). The gates began to groan and give way (ворота начали трещать и гнуться; to groan — стонать, скрипеть; трещать /под тяжестью/; to give way — уступать; гнуться ).

wound [wu:nd] revealed [rɪˈvi:ld] reconcentrated [rɪˈkɔns (ə) ntreɪtɪd]

All around the castle now, the defenders were dying from spear and arrow wounds. At least fifty were dead or badly hurt and the remaining hundred were spread very thinly.

Corum made a rapid tour of the defences, encouraging the warriors to greater efforts, but now the boiling lead was finished and arrows and spears were running short. Soon the hand-to-hand fighting would begin.

Night fell. Flare arrows revealed bands of barbarians all around the castle. Beacons burned on the battlements. The fighting continued.

The barbarians reconcentrated on the main gates. More rams were brought up. The gates began to groan and give way.

Corum took all the men he could spare into the main hall (Корум собрал всех людей, /которых/ мог сберечь = снять со стен, в главном зале). There they mounted their horses and formed a semicircle behind the archers, waiting for the barbarians to come through (там они оседлали коней и построились полукругом позади лучников, ожидая, /когда/ варвары пройдут внутрь).

More rams pierced the gates and Corum heard the sound of swords and axes beating on the splintered timbers outside (еще несколько таранов пробили ворота, и Корум слышал звук мечей и топоров, ударявших по = рубивших расщепленные бревна снаружи; to pierce — прокалывать, пронзать; прорываться /сквозь/ ).

Suddenly they were through, yelling and howling (внезапно они ворвались внутрь, крича и ревя). Firelight glinted on their masks of brass, making them look even more evil and terrifying (свет огня ярко блестел на их латунных масках, делая их еще более злыми и устрашающими). Their ponies snorted and reared (их лошади фыркали и вставали на дыбы).

There was time for only one wave of arrows (было время лишь для одного залпа стрел), then the archers retreated to make way for Corum and his cavalry to charge the disconcerted barbarians (потом лучники отступили, чтобы дать дорогу Коруму и его кавалерии для атаки приведенных в замешательство варваров).

semicircle [ˈsemi, sə: k (ə) l] howling [ˈhaulɪŋ] cavalry [ˈkæv (ə) lrɪ]

Corum took all the men he could spare into the main hall. There they mounted their horses and formed a semicircle behind the archers, waiting for the barbarians to come through.

More rams pierced the gates and Corum heard the sound of swords and axes beating on the splintered timbers outside.

Suddenly they were through, yelling and howling. Firelight glinted on their masks of brass, making them look even more evil and terrifying. Their ponies snorted and reared.

There was time for only one wave of arrows, then the archers retreated to make way for Corum and his cavalry to charge the disconcerted barbarians.

Corum's sword smashed into a mask, sheared through it and destroyed the face beneath (меч Корума обрушился на маску, разрубил ее и рассек лицо под ней). Blood splashed high and a nearby brand fizzed as the liquid hit it (кровь брызнула сильно, и расположенная поблизости головня зашипела, когда жидкость попала на нее). Forgetful of the pain of his wounds, Corum swung the sword back and forth (забывчивый = забыв о боли и ранах, Корум размахивал мечом во все стороны: «взад и вперед»), knocking riders from their mounts, striking heads from shoulders, limbs from bodies (выбивая всадников из седел, снося головы с плеч, /отделяя/ конечности от тел; mount — опора; лошадь, мул и т. д. под седлом ). But slowly he and his remaining men were retreating as fresh waves of Pony Tribesmen surged into the castle (но понемногу он и его оставшиеся люди отступали, так как свежие волны = новые толпы варваров ломились в замок; to surge — подниматься; /на/хлынуть ).

Now they were at the far end of the hall, where a stone stairway curled up to the next floor (теперь они были в дальнем конце зала, где каменная лестница винтом поднималась на следующий этаж; to curl — виться, клубиться; закручивать/ся/ ). The archers were positioned here, along the stairs, and began to shoot their arrows into the barbarians (здесь располагались лучники, вдоль лестницы, и они начали пускать стрелы в варваров). The barbarians not directly engaged with Corum's men (варвары, не напрямую сражавшиеся с людьми Корума) retaliated with javelins and arrows and slowly Moidel's archers fell (отвечали метательными копьями и стрелами, и медленно = постепенно лучники Мойдела пали).

beneath [bɪˈni:Ɵ] liquid [ˈlɪkwɪd] engaged [ɪnˈɡeɪʤd]

Corum's sword smashed into a mask, sheared through it and destroyed the face beneath. Blood splashed high and a nearby brand fizzed as the liquid hit it. Forgetful of the pain of his wounds, Corum swung the sword back and forth, knocking riders from their mounts, striking heads from shoulders, limbs from bodies. But slowly he and his remaining men were retreating as fresh waves of Pony Tribesmen surged into the castle.