Английский язык с Э. Р. Берроузом. Принцесса Марса / Edgar Rice Burroughs: A Princess of Mars

As soon as the last thoat was unloaded Tars Tarkas gave the command to advance, and in three parties we crept upon the Zodangan camp from the north, the south and the east.

About a mile from the main camp we encountered their outposts (примерно в миле от основного лагеря мы наткнулись на их сторожевые отряды; outpost — аванпост; сторожевое охранение) and, as had been prearranged (и, как было заранее запланировано; to prearrange — заранее подготавливать, планировать) accepted this as the signal to charge (приняли это как сигнал атаковать). With wild, ferocious cries and amidst the nasty squealing of battle-enraged thoats (с дикими, ужасающими криками и среди мерзкого визга разъяренных битвой тотов) we bore down upon the Zodangans (мы ринулись на зодангианцев).

We did not catch them napping (мы не застали их врасплох; to nap — дремать; to catch napping — застать врасплох), but found a well-entrenched battle line confronting us (и наткнулись на хорошо укрепленную линию фронта; entrenched — укрепленный траншеями; trench — ров, канава; траншея; to confront — столкнуться). Time after time we were repulsed until, toward noon (раз за разом нас отбрасывали назад, пока к полудню), I began to fear for the result of the battle (я не начал опасаться за исход сражения).

prearrange ["pri: q'reIndZ], napping ['nxpIN], entrench [In'trentS]

About a mile from the main camp we encountered their outposts and, as had been prearranged, accepted this as the signal to charge. With wild, ferocious cries and amidst the nasty squealing of battle-enraged thoats we bore down upon the Zodangans.

We did not catch them napping, but found a well-entrenched battle line confronting us. Time after time we were repulsed until, toward noon, I began to fear for the result of the battle.

The Zodangans numbered nearly a million fighting men (численность зодангианцев доходила до миллиона воинов), gathered from pole to pole (собранных от полюса до полюса), wherever stretched their ribbon-like waterways (отовсюду, куда достигали их похожие на ленты каналы), while pitted against them were less than a hundred thousand green warriors (при этом им противостояло менее ста тысяч зеленых воинов; to pit against — противостоять /в битве/). The forces from Helium had not arrived (войска Гелиума еще не прибыли), nor could we receive any word from them (и мы не могли получить от них никаких сообщений).

Just at noon we heard heavy firing all along the line between the Zodangans and the cities (ровно в полдень мы услышали интенсивную стрельбу по всей линии между зодангианцами и городами), and we knew then that our much-needed reinforcements had come (и мы поняли, что пришло столь необходимое нам подкрепление).

number ['nAmbq], firing ['faIrIN], reinforcement ["ri: In'fO: smqnt]

The Zodangans numbered nearly a million fighting men, gathered from pole to pole, wherever stretched their ribbon-like waterways, while pitted against them were less than a hundred thousand green warriors. The forces from Helium had not arrived, nor could we receive any word from them.

Just at noon we heard heavy firing all along the line between the Zodangans and the cities, and we knew then that our much-needed reinforcements had come.