Английский язык с Э. Р. Берроузом. Принцесса Марса

As I looked, Dejah Thoris turned upon Sarkoja with the fury of a young tigress and struck something from her upraised hand; something which flashed in the sunlight as it spun to the ground. Then I knew what had blinded me at that crucial moment of the fight, and how Sarkoja had found a way to kill me without herself delivering the final thrust. Another thing I saw, too, which almost lost my life for me then and there, for it took my mind for the fraction of an instant entirely from my antagonist; for, as Dejah Thoris struck the tiny mirror from her hand, Sarkoja, her face livid with hatred and baffled rage, whipped out her dagger and aimed a terrific blow at Dejah Thoris; and then Sola, our dear and faithful Sola, sprang between them; the last I saw was the great knife descending upon her shielding breast.

My enemy had recovered from his thrust (мой противник пришел в себя после своего броска) and was making it extremely interesting for me (и ситуация стала для меня чрезвычайно сложной: «сделал для меня это очень интересным»), so I reluctantly gave my attention to the work in hand (поэтому я с неохотой переключил свое внимание на непосредственную задачу: «работу»; to give attention to — уделять внимание; in hand —/то, что/ в работе), but my mind was not upon the battle (но мои мысли были не /сосредоточены/ на битве).

We rushed each other furiously time after time (мы яростно бросались друг на друга раз за разом), 'til suddenly, feeling the sharp point of his sword at my breast in a thrust (пока, внезапно, почувствовав острый конец его меча у своей груди при его выпаде) I could neither parry nor escape (/который/ я не мог ни парировать, ни избежать), I threw myself upon him with outstretched sword (я обрушился на него с нацеленным вперед мечом) and with all the weight of my body (и всем весом своего тела), determined that I would not die alone if I could prevent it (твердо решив, что я не умру один, если только смогу помешать этому; determined — решительный, полный решимости; to prevent — предотвращать, мешать). I felt the steel tear into my chest (я чувствовал, как сталь пронзает мою грудь), all went black before me (все передо мной потемнело), my head whirled in dizziness (моя голова закружилась; to whirl — вертеться, кружиться; dizziness — головокружение), and I felt my knees giving beneath me (и я почувствовал, как колени мои подкосились подо мной; to give — подаваться, ослабевать).

recover [rI'kAvq], reluctantly [rI'lAktqntlI], dizziness ['dIzInIs]

My enemy had recovered from his thrust and was making it extremely interesting for me, so I reluctantly gave my attention to the work in hand, but my mind was not upon the battle.

We rushed each other furiously time after time, 'til suddenly, feeling the sharp point of his sword at my breast in a thrust I could neither parry nor escape, I threw myself upon him with outstretched sword and with all the weight of my body, determined that I would not die alone if I could prevent it. I felt the steel tear into my chest, all went black before me, my head whirled in dizziness, and I felt my knees giving beneath me.

CHAPTER XV

SOLA TELLS ME HER STORY (Сола рассказывает мне свою историю)