Читаем Английский язык с Э. Р. Берроузом. Принцесса Марса полностью

"And when he returns to this chamber," he was saying, "as he surely will when he finds she does not meet him at the city's edge, you four are to spring upon him and disarm him. It will require the combined strength of all of you to do it if the reports they bring back from Korad are correct. When you have him fast bound bear him to the vaults beneath the jeddak's quarters and chain him securely where he may be found when Tal Hajus wishes him. Allow him to speak with none, nor permit any other to enter this apartment before he comes. There will be no danger of the girl returning, for by this time she is safe in the arms of Tal Hajus, and may all her ancestors have pity upon her, for Tal Hajus will have none; the great Sarkoja has done a noble night's work. I go, and if you fail to capture him when he comes, I commend your carcasses to the cold bosom of Iss."

<p>CHAPTER XVII</p>A COSTLY RECAPTURE (повторная поимка, доставшаяся дорогой ценой)

As the speaker ceased (когда говоривший прекратил /свою речь/) he turned to leave the apartment by the door where I was standing (он повернулся, чтобы покинуть помещение через ту дверь, у которой я стоял), but I needed to wait no longer (но мне не нужно было ждать дольше); I had heard enough to fill my soul with dread (я услышал достаточно, чтобы наполнить мою душу ужасом; dread — страх, ужас), and stealing quietly away (и, тихо выскользнув наружу; to steal — красться; скользить) I returned to the courtyard by the way I had come (я вернулся во двор тем же путем, каким пришел). My plan of action was formed upon the instant (мой план действий сложился мгновенно), and crossing the square and the bordering avenue upon the opposite side (и /когда/ я пересек квартал и прилегающую к нему улицу на противоположной стороне) I soon stood within the courtyard of Tal Hajus (я вскоре уже стоял внутри двора Тала Хаджуса).

dread [dred], courtyard ['kO: tjQ: d], border ['bO: dq]

As the speaker ceased he turned to leave the apartment by the door where I was standing, but I needed to wait no longer; I had heard enough to fill my soul with dread, and stealing quietly away I returned to the courtyard by the way I had come. My plan of action was formed upon the instant, and crossing the square and the bordering avenue upon the opposite side I soon stood within the courtyard of Tal Hajus.

The brilliantly lighted apartments of the first floor (ярко освещенные помещения первого этажа) told me where first to seek (подсказали мне, где первым делом следует искать), and advancing to the windows I peered within (и, приблизившись к окнам, я заглянул внутрь). I soon discovered that my approach was not to be the easy thing I had hoped (я вскоре обнаружил, что войти мне будет не так легко, как я надеялся), for the rear rooms bordering the court were filled with warriors and women (так как задние комнаты, выходившие во двор: «граничащие со двором», были заполнены воинами и женщинами). I then glanced up at the stories above (я затем посмотрел вверх на верхние этажи), discovering that the third was apparently unlighted (и обнаружил, что третий был явно не освещен), and so decided to make my entrance to the building from that point (и поэтому решил проникнуть в здание в этом месте). It was the work of but a moment for me to reach the windows above (добраться до окон наверху для меня было делом одной минуты), and soon I had drawn myself within the sheltering shadows of the unlighted third floor (и вскоре я уже забрался внутрь в спасительные тени неосвещенного третьего этажа).

brilliantly ['brIlIqntlI], unlighted [An'laItId], shelter ['Seltq]

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