Английский язык с Э. Р. Берроузом. Принцесса Марса

"Yes, O Jeddak, but how had they access to the palace (но как они попали во дворец; access — доступ)? I could believe that even with the diligent care of your guardsmen (я мог бы поверить в то, что даже при усердном наблюдении твоих стражников; diligent — прилежный, старательный) a single enemy might reach the inner chambers (один враг мог пробраться во внутренние покои), but how a force of six or eight fighting men (но как отряд из шести или восьми воинов; force — сила; вооруженный отряд) could have done so unobserved is beyond me (мог сделать это, /не будучи/ замеченным, — вне моего понимания; beyond — выше, сверх; beyond me — выше моего понимания). We shall soon know, however (мы вскоре узнаем, однако), for here comes the royal psychologist (так как вот идет королевский психолог).

accordingly [q'kO: dINlI], capacious [kq'peISqs], plainly ['pleInlI], psychologist [saI'kOlqdZIst]

Accordingly I searched for a hiding place and finally found one by accident, inside a huge hanging ornament which swung from the ceiling of the hall, and about ten feet from the floor. Into the capacious bowl-like vase I sprang with ease, and scarcely had I settled down within it than I heard a number of people enter the apartment. The group stopped beneath my hiding place and I could plainly overhear their every word.

"It is the work of Heliumites," said one of the men.

"Yes, O Jeddak, but how had they access to the palace? I could believe that even with the diligent care of your guardsmen a single enemy might reach the inner chambers, but how a force of six or eight fighting men could have done so unobserved is beyond me. We shall soon know, however, for here comes the royal psychologist."

Another man now joined the group (еще один человек теперь присоединился к группе), and, after making his formal greetings to his ruler, said (и после того, как /он/ официально поприветствовал своего правителя, сказал):

"O mighty Jeddak, it is a strange tale I read in the dead minds of your faithful guardsmen (странную историю я прочел в мертвых умах твоих верных стражников). They were felled not by a number of fighting men, but by a single opponent (они были сражены не несколькими воинами, но одним противником)."

He paused to let the full weight of this announcement impress his hearers (он сделал паузу, чтобы вся важность его сообщения дошла до сознания его слушателей; weight — значение, важность; to impress — внушать, внедрять в сознание), and that his statement was scarcely credited (и о том, что его утверждение вряд ли вызвало доверие) was evidenced by the impatient exclamation of incredulity (свидетельствовали нетерпеливые восклицания недоверия) which escaped the lips of Than Kosis (которые сорвались с губ Тана Косиса).

"What manner of weird tale are you bringing me (что за странную историю ты рассказываешь мне; to bring — приносить; высказывать), Notan?" he cried.

announcement [q'naunsmqnt], credit ['kredIt], incredulity ["InkrI'dju: lItI]

Another man now joined the group, and, after making his formal greetings to his ruler, said:

"O mighty Jeddak, it is a strange tale I read in the dead minds of your faithful guardsmen. They were felled not by a number of fighting men, but by a single opponent."

He paused to let the full weight of this announcement impress his hearers, and that his statement was scarcely credited was evidenced by the impatient exclamation of incredulity which escaped the lips of Than Kosis.