He held behind, listening (он задержался, прислушиваясь). He was oppressed by the belief that the fort had been stormed and taken (он был подавлен верой =
He held behind, listening. He was oppressed by the belief that the fort had been stormed and taken, that the dark-skinned hordes were already streaming up the road toward Velitrium, drunken on slaughter and mad for blood. They would come with the speed of starving wolves.
Presently they saw another cabin looming ahead (теперь они увидели еще одну хижину, маячившую впереди). The woman started to shriek a warning, but Balthus stopped her (женщина начала выкрикивать предупреждение, но Балтус остановил ее). He hurried to the door and knocked (он поспешил к двери и постучал). A woman's voice answered him (женский голос ответил ему). He repeated his warning, and soon the cabin disgorged its occupants — an old woman, two young women, and four children (он повторил свое предупреждение, и вскоре хижина исторгла своих обитателей — старуху, двух молодых женщин и четырех детей). Like the other woman's husband, their men had gone to the salt licks the day before, unsuspecting of any danger (как /и/ муж другой женщины, их мужчины ушли на солончаки день назад, не подозревая об /какой-либо/ опасности). One of the young women seemed dazed, the other prone to hysteria (одна из молодых женщин казалась оцепеневшей: «ошеломленной», другая собиралась впасть в истерику: «подвержена к истерике»). But the old woman, a stern old veteran of the frontier, quieted them harshly (но старуха, суровый старый ветеран границы, решительно угомонила их;
knock [nk], husband ['hzbnd], women ['wmn]
Presently they saw another cabin looming ahead. The woman started to shriek a warning, but Balthus stopped her. He hurried to the door and knocked. A woman's voice answered him. He repeated his warning, and soon the cabin disgorged its occupants — an old woman, two young women, and four children. Like the other woman's husband, their men had gone to the salt licks the day before, unsuspecting of any danger. One of the young women seemed dazed, the other prone to hysteria. But the old woman, a stern old veteran of the frontier, quieted them harshly; she helped Balthus get out the two horses that were stabled in a pen behind the cabin and put the children on them. Balthus urged that she herself mount with them, but she shook her head and made one of the younger women ride.
"She's with child," grunted the old woman (она с ребенком =
As they set out, one of the young women said (когда они отправились, одна из молодых женщин сказала): "A young couple passed along the road about dusk (молодая пара проехала по дороге перед сумерками); we advised them to spend the night at our cabin, but they were anxious to make the fort tonight (мы советовали им провести ночь в нашей избе, но они хотели добраться до форта сегодня вечером;
"They met the Picts," answered Balthus briefly, and the woman sobbed in horror (они встретили пиктов, — ответил Балтус коротко, и женщина всхлипнула в ужасе).
anxious ['aeks], briefly ['bri: fl], horror ['hr]
"She's with child," grunted the old woman. "I can walk — and fight, too, if it comes to that."