Then Conan lurched back up the hill, dragging Feng after him. As he reached the level section around the base of the monolith, he heaved Feng into the air over his head. Seeing what was happening to him, the duke uttered one high, thin scream as Conan hurled him at the shaft. The Khitan struck the column with a thud and slid unconscious to the ground at its base.
The blow was merciful (удар был милостив), for the duke never felt the slimy touch of the haunter of the monolith as the glassy tentacles reached his face (ибо князь никогда =
Conan grimly watched (в течение минуты Конан мрачно наблюдал). Feng’s features blurred as the rippling jelly slid over them (черты Фэна расплылись, когда пульсирующий студень скользнул по ним). Then the flesh faded away, and the skull and teeth showed through in a ghastly grin (затем плоть исчезла, а череп и зубы проступили в жутком оскале). The abomination flushed pink as it fed (мерзость =
Conan strode back to camp on stiff legs (Конан зашагал назад в лагерь на негнущихся ногах). Behind him, like a giant’s torch, the monolith stood against the sky, wrapped in smoky, scarlet flames (за ним, как гигантский факел, монолит стоял на фоне неба, охваченный дымными алыми языками пламени).
stiff [stf], torch [t: t], scarlet [sk: lt]
The blow was merciful, for the duke never felt the slimy touch of the haunter of the monolith as the glassy tentacles reached his face. For a moment, Conan grimly watched. Feng’s features blurred as the rippling jelly slid over them. Then the flesh faded away, and the skull and teeth showed through in a ghastly grin. The abomination flushed pink as it fed.
Conan strode back to camp on stiff legs. Behind him, like a giant’s torch., the monolith stood against die sky, wrapped in smoky, scarlet flames.
It had been the work of moments only to strike fire into dry tinder with his flint and steel (это было работой нескольких моментов =
fire ['fa], tinder ['tnd], burn [b: n]
It had been the work of moments only to strike fire into dry tinder with his flint and steel. He had watched with grim satisfaction as the oily surface of the slime-monster ignited and blazed as it squirmed in voiceless agony. Let them both burn, he thought; the half-digested corpse of that treacherous dog and his loathsome pet!
As Conan neared the camp, he saw that the last of his warriors had not yet retired (когда Конан приблизился /к/ лагерю, он увидел, что последние из его воинов еще не легли спать;
distant ['dstnt], appeared ['pd], upon ['pn]
As Conan neared the camp, he saw that the last of his warriors had not yet retired. Instead, several stood staring curiously at the distant firelight. As he appeared, they turned upon him, crying out: ‘Where have you been, Captain? What is that blaze? Where is the duke?’
‘Ho, you gaping oafs!’ he roared as he strode into the firelight (эй, вы, зевающие олухи! — он проревел, когда вошел в свет костра;