Английский язык с Р. Э. Говардом

Octavia's resilient flesh crawled and quivered at her memories. Desperation had nerved her climb from Jelal Khan's castle on a rope made of strips from torn tapestries, and chance had led her to a picketed horse. She had ridden all night, and dawn found her with a foundered steed on the swampy shores of the sea. Quivering with the abhorence of being dragged back to the revolting destiny planned for her by Jelal Khan, she plunged into the morass, seeking a hiding place from the pursuit she expected. When the reeds grew thinner around her and the water rose about her thighs, she saw the dim loom of an island ahead of her. A broad span of water lay between, but she did not hesitate. She waded out until the low waves were lapping about her waist; then she struck out strongly, swimming with a vigor that promised unusual endurance.

As she neared the island (когда она приблизилась к острову), she saw that it rose sheer from the water in castlelike cliffs (она увидела, что он поднимается отвесно из воды утесами подобно замку; to rise — подниматься). She reached them at last (наконец, она добралась до них; to reach — протягивать; достигать, добираться) but found neither ledge to stand on below the water, nor to cling to above (но не нашла ни выступа, на котором можно было стоять в воде, ни за который можно было уцепиться над /водой/; to find — находить). She swam on (она поплыла дальше; to swim — плыть; on — вперед, дальше), following the curve of the cliffs (следуя за изгибом утесов; curve — кривая; изгиб), the strain of her long flight beginning to weight her limbs (/при этом/ переутомление от ее долгого бегства начинало ложиться бременем на ее конечности; strain — натяжение; переутомление; flight — полет; бегство;to weight — утяжелять; обременять). Her hands fluttered along the sheer stone (ее руки нервно передвигались по отвесным камням; to flutter — махать или бить крыльями; перепархивать; дрожать от волнения; to flutter about — нервно двигаться), and suddenly they found a depression (и вдруг они обнаружили углубление; to find — найти, обнаружить; depression — уныние; углубление). With a sobbing gasp of relief (со всхлипывающим, тяжелым вздохом облегчения; gasp — затрудненное дыхание; удушье), she pulled herself out of the water and clung there (она вытащила себя из воды и уцепилась там; to cling — цепляться), a dripping white goddess in the dim starlight (мокрая белокожая богиня в тусклом свете звезд; dripping — капающий; мокрый; white — белый; белокожий).

flight [flat], weight [wet], relief [r'li:f]

As she neared the island, she saw that it rose sheer from the water in castlelike cliffs. She reached them at last but found neither ledge to stand on below the water, nor to cling to above. She swam on, following the curve of the cliffs, the strain of her long flight beginning to weight her limbs. Her hands fluttered along the sheer stone, and suddenly they found a depression. With a sobbing gasp of relief, she pulled herself out of the water and clung there, a dripping white goddess in the dim starlight.