Английский язык с Р. Э. Говардом

A vagrant thought crossed her mind as she climbed, in which she mentally compared her former master with the kozak chief with whom — by compulsion — she had shamefully flirted in the pavillions of the camp by Fort Ghori, where the Hyrkanian lords had parleyed with the warriors of the steppes. His burning gaze had frightened and humiliated her, but his cleanly elemental fierceness set him above Jelal Khan, a monster such as only an overly opulent civilization can produce.

She scrambled up over the cliff edge and looked timidly at the dense shadows which confronted her (она перебралась с трудом через край утеса и робко посмотрела на густые тени, которые стали перед ней; to scramble up — пробираться с трудом вверх, вскарабкиваться; to confront — противостоять; стоять лицом к лицу). The trees grew close to the cliffs (деревья росли рядом с утесами; to grow — расти), presenting a solid mass of blackness (являя собой сплошную массу мрака; to present — дарить; представлять, являть собой; solid — твердый; сплошной). Something whirred above her head and she cowered (что-то пронеслось со свистом над ее головой, и она съежилась), even though realizing it was only a bat (хотя и сознавая, что это была лишь летучая мышь; even though — хотя; to realize — осуществлять; понимать, осознавать).

She did not like the looks of those ebony shadows (ей не нравился вид этих темных теней; look — взгляд; вид;ebony — эбеновый; темный), but she set her teeth and went toward them (но она стиснула зубы и пошла к ним = в их сторону; to set — ставить; стискивать, сжимать /зубы, губы, рот/), trying not to think of snakes (стараясь не думать о змеях). Her bare feet made no sound in the spongy loam under the trees (ее босые ступни не производили ни звука в пористом суглинке под деревьями; to make — делать; производить, издавать /звук/; sponge — губка).

timidly ['tmdl], cower ['kau], sound [saund]

She scrambled up over the cliff edge and looked timidly at the dense shadows which confronted her. The trees grew close to the cliffs, presenting a solid mass of blackness. Something whirred above her head and she cowered, even though realizing it was only a bat.

She did not like the looks of those ebony shadows, but she set her teeth and went toward them, trying not to think of snakes. Her bare feet made no sound in the spongy loam under the trees.

Once among them (как только /она оказалась/ среди них; once — как только), the darkness closed frighteningly about her (тьма пугающе сомкнулась вокруг нее; to close — закрывать; надвигаться, постепенно окружать). She had not taken a dozen steps (не сделала она и дюжины шагов; to take a step — шагнуть, сделать шаг) when she was no longer able to look back and see the cliffs and the sea beyond (как больше не могла посмотреть назад и увидеть утесы и море за ними = как, обернувшись, уже не видела утесов и моря за ними; to be able — мочь). A few steps more and she became hopelessly confused and lost her sense of direction (еще несколько шагов — и она безнадежно запуталась и потеряла чувство направления; to become — становиться; to lose — терять). Through the tangled branches not even a star peered (сквозь спутанные ветви не проглядывала даже звездочка; to peer — вглядываться; показываться). She groped and floundered on, blindly (она с трудом продолжала идти наощупь, вслепую; to grope — идти ощупью; to flounder — барахтаться; двигаться с трудом; on — указывает на продолжение или развитие действия), and then came to a sudden halt (а потом внезапно остановилась; to come to a halt — остановиться; halt — остановка; прекращение).

dozen [dzn], few [fju:], halt [h:lt]

Once among them, the darkness closed frighteningly about her. She had not taken a dozen steps when she was no longer able to look back and see the cliffs and the sea beyond. A few steps more and she became hopelessly confused and lost her sense of direction. Through the tangled branches not even a star peered. She groped and floundered on, blindly, and then came to a sudden halt.