Английский язык с Р. Э. Говардом

As he leaned there he caught a sound on the other side that his ears instantly identified — it was the creak of rusty iron, like a lever scraping in its slot. Instinctively action followed recognition so spontaneously that sound, impulse and action were practically simultaneous. And as his prodigious bound carried him backward, there was the rush of a great bulk from above, and a thunderous crash filled the tunnel with deafening vibrations. Bits of flying splinters struck him — a huge block of stone, he knew from the sound, dropped on the spot he had just quitted. An instant's slower thought or action and it would have crushed him like an ant.

Conan fell back (Конан отступил; to fall back — отступить). Somewhere on the other side of that metal door Muriela was a captive (где-то по другую сторону той металлической двери Муриела была пленницей), if she still lived (если она была еще жива). But he could not pass that door (но он не мог пройти через эту дверь), and if he remained in the tunnel another block might fall (а если бы он остался в туннеле, мог бы упасть еще один блок), and he might not be so lucky (и он = Конан мог бы оказаться не таким удачливым /на этот раз/). It would do the girl no good for him to be crushed into a purple pulp (девушке не принесло бы никакой пользы, если бы он был раздавлен в багровую мякоть; to do good — делать добро, приносить пользу). He could not continue his search in that direction (он не мог продолжать поиски в этом направлении). He must get above ground and look for some other avenue of approach (он должен подняться на поверхность и поискать какой-то иной подступ; to get — получать; добираться; above ground — на поверхности земли; to look for — искать;avenue of approach — подступ).

He turned and hurried toward the stair (он повернул и поспешил к лестнице), sighing as he emerged into comparative radiance (вздохнув /с облегчением/, когда вышел на относительно освещенное место; comparative — сравнительный; относительный;radiance — сияние; яркость). And as he set foot on the first step (а когда он ступил ногой на первую ступеньку; to set foot — ступить ногой), the light was blotted out (свет был закрыт = пропал;to blot out — заливать чернилами; закрывать), and above him the marble door rushed shut with a resounding reverberation (и над ним стремительно с громким эхом закрылась мраморная дверь; to rush — нестись; действовать, выполнять слишком поспешно; to shut — закрывать; to resound — громко звучать, раздаваться; отдаваться эхом; reverberation — отражение; отзвук, эхо).

approach ['pru], search [s:], comparative [km'paertv]

Conan fell back. Somewhere on the other side of that metal door Muriela was a captive, if she still lived. But he could not pass that door, and if he remained in the tunnel another block might fall, and he might not be so lucky. It would do the girl no good for him to be crushed into a purple pulp. He could not continue his search in that direction. He must get above ground and look for some other avenue of approach.

He turned and hurried toward the stair, sighing as he emerged into comparative radiance. And as he set foot on the first step, the light was blotted out, and above him the marble door rushed shut with a resounding reverberation.