Английский язык с Э. Р. Берроузом. Принцесса Марса
Шрифт:
I had no time to talk (у меня не было времени разговаривать), I was becoming very weak (я становился очень слабым) and it was with difficulty that I controlled my mind at all (и даже своими мыслями я владел с трудом).
conscious ['kOnSqs], awful ['O: ful], solve [sOlv]
Conditions seemed much worse here than at Helium, and it was with difficulty that I breathed at all. There were a few men still conscious, and to one of these I spoke.
"If I can open these doors is there a man who can start the engines?" I asked.
"I can," he replied, "if you open quickly. I can last but a few moments more. But it is useless, they are both dead and no one else upon Barsoom knew the secret of these awful locks. For three days men crazed with fear have surged about this portal in vain attempts to solve its mystery."
I had no time to talk, I was becoming very weak and it was with difficulty that I controlled my mind at all.
But, with a final effort, as I sank weakly to my knees (но
Slowly the mighty door receded before us (медленно мощная дверь отступила перед нами). I attempted to rise and follow it but I was too weak (я попытался встать и последовать за ней, но я был слишком слаб).
"After it (туда: «за ней»)," I cried to my companion (закричал я своему товарищу), "and if you reach the pump room (и если ты доберешься до насосной комнаты) turn loose all the pumps (запусти все насосы; to turn loose — освобождать, отпускать). It is the only chance Barsoom has to exist tomorrow (это единственный шанс, /чтобы/ Барсум мог существовать завтра)!"
From where I lay (с того /места/, где я лежал) I opened the second door, and then the third (я открыл вторую дверь, а затем и третью), and as I saw the hope of Barsoom crawling weakly on hands and knees through the last doorway (и когда я увидел, что надежда Барсума едва ползет на руках и коленях через последнюю дверь) I sank unconscious upon the ground (я упал без сознания на землю).
hurl [hWl], crawl [krO: l], attempt [q'tempt]
But, with a final effort, as I sank weakly to my knees I hurled the nine thought waves at that awful thing before me. The Martian had crawled to my side and with staring eyes fixed on the single panel before us we waited in the silence of death.
Slowly the mighty door receded before us. I attempted to rise and follow it but I was too weak.
"After it," I cried to my companion, "and if you reach the pump room turn loose all the pumps. It is the only chance Barsoom has to exist tomorrow!"
From where I lay I opened the second door, and then the third, and as I saw the hope of Barsoom crawling weakly on hands and knees through the last doorway I sank unconscious upon the ground.
CHAPTER XXVIII
It was dark when I opened my eyes again (было темно, когда я вновь открыл глаза). Strange, stiff garments were upon my body (странные
I felt myself over from head to foot (я ощупал себя с головы до ног) and from head to foot I was clothed (и с головы до ног я был одет), though when I fell unconscious at the little doorway I had been naked (хотя когда я упал без сознания у маленькой двери, я был обнажен). Before me was a small patch of moonlit sky (передо мной была узкая полоска освещенного луной неба) which showed through a ragged aperture (которое проглядывало через неровное отверстие; ragged — неровный, зазубренный).
garment ['gQ: mqnt], powder ['paudq], posture ['pOstSq], moonlit ['mu: n" lIt]
It was dark when I opened my eyes again. Strange, stiff garments were upon my body; garments that cracked and powdered away from me as I rose to a sitting posture.
I felt myself over from head to foot and from head to foot I was clothed, though when I fell unconscious at the little doorway I had been naked. Before me was a small patch of moonlit sky which showed through a ragged aperture.
As my hands passed over my body they came in contact with pockets (когда мои руки ощупывали мое тело, они наткнулись на карманы) and in one of these a small parcel of matches wrapped in oiled paper (и в одном из них /был/ маленький коробок спичек, завернутый в промасленную бумагу). One of these matches I struck (я чиркнул одной из этих спичек), and its dim flame lighted up what appeared to be a huge cave (и ее тусклый свет осветил то, что оказалось огромной пещерой), toward the back of which I discovered a strange, still figure (у задней стены которой я заметил странную, неподвижную фигуру) huddled over a tiny bench (скорчившуюся на небольшой скамье; to huddle — съеживаться, сжиматься). As I approached it I saw (когда я приблизился к ней, я увидел) that it was the dead and mummified remains of a little old woman with long black hair (что это были мертвые и мумифицированные останки маленькой старой женщины с длинными черными волосами), and the thing it leaned over (а той вещью, над которой она склонилась) was a small charcoal burner (была маленькая угольная жаровня) upon which rested a round copper vessel (на которой стоял круглый медный сосуд) containing a small quantity of greenish powder (содержащий небольшое количество зеленоватого порошка).
match [mxtS], huddle [hAdl], mummify ['mAmIfaI], charcoal ['tSQ: koul]
As my hands passed over my body they came in contact with pockets and in one of these a small parcel of matches wrapped in oiled paper. One of these matches I struck, and its dim flame lighted up what appeared to be a huge cave, toward the back of which I discovered a strange, still figure huddled over a tiny bench. As I approached it I saw that it was the dead and mummified remains of a little old woman with long black hair, and the thing it leaned over was a small charcoal burner upon which rested a round copper vessel containing a small quantity of greenish powder.