Копи царя Соломона. Английский язык с Г. Р. Хаггардом.
Шрифт:
dismay [dIs'meI], squadron ['skwOdr(q)n], relief [rI'li:f], predict [prI'dIkt]
But at the time the matter went no further, for at that instant there rose from the regiments pressing round us something like a shout of dismay, and on looking up I saw the cause.
To the right and to the left the plain was alive with the plumes of charging warriors. The outflanking squadrons had come to our relief. The time could not have been better chosen. All Twala's army had, as Ignosi had predicted would be the case, fixed their attention on the bloody struggle which was raging round the remnant of the Grays and the Buffaloes, who were now carrying on a battle of their own at a little distance, which two regiments had formed the chest of our army. It was not until the horns were about to close upon them that they had dreamed of their approach. And now, before they could even assume a proper formation for defence, the outflanking Impis (regiments) had leaped, like greyhounds, on their flanks.
In five minutes the fate of the battle was decided (через
scatter ['skxtq], retreat [rI'tri:t], magic ['mxdZIk]
In five minutes the fate of the battle was decided. Taken on both flanks, and dismayed by the awful slaughter inflicted upon them by the Grays and Buffaloes, Twala's regiments broke into flight, and soon the whole plain between us and Loo was scattered with groups of flying soldiers, making good their retreat. As for the forces that had so recently surrounded us and the Buffaloes, they melted away as though by magic, and presently we were left standing there like a rock from which the sea has retreated. But what a sight it was! Around us the dead and dying lay in heaped-up masses, and of the gallant Grays there remained alive but ninety-five men. More than two thousand nine hundred had fallen in this one regiment, most of them never to rise again.
"Men (воины)," said Infadoos, calmly (сказал Инфадус спокойно), as between the intervals of binding up a wound in his arm he surveyed what remained to him of his corps (когда, между промежутками, в которые он перевязывал рану на руке, он оглядывал то, что осталось /ему/ от его войска; to bind up — перевязывать/раны/; corps — корпус/войско воесоединение/), "ye have kept up the reputation of your regiment (вы отстояли доброе имя своего полка; to keep up — поддерживать; reputation — репутация; слава, доброе имя), and this day's fighting will be spoken of by your children's children (и о сегодняшней битве будут говорить дети ваших детей)." Then he turned round and shook Sir Henry Curtis by the hand (затем он повернулся и пожал руку сэру Генри Куртису). "Thou art a great man, Incubu (ты великий воин, Инкубу; thou art = you are)," he said, simply (сказал он просто); "I have lived a long life among warriors, and known many a brave one (я прожил долгую жизнь среди воинов и знавал много смелых /людей/), yet have I never seen a man like thee (и все же я никогда не видел воина, равного тебе)."
interval ['Intqv(q)l], bind [baInd], survey [sq'veI], reputation ["repju(:)'teIS(q)n]
"Men," said Infadoos, calmly, as between the intervals of binding up a wound in his arm he what remained to him of his corps, "ye have kept up the reputation of your regiment, and this day's fighting will be spoken of by your children's children." Then he turned round and shook Sir Henry Curtis by the hand. "Thou art a great man, Incubu," he said, simply; "I have lived a long life among warriors, and known. many a brave one, yet have I never seen a man like thee."
At this moment the Buffaloes began to march past our position on the road to Loo (в этот самый момент "Буйволы" двинулись маршем мимо нашей позиции по дороге к Лу), and as they did so a message was brought to us from Ignosi requesting Infadoos, Sir Henry, and myself to join him (и, когда они отправились /в путь/: «сделали это», нам доставили послание от Игнози, в котором /он/ просил Инфадуса, сэра Генри и меня присоединиться к нему). Accordingly, orders having been issued to the remaining ninety men of the Grays (поэтому, отдав приказы, /предназначенные/
request [rI'kwest], capture ['kxpCq], figure ['fIgq], ant-heap ['xnthi:p]
At this moment the Buffaloes began to march past our position on the road to Loo, and as they did so a message was brought to us from Ignosi requesting Infadoos, Sir Henry, and myself to join him. Accordingly, orders having been issued to the remaining ninety men of the Grays to employ themselves in collecting the wounded, we joined Ignosi, who informed us that he was pressing on to Loo to complete the victory by capturing Twala, if that should be possible. Before we had gone far we suddenly discovered the figure of Good sitting on an ant—heap about one hundred paces from us. Close beside him was the body of a Kukuana.
"He must be wounded (он, должно быть, ранен)," said Sir Henry, anxiously (сказал сэр Генри с тревогой). As he made the remark, an untoward thing happened (как только он сделал это замечание, случилось что-то невероятное; untoward— упрямый, неподатливый; неблагоприятный, несчастливый). The dead body of the Kukuana soldier (мертвое тело кукуанского воина), or rather what had appeared to be his dead body (или скорее то, что казалось его мертвым телом), suddenly sprang up (внезапно вскочило), knocked Good head over heels off the ant-heap, and began to spear him (сшибло Гуда с муравейника, /так что тот полетел с него/ вверх тормашками, и начало тыкать в него копьем; head over heels— вверх тормашками, вверх ногами; spear— копье, дротик; to spear— пронзать, протыкать /копьем/). We rushed forward in terror (мы в ужасе бросились вперед = к нему), and as we drew near we saw the brawny warrior making dig after dig at the prostrate Good (и, когда мы приблизились, мы увидели, что мускулистый воин наносит удар за ударом в распростертого Гуда; dig— копание; толчок, пинок), who at each prod jerked all his limbs into the air (который с каждым толчком вздрагивал всеми конечностями /и задирал их в воздух/; prod— тычок, толчок /чем-либо заостренным/; to jerk— двигаться резкими толчками; дергаться, биться /в конвульсиях/). Seeing us coming, the Kukuana gave one final most vicious dig (увидев, что мы приближаемся, этот самый кукуанский /воин/ нанес еще один, последний, самый жестокий удар; vicious— порочный; злой, злобный, жестокий), and with a shout of "Take that, wizard," bolted off (и с криком: "Получи, колдун", пустился наутек; to bolt— быстро двигаться, нестись стрелой; удирать, давать деру). Good did not move (Гуд не шевелился), and we concluded that our poor comrade was done for (и мы пришли к выводу, что наш бедный товарищ погиб; to conclude— завершить, закончить; сделать вывод). Sadly we came towards him (печально мы приблизились к нему), and were indeed astonished to find him pale and faint indeed (и были на самом деле удивлены, обнаружив, что он был бледен и очень слаб), but with a serene smile upon his face (но на лице его /была/ безмятежная улыбка; serene— ясный, спокойный; безмятежный, невозмутимый), and his eyeglass still fixed in his eye (а его монокль был все еще закреплен в глазу).
anxiously ['xNklqslI], untoward [An'tquqd], brawny ['brO:nI], vicious ['vISqs], conclude [kqn'klu:d], serene [sI'ri:n]
"He must be wounded," said Sir Henry, anxiously. As he made the remark, an untoward thing happened. The dead body of the Kukuana soldier, or rather what had appeared to be his dead body, suddenly sprang up, knocked Good head over heels off the ant-heap, and began to spear him. We rushed forward in terror, and as we drew near we saw the brawny warrior making dig after dig at the prostrate Good, who at each prod jerked all his limbs into the air. Seeing us coming, the Kukuana gave one final most vicious dig, and with a shout of "Take that, wizard," bolted off. Good did not move, and we concluded that our poor comrade was done for. Sadly we came towards him, and were indeed astonished to find him pale and faint indeed, but with a serene smile upon his face, and his eyeglass still fixed in his eye.
"Capital armor this (превосходная все-таки кольчуга; capital — главный, основной, капитальный; /разг./ превосходный)," he murmured, on catching sight of our faces bending over him (пробормотал он, заметив выражение наших лиц, когда мы склонились над ним). "How sold he must have been (как /я/ его, должно быть, надул; to sell — продавать; надувать, обманывать, разыгрывать)," and then he fainted (после чего он потерял сознание; faint — обморок; to faint — падать в обморок).