`I cannot say. Hope that I die eventually, I suppose. They are a misguided folk and a little stupid, but they are not by nature cruel. Yet their terror of Arioch is so great that they dare not do anything that might offend him. In this way they hope he will let them live a year or two longer.
`And you do not know how they will deal with me? I killed their king, after all.
`That is what I was considering. The poison has failed. They would be very reluctant to use violence on you themselves. We shall have to see.
`I have a mission to accomplish, Corum told him. `I cannot afford to wait.
Hanafax grinned.
`I think you will have to, friend Corum (думаю, тебе придется /подождать/, друг Корум)! I am something of a sorcerer, as I told you (я немного колдун, как я говорил тебе). I have a few tricks, but none will work in this place, I know not why (у меня есть несколько фокусов/трюков, но ни один не сработает в этом месте, не знаю почему). And if sorcery cannot aid us, what can (а если колдовство не может нам помочь, что сможет)?
Corum raised his alien hand and stared at it thoughtfully (Корум поднял свою чуждую руку и посмотрел на нее задумчиво).
Then he looked into the hairy face of his fellow prisoner (потом заглянул в волосатое лицо своего товарища по заключению).
`Have you ever heard of the Hand of Kwll (ты когда-нибудь слышал о Руке Кулла)?
Hanafax frowned (нахмурился).
`Aye… I believe I have (да… думаю, слышал). The sole remains of a God, one of two brothers, who had some sort of feud (единственные останки бога, одного из двух братьев, которые вроде враждовали; feud — длительная, наследственная вражда, междоусобица) … A legend, of course, like so many (легенда, конечно, как и многие /другие/) …
sorcery [ˈsɔ:s (ə) rɪ] feud [fju:d]
`I think you will have to, friend Corum! I am something of a sorcerer, as I told you. I have a few tricks, but none will work in this place, I know not why. And if sorcery cannot aid us, what can?
Corum raised his alien hand and stared at it thoughtfully.
Then he looked into the hairy face of his fellow prisoner.
`Have you ever heard of the Hand of Kwll?
Hanafax frowned.
`Aye… I believe I have. The sole remains of a God, one of two brothers, who had some sort of feud … A legend, of course, like so many…
Corum held up his left hand (Корум показал свою левую руку).
`This is the Hand of Kwll. It was given me by a sorcerer, along with this eye — the Eye of Rhynn (ее дал мне один колдун, вместе с этим глазом — Глазом Ринна) — and both have great powers, I am told (и оба /предмета/ обладают огромной силой, /он/ мне сказал).
`You do not know (ты не знаешь)?
`I have had no opportunity to test them (у меня не было возможности проверить их).
Hanafax seemed disturbed (Ганафакс казался встревоженным).
`Yet such powers are too great for a mortal, I would have thought (однако подобные силы слишком велики для смертного, я бы подумал = мне кажется). The consequences of using them would be monstrous (последствия их использования могут быть ужасными) …
`I do not believe I have any choice (не думаю, /что/ у меня есть выбор). I have decided (я решил). I will call upon the powers of the Hand of Kwll and the Eye of Rhynn (я призову |yf помощь/ силы Руки Кулла и Глаза Ринна; to call upon — взывать, обращаться; призывать)!
opportunity [, ɔpəˈtju:nɪtɪ] consequences [ˈkɔnsɪkwənsɪz]
Corum held up his left hand.
`This is the Hand of Kwll. It was given me by a sorcerer, along with this eye — the Eye of Rhynn — and both have great powers, I am told.
`You do not know?
`I have had no opportunity to test them.
Hanafax seemed disturbed.
`Yet such powers are too great for a mortal, I would have thought. The consequences of using them would be monstrous…
`I do not believe I have any choice. I have decided. I will call upon the powers of the Hand of Kwll and the Eye of Rhynn!
`I trust you will remind them that I am on your side, Prince Corum (надеюсь, ты напомнишь им, что я на твоей стороне, принц Корум; to trust — верить, доверять/ся/; надеяться).
Corum stripped the gauntlet from his six-fingered hand (Корум снял латную перчатку со своей шестипалой руки). He was shivering with the tension (он дрожал от напряжения). Then he pushed the patch up to his forehead (потом сдвинул повязка на лоб; to push — толкать, продвигать).
He began to see the darker planes (он начал видеть более темные плоскости). Again he saw the landscape on which a black sun shone (снова он увидел пейзаж, где светило черное солнце). Again he saw the four cowled figures (снова увидел четыре фигуры в капюшонах; cowl — сутана с капюшоном, капюшон).
And this time he stared into their faces (на этот раз он посмотрел в их лица).
He screamed (он вскрикнул).
But he could not name the reason for his terror (но он не мог бы назвать причину своего ужаса).
He looked again.
tension [ˈtenʃ (ə) n] forehead [ˈfɔrɪd] cowled [kauld]
`I trust you will remind them that I am on your side, Prince Corum.
Corum stripped the gauntlet from his six-fingered hand. He was shivering with the tension. Then he pushed the patch up to his forehead.
He began to see the darker planes. Again he saw the landscape on which a black sun shone. Again he saw the four cowled figures.
And this time he stared into their faces.
He screamed.
But he could not name the reason for his terror.
He looked again.
The Hand of Kwll stretched out towards the figures (Рука Кулла потянулась к фигурам). Their heads moved as they saw the hand (их головы двинулись, когда они увидели руку). Their terrible eyes seemed to draw all the heat from his body, all the vitality from his soul (их ужасные глаза, казалось, вытягивали = высасывали все тепло из его тела, всю энергию из его души; vitality — жизненность, энергия). But he continued to look at them (но он продолжал смотреть на них).
The Hand beckoned (Рука поманила /их/ к себе).
The dark figures moved towards Corum (темные фигуры двинулись к Коруму).
He heard Hanafax say (он услышал, как Ганафакс сказал):
`I see nothing (я ничего не вижу). What are you summoning (что ты призываешь)? What do you see (что видишь)?
vitality [vaɪˈtælɪtɪ] beckoned [ˈbekənd]
The Hand of Kwll stretched out towards the figures. Their heads moved as they saw the hand. Their terrible eyes seemed to draw all the heat from his body, all the vitality from his soul. But he continued to look at them.
The Hand beckoned.
The dark figures moved towards Corum.
He heard Hanafax say:
`I see nothing. What are you summoning? What do you see?
Corum ignored him (Корум не ответил ему; to ignore — игнорировать, не обращать внимания). He was sweating now and every limb save the Hand of Kwll was shaking (он потел = истекал потом теперь, и каждая его конечность, кроме Руки Кулла, тряслась).
From beneath their robes the four figures drew huge scythes (из-под своих плащей четыре фигуры достали огромные косы).
Corum moved numbed lips (Корум шевельнул онемевшими губами).
`Here (сюда). Come to this plane (идите в эту плоскость). Obey me (подчиняйтесь мне).
They came nearer and seemed to pass through a swirling curtain of mist (они приближались и, казалось, проходили через клубящуюся завесу тумана; to swirl — кружить/ся/ в водовороте; клубиться).
Then Hanafax cried out in terror and disgust (потом Ганафакс вскричал от ужаса и отвращения).
`Gods! They are things from the Pits of the Dog (это твари из Ям Пса)! Shefanhow (Шефанхау)! He jumped behind Corum (он прыгнул за Корума). `Keep them off me, Vadhagh (держи их от меня подальше, вадаг)! Aah!
sweating [ˈswetɪŋ] scythe [saɪð] disgust [dɪsˈɡʌst]
Corum ignored him. He was sweating now and every limb save the Hand of Kwll was shaking.
From beneath their robes the four figures drew huge scythes.
Corum moved numbed lips.
`Here. Come to this plane. Obey me.
They came nearer and seemed to pass through a swirling curtain of mist.
Then Hanafax cried out in terror and disgust.
`Gods! They are things from the Pits of the Dog! Shefanhow! He jumped behind Corum. `Keep them off me, Vadhagh! Aah!
Hollow voices issued from the strangely distorted mouths (глухие голоса раздались из странно перекошенных ртов; hollow — пустой, полый; глухой, замогильный /о звуке/; to issue from — исходить, выходить; distorted — кривой, перекошенный, искаженный):
`Master (повелитель). We will do your will (мы исполним твою волю). We will do the will of Kwll (мы исполним волю Руки Кулла).
`Destroy that door (сломайте эту дверь)! Corum commanded.
`Will we have our prize, master (получим ли мы нашу награду, повелитель)?
`What prize is that (что это за награда)?
`A life for each of us, master (жизнь для каждого из нас, повелитель).
Corum shuddered (вздрогнул).
`Aye, very well, you'll have your prize (да, хорошо, вы получите свою награду).
issued [ˈɪʃu:d] distorted [dɪsˈtɔ:tɪd]
Hollow voices issued from the strangely distorted mouths:
`Master. We will do your will. We will do the will of Kwll.
`Destroy that door! Corum commanded.
`Will we have our prize, master?
`What prize is that?
`A life for each of us, master.
Corum shuddered.
`Aye, very well, you'll have your prize.
The scythes rose up and the door fell down (косы поднялись вверх, и дверь упала) and the four creatures that were truly `Shefanhow' led the way into a narrow passage (и четыре существа, которые были поистине шефанхау, вошли в узкий коридор; to lead the way — показывать путь; проявить инициативу, сделать первый шаг