Suddenly the end came (внезапно наступил конец). With a shriek she sprang in and touched a tall warrior with the forked wand (с криком она вскочила и коснулась высокого воина раздвоенным жезлом). Instantly two of his comrades (в тот же момент двое его товарищей), those standing immediately next to him (те, которые стояли непосредственно рядом с ним), seized the doomed man (схватили обреченного /мужчину/; doom — рок, судьба; гибель, кончина; to doom — предназначать, обрекать), each by one arm (каждый за руку), and advanced with him towards the king (и двинулись вперед вместе с ним по направлению к королю).

He did not resist (он не сопротивлялся), but we saw that he dragged his limbs as though they were paralyzed (но мы видели, что он волочил ноги, словно они были парализованы; to drag — тянуть, тащить, волочить; тянуться, тащиться, медленно двигаться), and his fingers, from which the spear had fallen, were limp as those of a man newly dead (и его пальцы, из которых вывалилось копье, были вялыми = безжизненными, словно у только что умершего человека; limp — мягкий, не жесткий; безвольный, слабый).

forked [fO:kt], instantly ['InstqntlI], comrade ['kOmrId], doomed [du:md], limb [lIm], paralyze ['pxrqlaIz]

Suddenly the end came. With a shriek she sprang in and touched a tall warrior with the forked wand. Instantly two of his comrades, those standing immediately next to him, seized the doomed man, each by one arm, and advanced with him towards the, king.

He did not resist, but we saw that he dragged his limbs as though they were paralyzed, and his fingers, from which the spear had fallen, were limp as those of a man newly dead.

As he came, two of the villainous executioners stepped forward to meet him (пока он шел, двое из злодейского вида палачей шагнули вперед, чтобы встретить его; villainous — мерзкий, подлый; зверский, злодейский/о выражении лица, взгляде и т.п./). Presently they met (вскоре они встретились), and the executioners turned round towards the king as though for orders (и палачи повернулись к королю, словно за приказанием).

"Kill (убить)!" said the king.

"Kill!" squeaked Gagool (пропищала Гагула).

"Kill!" re-echoed Scragga, with a hollow chuckle (отозвался эхом Скрагга, с глухой усмешкой; hollow — пустой, полый; глухой, "замогильный" /о звуке/).

Almost before the words were uttered (почти до того, как эти слова были произнесены), the horrible deed was done (ужасное дело было завершено). One man had driven his spear into the victim's heart (один из палачей воткнул свое копье в сердце жертвы; to drive into — вбивать), and, to make assurance doubly sure (и, чтобы быть абсолютно уверенным; make assurance doubly sure — для большей верности; вдвойне застраховаться), the other had dashed out his brains with his great club (второй разнес его голову огромной булавой; to dash — наносить сокрушающий удар, разбивать вдребезги; brain — мозг).

villainous ['vIlqnqs], though [Dqu], squeak [skwi:k], chuckle [CAkl], assurance [q'Suqr(q)ns]

As he came, two of the villainous executioners stepped forward to meet him. Presently they met, and the executioners turned round towards the king as though for orders.

"Kill!" said the king.

"Kill!" squeaked Gagool.

"Kill!" re-echoed Scragga, with a hollow chuckle.

Almost before the words were uttered, the horrible deed was done. One man had driven his spear into the victim's heart, and, to make assurance doubly sure, the other had dashed out his brains with his great club.

"One (один)," counted Twala, the king, just like a black Madame Defarge[1], as Good said (подсчитал король Твала, словно черная мадам Дефарж, как сказал Гуд), and the body was dragged a few paces away and stretched out (и тело оттащили на несколько шагов в сторону и бросили /его там/; to stretch — тянуть, растягивать; свалить, повалить/так чтобы некто растянулся на земле/).

Hardly was this done before another poor wretch was brought up (едва это было сделано, как привели следующего беднягу; wretch — несчастный, жалкий человек), like an ox to the slaughter (словно быка на бойню; slaughter — убой, забой/скота/). This time we could see (на этот раз мы увидели = поняли), from the leopard-skin cloak (по плащу из леопардовой шкуры), that the man was a person of rank (что это был человек, /занимающий/ высокое положение; rank — ряд, линия; звание, чин, служебное или социальное положение). Again the awful syllables were spoken (снова были произнесены ужасные слова; syllable — слог; звук, слово), and the victim fell dead (и жертва упала замертво).

"Two (два)," counted the king (сосчитал король).

wretch [reC], slaughter ['slO:tq], syllable ['sIlqbl]

"One," counted Twala, the king, just like a black Madame Defarge, as Good said, and the body was dragged a few paces away and stretched out.

Hardly was this done before another poor wretch was brought up, like an ox to the slaughter. This time we could see, from the leopard-skin cloak, that the man was a person of rank. Again the awful syllables were spoken, and the victim fell dead.