occasion ['ke n] perspective [p'spektv] effort ['eft] diaphanous [da'aefns] obstacle ['bstkl] detour ['di:tu] circumference [s'kmf rns]

On other, less urgent, occasions, Prince Corum had enjoyed shifting his perspective out of this plane and into another, to see different aspects of the city, but the effort took too much energy these days and at the present moment the diaphanous wreckage represented nothing more than an obstacle around which he was forced to make various detours, for it stretched in a circumference of more than twenty miles.

But at last he reached the edge of the plain called Broggfythus and the sun set and he left behind him the world he knew and rode on towards the South West, into lands he knew only from the maps he carried.

He rode steadily for three more days (он ехал неуклонно еще три дня; steadily — монотонно, постоянно) without pause (без остановки) until the red horse showed signs of tiredness (пока рыжий конь не проявил признаков усталости; to show — показывать, проявлять; to show-showed-shown) and, in a little valley (в небольшой лощине; valley — лощина, долина, впадина) through which a cold stream flowed (через которую холодный ручей протекал; stream — поток, река, ручей), he made camp (он устроил привал; to make camp — раскинуть лагерь) and rested for a while (и отдохнул немного; for a while — на время, в течение некоторого времени).

Corum ate a slice of the light (съел ломтик легкого; to eat-ate-eaten; slice — ломоть, часть, кусок), nourishing bread of his people (питательного вадагского хлеба: «хлеба своего народа») and sat with his back against the bole of an old oak (и сел со спиной напротив = прислонившись спиной к стволу старого дуба; to sit-sat-sat; bole — /толстый/ ствол, пень) while his horse cropped the grass of the river bank (пока его конь щипал траву речного берега; to crop — собирать урожай, подстригать; объедать /траву, листья/).

steadily ['stedl] pause [p:z] valley ['vael] nourishing ['nr] grass [r:s]

He rode steadily for three more days without pause until the red horse showed signs of tiredness and, in a little valley through which a cold stream flowed, he made camp and rested for a while.

Corum ate a slice of the light, nourishing bread of his people and sat with his back against the bole of an old oak while his horse cropped the grass of the river bank.

Corum's silver helm lay beside him (серебряный шлем Корума лежал рядом с ним), together with his axe and sword (вместе с его топором и мечом). He breathed the leafy air (он вдыхал пахнувший листвой воздух; leafy — лиственный, листовой) and relaxed (и расслаблялся) as he contemplated the peaks of the mountains (когда созерцал = созерцая вершины гор; to contemplate — обозревать, размышлять), blue, grey and white (синие, серые и белые) in the distance (вдалеке). This was pleasant, peaceful country (это была отрадная, спокойная страна; peaceful — мирный, тихий; country — страна, местность; деревня) and he was enjoying his journey through it (он наслаждался своим путешествием по ней). Once, he knew (однажды, он знал), it had been inhabited (она населялась = здесь находилось) by several Vadhagh estates (несколько вадагских имений; estate — имение, поместье; имущество), but there was no trace of them now (но не было их следов теперь = от них не осталось и следа). It was as if they had grown into the landscape (/это было/ словно они слились с пейзажем; to grow into — врастать, превращаться; to grow-grew-grown) or been engulfed by it (или были поглощены им). Once or twice (раз или два) he had seen strangely shaped rocks (он видел странной формы скалы; shape — форма, очертание, вид) where Vadhagh castles had stood (где вадагские замки стояли; to stand-stood-stood), but they had been no more than rocks (но они были не более, чем скалами). It occurred to him (ему пришло в голову) that these rocks were the transmogrified remains of Vadhagh dwellings (что эти скалы были мистическим образом измененными останками вадагских жилищ; to transmogrify — превращать/ся/, изменять/ся/ необыкновенным, таинственным образом; dwelling — жилище, местожительство), but his intellect rejected such an impossibility (но его ум отверг подобную невероятность; to reject — отвергать, отказывать/ся/). Such imaginings (такие представления; imaginings — грезы) were the stuff of poetry (были пищей для поэзии; stuff — материя, вещество, хлам; продукты питания), not of reason (а не рассудка; reason — разум, интеллект; благоразумие).

contemplated ['kntmplet] mountains ['mauntnz] country ['kntr] engulfed [n'lft] transmogrified [traenz'mrfa] poetry ['putr]

Corum's silver helm lay beside him, together with his axe and sword. He breathed the leafy air and relaxed as he contemplated the peaks of the mountains, blue, grey and white in the distance. This was pleasant, peaceful country and he was enjoying his journey through it. Once, he knew, it had been inhabited by several Vadhagh estates, but there was no trace of them now. It was as if they had grown into the landscape or been engulfed by it. Once or twice he had seen strangely shaped rocks where Vadhagh castles had stood, but they had been no more than rocks. It occurred to him that these rocks were the transmogrified remains of Vadhagh dwellings, but his intellect rejected such an impossibility. Such imaginings were the stuff of poetry, not of reason.

He smiled at his own foolishness (он улыбнулся своей собственной глупости) and settled himself more comfortably against the tree (и устроился более удобно под деревом; to settle — поселить/ся/, обосноваться; усаживать/ся/, размещать/ся/). In another three days (еще через три дня) he would be at Castle Crachah (он будет в замке Крашах), where his aunt the Princess Lorim lived (где его тетка принцесса Лорим живет). He watched as his horse folded its legs (он посмотрел, как его конь подогнул ноги; to fold — сгибать, складывать, сворачивать) and lay down beneath the trees to sleep (и лег под деревьями, чтобы поспать; to lie down — ложиться, прилечь) and he wrapped his scarlet coat about him (завернул свой алый плащ вокруг себя = укутался в плащ; to wrap — завертывать, оборачивать), raised the hood and slept also (поднял капюшон и тоже заснул; to raise — поднимать, повышать /в звании и т. д. /; to sleep-slept-slept).

comfortably ['kmftbl] aunt [:nt] beneath [b'ni:]

He smiled at his own foolishness and settled himself more comfortably against the tree. In another three days he would be at Castle Crachah, where his aunt the Princess Lorim lived. He watched as his horse folded its legs and lay down beneath the trees to sleep and he wrapped his scarlet coat about him, raised the hood and slept also.

Towards the middle of the following morning (около середины следующего утра) Prince Corum was awakened by sounds (был разбужен звуками; to awaken — просыпаться; пробуждать /чувство/) that somehow did not fit the forest (которые как-то не подходили лесу = не свойственными лесу; to fit — быть впору, подходить, соответствовать). His horse had heard them too (конь услышал их также; to hear-heard-heard), for it was up (потому что поднялся; to be up — вставать, подниматься) and sniffing at the air (и принюхивался к воздуху; to sniff — сопеть, фыркать, втягивать носом воздух), showing small signs of agitation (проявляя небольшие признаки беспокойства; sign — знак, символ, признак, жест).