Once again he had allowed himself to become a victim of the Mabden (снова он позволил себе стать жертвой мабденов). He rested his head on his arms (он положил голову на руки; to rest — покоиться, лежать; класть, прислонять) and fell, unwillingly, into a deep sleep (и погрузился, не желая того, в глубокий сон; unwillingly — неохотно, против воли).

Corum dreamed again (Корум снова увидел сон).

He saw Castle Erorn as he had left it when he had first ridden out (он видел замок Эрорн /таким/, каким он покинул его, когда впервые выехал = отправился в путь). He saw his father's wise face speaking (он увидел мудрое лицо отца, говорившего /что-то/) and strained to hear the words, but could not (и напряг /слух/, чтобы услышать слова, но не смог; to strain — напрягать/ся/). He saw his mother at work (он увидел свою мать за работой), writing her latest treatise on mathematics (писавшую свой последний труд по математике; treatise — трактат, научный труд). He saw his sisters dancing to his uncle's new music (он увидел своих сестер, танцевавших под новую музыку его дяди).

The atmosphere was joyful (атмосфера была радостной/счастливой).

treatise ['tri:tz] mathematics [, mae'maetks] uncle [kl] atmosphere ['aetmsf]

The woman had poisoned his food.

Once again he had allowed himself to become a victim of the Mabden. He rested his head on his arms and fell, unwillingly, into a deep sleep.

Corum dreamed again.

He saw Castle Erorn as he had left it when he had first ridden out. He saw his father's wise face speaking and strained to hear the words, but could not. He saw his mother at work, writing her latest treatise on mathematics. He saw his sisters dancing to his uncle's new music.

The atmosphere was joyful.

But now he realised that he could not understand their activities (но теперь он осознал, что не может понять их занятий). They seemed strange and pointless to him (они = их занятия казались ему странными и бессмысленными). They were like children playing, unaware that a savage beast stalked them (они были, словно играющие дети, не подозревающие, что дикий/свирепый зверь подкрался к ним; to stalk — подкрадываться; скрыто преследовать).

He tried to cry out — to warn them — but he had no voice (он попытался закричать — чтобы предупредить их — но у него не было голоса).

He saw fires begin to spring up in rooms (он видел, как огни = языки пламени начинают охватывать комнаты; to spring up — возникать; быстро расти) — saw Mabden warriors who had entered the unprotected gates (видел мабденских воинов, которые вошли через незащищенные ворота) without the inhabitants being in the least aware of their presence (без обитателей, хоть немного осознающих их присутствие = никто в замке ни о чем не подозревал; to be aware of — знать о, осознавать). Laughing among themselves (посмеиваясь /между собой/), the Mabden put the silk hangings and the furnishings to the torch (мабдены поджигали шелковые портьеры и мебель /факелом/; to put to the torch — предать огню; furnishings — предметы мебели, домашние принадлежности).

Now he saw his kinfolk again (теперь он увидел своих родных снова). They had become aware of the fires and were rushing to seek their source (они поняли, что /в замке/ пожар и бросились искать его источник; to become aware — ощущать; осознавать, понимать; to rush — бросаться, устремляться).

savage ['saev] stalked [st:kt] presence ['prez ns] source [s:s]

But now he realised that he could not understand their activities. They seemed strange and pointless to him. They were like children playing, unaware that a savage beast stalked them.

He tried to cry out — to warn them — but he had no voice.

He saw fires begin to spring up in rooms — saw Mabden warriors who had entered the unprotected gates without the inhabitants being in the least aware of their presence. Laughing among themselves, the Mabden put the silk hangings and the furnishings to the torch.

Now he saw his kinfolk again. They had become aware of the fires and were rushing to seek their source.

His father came into a room in which Glandyth-a-Krae stood (его отец вошел в комнату, в которой Гландит-а-Краэ стоял; to stand), hurling books on to a pyre he had erected in the middle of the chamber (швыряя книги в костер, /который/ развел в центре комнаты; pyre — погребальный костер; to erect — сооружать, возводить). His father watched in astonishment as Glandyth burned the books (его отец смотрел в изумлении, как Гландит сжигает книги). His father's lips moved and his eyes were questioning — almost polite surprise (губы отца шевелились, а глаза спрашивали = в глазах застыл вопрос — почти вежливое удивление). Glandyth turned and grinned at him (обернулся и ухмыльнулся ему), drawing his axe from his belt (вытаскивая топор из-за пояса). He raised the axe (он занес топор) …

Now Corum saw his mother (затем Корум увидел свою мать). Two Mabden held her while another heaved himself up and down on her naked body (двое мабденов держали ее, пока еще один = третий поднимался и опускался над ее обнаженным телом).

Corum tried to enter the scene, but something stopped him (Корум попытался проникнуть туда, но что-то остановило его; scene — место действия, события).

pyre ['pa] polite [p'lat] heaved [hi:vd] scene [si:n]

His father came into a room in which Glandyth-a-Krae stood, hurling books on to a pyre he had erected in the middle of the chamber. His father watched in astonishment as Glandyth burned the books. His father's lips moved and his eyes were questioning — almost polite surprise. Glandyth turned and grinned at him, drawing his axe from his belt. He raised the axe…

Now Corum saw his mother. Two Mabden held her while another heaved himself up and down on her naked body.

Corum tried to enter the scene, but something stopped him.

He saw his sisters and his cousin suffering the same fate as his mother (он видел своих сестер и кузину, разделивших участь его матери; to suffer — страдать, испытывать; fate — судьба; доля, жребий). Again his path to them was blocked by something invisible (снова его путь к ним был прегражден чем-то невидимым).