ozone ['uzun] decay [d'ke] pursued [p'sju:d] allies ['aelaz]

The ship reached the causeway and stopped. It reeked of ozone and of decay.

`If it be an illusion, Corum murmured grimly, `it is a good one.

Beldan made no reply.

In the distance they heard the barbarians blundering off through the forest. They heard the sound of the chariots turning as Glandyth pursued his allies. Though all the corpses were armed, they did not move, simply turned their heads, as one, towards the main gate of the castle.

Corum was transfixed in astonished terror (Корум остолбенел от удивления и ужаса; to transfix — пронзить, проткнуть; приковать к месту /об ужасе, удивлении и т. д. /). The events he was witnessing were like something from the superstitious mind of a Mabden (события, которые он наблюдал, были, словно что-то = напоминали видение суеверного разума мабдена). They could have no existence in actuality (они не могли существовать в действительности). Such images were those created by ignorant fear and morbid imagination (подобные образы были теми /образами/, порожденными невежественным страхом и болезненным воображением). They were something from the crudest and most barbaric of the tapestries he had looked at in the castle (они были чем-то = напоминали образы из самых грубых и примитивных гобеленов, на которые он смотрел в замке).

`What will they do now, Beldan (что они будут делать теперь, Белдан)?

`I have no understanding of the occult, prince (я не имею понимания = не разбираюсь в оккультизме; the occult — оккультные науки; occult — тайный, сокровенный). The Lady Rhalina is the only one of us who has made some study of such things (леди Ралина — единственная из нас, кто изучал подобные вещи). It was she who made this summoning (это она сотворила это заклятие). I only know that there is said to be a bargain involved (я знаю только, что говорится = речь идет о заключенной сделке; to involve — вовлекать, включать в себя; касаться, предусматривать) …

transfixed [traens'fkst] actuality [, aeku'aelt] occult ['klt] bargain ['b:n]

Corum was transfixed in astonished terror. The events he was witnessing were like something from the superstitious mind of a Mabden. They could have no existence in actuality. Such images were those created by ignorant fear and morbid imagination. They were something from the crudest and most barbaric of the tapestries he had looked at in the castle.

`What will they do now, Beldan?

`I have no understanding of the occult, prince. The Lady Rhalina is the only one of us who has made some study of such things. It was she who made this summoning. I only know that there is said to be a bargain involved…

`A bargain?

Beldan gasped (Белдан крикнул, задыхаясь). `The Margravine (маркграфиня)!

Corum saw that Rhalina, still walking in a trance (Корум увидел, что Ралина, по-прежнему шагая в трансе), had left the gates and was moving, calf-deep, along the causeway towards the ship (вышла из ворот и пошла, /погружаясь в воду/ по икры, по дамбе к кораблю). The head of the dead Margrave turned slightly and the green fire in his eye-sockets seemed to burn more deeply (голова мертвого маркграфа повернулась немного и зеленый огонь в его глазницах, казалось, запылал ярче; deep — глубокий; насыщенный, темный, густой /о цвете, красках и т. д. /).

`NO!

Corum raced from the battlements, leapt down the stairway (Корум бросился /вниз/ со стены, спрыгнул с лестницы; to leap; stairway — лестница, пролет лестницы) and stumbled through the main hall over the corpses of the fallen (и /побежал/, спотыкаясь о трупы павших, через главный зал).

`NO! Rhalina! NO!

calf [k:f] corpse [k:ps]

`A bargain?

Beldan gasped. `The Margravine!

Corum saw that Rhalina, still walking in a trance, had left the gates and was moving, calf-deep, along the causeway towards the ship. The head of the dead Margrave turned slightly and the green fire in his eye-sockets seemed to burn more deeply.

`NO!

Corum raced from the battlements, leapt down the stairway and stumbled through the main hall over the corpses of the fallen.

`NO! Rhalina! NO!

He reached the causeway and began to wade after her (он достиг дамбы и пошел вброд за ней; to wade — переходить вброд; пробираться /по грязи, снегу и т. д. /), the stench from the ship of the dead choking him (зловоние от корабля мертвых душило его).

`Rhalina!

It was a dream worse than any he had had since Glandyth's destruction of Castle Erorn (это был сон хуже, чем любой другой, виденный им после разрушения Гландитом замка Эрорн; to have a dream — видеть сон).

`Rhalina!

She had almost reached the ship when Corum caught up with her and seized her by the arm with his good hand (она почти дошла до корабля, когда Корум догнал ее и схватил за руку своей здоровой рукой).

She, seeming oblivious of him, continued to try to reach the ship (она, словно не видя его, продолжала пытаться дойти до корабля; obvious — забывающий, непомнящий; не обращающий внимания).

`Rhalina! What bargain did you make to save us (что за сделку ты заключила, чтобы спасти нас)? Why did this ship of the dead come here (зачем этот корабль мертвых приплыл сюда)?