denizen ['denIzn], equip [I'kwIp], finder ['faIndq]
These rifles were of a white metal stocked with wood, which I learned later was a very light and intensely hard growth much prized on Mars, and entirely unknown to us, denizens of Earth. The metal of the barrel is an alloy composed principally of aluminum and steel which they have learned to temper to a hardness far exceeding that of the steel with which we are familiar. The weight of these rifles is comparatively little, and with the small caliber, explosive, radium projectiles which they use, and the great length of the barrel, they are deadly in the extreme and at ranges which would be unthinkable on Earth. The theoretic effective radius of this rifle is three hundred miles, but the best they can do in actual service when equipped with their wireless finders and sighters is but a trifle over two hundred miles.
This is quite far enough to imbue me with great respect for the Martian firearm (этого, однако, более чем достаточно, чтобы преисполнить меня большим уважением к огнестрельному оружию марсиан; toimbue— пропитывать, проникать; насыщать/ожидкости/; вселять, наполнять), and some telepathic force (и некая телепатическая сила) must have warned me against an attempt to escape in broad daylight (должно быть, предостерегла меня от попытки бежать средь бела дня; broad— широкий; полный, совершенный) from under the muzzles of twenty of these death-dealing machines (из-под дул этих двадцати несущих смерть орудий; todeal— раздавать; наносить).
imbue [Im'bjH], telepathic ["telI'pxTIk], muzzle [mAzl]
This is quite far enough to imbue me with great respect for the Martian firearm, and some telepathic force must have warned me against an attempt to escape in broad daylight from under the muzzles of twenty of these death-dealing machines.
The Martians, after conversing for a short time (марсиане, переговорив между собой короткое время), turned and rode away in the direction from which they had come (повернулись и ускакали в том же направлении, откуда они явились), leaving one of their number alone by the enclosure (оставив одного из их числа в одиночестве у строения). When they had covered perhaps two hundred yards they halted (когда они проехали, возможно, двести ярдов, они остановились; tocover— покрывать; проехать), and turning their mounts toward us (и, повернув своих лошадей в нашу сторону), sat watching the warrior by the enclosure (сидели, наблюдая за воином у строения).
converse [kqn'vWs], cover ['kAvq], mount [maunt]
The Martians, after conversing for a short time, turned and rode away in the direction from which they had come, leaving one of their number alone by the enclosure. When they had covered perhaps two hundred yards they halted, and turning their mounts toward us, sat watching the warrior by the enclosure.
He was the one whose spear had so nearly transfixed me (это был тот самый /воин/, чье копье чуть не пронзило меня; totransfix— пронзать, прокалывать), and was evidently the leader of the band (и /он/, очевидно, был командиром этого отряда; band— отряд, организованнаягруппалюдей), as I had noted (так как я заметил) that they seemed to have moved to their present position at his direction (что они переместились в свою теперешнюю позицию по его приказанию). When his force had come to a halt (когда его отряд остановился; halt— остановка; tocometoahalt— остановиться) he dismounted, threw down his spear and small arms (он спешился, бросил вниз свое копье и стрелковое оружие; arms— оружие; smallarms— стрелковоеоружие), and came around the end of the incubator toward me (и /начал/ огибать инкубатор с краю по направлению ко мне), entirely unarmed and as naked as I (совершенно безоружный и обнаженный, как и я), except for the ornaments strapped upon his head, limbs, and breast (за исключением украшений, охватывающих его голову, конечности и грудь; ornament— украшение).
transfix [trxns'fIks], incubator ['InkjubeItq], naked ['neIkId]
He was the one whose spear had so nearly transfixed me, and was evidently the leader of the band, as I had noted that they seemed to have moved to their present position at his direction. When his force had come to a halt he dismounted, threw down his spear and small arms, and came around the end of the incubator toward me, entirely unarmed and as naked as I, except for the ornaments strapped upon his head, limbs, and breast.
When he was within about fifty feet of me (когда он оказался на расстоянии примерно пятидесяти футов от меня) he unclasped an enormous metal armlet (он расстегнул огромный металлический браслет; toclasp— застегивать, надевать), and holding it toward me in the open palm of his hand (и, протягивая его мне на открытой ладони руки), addressed me in a clear, resonant voice (обратился ко мне ясным, звучным голосом), but in a language (но на языке), it is needless to say (нет нужды и говорить; needless— ненужный, излишний), I could not understand (который я не мог понять). He then stopped as though waiting for my reply (затем он остановился, как будто ожидая моего ответа), pricking up his antennae-like ears (навострив свои подобные усикам/отросткам уши; toprick— колоть; toprickup— торчатьостриемвверх; antenna — антенна; усик, щупальце) and cocking his strange-looking eyes still further toward me (и вперяя в меня свои странные глаза еще упорнее: «дальше»; tocock— поднимать, загибатькверху/какпетухсвойхвост/; tococktheeye— многозначительновзглянуть; cock— петух).
enormous [I'nLmqs], resonant ['reznqnt], further ['fWDq]
When he was within about fifty feet of me he unclasped an enormous metal armlet, and holding it toward me in the open palm of his hand, addressed me in a clear, resonant voice, but in a language, it is needless to say, I could not understand. He then stopped as though waiting for my reply, pricking up his antennae-like ears and cocking his strange-looking eyes still further toward me.
As the silence became painful (когда молчание стало тягостным) I concluded to hazard a little conversation (я решился осмелиться на небольшой разговор; toconclude— заканчивать; решать; tohazard— рисковать; осмеливаться) on my own part (со своей стороны; part— часть; сторона), as I had guessed that he was making overtures of peace (так как я догадался, что он делает попытки к примирению; overture— инициатива; попыткапримирения). The throwing down of his weapons (отбрасывание оружия) and the withdrawing of his troop (и удаление своего отряда) before his advance toward me (перед приближением ко мне) would have signified a peaceful mission anywhere on Earth (обозначало бы миссию мира в любом месте на Земле), so why not, then, on Mars (тогда, почему бы, в таком случае, и не на Марсе)!
withdraw [wID'drL], peaceful ['pi:sful], mission [mISn]
As the silence became painful I concluded to hazard a little conversation on my own part, as I had guessed that he was making overtures of peace. The throwing down of his weapons and the withdrawing of his troop before his advance toward me would have signified a peaceful mission anywhere on Earth, so why not, then, on Mars!
Placing my hand over my heart (положив руку на сердце) I bowed low to the Martian (я низко поклонился марсианину) and explained to him that while I did not understand his language (и объяснил ему, что, хотя я и не понимаю его языка), his actions spoke for the peace and friendship (его поступки говорят о мире и дружбе) that at the present moment were most dear to my heart (которые в настоящий момент чрезвычайно дороги моему сердцу). Of course I might have been a babbling brook (конечно, я мог быть /просто/ говорливым ручейком = говорить все, что угодно; to babble — болтать; brook— ручей) for all the intelligence my speech carried to him (по всему тому смыслу, /который/ моя речь могла донести до него = мои слова были непонятны; intelligence — ум; сведения), but he understood the action (но он понял действие) with which I immediately followed my words (которое немедленно последовало за моими словами).
friendship ['frendSIp], babbling ['bxblIN], immediately [I'mJdjqtlI]
Placing my hand over my heart I bowed low to the Martian and explained to him that while I did not understand his language, his actions spoke for the peace and friendship that at the present moment were most dear to my heart. Of course I might have been a babbling brook for all the intelligence my speech carried to him, but he understood the action with which I immediately followed my words.
Stretching my hand toward him (протянув руку к нему), I advanced and took the armlet from his open palm (я приблизился и взял браслет с его открытой ладони), clasping it about my arm above the elbow (и надел его на руку выше локтя), smiled at him and stood waiting (улыбнулся ему и остался стоять, выжидая). His wide mouth spread into an answering smile (его широкий рот растянулся в ответной улыбке), and locking one of his intermediary arms in mine (и он сжал одной из своих промежуточных рук мою; tolock— сжимать, стискивать), we turned and walked back toward his mount (мы повернулись и направились назад к его верховому животному). At the same time he motioned his followers to advance (в то же время он сделал знак своим подчиненным приблизиться; tomotion— показатьжестом, знаком; follower— последователь; to follow smb. — следоватьзакем-либо). They started toward us on a wild run (они бросились к нам стремглав: «диким бегом»), but were checked by a signal from him (но были остановлены его сигналом; tocheck— останавливать, сдерживать). Evidently he feared that were I to be really frightened again (очевидно, он опасался, что если я действительно испугаюсь вновь) I might jump entirely out of the landscape (то я совсем выпрыгну из пейзажа: «исчезну из поля зрения»).
advance [qd'vQ:ns], motion [mouSn], frighten [fraItn], landscape ['lxnskeIp]
Stretching my hand toward him, I advanced and took the armlet from his open palm, clasping it about my arm above the elbow, smiled at him and stood waiting. His wide mouth spread into an answering smile, and locking one of his intermediary arms in mine, we turned and walked back toward his mount. At the same time he motioned his followers to advance. They started toward us on a wild run, but were checked by a signal from him. Evidently he feared that were I to be really frightened again I might jump entirely out of the landscape.
He exchanged a few words with his men (он обменялся несколькими словами со своими людьми), motioned to me that I would ride behind one of them (показал знаком, чтобы я ехал позади одного из них), and then mounted his own animal (а затем сел верхом на свое собственное животное). The fellow designated reached down two or three hands (назначенный /для выполнения этой задачи/ тип протянул две или три руки; todesignate— указывать; назначать/например, надолжность/) and lifted me up behind him on the glossy back of his mount (и поднял меня вверх, /посадив/ сзади себя на сверкающую спину своего коня), where I hung on as best as I could by the belts and straps (где я цеплялся как только мог за ремни и перевязи; tohangon— держаться, уцепиться) which held the Martian's weapons and ornaments (которыми крепилось оружие и украшения марсианина).
The entire cavalcade then turned (затем вся кавалькада повернула) and galloped away toward the range of hills in the distance (и понеслась галопом по направлению к гряде холмов, /видневшихся/ вдали).
reach [ri:tS], designate ['dezIgneIt], cavalcade ["kxvl'keId], distance ['dIst(q)ns]
