As the silence became painful (когда молчание стало тягостным) I concluded to hazard a little conversation (я решился осмелиться на небольшой разговор;
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;
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;
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;
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]
He exchanged a few words with his men, motioned to me that I would ride behind one of them, and then mounted his own animal. The fellow designated reached down two or three hands and lifted me up behind him on the glossy back of his mount, where I hung on as best as I could by the belts and straps which held the Martian's weapons and ornaments.
The entire cavalcade then turned and galloped away toward the range of hills in the distance.
CHAPTER IV
We had gone perhaps ten miles (мы проехали около десяти миль) when the ground began to rise very rapidly (когда поверхность земли стала повышаться очень быстро). We were, as I was later to learn (мы, как я узнал позже), nearing the edge of one of Mars' long-dead seas (приближались к берегу одного из марсианских давно высохших морей), in the bottom of which my encounter with the Martians had taken place (на дне которого состоялась моя встреча с марсианами).
perhaps [pq'hxps], rapid ['rxpId], near [nIq]
We had gone perhaps ten miles when the ground began to rise very rapidly. We were, as I was later to learn, nearing the edge of one of Mars' long-dead seas, in the bottom of which my encounter with the Martians had taken place.
In a short time we gained the foot of the mountains (вскоре мы достигли подножия гор), and after traversing a narrow gorge (и после того, как /мы/ пересекли узкое ущелье) came to an open valley (выехали на открытую долину), at the far extremity of which was a low table land (на дальнем конце которой было низкое плоскогорье;
traverse ['trxvWs], ruined ['rHInd], abruptly [q'brAptlI]
In a short time we gained the foot of the mountains, and after traversing a narrow gorge came to an open valley, at the far extremity of which was a low table land upon which I beheld an enormous city. Toward this we galloped, entering it by what appeared to be a ruined roadway leading out from the city, but only to the edge of the table land, where it ended abruptly in a flight of broad steps.
Upon closer observation I saw, as we passed them (при ближайшем рассмотрении я заметил, когда мы проезжали мимо них), that the buildings were deserted (что здания были покинуты;
observation ["Obzq'veISn], surrounding [sq'raundIN], suave [swRv]
Upon closer observation I saw, as we passed them, that the buildings were deserted, and while not greatly decayed had the appearance of not having been tenanted for years, possibly for ages. Toward the center of the city was a large plaza, and upon this and in the buildings immediately surrounding it were camped some nine or ten hundred creatures of the same breed as my captors, for such I now considered them despite the suave manner in which I had been trapped.
With the exception of their ornaments all were naked (за исключением украшений, все были обнажены). The women varied in appearance but little from the men (женщины лишь немногим отличались по внешности от мужчин), except that their tusks were much larger in proportion to their height (за исключением того, что их клыки были намного больше по размеру в пропорциональном отношении к их росту), in some instances curving nearly to their high-set ears (и в некоторых случаях загибались почти до их высоко расположенных ушей). Their bodies were smaller and lighter in color (тела их были меньше по размеру и более светлого оттенка), and their fingers and toes bore the rudiments of nails (а на пальцах рук и ног были видны: «несли» зачатки ногтей), which were entirely lacking among the males (которые полностью отсутствовали у мужчин;
The children were light in color (дети были светлого цвета), even lighter than the women (даже светлее, чем женщины), and all looked precisely alike to me (и все выглядели для меня совершенно одинаково), except that some were taller than others; older, I presumed (за исключением того, что некоторые были выше остальных, — старше, как я предположил).
curve [kWv], rudiment ['rHdImqnt], entirely [In'taIqlI], presume [prI'zjHm]
With the exception of their ornaments all were naked. The women varied in appearance but little from the men, except that their tusks were much larger in proportion to their height, in some instances curving nearly to their high-set ears. Their bodies were smaller and lighter in color, and their fingers and toes bore the rudiments of nails, which were entirely lacking among the males. The adult females ranged in height from ten to twelve feet.
The children were light in color, even lighter than the women, and all looked precisely alike to me, except that some were taller than others; older, I presumed.
I saw no signs of extreme age among them (я не заметил у них никаких признаков глубокой старости), nor is there any appreciable difference in their appearance (также не наблюдается никакого заметного изменения в их внешности;
Only about one Martian in a thousand dies of sickness or disease (только примерно один марсианин из тысячи умирает от недомогания или болезни), and possibly about twenty take the voluntary pilgrimage (и, возможно, около двадцати добровольно отправляются в странствие: «предпринимают добровольное странствие»). The other nine hundred and seventy-nine die violent deaths in duels (остальные девятьсот семьдесят девять умирают насильственной смертью на дуэлях), in hunting, in aviation and in war (на охоте, при авиационных перелетах и на войне); but perhaps by far the greatest death loss comes during the age of childhood (но, возможно, самая большая смертность случается в детском возрасте;
appreciable [q'prJSqbl], pilgrimage ['pIlgrImIG], embarking [Im'bRkIN], disease [dI'zJz], perhaps [pq'hxps]
I saw no signs of extreme age among them, nor is there any appreciable difference in their appearance from the age of maturity, about forty, until, at about the age of one thousand years, they go voluntarily upon their last strange pilgrimage down the river Iss, which leads no living Martian knows whither and from whose bosom no Martian has ever returned, or would be allowed to live did he return after once embarking upon its cold, dark waters.
Only about one Martian in a thousand dies of sickness or disease, and possibly about twenty take the voluntary pilgrimage. The other nine hundred and seventy-nine die violent deaths in duels, in hunting, in aviation and in war; but perhaps by far the greatest death loss comes during the age of childhood, when vast numbers of the little Martians fall victims to the great white apes of Mars.
The average life expectancy of a Martian (средняя продолжительность жизни марсианина;
aviation ["eIvI'eIS(q)n], longevity [lOn'GevItI], therapeutic ["Terq'pjHtIk]
The average life expectancy of a Martian after the age of maturity is about three hundred years, but would be nearer the one-thousand mark were it not for the various means leading to violent death. Owing to the waning resources of the planet it evidently became necessary to counteract the increasing longevity which their remarkable skill in therapeutics and surgery produced, and so human life has come to be considered but lightly on Mars, as is evidenced by their dangerous sports and the almost continual warfare between the various communities.
There are other and natural causes tending toward a diminution of population (существуют и другие, естественные причины, ведущие к уменьшению населения;
As we neared the plaza and my presence was discovered (когда мы подошли к площади и мое присутствие было замечено), we were immediately surrounded by hundreds of the creatures (мы были немедленно окружены сотнями созданий) who seemed anxious to pluck me from my seat behind my guard (которые, казалось, изо всех сил стремились стащить меня с моего сиденья позади моего стража
diminution ["dImI'njHSn], anxious ['xNkSqs], edifice ['edIfIs]
There are other and natural causes tending toward a diminution of population, but nothing contributes so greatly to this end as the fact that no male or female Martian is ever voluntarily without a weapon of destruction.
As we neared the plaza and my presence was discovered, we were immediately surrounded by hundreds of the creatures who seemed anxious to pluck me from my seat behind my guard. A word from the leader of the party stilled their clamor, and we proceeded at a trot across the plaza to the entrance of as magnificent an edifice as mortal eye has ever rested upon.
The building was low, but covered an enormous area (здание было низким, но занимало огромную площадь). It was constructed of gleaming white marble (оно было сооружено из сверкающего белого мрамора;
scintillate ['sIntIleIt], stairway [steqweI], encircle [In'sWkl]
The building was low, but covered an enormous area. It was constructed of gleaming white marble inlaid with gold and brilliant stones which sparkled and scintillated in the sunlight. The main entrance was some hundred feet in width and projected from the building proper to form a huge canopy above the entrance hall. There was no stairway, but a gentle incline to the first floor of the building opened into an enormous chamber encircled by galleries.
On the floor of this chamber, which was dotted with highly carved wooden desks and chairs (на полу этого зала, который был заставлен деревянными столами и стульями, богато украшенными резьбой;
precious ['preSqs], squat [skwOt], leather ['leDq], brilliant ['brIlIqnt]
On the floor of this chamber, which was dotted with highly carved wooden desks and chairs, were assembled about forty or fifty male Martians around the steps of a rostrum. On the platform proper squatted an enormous warrior heavily loaded with metal ornaments, gay-colored feathers and beautifully wrought leather trappings ingeniously set with precious stones. From his shoulders depended a short cape of white fur lined with brilliant scarlet silk.
What struck me as most remarkable (что поразило меня как самое удивительное;
assemblage [q'semblIdZ], scarcely ['skeqslI], antiquity [xn'tIkwItI]
What struck me as most remarkable about this assemblage and the hall in which they were congregated was the fact that the creatures were entirely out of proportion to the desks, chairs, and other furnishings; these being of a size adapted to human beings such as I, whereas the great bulks of the Martians could scarcely have squeezed into the chairs, nor was there room beneath the desks for their long legs. Evidently, then, there were other denizens on Mars than the wild and grotesque creatures into whose hands I had fallen, but the evidences of extreme antiquity which showed all around me indicated that these buildings might have belonged to some long-extinct and forgotten race in the dim antiquity of Mars.
Our party had halted at the entrance to the building (наш отряд остановился у входа в здание), and at a sign from the leader I had been lowered to the ground (и по знаку вождя меня опустили на землю). Again locking his arm in mine (опять /он/ обхватил мою руку своей), we had proceeded into the audience chamber (и так мы проследовали в зал для аудиенций). There were few formalities observed in approaching the Martian chieftain (лишь немногие формальности соблюдались при приближении к вождю марсиан;
audience ['O: dIqns], chieftain ['tSi: ftqn], utter ['Atq], ruler ['ru: lq]
Our party had halted at the entrance to the building, and at a sign from the leader I had been lowered to the ground. Again locking his arm in mine, we had proceeded into the audience chamber. There were few formalities observed in approaching the Martian chieftain. My captor merely strode up to the rostrum, the others making way for him as he advanced. The chieftain rose to his feet and uttered the name of my escort who, in turn, halted and repeated the name of the ruler followed by his title.