`If you wish to continue your existence a while longer, I have no objection. You cannot leave my palace, you see. And while your naivete continues to entertain me, why should I destroy you?
`Do you not fear me at all?
`I fear you not at all.
`Do you not fear what I represent?
`What do you represent?
`Justice.
Again Arioch laughed.
`Oh, you think so narrowly (ты мыслишь так узко). There is no such thing (нет такой вещи /как справедливость/)!
`It existed when the Lords of Law ruled here (она существовала, когда Владыки Закона правили здесь).
`Everything may exist for a short while — even justice (все может существовать недолго — даже справедливость). But the true state of the universe is anarchy (но истинное состояние вселенной — анархия). It is the mortal's tragedy that he can never accept this (трагедия смертного в том, что он никогда не сможет принять это).
Corum could not reply (Корум не смог ответить). He seated himself at the table and began to eat (он сел за стол и начал есть). Arioch did not eat with him, but sat on the other side of the table and poured himself some wine (Ариох не ел с ним, но сел на другом конце стола и налил себе вина). Corum stopped eating (Корум перестал есть). Arioch smiled (улыбнулся).
anarchy ['aenk] tragedy ['traed]
`Oh, you think so narrowly. There is no such thing!
`It existed when the Lords of Law ruled here.
`Everything may exist for a short while — even justice. But the true state of the universe is anarchy. It is the mortal's tragedy that he can never accept this.
Corum could not reply. He seated himself at the table and began to eat. Arioch did not eat with him, but sat on the other side of the table and poured himself some wine. Corum stopped eating. Arioch smiled.
`Do not fear, Corum (не бойся, Корум). It is not poisoned (не отравлено). Why should I resort to such things as poison (зачем мне прибегать к такой вещи, как яд)?
Corum resumed eating (Корум продолжил есть). When he had finished he said (когда он закончил, то сказал):
`Now I would rest, if I am to be your guest (теперь я бы отдохнул, если я твой гость).
`Ah, Arioch seemed perplexed (Ариох казался озадаченным/сбитым с толку). `Yes — well, sleep, then (да, что ж, спи тогда).
He waved his hand and Corum fell face forward upon the table (он взмахнул рукой, и Корум упал лицом на стол). And slept (и заснул).
poisoned ['pz nd] resort [r'z:t] guest [est]
`Do not fear, Corum. It is not poisoned. Why should I resort to such things as poison?
Corum resumed eating. When he had finished he said:
`Now I would rest, if I am to be your guest.
`Ah, Arioch seemed perplexed. `Yes — well, sleep, then.
He waved his hand and Corum fell face forward upon the table. And slept.
CHAPTER SEVEN (глава седьмая)
The Bane of the Sword Rulers (проклятье Повелителей Мечей)
Corum stirred and forced his eyes open (Корум пошевелился и заставил себя открыть глаза). The table had gone (стол исчез). Gone, too, was Arioch (Ариох тоже исчез). The vast hall was in darkness, illuminated only by faint light issuing from a few of the doorways and galleries (громадный зал был /погружен/ во тьму, освещенный лишь слабым светом, исходившим из нескольких дверных проемов и галерей).
He stood up (он встал). Was he dreaming (уж не снилось ли ему /это/)? Or had he dreamed everything that had happened earlier (может, ему приснилось все то, что произошло раньше)? Certainly all the events had had the quality of dreams become reality (конечно, все те события имели черты = были похожи на сны, ставшие реальностью;
But where had Duke Arioch gone (но куда пропал герцог Ариох)? Had he left on some mission of the world (может, он отбыл с какой-то великой миссией;
entire [n'ta] influence ['nfluns] predict [pr'dkt]