`It is a game Arioch plays with him (Ариох играет с ним), murmured one of the Mabden warriors. `I learned that Shool has little power of his own at all (я узнал, что у Шула совсем мало своего собственного могущества). Arioch gives Shool the power he thinks is his own (Ариох дает Шулу силу, которую тот считает своей), for Arioch enjoys the sport of having an enemy with whom he can play (потому что Ариоху нравится развлекаться, имея врага, с которым он может играть). Every action Arioch makes is inspired by nothing but boredom (каждый поступок, который совершает Ариох, продиктован не чем иным, как скукой = совершается лишь от скуки;
boredom ['b:dm] expect [k'spekt]
Corum looked at the others. They were all nodding.
`Shool sent me! And me!
`And Shool sent me, said Corum. `I had not realised he had tried so many times before.
`It is a game Arioch plays with him, murmured one of the Mabden warriors. `I learned that Shool has little power of his own at all. Arioch gives Shool the power he thinks is his own, for Arioch enjoys the sport of having an enemy with whom he can play. Every action Arioch makes is inspired by nothing but boredom. And now you have his heart. Plainly he did not expect the game to get so out of hand.
`Aye, Corum agreed (согласился Корум). `It was only Arioch's carelessness that allowed me to reach this place (лишь беспечность Ариоха позволила мне добраться до этого места). Now, I return (теперь я возвращаюсь). I must find a way from the palace before he realises what has happened (я должен найти выход из дворца прежде, чем он поймет, что случилось).
`May we come with you (можно нам пойти с тобой)? the Mabden asked.
Corum nodded.
`But hurry (но торопитесь).
They crept back down the ramp (они прокрались обратно по пандусу).
Half-way down, one of the Mabden screamed, flailed at the air (на полпути назад один из мабденов вскрикнул, /принялся/ бить по воздуху;
carelessness ['kelsns] edge [e]
`Aye, Corum agreed. `It was only Arioch's carelessness that allowed me to reach this place. Now, I return. I must find a way from the palace before he realises what has happened.
`May we come with you? the Mabden asked.
Corum nodded.
`But hurry.
They crept back down the ramp.
Half-way down, one of the Mabden screamed, flailed at the air, staggered to the edge of the ramp and went drifting down into the sparkling emptiness.
Their pace increased until they reached the tiny crack at the bottom of the huge door and crawled through it, one by one (их шаг ускорился = они пошли быстрее, пока не дошли до маленькой трещины внизу огромной двери и не проползли через нее один за другим).
Down the ramp of light they went (они пошли вниз по пандусу из света). Through the gallery of coruscating marble (через галерею из сверкающего мрамора). Down the stairway into the darkened hall (вниз по лестнице в затемненный зал).
Corum sought the silver door through which he had entered the palace (Корум искал серебряную дверь, через которую вошел во дворец). He made one complete circuit of the hall (он сделал один полный круг = обошел кругом весь зал) and his feet were aching before he realised that the door had vanished (его ноги /начали/ болеть, прежде чем он понял, что дверь исчезла).
The hall was suddenly alive with light again and the vast, fat figure Corum had originally seen was laughing on the floor (зал внезапно осветился, и громадная жирная фигура Ариоха, которую Корум увидел первоначально, засмеялась на полу), lying amidst filth, with the Mabden parasites peering from out of the hair beneath his arms, from his navel, from his ears (лежа среди отбросов, а мабдены-паразиты выглядывали из волос под его руками = из-под рук, с пупка, из ушей).
aching ['ek] originally ['rn l] navel ['nev l]
Their pace increased until they reached the tiny crack at the bottom of the huge door and crawled through it, one by one.
Down the ramp of light they went. Through the gallery of coruscating marble. Down the stairway into the darkened hall.
Corum sought the silver door through which he had entered the palace. He made one complete circuit of the hall and his feet were aching before he realised that the door had vanished.