Читаем Английский язык с Р. Э. Говардом полностью

"That is Thak (это Так)," answered the priest, caressing his temple (ответил жрец, поглаживая висок). "Some would call him an ape (некоторые назвали бы его обезьяной), but he is almost as different from a real ape as he is different from a real man (но он почти так же отличается от настоящей обезьяны, как он отличается от настоящего человека). His people dwell far to the east (его народ живет далеко на востоке), in the mountains that fringe the eastern frontiers of Zamora (в горах, которые окаймляют восточные границы Заморы). There are not many of them (их немного); but, if they are not exterminated (но, если их не истребят), I believe they will become human beings in perhaps a hundred thousand years (я полагаю, они станут людьми, возможно, через сотню тысяч лет; human being — человек). They are in the formative stage (они сейчас находятся на стадии формирования); they are neither apes, as their remote ancestors were (они ни обезьяны, какими были их далекие предки), nor men, as their remote descendants may be (ни люди, какими могут стать их далекие потомки). They dwell in the high crags of well-nigh inaccessible mountains (они живут на высоких скалах почти недоступных гор; well-nigh — почти), knowing nothing of fire or the making of shelter or garments, or the use of weapons (ничего не зная об огне или изготовлении укрытий = жилищ, или одежды, или использовании оружия). Yet they have a language of a sort (однако у них есть в некотором роде язык; of a sort — некоторого рода, такой, так сказать), consisting mainly of grunts and clicks (который состоит главным образом из хрипов и щелкающих звуков; click — звук-щелчок, щелкающий звук).

frontier ['frnt], ancestor ['aensst], use [ju:s]

"That is Thak," answered the priest, caressing his temple. "Some would call him an ape, but he is almost as different from a real ape as he is different from a real man. His people dwell far to the east, in the mountains that fringe the eastern frontiers of Zamora. There are not many of them; but, if they are not exterminated, I believe they will become human beings in perhaps a hundred thousand years. They are in the formative stage; they are neither apes, as their remote ancestors were, nor men, as their remote descendants may be. They dwell in the high crags of well-nigh inaccessible mountains, knowing nothing of fire or the making of shelter or garments, or the use of weapons. Yet they have a language of a sort, consisting mainly of grunts and clicks.

"I took Thak when he was a cub (я взял Така, когда он был детенышем; to take), and he learned what I taught him much more swiftly and thoroughly (и он учился тому, чему я его учил гораздо быстрее и основательнее; to teach — обучать, преподавать; thoroughly — полностью; основательно) than any true animal could have done (чем могло бы /сделать/ любое истинное животное; to do). He was at once bodyguard and servant (он был одновременно телохранителем и слугой; at once — одновременно). But I forgot that being partly a man (но я забыл, что будучи частично человеком; to forget — забывать), he could not be submerged into a mere shadow of myself, like a true animal (он не мог бы погрузиться лишь в мою тень = стать лишь моей тенью, как истинное животное; to submerge — окунать; погружать). Apparently his semi-brain retained impressions of hate, resentment, and some sort of bestial ambition of its own (очевидно, его полу-мозг хранил впечатления/ощущения ненависти, чувство обиды и какое-то собственное звериное честолюбие; to retain — держать; сохранять; помнить; impression — впечатление; ощущение;resentment — негодование, возмущение; чувство обиды).

thoroughly ['rl], submerge [sb'm:], resentment [r'zentmnt]

"I took Thak when he was a cub, and he learned what I taught him much more swiftly and thoroughly than any true animal could have done. He was at once bodyguard and servant. But I forgot that being partly a man, he could not be submerged into a mere shadow of myself, like a true animal. Apparently his semi-brain retained impressions of hate, resentment, and some sort of bestial ambition of its own.

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