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altitude ['xltItju: d], broadside ['brO: dsaId], lurch [lWtS], sickening ['sIkqnIN]

At first the two forces circled at the same altitude, pouring broadside after broadside into each other. Presently a great hole was torn in the hull of one of the immense battle craft from the Zodangan camp; with a lurch she turned completely over, the little figures of her crew plunging, turning and twisting toward the ground a thousand feet below; then with sickening velocity she tore after them, almost completely burying herself in the soft loam of the ancient sea bottom.

A wild cry of exultation arose from the Heliumite squadron (дикий крик ликования раздался от эскадры гелиумцев; exultation — ликование, торжество; to arise — возникать; раздаваться), and with redoubled ferocity they fell upon the Zodangan fleet (и с удвоенной яростью они накинулись на зодангианский флот). By a pretty maneuver two of the vessels of Helium gained a position above their adversaries (благодаря удачному маневру два из кораблей Гелиума заняли позицию над своими противниками; pretty — миловидный, милый; хороший), from which they poured upon them (из которой они обрушили на них) from their keel bomb batteries (из своих бомбовых батарей у киля) a perfect torrent of exploding bombs (настоящий град: «ливень» взрывающихся бомб).

exultation ["egzAl'teIS(q)n], redouble [ri:'dAbl], pour [pO:]

A wild cry of exultation arose from the Heliumite squadron, and with redoubled ferocity they fell upon the Zodangan fleet. By a pretty maneuver two of the vessels of Helium gained a position above their adversaries, from which they poured upon them from their keel bomb batteries a perfect torrent of exploding bombs.

Then, one by one, the battleships of Helium succeeded in rising above the Zodangans (затем, одному за другим, боевым кораблям Гелиума удалось подняться над зодангианцами), and in a short time a number of the beleaguering battleships (и вскоре множество осаждавших /город/ военных кораблей; to beleaguer — осаждать, окружать) were drifting hopeless wrecks (дрейфовали /в виде/ беспомощных обломков) toward the high scarlet tower of greater Helium (по направлению к высокой алой башне большего Гелиума). Several others attempted to escape (несколько других попытались спастись бегством), but they were soon surrounded by thousands of tiny individual fliers (но вскоре они были окружены тысячами крошечных одноместных самолетиков), and above each hung a monster battleship of Helium ready to drop boarding parties upon their decks (и над каждым из них завис гигантский корабль Гелиума, готовый сбросить абордажные команды на их палубы; boarding — взятие на абордаж).

succeed [sqk'si: d], beleaguer [bI'li: gq], flier ['flaIq]

Then, one by one, the battleships of Helium succeeded in rising above the Zodangans, and in a short time a number of the beleaguering battleships were drifting hopeless wrecks toward the high scarlet tower of greater Helium. Several others attempted to escape, but they were soon surrounded by thousands of tiny individual fliers, and above each hung a monster battleship of Helium ready to drop boarding parties upon their decks.

Within but little more than an hour (прошло немногим более часа) from the moment the victorious Zodangan squadron (с того момента, когда победоносная зодангианская эскадра) had risen to meet us from the camp of the besiegers (поднялась навстречу нам из лагеря осаждавших /город/) the battle was over (как битва была окончена), and the remaining vessels of the conquered Zodangans (и оставшиеся суда побежденных зодангианцев) were headed toward the cities of Helium under prize crews (направились к городам Гелиума под управлением победивших экипажей).

There was an extremely pathetic side to the surrender of these mighty fliers (был чрезвычайно патетический момент при капитуляции этих могучих летающих судов; side — аспект, черта; surrender — сдача, капитуляция), the result of an age-old custom (результат векового обычая) which demanded that surrender should be signalized (который требовал, чтобы капитуляция была обозначена; to signalize — ознаменовывать, отмечать) by the voluntary plunging to earth of the commander of the vanquished vessel (добровольным прыжком на землю командира побежденного судна). One after another the brave fellows (один за другим эти храбрецы), holding their colors high above their heads (держа свои знамена высоко над головой), leaped from the towering bows of their mighty craft to an awful death (прыгали с высокой носовой части своих могучих судов навстречу ужасной смерти; towering — высокий, возвышающийся).

surrender [sq'rendq], signalize ['sIgnqlaIz], awful ['O: ful], towering ['tauqrIN]

Within but little more than an hour from the moment the victorious Zodangan squadron had risen to meet us from the camp of the besiegers the battle was over, and the remaining vessels of the conquered Zodangans were headed toward the cities of Helium under prize crews.

There was an extremely pathetic side to the surrender of these mighty fliers, the result of an age-old custom which demanded that surrender should be signalized by the voluntary plunging to earth of the commander of the vanquished vessel. One after another the brave fellows, holding their colors high above their heads, leaped from the towering bows of their mighty craft to an awful death.

Not until the commander of the entire fleet took the fearful plunge (и только когда командующий всем флотом совершил ужасающий прыжок), thus indicating the surrender of the remaining vessels (обозначив этим сдачу оставшихся судов), did the fighting cease (сражение прекратилось), and the useless sacrifice of brave men come to an end (и пришла к концу бесполезная трата жизней храбрецов; sacrifice — жертва; жертвоприношение).

We now signaled the flagship of Helium's navy to approach (тогда мы дали сигнал флагманскому кораблю Гелиума приблизиться), and when she was within hailing distance (и когда он был в пределах слышимости; hail — оклик; within hailing distance — в пределах слышимости) I called out that we had the Princess Dejah Thoris on board (я крикнул, что у нас на борту принцесса Дежа Торис), and that we wished to transfer her to the flagship (и что мы хотим пересадить ее на флагманский корабль; to transfer — перемещать) that she might be taken immediately to the city (чтобы ее могли немедленно доставить в город).

sacrifice ['sxkrIfaIs], hailing distance ['heIlIN" dIstqns], transfer [trxns'fW]

Not until the commander of the entire fleet took the fearful plunge, thus indicating the surrender of the remaining vessels, did the fighting cease, and the useless sacrifice of brave men come to an end.

We now signaled the flagship of Helium's navy to approach, and when she was within hailing distance I called out that we had the Princess Dejah Thoris on board, and that we wished to transfer her to the flagship that she might be taken immediately to the city.

As the full import of my announcement bore in upon them (когда до них дошел весь смысл моего сообщения; import — значение, смысл; to bear in — становиться ясным, понятным) a great cry arose from the decks of the flagship (продолжительный крик донесся с палуб флагманского корабля), and a moment later the colors of the Princess of Helium broke from a hundred points upon her upper works (и через мгновение цвета принцессы Гелиума появились в сотне мест на его верхней части; upper works — надводная часть судна; верхняя часть конструкции). When the other vessels of the squadron (когда другие суда эскадры) caught the meaning of the signals flashed them (поняли значение передаваемых им сигналов; to flash — сигнализировать) they took up the wild acclaim and unfurled her colors in the gleaming sunlight (они подхватили бурные крики ликования и развернули ее цвета в ярких лучах солнца; acclaim — радостное восклицание).

arose [q'rouz], acclaim [q'kleIm], unfurl [An'fWl]

As the full import of my announcement bore in upon them a great cry arose from the decks of the flagship, and a moment later the colors of the Princess of Helium broke from a hundred points upon her upper works. When the other vessels of the squadron caught the meaning of the signals flashed them they took up the wild acclaim and unfurled her colors in the gleaming sunlight.

The flagship bore down upon us (флагманский корабль спустился к нам), and as she swung gracefully to us and touched our side (и когда он грациозно развернулся к нам и прикоснулся к нашему борту; to swing — поворачивать) a dozen officers sprang upon our decks (дюжина офицеров прыгнули к нам на палубу). As their astonished gaze fell upon the hundreds of green warriors (когда их изумленный взгляд обратился на сотни зеленых воинов), who now came forth from the fighting shelters (которые теперь вышли вперед из-за боевых укрытий), they stopped aghast (они в ужасе остановились; aghast — ошеломленный, объятый страхом), but at sight of Kantos Kan, who advanced to meet them (но при виде Кантоса Кана, который направлялся им навстречу), they came forward, crowding about him (они вышли вперед и обступили его).

Dejah Thoris and I then advanced (после этого подошли Дежа Торис и я = мы с Дежой Торис), and they had no eyes for other than her (и они уже никого не видели, кроме нее). She received them gracefully (она приняла их любезно), calling each by name (называя каждого по имени), for they were men high in the esteem and service of her grandfather (так как это были люди глубоко почитаемые и занимающие высокое положение на службе у ее дедушки; esteem — уважение, почтение), and she knew them well (и она хорошо их знала).

gracefully ['greIsfulI], shelter ['Seltq], aghast [q'gQ: st], esteem [Is'ti: m]

The flagship bore down upon us, and as she swung gracefully to us and touched our side a dozen officers sprang upon our decks. As their astonished gaze fell upon the hundreds of green warriors, who now came forth from the fighting shelters, they stopped aghast, but at sight of Kantos Kan, who advanced to meet them, they came forward, crowding about him.

Dejah Thoris and I then advanced, and they had no eyes for other than her. She received them gracefully, calling each by name, for they were men high in the esteem and service of her grandfather, and she knew them well.

"Lay your hands upon the shoulder of John Carter," she said to them, turning toward me (положите ваши руки на плечо Джону Картеру, — сказала она им, поворачиваясь ко мне), "the man to whom Helium owes her princess as well as her victory today (человеку, которому Гелиум обязан своей принцессой, равно как своей сегодняшней победой)."

They were very courteous to me (они были очень учтивы со мной; courteous — вежливый, учтивый) and said many kind and complimentary things (и наговорили мне много любезностей), but what seemed to impress them most (но то, что, казалось, поразило их больше всего) was that I had won the aid of the fierce Tharks in my campaign for the liberation of Dejah Thoris (было то, что я заручился помощью жестоких тарков в моей кампании за освобождение Дежи Торис), and the relief of Helium (и снятия осады с Гелиума; relief — снятие осады).

courteous ['kWtjqs], campaign [kxm'peIn], liberation ["lIbq'reIS(q)n], relief [rI'li: f]

"Lay your hands upon the shoulder of John Carter," she said to them, turning toward me, "the man to whom Helium owes her princess as well as her victory today."

They were very courteous to me and said many kind and complimentary things, but what seemed to impress them most was that I had won the aid of the fierce Tharks in my campaign for the liberation of Dejah Thoris, and the relief of Helium.