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`Have you no spells for bringing on rain, Sir Hanafax?

`I regret not. We priests scorn such primitive tricks.

`Useful tricks. Sorcerers seem to enjoy only the spectacular.

`I am afraid it is so. Hanafax sighed. `What about your own powers? Can you not, he shuddered, `summon some kind of aid from whatever netherworld it is your horrid allies came?

`I fear those allies are only useful in battle (боюсь, эти помощники полезны только в битве). I have no true conception of what they are or why they come (у меня нет точного понимания = я плохо представляю, кто они и почему приходят). I have come to believe that the sorcerer who fitted me with this hand and eye had no clearer idea himself (я стал думать, что колдун, который снабдил меня этой рукой и глазом, сам толком не знал). His work was something of an experiment, it seems (кажется, /этот/ его поступок был вроде опыта).

`You have noticed, I take it, that the sun does not appear to set in the Flamelands (ты заметил, полагаю, что солнце, похоже, /никогда/ не заходит в Огненных землях). We can expect no night to come to relieve us (мы не можем ждать, что = вряд ли наступит ночь и облегчит наши /страдания/; to relieve — помогать; ослаблять, облегчать).

Corum was about to reply when he saw something move a rise of black obsidian a short distance away (Корум собирался ответить, когда увидел, как что-то двинулось на холме из черного обсидиана недалеко).

`Hush, Sir Hanafax (тихо, сэр Ганафакс) …

conception [kənˈsepʃ (ə) n] experiment [ɪkˈsperɪmənt]

`I fear those allies are only useful in battle. I have no true conception of what they are or why they come. I have come to believe that the sorcerer who fitted me with this hand and eye had no clearer idea himself. His work was something of an experiment, it seems.

`You have noticed, I take it, that the sun does not appear to set in the Flamelands. We can expect no night to come to relieve us.

Corum was about to reply when he saw something move a rise of black obsidian a short distance away.

`Hush, Sir Hanafax…

Hanafax peered through the smoky heat (Ганафакс всмотрелся в дымную жару = даль).

`What is it (что это)?

And then they revealed themselves (и тут показались они).

There were about a score of them, mounted on beasts whose bodies were covered in thick, scaly skin resembling plate armour (около двадцати их = воинов, сидевших на животных, чьи тела были покрыты толстой, чешуйчатой кожей, напоминавшей пластинчатые доспехи). They had four short legs and cloven feet (у них были четыре короткие лапы и раздвоенные копыта; foot — ступня; лапа), a crest of horns jutted on heads and snouts and small, red eyes gleamed at them (рога на голове и носу и маленькие красные глаза, /смотревшие/ на них, сверкая; crest — гребень, гребешок; snout — рыло, морда; выступ; to jut — выдаваться, выступать). The riders were covered from head to foot in red garments of some shining material which hid even their faces and hands (наездники были закутаны с головы до ног в красные одеяния из какого-то сверкающего материала, которые скрывали даже их лица и руки). They had long, barbed lances for weapons (у них были длинные, зазубренные копья в качестве оружия).

snout [snaut] barbed [bɑ:bd] lance [lɑ:ns] weapon [ˈwepən]

Hanafax peered through the smoky heat.

`What is it?

And then they revealed themselves.

There were about a score of them, mounted on beasts whose bodies were covered in thick, scaly skin resembling plate armour. They had four short legs and cloven feet, a crest of horns jutted on heads and snouts and small, red eyes gleamed at them. The riders were covered from head to foot in red garments of some shining material which hid even their faces and hands. They had long, barbed lances for weapons.

Silently, they surrounded Corum and Hanafax (они молча окружили Корума и Ганафакса).

For a few moments there was silence, and then one of the riders spoke (несколько мгновений = некоторое время стояла тишина, потом один из наездников заговорил).

`What do you in our Flamelands, strangers (что делаете вы в наших Огненных землях, чужестранцы)?

`We are not here from choice (мы здесь не по своему выбору), replied Corum (ответил Корум). `An accident brought us to your country (случайность привела нас в вашу страну; accident — несчастный случай, авария; случай, случайность; to bring). We are peaceful (мы мирные).

`You are not peaceful. You bear swords (у вас мечи).

`We did not know there were any inhabitants to these lands (мы не знали, что в этих землях кто-то живет; inhabitant — житель, обитатель), Hanafax said. `We seek help (мы ищем = нам нужна помощь). We wish to leave (мы желаем уйти /отсюда/).

accident [ˈæksɪd (ə) nt] country [ˈkʌntrɪ]

Silently, they surrounded Corum and Hanafax.

For a few moments there was silence, and then one of the riders spoke.

`What do you in our Flamelands, strangers?

`We are not here from choice, replied Corum. `An accident brought us to your country. We are peaceful.

`You are not peaceful. You bear swords.

`We did not know there were any inhabitants to these lands, Hanafax said. `We seek help. We wish to leave.

`None may leave the Flamelands save to suffer a mighty doom (никто не может покинуть Огненные земли, кроме как пройдя страшное испытание; to suffer — страдать, испытывать, переживать; mighty — могучий, сильный). The voice was sonorous, even sad (голос был звонкий, даже печальный). `There is only one gateway and that is through the Lion's Mouth (есть только один выход — через Пасть Льва; gateway — ворота; вход, выход).

`Can we not (а не можем ли мы) …?

The riders began to close in (наездники начали окружать их; to close in — приближаться; окружать). Corum and Hanafax drew their swords (Корум и Ганафакс вытащили мечи).

`Well, Prince Corum, it seems we are to die (что ж, принц Корум, похоже, мы умрем).

Corum's face was grim (лицо Корума было мрачным/грозным). He pushed up his eye patch (он сдвинул наверх глазную повязку). For a moment his vision clouded and then he saw into the netherworld once again (на мгновение его зрение затуманилось, затем он снова увидел преисподнюю; to see into — всматриваться; проникать взором о что-либо). He wondered for a moment if it would not be better to die at the hands of the Flameland dwellers (на миг он усомнился, не лучше ли умереть от рук обитателей Огненных земель) but now he was looking at a cavern in which tall figures stood as if frozen (но вот он /уже/ смотрел на пещеру, в которой высокие фигуры стояли, словно замороженные). With a shock Corum recognised them as the dead warriors of the Ragha-da-Kheta (с потрясением Корум узнал в них мертвых воинов рага-да-кета), their wounds now bloodless, their eyes glazed (их раны теперь были бескровны, их глаза остекленели), their clothes and armour torn, their weapons still in their hands (одежда была порвана, доспехи пробиты, а их оружие по-прежнему в руках; to tear — рвать/ся/, разрывать/ся/; пробивать, ломать). They began to move towards him as his hand stretched out to summon them (они начали двигаться к нему, когда его рука протянулась, чтобы призвать их).

cavern [ˈkævən] recognised [ˈrekəɡnaɪzd]

`None may leave the Flamelands save to suffer a mighty doom. The voice was sonorous, even sad. `There is only one gateway and that is through the Lion's Mouth.

`Can we not…?

The riders began to close in. Corum and Hanafax drew their swords.

`Well, Prince Corum, it seems we are to die.

Corum's face was grim. He pushed up his eye patch. For a moment his vision clouded and then he saw into the netherworld once again. He wondered for a moment if it would not be better to die at the hands of the Flameland dwellers but now he was looking at a cavern in which tall figures stood as if frozen. With a shock Corum recognised them as the dead warriors of the Ragha-da-Kheta, their wounds now bloodless, their eyes glazed, their clothes and armour torn, their weapons still in their hands. They began to move towards him as his hand stretched out to summon them.

`NO! These, too, are my enemies (это тоже мои враги)! Corum shouted (закричал Корум).

Hanafax, unable to see what Corum saw, turned his head in astonishment (Ганафакс, не способный видеть /то/, что Корум видел, обернулся: «повернул голову» в изумлении).

The dead warriors came on (мертвые воины продолжали идти). The scene behind them faded (вид позади них исчез). They materialised on the obsidian rock of the Flamelands (они материализовались на обсидиановой скале Огненных земель).

Corum backed away, gesticulating wildly (Корум попятился, дико размахивая руками). The Flameland warriors drew their mounts to a stop in surprise (воины Огненных земель удивленно осадили своих животных). Hanafax's face was a mask of fear (лицо Ганафакса было маской страха = исказилось от ужаса).