Negore looked at it shortly and carelessly. It was a vast slide that broke the straight wall of a cliff, and was overrun with brush and creeping plants, where a score of tribes could have lain well hidden.

He shook his head (он покачал головой). "Nay, there be nothing there (нет, там ничего нет)," he said. "The way is clear (путь свободен)."

Again Ivan spoke to Karduk (снова Иван заговорил с Кардуком), and Karduk said:

"Know, strange brother (знай, чужой брат), if thy talk be not straight (если твои слова не будут искренними), and if thy people block the way and fall upon Ivan and his men (и если твой народ перекроет дорогу и нападет на Ивана и его людей), that thou shalt die, and at once (ты умрешь и тотчас; at once — сразу же, тотчас же, немедленно)."

"My talk is straight (моя речь честна)," Negore said. "The way is clear (путь свободен)."

fall [fLl], once [wAns], clear [klIq]

He shook his head. "Nay, there be nothing there," he said. "The way is clear."

Again Ivan spoke to Karduk, and Karduk said:

"Know, strange brother, if thy talk be not straight, and if thy people block the way and fall upon Ivan and his men, that thou shalt die, and at once."

"My talk is straight," Negore said. "The way is clear."

Still Ivan doubted (однако Иван сомневался), and ordered two of his Slavonian hunters to go up alone (и приказал подняться вверх лишь двум из своих славян-охотников). Two other men he ordered to the side of Negore (двух других солдат он разместил возле Негора; to order — располагать в определенном порядке; выстраивать в боевом порядке; side — пространство вблизи кого-либо/чего-либо). They placed their guns against his breast and waited (они приложили свои ружья к груди Негора и ждали). All waited (все ждали). And Negore knew (и Негор знал), should one arrow fly (если полетит одна стрела), or one spear be flung (или если будет брошено одно копье; to fling — метать, бросать), that his death would come upon him (к нему придет смерть). The two Slavonian hunters toiled upward (два славянских охотника с трудом поднимались вверх; to toil — с трудом идти, тащиться) till they grew small and smaller (пока не стали меньше и меньше = становясь все меньше и меньше), and when they reached the top and waved their hats that all was well (и когда они добрались до вершины и замахали шапками, что все в порядке), they were like black specks against the sky (они были словно черные точки на фоне неба; speck — пятно, пятнышко, крапинка, точка).

order ['Ldq], breast [brest], death [deT]

Still Ivan doubted, and ordered two of his Slavonian hunters to go up alone. Two other men he ordered to the side of Negore. They placed their guns against his breast and waited. All waited. And Negore knew, should one arrow fly, or one spear be flung, that his death would come upon him. The two Slavonian hunters toiled upward till they grew small and smaller, and when they reached the top and waved their hats that all was well, they were like black specks against the sky.

The guns were lowered from Negore's breast (ружья опустили с груди Негора) and Ivan gave the order for his men to go forward (и Иван отдал приказ своим воинам идти вперед). Ivan was silent, lost in thought (Иван молчал, погруженный в размышления). For an hour he marched (час он шел), as though puzzled (как будто озадаченный), and then, through Karduk's mouth (а потом устами Кардука), he said to Negore:

"How didst thou know the way was clear (откуда ты узнал, что дорога свободна) when thou didst look so briefly upon it (когда ты так мельком взглянул на нее; briefly — коротко, кратко, сжато)?"

forward ['fLwqd], hour ['auq], briefly ['brJflI]

The guns were lowered from Negore's breast and Ivan gave the order for his men to go forward. Ivan was silent, lost in thought. For an hour he marched, as though puzzled, and then, through Karduk's mouth, he said to Negore:

"How didst thou know the way was clear when thou didst look so briefly upon it?"

Negore thought of the little birds (Негор думал о маленьких птичках) he had seen perched among the rocks and upon the bushes (которых он видел сидящими среди скал и на кустах), and smiled (и улыбнулся), it was so simple (это было так просто); but he shrugged his shoulders and made no answer (но он пожал плечами и не ответил). For he was thinking, likewise, of another passage up the rocks (ибо он думал также о другом проходе в скалах), to which they would soon come (к которому они скоро придут), and where the little birds would all be gone (и где совершенно не будет маленьких птичек; all — совершенно, совсем; gone — пропавший, потерянный). And he was glad that Karduk came from the Great Fog Sea (и он был рад, что Кардук родом с Великого Туманного Моря), where there were no trees or bushes (где нет деревьев и кустов), and where men learned water-craft instead of land-craft and wood-craft (и где люди учились морским знаниям вместо знания земли и леса; water-craft — искусство навигации; woodcraft — знание леса, умение ориентироваться в лесу; craft — ловкость, умение, искусство).

answer ['Rnsq], learn [lWn], instead [In'sted]

Negore thought of the little birds he had seen perched among the rocks and upon the bushes, and smiled, it was so simple; but he shrugged his shoulders and made no answer. For he was thinking, likewise, of another passage up the rocks, to which they would soon come, and where the little birds would all be gone. And he was glad that Karduk came from the Great Fog Sea, where there were no trees or bushes, and where men learned water-craft instead of land-craft and wood-craft.

Three hours later (три часа спустя), when the sun rode overhead (когда солнце парило над головой; to ride — ехать верхом, скакать; парить; плыть; скользить), they came to another passage up the rocks (они пришли к другому проходу в скалах), and Karduk said:

"Look with all thine eyes, strange brother (посмотри своими глазами, чужой брат), and see if the way be clear (и выясни, свободен ли путь), for Ivan is not minded this time to wait while men go up before (ибо Иван не расположен на этот раз ждать, пока поднимутся прежде воины; minded — расположенный, готовый /что-либо сделать/)."

Negore looked (Негор посмотрел), and he looked with two men by his side (и смотрел с двумя солдатами рядом с ним), their guns resting against his breast (/в то время как/ их ружья покоились на его груди). He saw that the little birds were all gone (он видел, что совсем нет маленьких птичек), and once he saw the glint of sunlight on a rifle-barrel (а один раз увидел блеск солнца на ружейном дуле). And he thought of Oona, and of her words (и он вспомнил Уну и ее слова; to think of — вспоминать): "And when the fighting begins (а когда начнется бой), it is for thee, Negore, to crawl secretly away (тебе, Негор, нужно скрытно отползти) so that thou be not slain (чтобы тебя не убили)."

mind [maInd], bird [bWd], rifle [raIfl]

Three hours later, when the sun rode overhead, they came to another passage up the rocks, and Karduk said:

"Look with all thine eyes, strange brother, and see if the way be clear, for Ivan is not minded this time to wait while men go up before."