Вальтер Скотт - Легкое чтение на английском языке. В. Скотт. Айвенго / Sir Walter Scott. Ivanhoe

beside[bɪ’saɪd] , battle-axe[‘bætlæks], continue[kǝn’tɪnju:] , horseman[‘hɔ:smǝn]

When Prince John saw that the Queen of the tournament had arrived, he rode forward to meet her and led her to sit beside him in the royal gallery.

A herald read out the rules for the second day of the tournament: Apart from their lances, this time the knights would also be allowed to use swords and battle-axes. If a knight had been knocked off his horse, he could continue fighting on foot, but a mounted horseman would not be allowed to attack him. The fighting would stop as soon as Prince John gave the signal.

The knights rode into the lists(рыцари въехали /верхом/ на ристалище) and formed two groups of fifty men(и образовали две группы по пятьдесят человек; to form – придавать форму, придавать вид; составлять, образовывать ) at opposite ends of the lists(на противоположных концах арены) . They held their lances upright(они держали свои копья вертикально; upright – вертикально, прямо, стоймя ) and the points shone brightly in the sun(и /их/ наконечники сверкали ярко на солнце) . When the heralds blew their trumpets(когда герольды затрубили в трубы) , all the knights lowered their lances(все рыцари опустили свои копья) and galloped towards the centre of the lists(и галопом помчались к центру ристалища).

upright[‘ʌpraɪt] , brightly[‘braɪtlɪ] , lower[‘lǝʋǝ]

The knights rode into the lists and formed two groups of fifty men at opposite ends of the lists. They held their lances upright and the points shone brightly in the sun. When the heralds blew their trumpets, all the knights lowered their lances and galloped towards the centre of the lists.

The noise could be heard a mile away(шум /сражения/ можно было слышать за милю /от ристалища/; noise – шум, гам, грохот; гвалт, гудение, гул; неприятный звук; away – /отдаленность от данного места/ далеко ) , and for several minutes no one in the audience(и несколько минут никто из зрителей) could see anything through the great cloud of dust(не мог видеть ничего сквозь огромное облако пыли; cloud – облако; облако, клубы /пыли, дыма и т. п./ ) that had been raised by the horses’ hoofs(которое было поднято конскими копытами) . When the dust had settled again(когда пыль улеглась снова; to settle – усаживать/ся/; укладывать/ся/; устраивать/ся/ ) , half of the knights were lying on the ground(половина из рыцарей лежала на земле) . Some of them quickly jumped to their feet(некоторые из них быстро вскочили на ноги) while others, who were wounded more seriously(в то время как другие, которые были ранены более серьезно) , were struggling to get out of the lists(пробивались, чтобы выбраться с ристалища; to struggle – бороться; пробиваться; to get out – выходить, вылезать ).

noise[nɔɪz] , cloud[klaʋd] , hoof[hu:f]

The noise could be heard a mile away, and for several minutes no one in the audience could see anything through the great cloud of dust that had been raised by the horses’ hoofs. When the dust had settled again, half of the knights were lying on the ground. Some of them quickly jumped to their feet while others, who were wounded more seriously, were struggling to get out of the lists.

The mounted knights(конные рыцари) , whose lances had almost all been broken(чьи копья были почти что все сломаны) , continued fighting with their swords(продолжали сражаться на мечах) , shouting out war-cries(выкрикивая боевые кличи; war-cry – боевой клич ) , which were repeated by the excited audience(которые повторялись возбужденной публикой; to excite – возбуждать, волновать ) . Soon their shining armour(вскоре их блестящие доспехи) was completely covered in blood and dust(были полностью покрыты кровью и пылью) . The ladies in the audience clapped and shouted(дамы /сидящие меж/ зрителей хлопали в ладоши и кричали) , “Brave lance(храброе копье) ! Good sword(искусный меч; good – хороший; искусный, умелый ) !” to their favourite knights(своим любимым рыцарям; favourite – излюбленный, любимый, наиболее предпочтительный; возлюбленный ).

mounted[‘maʋntɪd] , war cry[‘wɔ:kraɪ], blood[blʌd] , favourite[‘feɪv(ǝ)rɪt]

The mounted knights, whose lances had almost all been broken, continued fighting with their swords, shouting out war-cries, which were repeated by the excited audience. Soon their shining armour was completely covered in blood and dust. The ladies in the audience clapped and shouted, “Brave lance! Good sword!” to their favourite knights.

“Fight on, brave knights(продолжайте драться, храбрые рыцари; on – указывает на продолжение или развитие действия ) !” shouted the heralds(кричали герольды) . “Man dies, but glory lives(человек умирает, но слава живет; glory – известность, популярность, слава ) ! Fight on, death is better than defeat(продолжайте биться, смерть лучше, чем поражение; defeat – проигрыш /в соревновании/; поражение, разгром /в военной баталии/ ) ! Fight on, brave knights(продолжайте сражаться, храбрые рыцари) !”

As the lists slowly became less and less crowded(пока ристалище медленно = постепенно становилось все менее и менее заполненным; crowded – переполненный, битком набитый ) , the audience could see that the Disinherited Knight and the Templar had finally met(зрители смогли увидеть, что рыцарь Лишенный наследства и тамплиер наконец-то встретились) and were fighting each other(и сражались друг с другом).