surprise [sq'praIz], seriously ['sIqrIqslI], veterinarian ["vet(q)rI'nFqrIqn], ceramic [sI'rxmIk], chamber ['CeImbq], oven ['Avn], renege [rI'nJg]
Strange hit, Halston thought, and was surprised to find that he was taking it seriously as a hit. Maybe the strangest thing about it was that he actually liked the cat, felt a kinship with it. If it had managed to get rid of those three old crocks, more power to it...especially Gage, who had been taking it to Milford for a terminal date with a crew-cut veterinarian who would have been more than happy to bundle it into a ceramic-lined gas chamber the size of a microwave oven. He felt a kinship but no urge to renege on the hit. He would do it the courtesy of killing it quickly and well. He would park off the road beside one of those November-barren fields and take it out of the bag and stroke it and then snap its neck and sever its tail with his pocketknife. And, he thought, the body I'll bury honorably, saving it from the scavengers. I can't save it from the worms, but I can save it from the maggots.
He was thinking these things as the car moved through the night like a dark blue ghost (Хэлстон обдумывал все это, пока машина двигалась в ночи, словно темно-синее привидение) and that was when the cat walked in front of his eyes (и вот когда =
“Ssssshhhh (брысь) — ” Halston hissed (прошипел Хэлстон). He glanced to his right and caught a glimpse of the double-thickness shopping bag (он взглянул направо и мельком увидел хозяйственную сумку с двойными стенками), a hole chewed — or clawed — in its side (/и/ дыру, прогрызенную или процарапанную в ее стенке;
машина
).
Halston batted at the cat on the dashboard with his fist (Хэлстон кулаком ударил кота на приборной панели). It was blocking his field of vision (он закрывал ему обзор: «его поле зрения»). It spat at him, arching its back, but it didn't move (он =
). Halston swung again, and instead of shrinking away, it leaped at him (Хэлстон ударил снова, и вместо того, чтобы отскочить, кот прыгнул на него;
“Ssssshhhh —” Halston hissed. He glanced to his right and caught a glimpse of the double-thickness shopping bag, a hole chewed — or clawed — in its side. Looked ahead again.., and the cat lifted a paw and batted playfully at him. The paw skidded across Halston's forehead. He jerked away from it and the Plymouth's big tires wailed on the road as it swung erratically from one side of the narrow blacktop to the other.
Halston batted at the cat on the dashboard with his fist. It was blocking his field of vision. It spat at him, arching its back, but it didn't move. Halston swung again, and instead of shrinking away, it leaped at him.
Gage, he thought (Гейдж, подумал он). Just like Gage (совсем как Гейдж) —
He stamped the brake (он вдавил /педаль/ тормоза /в пол/;
). The cat was on his head (кот был =
to thud — удариться с глухим звуком; shock — удар, толчок; /= shock absorber/ амортизатор
inhuman — бесчеловечный; нечеловеческий
стон
to flex — сгибать
gouge [gaVG], throe [TrqV], climax ['klaImxks], springy ['sprINI], yield [jJld]
Gage, he thought. Just like Gage —
He stamped the brake. The cat was on his head, blocking his vision with its furry belly, clawing at him, gouging at him. Halston held the wheel grimly. He struck the cat once, twice, a third time. And suddenly the road was gone, the Plymouth was running down into the ditch, thudding up and down on its shocks. Then, impact, throwing him forward against his seat belt, and the last sound he heard was the cat yowling inhumanly, the voice of a woman in pain or in the throes of sexual climax.
He struck it with his closed fists and felt only the springy, yielding flex of its muscles.
Then, second impact. And darkness.
The moon was down (луна села = скрылась за горизонтом). It was an hour before dawn (до рассвета оставался /примерно/ час).
The Plymouth lay in a ravine curdled with groundmist (“плимут” лежал в овраге, окутанном стелющимся по земле туманом;
смешиваясь
).
No feeling in his legs (он не чувствовал своих ног;
to smash — ударяться; врезаться; to pin — прикалывать; придавить
Inside, close, the steady purr of the cat (внутри, рядом, мерное урчание кота).
It seemed to be grinning, like Alice's Cheshire had in Wonderland (казалось он ухмылялся, словно Чеширский Кот из “Алисы в стране чудес”: «как в Стране Чудес улыбался Чеширский /Кот/ Алисы»).
dawn [dLn], ravine [rq'vJn], curdle ['kq:dl], snarl [sna:l], length [leNT], radiator ['reIdIeItq], predatory ['predqt(q)rI]
The moon was down. It was an hour before dawn.
The Plymouth lay in a ravine curdled with groundmist. Tangled in its grille was a snarled length of barbed wire. The hood had come unlatched, and tendrils of steam from the breached radiator drifted out of the opening to mingle with the mist.
No feeling in his legs.
He looked down and saw that the Plymouth's firewall had caved in with the impact. The back of that big Cyclone Spoiler engine block had smashed into his legs, pinning them.
Outside, in the distance, the predatory squawk of an owl dropping onto some small, scurrying animal.
Inside, close, the steady purr of the cat.
It seemed to be grinning, like Alice's Cheshire had in Wonderland.
As Halston watched it stood up, arched its back, and stretched (Хэлстон видел, как кот встал, выгнул спину и потянулся). In a sudden limber movement like rippled silk (/одним/ внезапным гибким/проворным движением, словно струящийся шелк;
), it leaped to his shoulder (кот прыгнул на его плечо). Halston tried to lift his hands to push it off (Хэлстон попытался поднять руки, чтобы оттолкнуть его).
His arms wouldn't move (его руки не двигались).
Spinal shock, he thought (спинальный шок,подумал он;
). Paralyzed (парализован). Maybe temporary (возможно, временно). More likely permanent (скорее всего, постоянно/навсегда).
The cat purred in his ear like thunder (кот мурлыкал ему в ухо, и это звук казался раскатами грома: «словно гром»).
“Get off me (убирайся: «слезь с меня»),” Halston said. His voice was hoarse and dry (голос был сиплым: «хриплым и сухим»). The cat tensed for a moment and then settled back (кот напрягся на мгновение, а затем снова уселся = расслабился). Suddenly its paw batted Halston's cheek, and the claws were out this time (неожиданно его лапа ударила Хэлстона по щеке, и когти на этот раз были выпущены). Hot lines of pain down to his throat (горячие полоски боли =
to comply — делать уступки; выполнять /просьбу, приказ/
to snap — щелкать; цапнуть, укусить
to disgruntle — сердить, раздражать
spinal ['spaInl], temporary ['temp(q)rqrI], permanent ['pq:mqnqnt], thunder ['TAndq], hoarse [hLs], blood [blAd]
As Halston watched it stood up, arched its back, and stretched. In a sudden limber movement like rippled silk, it leaped to his shoulder. Halston tried to lift his hands to push it off.
His arms wouldn't move.
Spinal shock, he thought. Paralyzed. Maybe temporary. More likely permanent.
The cat purred in his ear like thunder.
“Get off me,” Halston said. His voice was hoarse and dry. The cat tensed for a moment and then settled back. Suddenly its paw batted Halston's cheek, and the claws were out this time. Hot lines of pain down to his throat.
And the warm trickle of blood.
Pain.
Feeling.
He ordered his head to move to the right, and it complied. For a moment his face was buried in smooth, dry fur. Halston snapped at the cat. It made a startled, disgruntled sound in its throat — yowk! — and leaped onto the seat. It stared up at him angrily, ears laid back.
“Wasn't supposed to do that, was I (не думал, что я это сделаю, да)?” Halston croaked (прохрипел Хэлстон;
may — выражаетпредположение, основанноенанеуверенности
).
The cat leaped at his face, claws out, spitting (кот с шипением бросился ему на лицо, /выпустив/ когти наружу).
Halston shut his eyes and opened his mouth (Хэлстон закрыл глаза и открыл рот). He bit at the cat's belly and got nothing but fur (он укусил кота в живот, но ухватил только шерсть;
to clasp — скреплять; сжимать, крепко схватить
enormous — громадный; чудовищный; brightly — ярко; to excruciate — истязать, мучить
такине
“Wasn't supposed to do that, was I?” Halston croaked. The cat opened its mouth and hissed at him. Looking at that strange, schizophrenic face, Halston could understand how Drogan might have thought it was a hellcat. It —
His thoughts broke off as he became aware of a dull, tingling feeling in both hands and forearms.
Feeling. Coming back. Pins and needles.
The cat leaped at his face, claws out, spitting.
Halston shut his eyes and opened his mouth. He bit at the cat's belly and got nothing but fur. The cat's front claws were clasped on his ears, digging in. The pain was enormous, brightly excruciating. Halston tried to raise his hands.