presence [ˈprezəns], about [əˈbaut], properly [ˈprɔpəlɪ]
Stirred to red rage by the ghoulishness of the episode, Conan raced across the road.
Neither victim nor abductors were aware of his presence until the soft swish of the dust about his feet brought them about; and then he was almost upon them, coming with the gusty fury of a hill wind. Two of the blacks turned to meet him, lifting their bludgeons. But they failed to estimate properly the speed at which he was coming. One of them was down, disemboweled, before he could strike, and wheeling catlike, Conan evaded the stroke of the other's cudgel and lashed in a whistling counter-cut. The black's head flew into the air; the headless body took three staggering steps, spurting blood and clawing horribly at the air with groping hands, and then slumped to the dust.
The remaining cannibal gave back with a strangled yell, hurling his captive from him (оставшийся каннибал подался назад с подавленным воплем, отшвырнув свою пленницу от себя). She tripped and rolled in the dust (она упала и покатилась в пыль), and the black fled in panic toward the city (а негр побежал в панике к городу;