"I could," he assured her, in evident enjoyment of her distress. He drew a phial from among his robes. "This contains the juice of the golden lotus. If your lover drank it, he would be sane again. Yes, I will be merciful. You have both thwarted and flouted me, not once but many times; he has constantly opposed my wishes. But I will be merciful. Come and take the phial from my hand."

She stared at Totrasmek, trembling with eagerness to seize it, but fearing it was but some cruel jest (она уставилась на Тотрасмека, дрожа от нетерпения схватить ее, но опасаясь, /что/ это была лишь какая жестокая шутка). She advanced timidly, with a hand extended (она робко двинулась вперед с протянутой рукой), and he laughed heartlessly and drew back out of her reach (а он бессердечно засмеялся и отступил за пределы /ее/ досягаемости). Even as her lips parted to curse him, some instinct snatched her eyes upward (как раз когда ее губы разжались, /чтобы/ проклясть его, какой-то инстинкт поднял ее глаза вверх). From the gilded ceiling four jade-hued vessels were falling (с позолоченного потолка падали четыре желтовато-зеленых сосуда; jade — жадеит; нефрит; желтовато-зеленый цвет; hue — краска, оттенок, тон, цвет). She dodged, but they did not strike her (она увернулась, но = и они не ударили ее). They crashed to the floor about her, forming the four corners of a square (они разбились о пол вокруг нее, образуя четыре угла квадрата). And she screamed, and screamed again (а она визжала и визжала снова). For out of each ruin reared the hooded head of a cobra, and one struck at her bare leg (так как из каждого осколка поднималась голова кобры с капюшоном, и одна напала на ее обнаженную ногу). Her convulsive movement to evade it brought her within reach of the one on the other side (ее судорожное движение, /чтобы/ избежать ее, привела ее в пределы досягаемости одной = кобры с другой стороны) and again she had to shift like lightning to avoid the flash of its hideous head (и снова ей пришлось, как молния = молниеносно перекатиться, /чтобы/ избежать броска ее мерзкой головы).

timidly [ˈtɪmɪdlɪ], ceiling [ˈsi: lɪŋ], hideous [ˈhɪdɪəs]

She stared at Totrasmek, trembling with eagerness to seize it, but fearing it was but some cruel jest. She advanced timidly, with a hand extended, and he laughed heartlessly and drew back out of her reach. Even as her lips parted to curse him, some instinct snatched her eyes upward. From the gilded ceiling four jade-hued vessels were falling. She dodged, but they did not strike her. They crashed to the floor about her, forming the four corners of a square. And she screamed, and screamed again. For out of each ruin reared the hooded head of a cobra, and one struck at her bare leg. Her convulsive movement to evade it brought her within reach of the one on the other side and again she had to shift like lightning to avoid the flash of its hideous head.