presumably [prɪˈzju:məblɪ], intrigue [ˈɪntri:ɡ], chancellor [ˈʧɑ:nslə]

Indeed, they mentioned only one as having been visible — a tall, silent man called Joka. Some one else, presumably a slave, had been heard moving about in the recesses of the house, but this person no one had ever seen. The greatest mystery of the mysterious house was Nabonidus himself, whose power of intrigue and grasp on international politics had made him the strongest man in the kingdom. People, chancellor and king moved puppetlike on the strings he worked.

Murilo scaled the wall and dropped down into the gardens (Мурило взобрался по стене и спустился в парк; to scale — определять масштаб; подниматься, взбираться; to drop — ронять; спускаться), which were expanses of shadow (который был /обширным/ пространством тени), darkened by clumps of shrubbery and waving foliage (затемненным зарослями кустарников и колышущейся листвы). No light shone in the windows of the house (ни один огонек не светился в окнах дома; light — свет; огонь;to shine — светиться), which loomed so blackly among the trees (который вырисовывался так мрачно/гнетуще среди деревьев). The young nobleman stole stealthily yet swiftly through the shrubs (молодой аристократ крался бесшумно, но проворно через кусты; to steal — красть; красться). Momentarily he expected to hear the baying of the great dog and to see its giant body hurtle through the shadows (ежеминутно он ожидал услышать лай огромного пса и увидеть, как его гигантское тело несется с шумом среди теней; momentarily — моментально; ежеминутно;to hurtle — сталкивать; нестись, мчаться с шумом). He doubted the effectiveness of his sword against such an attack (он сомневался в эффективности своего меча против такой атаки), but he did not hesitate (но он не колебался). As well die beneath the fangs of a beast as of the headsman (что умереть в клыках зверя, что в крючьях палача; as well — с таким же успехом;fang — клык; крюк, захват).

foliage [ˈfəulɪɪʤ], stealthily [ˈstelƟɪlɪ], doubt [daut]

Murilo scaled the wall and dropped down into the gardens, which were expanses of shadow, darkened by clumps of shrubbery and waving foliage. No light shone in the windows of the house, which loomed so blackly among the trees. The young nobleman stole stealthily yet swiftly through the shrubs. Momentarily he expected to hear the baying of the great dog and to see its giant body hurtle through the shadows. He doubted the effectiveness of his sword against such an attack, but he did not hesitate. As well die beneath the fangs of a beast as of the headsman.