smooth [smu:ð], listen [lɪsn], strange [streɪnʤ]

They glided through the shrubbery to the gleaming foot of the tower, and there, with a motion enjoining silence, Taurus unwound his knotted cord, on one end of which was a strong steel hook. Conan saw his plan and asked no questions, as the Nemedian gripped the line a short distance below the hook and began to swing it about his head. Conan laid his ear to the smooth wall and listened, but could hear nothing. Evidently the soldiers within did not suspect the presence of intruders, who had made no more sound than the night wind blowing through the trees. But a strange nervousness was on the barbarian; perhaps it was the lion smell which was over everything.

Taurus threw the line with a smooth, rippling motion of his mighty arm (Таурус метнул веревку плавным, волнообразным движением своей могучей руки; to throw — бросать). The hook curved upward and inward in a peculiar manner (крюк полетел по дуге вверх и внутрь особым образом; to curve — гнуть; изгибаться, искривляться; curve — кривая; траектория), hard to describe (который трудно описать; hard — жесткий; трудный), and vanished over the jeweled rim (и исчез за украшенной самоцветами кромкой). It apparently caught firmly (по-видимому, он зацепился крепко; to catch — поймать; зацепиться), for cautious jerking and then hard pulling did not result in any slipping or giving (ибо осторожное подергивание, а потом сильный рывок не привели к соскальзыванию и подаванию = от осторожного подергивания, а потом сильного рывка он не соскользнул и не подался; to result in — иметь следствием, приводить к чему-л.; to give — давать; подаваться).

"Luck the first cast (удача = повезло с первого броска)," murmured Taurus (прошептал Таурус). "I (я) —»