Английский язык с Марком Твеном. Принц и нищий (Mark Twain. The Prince and the Pauper) - Twain Mark (читать хорошую книгу полностью .txt) 📗

'Mind not thy mischance, good man; there be others in the world whose identity is denied, and whose claims are derided. Thou hast company.'

'Ah, my king,' cried Hendon, coloring slightly, 'do not thou condemn me — wait, and thou shalt see. I am no impostor — she will say it; you shall hear it from the sweetest lips in England. I an impostor? Why I know this old hall, these pictures of my ancestors, and all these things that are about us, as a child knoweth its own nursery. Here was I born and bred, my lord; I speak the truth; I would not deceive thee; and should none else believe, I pray thee do not thou doubt me — I could not bear it.'

'I do not doubt thee,' said the king, with a childlike simplicity and faith.

'I thank thee out of my heart!' exclaimed Hendon, with a fervency which showed that he was touched. The king added, with the same gentle simplicity:

'Dost thou doubt me?'

A guilty confusion seized upon Hendon, and he was grateful that the door opened to admit Hugh, at that moment, and saved him the necessity of replying.

A beautiful lady, richly clothed, followed Hugh, and after her came several liveried servants. The lady walked slowly, with her head bowed and her eyes fixed upon the floor. The face was unspeakably sad. Miles Hendon sprang forward, crying out:

'Oh, my Edith, my darling —'

But Hugh waved him back, gravely, and said to the lady:

'Look upon him. Do you know him?'

At the sound of Miles's voice the woman had started slightly, and her cheeks had flushed; she was trembling now. She stood still, during an impressive pause of several moments; then slowly lifted up her head and looked into Hendon's eyes with a stony and frightened gaze; the blood sank out of her face, drop by drop, till nothing remained but the gray pallor of death; then she said, in a voice as dead as the face, 'I know him not!' and turned, with a moan and stifled sob, and tottered out of the room.

Miles Hendon sank into a chair (Майлс Хендон рухнул в кресло; to sink — падать, погружаться) and covered his face with his hands (и закрыл лицо руками). After a pause (после паузы), his brother said to the servants (его брат сказал слугам):

'You have observed him (вы наблюдали за ним). Do you know him (вы знаете его)?'

They shook their heads (они покачали головами; to shake — трясти, качать); then the master said (тогда хозяин сказал):

'The servants know you not, sir (слуги не знают вас, сэр). I fear (я боюсь) there is some mistake (есть = здесь какая-то ошибка). You have seen (вы видели) that my wife knew you not (что моя жена не узнала вас; to know — знать).'

'Thy wife (твоя жена)!' In an instant Hugh was pinned to the wall (в мгновение Хью был пригвожден к стене), with an iron grip about his throat (с железной хваткой вокруг его горла). 'Oh, thou fox-hearted slave (ах ты раб с лисьим сердцем = вероломный; fox — лиса; heart — сердце), I see it all (я вижу = понимаю это все)! Thou'st writ the lying letter thyself (ты написал лживое письмо сам; writ вместо written — от to write — писать), and my stolen bride and goods are its fruit (и моя украденная невеста и имущество — его плоды; to steal — красть). There (вот) — now get thee gone (теперь убирайся: «сделай себя ушедшим»; to go — идти), lest I shame mine honorable soldiership (чтобы я не замарал своей чистой воинской чести; lest — чтобы не; honorable — благородный; soldiership — воинское поведение) with the slaying of so pitiful a manikin (убийством такой жалкой твари; to slay — убивать; manikin — карлик, человечек)!'

Hugh, red-faced (Хью, с красным лицом) and almost suffocated (и почти задушенный), reeled to the nearest chair (доковылял до ближайшего стула), and commanded the servants (и приказал слугам) to seize and bind the murderous stranger (схватить и связать кровожадного гостя). They hesitated (они колебались), and one of them said (и один из них сказал):

'He is armed, Sir Hugh (он вооружен, сэр Хью), and we are weaponless (а мы безоружны).'

'Armed (вооружен)? What of it (что с того), and ye so many (ведь вас так много; ye — устар. вместо you — вы)? Upon him, I say (на него, я говорю)!'

But Miles warned them (но Майлс предупредил их) to be careful what they did (быть осторожными в том, что они делали; to do — делать), and added (и добавил):

'Ye know me of old (вы знаете меня со старых времен) — I have not changed (я не изменился); come oh, an it like you (идите, если это годится вам).'

This reminder did not hearten the servants much (это напоминание не воодушевило слуг много = особенно); they still held back (они все еще медлили; to hold back — медлить: «держать назад»).

'Then go, ye paltry cowards (тогда идите, вы, ничтожные трусы), and arm yourselves (и вооружитесь) and guard the doors (и охраняйте двери), while I send one to fetch the watch (пока я пошлю одного привести стражу),' said Hugh (сказал Хью). He turned, at the threshold (он повернулся на пороге), and said to Miles (и сказал Майлсу), 'You'll find it to your advantage (вы найдете это к вашему преимуществу = в ваших же интересах) to offend not with useless endeavours at escape (не грешить бесполезными попытками к бегству).'

'Escape (бегству)? Spare thyself discomfort (сэкономь на неудобстве = не беспокойся), an that is all that troubles thee (если это все, что тревожит тебя). For Miles Hendon is master of Hendon Hall (ибо Майлс Хендон — хозяин Хендон-холла) and all its belongings (и всех его принадлежностей = всего, что в нем). He will remain (он останется) — doubt it not (не сомневайся в этом).'

iron [a??n], weapon [`wep?n], endeavour [?n`dev?]

Miles Hendon sank into a chair and covered his face with his hands. After a pause, his brother said to the servants:

'You have observed him. Do you know him?'

They shook their heads; then the master said:

'The servants know you not, sir. I fear there is some mistake. You have seen that my wife knew you not.'

'Thy wife!' In an instant Hugh was pinned to the wall, with an iron grip about his throat. 'Oh, thou fox-hearted slave, I see it all! Thou'st writ the lying letter thyself, and my stolen bride and goods are its fruit. There — now get thee gone, lest I shame mine honorable soldiership with the slaying of so pitiful a manikin!'

Hugh, red-faced and almost suffocated, reeled to the nearest chair, and commanded the servants to seize and bind the murderous stranger. They hesitated, and one of them said:

'He is armed, Sir Hugh, and we are weaponless.'

'Armed? What of it, and ye so many? Upon him, I say!'

But Miles warned them to be careful what they did, and added:

'Ye know me of old — I have not changed; come oh, an it like you.'

This reminder did not hearten the servants much; they still held back.

'Then go, ye paltry cowards, and arm yourselves and guard the doors, while I send one to fetch the watch,' said Hugh. He turned, at the threshold, and said to Miles, 'You'll find it to your advantage to offend not with useless endeavours at escape.'

'Escape? Spare thyself discomfort, an that is all that troubles thee. For Miles Hendon is master of Hendon Hall and all its belongings. He will remain — doubt it not.'