Английский язык с Марком Твеном. Принц и нищий (Mark Twain. The Prince and the Pauper) - Twain Mark - Страница 45

'Bless us (Господи благослови нас; to bless — благословлять), what is it (что есть это = в чем дело)?'

'Prithee (пожалуйста), pour the water (лей воду), and make not so many words (и не говори так много слов)!'

Hendon, suppressing a horse-laugh (Хендон, подавляя громкий смех; horse — лошадь), and saying to himself (и говоря себе), 'By all the saints (ради всех святых), but this is admirable (но это восхитительно)!' stepped briskly forward (ступил живо вперед) and did the small insolent's bidding (и исполнил приказ маленького нахала; to bid — приказывать); then stood by (затем стал рядом), in a sort of stupefaction (в каком-то остолбенении), until the command (пока приказ), 'Come — the towel (живо — полотенце)!' woke him sharply up (не разбудил его резко; to wake up — будить, просыпаться). He took up a towel from under the boy's nose (он взял полотенце из-под носа мальчика) and handed it to him (и подал его ему), without comment (без замечаний). He now proceeded to comfort his own face with a wash (затем он «успокоил» = освежил свое лицо мытьем, умыванием; to proceed — продолжать; действовать; приступать), and while he was at it (и пока он был занят этим: «был у этого») his adopted child (его усыновленный ребенок) seated himself at the table (уселся за стол) and prepared to fall to (и приготовился начать). Hendon despatched his ablutions with alacrity (Хендон разделался со своим умыванием с проворностью), then drew back the other chair (затем подтащил другой стул; to draw — тащить) and was about to place himself at table (и был готов расположиться: «расположить себя» у стола), when the boy said, indignantly (когда мальчик сказал негодующе):

'Forbear (стой; to forbear — терпеть, воздерживаться)! Wouldst sit in the presence of the king (ты собираешься сидеть в присутствии короля)?'

This blow staggered Hendon to his foundations (этот удар поразил Хендона в самое сердце: «в основу»). He muttered to himself (он пробормотал себе), 'Lo, the poor thing's madness is up with the time (гляди-ка, сумасшествие бедного существа усиливается со временем; up — вверх)! it hath changed with the great change that is come to the realm (оно изменилось с великим изменением, которое пришло в королевство), and now in fancy is he king (и теперь в воображении он король)! Good lack (эх; lack — недостаток), I must humor the conceit, too (я должен потакать этой заносчивости, к тому же) — there is no other way (нет другого пути) — faith (поистине: «вера»), he would order me to the Tower, else (он отправит меня в Тауэр в противном случае; to order — приказать)!'

posture [`pOstS?], permission [p?`m?S(?)n], conceit [k?n`si:t], saint [se?nt]

A servant entered with a smoking meal, disposed it upon a small deal table, placed the chairs, and took his departure, leaving such cheap lodgers as these to wait upon themselves. The door slammed after him, and the noise woke the boy, who sprung to a sitting posture, and shot a glad glance about him; then a grieved look came into his face and he murmured to himself, with a deep sigh, 'Alack, it was but a dream. Woe is me.' Next he noticed Miles Hendon's doublet — glanced from that to Hendon, comprehended the sacrifice that had been made for him, and said, gently:

'Thou art good to me, yes, thou art very good to me. Take it and put it on — I shall not need it more.'

Then he got up and walked to the washstand in the corner, and stood there waiting. Hendon said in a cheery voice:

'We'll have a right hearty sup and bite now, for everything is savory and smoking hot, and that and thy nap together will make thee a little man again, never fear!'

The boy made no answer, but bent a steady look, that was filled with grave surprise, and also somewhat touched with impatience, upon the tall knight of the sword. Hendon was puzzled, and said:

'What's amiss?'

'Good sir, I would wash me.'

'Oh, is that all! Ask no permission of Miles Hendon for aught thou cravest. Make thyself perfectly free here and welcome, with all that are his belongings.'

Still the boy stood, and moved not; more, he tapped the floor once or twice with his small impatient foot. Hendon was wholly perplexed. Said he:

'Bless us, what is it?'

'Prithee, pour the water, and make not so many words!'

Hendon, suppressing a horse-laugh, and saying to himself, 'By all the saints, but this is admirable!' stepped briskly forward and did the small insolent's bidding; then stood by, in a sort of stupefaction, until the command, 'Come — the towel!' woke him sharply up. He took up a towel from under the boy's nose and handed it to him, without comment. He now proceeded to comfort his own face with a wash, and while he was at it his adopted child seated himself at the table and prepared to fall to. Hendon despatched his ablutions with alacrity, then drew back the other chair and was about to place himself at table, when the boy said, indignantly:

'Forbear! Wouldst sit in the presence of the king?'

This blow staggered Hendon to his foundations. He muttered to himself, 'Lo, the poor thing's madness is up with the time! it hath changed with the great change that is come to the realm, and now in fancy is he king! Good lack, I must humor the conceit, too — there is no other way — faith, he would order me to the Tower, else!'

And pleased with this jest (и порадованный этой остротой), he removed the chair from the table (он убрал стул от стола), took his stand behind the king (занял свое место за королем; to take — брать; stand — позиция), and proceeded to wait upon him in the courtliest way he was capable of (и принялся прислуживать ему в самой учтивой манере, на которую был способен).

When the king ate (когда король ел; to eat — есть), the rigor of his royal dignity relaxed a little (черствость его королевского достоинства ослабела немного), and with his growing contentment came a desire to talk (и с его растущим удовлетворением пришло желание поговорить). He said (он сказал):

'I think thou callest thyself Miles Hendon (я думаю, ты зовешься Майлс Хендон), if I heard thee aright (если я услышал правильно; to hear — слышать)?'

'Yes, sire (да, сир),' Miles replied then observed to himself (Майлс ответил и затем заметил себе), 'If I must humor the poor lad's madness (если я должен потакать безумству маленького парня), I must sire him (я должен называть его сир), I must majesty him (я должен называть его ваше величество), I must not go by halves (я не должен идти = делать наполовину), I must stick at nothing that belongeth to the part I play (я не должен останавливаться ни перед чем, что есть в роли, которую играю; to belong — принадлежать; part — роль), else shall I play it ill (иначе я сыграю ее плохо) and work evil to this charitable and kindly cause (и сделаю зло = испорчу это милосердное и доброе дело).'

The king warmed his heart with a second glass of wine (король согрел сердце вторым бокалом вина), and said (и сказал): 'I would know thee (я хочу знать тебя) — tell me thy story (расскажи мне твою историю). Thou hast a gallant way with thee, and a noble (ты имеешь приятную манеру, и благородную) — art nobly born (ты благородного происхождения)?'

'We are of the tail of the nobility (мы из самого низшего дворянства; tail — хвост), good your majesty (ваше величество). My father is a baronet (мой отец — баронет) — one of the smaller lords (один из меньших лордов), by knight service (по рыцарской службе) — Sir Richard Hendon (сэр Ричард Хендон), of Hendon Hall (из Хендон-Холла), by Monk's Holm in Kent (у Монашьего островка в Кенте).'

'The name has escaped my memory (это имя убежало из моей памяти = такого имени я не помню). Go on (продолжай: «иди дальше») — tell me thy story (расскажи мне твою историю).'