Английский язык с Марком Твеном. Принц и нищий (Mark Twain. The Prince and the Pauper) - Twain Mark - Страница 79

'Long live Foo-foo the First, king of the Mooncalves!' followed by hootings, cat-calls, and peals of laughter.

'Hale him forth, and crown him!'

'Robe him!'

'Scepter him!'

'Throne him!'

These and twenty other cries broke out at once; and almost before the poor little victim could draw a breath he was crowned with a tin basin, robed in a tattered blanket, throned upon a barrel, and sceptered with tinker's soldering-iron. Then all flung themselves upon their knees about him and sent up a chorus of ironical wailings, and mocking supplications, while they swabbed their eyes with their soiled and ragged sleeves and aprons:

'Be gracious to us, O sweet king!'

'Trample not upon thy beseeching worms, O noble majesty!'

'Pity thy slaves, and comfort them with a royal kick!'

'Cheer us and warm us with thy gracious rays, O flaming sun of sovereignty!'

'Sanctify the ground with the touch of thy foot, that we may eat the dirt and be ennobled!'

'Deign to spit upon us, O sire, that our children's children may tell of thy princely condescension, and be proud and happy forever!'

But the humorous tinker made the 'hit' of the evening and carried off the honors. Kneeling, he pretended to kiss the king's foot, and was indignantly spurned; whereupon he went about begging for a rag to paste over the place upon his face which had been touched by the foot, saying it must be preserved from contact with the vulgar air, and that he should make his fortune by going on the highway and exposing it to view at the rate of a hundred shillings a sight. He made himself so killingly funny that he was the envy and admiration of the whole mangy rabble.

Tears of shame and indignation stood in the little monarch's eyes; and the thought in his heart was, 'Had I offered them a deep wrong they could not be more cruel — yet have I proffered naught but to do them a kindness — and it is thus they use me for it!'

CHAPTER XVIII (Глава восемнадцатая)

THE troop of vagabonds (отряд бродяг) turned out at early dawn (выдвинулся на ранней заре), and set forward on their march (и отправился в свой поход). There was a lowering sky overhead (было хмурое небо над головой; to lower — спускаться, опускаться), sloppy ground under foot (слякотная земля под ногами; slop — жидкая грязь; слякоть), and a winter chill in the air (и зимний морозец в воздухе). All gaiety was gone from the company (вся веселость ушла из компании; to go — (у)ходить; gay — веселый, радостный; беззаботный, беспечный /о человеке/); some were sullen and silent (некоторые были угрюмы и молчаливы), some were irritable and petulant (некоторые были раздражительны и обидчивы), none were gentle-humored (никто не был в мягком настроении), all were thirsty (все были жаждущими = хотели пить; thirst — жажда).

The Ruffler put 'Jack' in Hugo's charge (атаман поставил = отдал «Джека» на попечение Хьюго), with some brief instructions (с несколькими краткими инструкциями), and commanded John Canty to keep away from him (и приказал Джону Кэнти держаться подальше от него) and let him alone (и оставить его одного = в покое); he also warned Hugo not to be too rough with the lad (он также предупредил Хьюго не быть слишком грубым с пареньком).

After a while the weather grew milder (через некоторое время погода стала мягче), and the clouds lifted somewhat (и тучи рассеялись отчасти; to lift — поднимать(ся)). The troop ceased to shiver (ватага перестала дрожать), and their spirits began to improve (и их настроение начало улучшаться; to begin — начинать). They grew more and more cheerful (они становились все более и более радостными; to grow — расти; становиться), and finally began to chaff each other (и наконец начали поддразнивать друг друга) and insult passengers along the highway (обижать прохожих вдоль дороги = на дороге). This showed (это показало) that they were awaking to an appreciation (что они просыпались к восприятию) of life and its joys (жизни и ее радостей) once more (снова). The dread in which their sort was held (ужас, в котором их порода воспринималась = ужас перед ними; to hold — держать) was apparent in the fact (был очевиден = проявлялся в том факте) that everybody gave them the road (что все давали им дорогу), and took their ribald insolences meekly (и принимали их грубые/непристойные дерзости смиренно), without venturing to talk back (без решимости = не решаясь ответить). They snatched linen from the hedges (они хватали = снимали белье с изгородей), occasionally (порой), in full view of the owners (в полном виде = на глазах у владельцев; to own — владеть), who made no protest (которые не делали протеста = не протестовали), but only seemed grateful (но только казались благодарными) that they did not take the hedges, too (что они не взяли изгородей впридачу).

By and by they invaded a small farmhouse (вскоре они вторглись в маленький фермерский домик) and made themselves at home (и расположились как дома: «сделали себя дома») while the trembling farmer and his people (пока дрожащий крестьянин и его домочадцы) swept the larder clean (опустошали кладовку; to sweep clean — очищать: «мести чисто») to furnish a breakfast for them (чтобы обеспечить завтрак для них; to furnish — снабжать; доставлять, предоставлять). They chucked the housewife and her daughters under the chin (они трепали хозяйку и ее дочерей по подбородку) while receiving the food from their hands (получая пищу из их рук), and made coarse jests about them (и отпускали соленые шутки про них; coarse — грубый, шероховатый; невежливый, напристойный), accompanied with insulting epithets and bursts of horse-laughter (сопровождаемые оскорбительными эпитетами и взрывами лошадиного хохота). They threw bones and vegetables at the farmer and his sons (они бросались костями и овощами в фермера и его сыновей; to throw — бросать), kept them dodging (заставляли их увертываться: «хранили их уворачивающимися»; to keep — хранить) all the time (все время), and applauded uproariously when a good hit was made (и аплодировали шумно, когда удачный удар = попадание бывало сделано). They ended by buttering (они окончили тем, что вымазали маслом) the head of one of the daughters (голову одной из дочерей) who resented some of their familiarities (которая отвергла некоторые из их фамильярностей). When they took their leave (когда они уходили: «взяли свой уход») they threatened to come back and burn the house (они пригрозили вернуться и сжечь дом) over the heads of the family (над головами семьи) if any report of their doings (если какое-то донесение об их деяниях) got to the ears of the authorities (достигло бы ушей властей; to get — достигать).

mild [ma?ld], dread [dred], threaten [`?ret?n]

THE troop of vagabonds turned out at early dawn, and set forward on their march. There was a lowering sky overhead, sloppy ground under foot, and a winter chill in the air. All gaiety was gone from the company; some were sullen and silent, some were irritable and petulant, none were gentle-humored, all were thirsty.

The Ruffler put 'Jack' in Hugo's charge, with some brief instructions, and commanded John Canty to keep away from him and let him alone; he also warned Hugo not to be too rough with the lad.

After a while the weather grew milder, and the clouds lifted somewhat. The troop ceased to shiver, and their spirits began to improve. They grew more and more cheerful, and finally began to chaff each other and insult passengers along the highway. This showed that they were awaking to an appreciation of life and its joys once more. The dread in which their sort was held was apparent in the fact that everybody gave them the road, and took their ribald insolences meekly, without venturing to talk back. They snatched linen from the hedges, occasionally, in full view of the owners, who made no protest, but only seemed grateful that they did not take the hedges, too.