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

While stroking its sleek, warm back (поглаживая его гладкую, теплую спину) — for it lay near him and within easy reach (ибо он лежал вблизи него и в пределах легкой досягаемости; reach — предел досягаемости) — it occurred to him (ему пришло в голову) that this calf might be utilized (что этот теленок мог бы быть использован) in more ways than one (больше чем одним способом; way — путь, способ). Whereupon he rearranged his bed (вследствие чего он перенес свою постель), spreading it down close to the calf (расстелив ее вблизи теленка); then he cuddled himself (затем он свернулся калачиком) up to the calf's back (прижавшись к спине теленка), drew the covers up over himself and his friend (натянул покрывала на себя и своего друга), and in a minute or two (и через минуту-другую) was as warm and comfortable (был = стал таким же теплым и благоустроенным = ему стало так же тепло и уютно) as he had ever been in the downy couches (как он когда-либо бывал в пуховых постелях) of the regal palace of Westminster (королевского дворца Вестминстера).

Pleasant thoughts came at once (приятные мысли пришли сразу); life took on a cheerfuler seeming (жизнь приняла более радостную видимость; to take on — принимать: «брать на»). He was free of the bonds of servitude and crime (он был свободен от уз порабощения и преступления), free of the companionship of base and brutal outlaws (свободен от товарищества гнусных и жестоких изгоев); he was warm (он был теплый = ему было тепло), he was sheltered (он был укрыт = в укрытии); in a word (одним словом), he was happy (он был счастлив). The night wind was rising (ночной ветер поднимался); it swept by in fitful gusts (он проносился мимо порывистыми шквалами; to sweep by — проноситься) that made the old barn quake and rattle (которые заставляли старый сарай дрожать и трещать), then its forces died down at intervals (потом его сила затухала временами; to die down — затухать), and went moaning and wailing (и продолжали стонать и выть; to go — идти, продолжать) around corners and projections (за углами и выступами) — but it was all music to the king (но это было все музыкой для короля), now that he was snug and comfortable (теперь, когда ему было удобно и комфортно); let it blow and rage (пусть он = ветер дует и свирепствует), let it batter and bang (пусть он колотит и бьет), let it moan and wail (воет и стонет), he minded it not (он = король не имел ничего против этого), he only enjoyed it (он только наслаждался этим). He merely snuggled the closer to his friend (он просто прижался еще плотнее к своему другу), in a luxury of warm contentment (в роскоши теплого довольства), and drifted blissfully out of consciousness (и уплыл блаженно вон из сознания; to drift — дрейфовать) into a deep and dreamless sleep (в глубокий и лишенный сновидений сон) that was full of serenity and peace (который был полон безмятежности и покоя). The distant dogs howled (далекие собаки выли), the melancholy kine complained (меланхоличные коровы жаловались); and the winds went on raging (а ветры продолжали бушевать; to go on — продолжать), whilst furious sheets of rain drove along the roof (пока яростные пелены дождя неслись по крыше; to drive — везти, быстро двигаться); but the majesty of England slept on undisturbed (но Величество Англии спал дальше, непотревоженный; to sleep — спать), and the calf did the same (и теленок делал то же самое), it being a simple creature (он будучи = так как он был простым созданием) and not easily troubled by storms (и не легко расстраиваемый бурями = и его трудно было обеспокоить бурей) or embarrassed by sleeping with a king (или смущаемый тем, чтобы спать вместе с королем).

superstitious [su:pə`stıʃəs], society [sə`saıətı], melancholy [`melənkəlı]

The king was cordially ashamed of himself for having gotten all that fright and misery out of so paltry a matter as a slumbering calf; but he need not have felt so about it, for it was not the calf that frightened him but a dreadful non-existent something which the calf stood for; and any other boy, in those old superstitious times, would have acted and suffered just as he had done.

The king was not only delighted to find that the creature was only a calf, but delighted to have the calf's company; for he had been feeling so lonesome and friendless that the company and comradeship of even this humble animal was welcome. And he had been so buffeted, so rudely entreated by his own kind, that it was a real comfort to him to feel that he was at last in the society of a fellow-creature that had at least a soft heart and a gentle spirit, whatever loftier attributes might be lacking. So he resolved to waive rank and make friends with the calf.

While stroking its sleek, warm back — for it lay near him and within easy reach — it occurred to him that this calf might be utilized in more ways than one. Whereupon he rearranged his bed, spreading it down close to the calf; then he cuddled himself up to the calf's back, drew the covers up over himself and his friend, and in a minute or two was as warm and comfortable as he had ever been in the downy couches of the regal palace of Westminster.

Pleasant thoughts came at once; life took on a cheerfuler seeming. He was free of the bonds of servitude and crime, free of the companionship of base and brutal outlaws; he was warm, he was sheltered; in a word, he was happy. The night wind was rising; it swept by in fitful gusts that made the old barn quake and rattle, then its forces died down at intervals, and went moaning and wailing around corners and projections — but it was all music to the king, now that he was snug and comfortable; let it blow and rage, let it batter and bang, let it moan and wail, he minded it not, he only enjoyed it. He merely snuggled the closer to his friend, in a luxury of warm contentment, and drifted blissfully out of consciousness into a deep and dreamless sleep that was full of serenity and peace. The distant dogs howled, the melancholy kine complained; and the winds went on raging, whilst furious sheets of rain drove along the roof; but the majesty of England slept on undisturbed, and the calf did the same, it being a simple creature and not easily troubled by storms or embarrassed by sleeping with a king.