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

At long intervals he drew his thumb along the edge of his knife, and nodded his head with satisfaction. 'It grows sharper,' he said; 'yes, it grows sharper.'

He took no note of the flight of time, but worked tranquilly on, entertaining himself with his thoughts, which broke out occasionally in articulate speech:

'His father wrought us evil, he destroyed us — and is gone down into the eternal fires! Yes, down into the eternal fires! He escaped us — but it was God's will, yes it was God's will, we must not repine. But he hath not escaped the fires! no, he hath not escaped the fires, the consuming, unpitying, remorseless fires — and they are everlasting!'

And so he wrought; and still wrought; mumbling — chuckling a low rasping chuckle at times — and at times breaking again into words:

'It was his father that did it all. I am but an archangel — but for him, I should be pope!'

The king stirred. The hermit sprang noiselessly to the bedside, and went down upon his knees, bending over the prostrate form with his knife uplifted. The boy stirred again; his eyes came open for an instant, but there was no speculation in them, they saw nothing; the next moment his tranquil breathing showed that his sleep was sound once more.

The hermit watched and listened for a time, keeping his position and scarcely breathing; then he slowly lowered his arm, and presently crept away, saying:

'It is long past midnight — it is not best that he should cry out, lest by accident some one be passing.'

He glided about his hovel, gathering a rag here, a thong there, and another one yonder; then he returned, and by careful and gentle handling he managed to tie the king's ankles together without waking him. Next he essayed to tie the wrists; he made several attempts to cross them, but the boy always drew one hand or the other away, just as the cord was ready to be applied; but at last, when the archangel was almost ready to despair, the boy crossed his hands himself, and the next moment they were bound. Now a bandage was passed under the sleeper's chin and brought up over his head and tied fast — and so softly, so gradually, and so deftly were the knots drawn together and compacted, that the boy slept peacefully through it all without stirring.

The old man glided away (старик ускользнул прочь), stooping, stealthily, catlike (сутулясь, украдкой = тихо, как кошка), and brought the low bench (и принес низкую лавку; to bring — приносить). He seated himself upon it (он уселся на нее), half his body in the dim and flickering light (половина его тела в тусклом и мерцающем свете), and the other half in shadow (а другая половина в тени); and so (и так), with his craving eyes bent upon the slumbering boy (с его тоскующими/жадными глазами, опущенными на спящего мальчика; to crave — стремиться; to bend — гнуть), he kept his patient vigil there (он держал свое терпеливое бдение там; to keep — держать, хранить), heedless of the drift of time (равнодушный к течению времени), and softly whetted his knife (и тихо точил свой нож), and mumbled and chuckled (и бормотал и хихикал); and in aspect and attitude (и по внешнему виду и позе) he resembled nothing so much as (он напоминал ничто так сильно, как = он очень напоминал) a grizzly, monstrous spider (страшного, чудовищного паука), gloating over some hapless insect (торжествующего над каким-нибудь злосчастным насекомым; to gloat — тайно злорадствовать, торжествовать; to gloat over — пожирать глазами) that lay bound and helpless in his web (которое лежало связанное и беспомощное в его паутине; to lie — лежать; to bind — связывать).

After a long while (спустя продолжительное время), the old man, who was still gazing (старик, который все еще вглядывался) — yet not seeing (но не видел), his mind having settled into a dreamy abstraction (так как его ум погрузился в мечтательную рассеянность) — observed on a sudden (заметил вдруг) that the boy's eyes were open (что глаза мальчика были раскрыты) — wide open and staring (широко раскрыты и смотрящие пристально; to stare)! — staring up in frozen horror at the knife (пристально смотрящие вверх в застывшем ужасе на нож; to freeze — замерзать, обледеневать, покрываться льдом). The smile of a gratified devil (улыбка удовлетворенного дьявола) crept over the old man's face (скользнула по лицу старика; to creep — ползти), and he said (и он сказал), without changing his attitude or occupation (без того, чтобы изменить = не меняя своего положения или занятия):

'Son of Henry the Eighth, hast thou prayed (сын Генриха VIII, ты помолился)?'

The boy struggled helplessly in his bonds (мальчик боролся беспомощно в своих узах); and at the same time forced a smothered sound (и в то же время выдавил сдавленный звук) through his closed jaws (сквозь свои закрытые = стиснутые челюсти), which the hermit chose to interpret (который (звук) отшельник решил истолковать; to choose — выбирать) as an affirmative answer to his question (как утвердительный ответ на свой вопрос).

'Then pray again (тогда помолись снова). Pray the prayer for the dying (произнеси молитву за умирающих)!'

A shudder shook the boy's frame (дрожь пробрала тело мальчика; to shake — трясти), and his face blenched (и его лицо побелело). Then he struggled again to free himself (затем он боролся снова, чтобы освободить себя) — turning and twisting himself (поворачиваясь и крутясь) this way and that (туда и сюда); tugging frantically, fiercely, desperately (дергаясь безумно, неистово, отчаянно) — but uselessly (но бесполезно) — to burst his fetters (разорвать свои путы); and all the while the old ogre (и все это время старый людоед) smiled down upon him (улыбался вниз = глядя вниз на него), and nodded his head (и кивал своей головой), and placidly whetted his knife (и безмятежно точил свой нож), mumbling, from time to time (бормоча время от времени), 'The moments are precious (эти секунды драгоценны), they are few and precious (они немногочисленны и драгоценны) — pray the prayer for the dying (говори молитву за умирающих)!'