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

With boisterous mirth (с буйным весельем) they dropped upon their knees (они рухнули на колени) in a body (в одном теле = все как один) and did mock homage (и воздали шутовские почести) to their prey (своей жертве). The prince spurned (принц отпихнул) the nearest boy with his foot (ближайшего мальчугана ногой), and said fiercely (и сказал яростно):

'Take thou that (вот тебе), till the morrow come (пока утро (не) придет) and I build thee a gibbet (и я (не) построю тебе виселицу)!'

Ah, but this was not a joke (ах, но это не была шутка) — this was going beyond fun (это переходило границы веселья). The laughter ceased on the instant (смех умолк сразу) and fury took its place (и ярость заняла его место). A dozen shouted (дюжина (человек) прокричала):

'Hale him forth (тащи его)! To the horse-pond, to the horse-pond (к лошадиному пруду)! Where be the dogs (где собаки)? Ho, there, Lion (взять, Лев)! ho, Fangs (взять, Клыкастый; fang — клык)!'

Then followed such a thing (затем последовала такая вещь) as England had never seen before (какую Англия никогда не видела прежде) — the sacred person of the heir to the throne (священная особа наследника престола) rudely buffeted (жестоко схваченная) by plebeian hands (плебейскими руками), and set upon (и атакованная) and torn by dogs (и искусанная собаками; to tear — рвать).

As night drew to a close that day (когда ночь приближалась к концу в тот день), the prince found himself (принц оказался: «нашел себя») far down (глубоко) in the close-built (в тесно застроенной) portion of the city (части города). His body was bruised (его тело было в синяках; bruise — синяк; to bruise — ставить синяки), his hands were bleeding (его руки кровоточили), and his rags were all besmirched with mud (а его лохмотья были все измазаны в грязи). He wandered on and on (он брел (все) дальше и дальше), and grew more and more bewildered (и становился (все) больше и больше сбит с толку), and so tired and faint (и такой усталый и слабый) he could hardly drag one foot after the other (/что/ он едва мог переставлять одну ногу за другой). He had ceased to ask questions (он перестал задавать вопросы; to ask — (с)просить) of any one (кому-либо), since they brought him only insult (так как они приносили ему лишь оскорбления/унижения) instead of information (вместо информации). He kept muttering (он продолжал бормотать) to himself (себе под нос: «к себе»), 'Offal Court (Тупик Отбросов) — that is the name (это то самое имя = вот как это место называется); if I can but find it (если я смогу только найти его) before my strength is wholly spent (прежде чем мои силы полностью иссякнут: «будут потрачены») and I drop (и я упаду), then am I saved (тогда я спасен) — for his people will take me to the palace (ибо его люди = родные отведут меня во дворец) and prove that I am none of theirs (и докажут, что я не из их /числа/), but the true prince (но истинный принц), and I shall have mine own again (и я получу свое собственное опять = обратно).' And now and then his mind reverted (и сейчас и тогда = все время его мысли возвращались; mind — сознание) to his treatment (к обращению с ним = к тому, как с ним обращались) by those rude Christ's Hospital boys (этими грубыми мальчишками из Дома Христа), and he said (и он сказал), 'When I am king (когда я стану королем), they shall not have bread and shelter only (они будут иметь не только хлеб и кров; only — только), but also teachings out of books (он также учение из книг); for a full belly (так как полный живот) is little worth (немногого стоит) where the mind is starved (где = если ум голодает), and the heart (как и сердце). I will keep this diligently in my remembrance (я буду хранить это прилежно в моей памяти), that this day's lesson be not lost upon me (чтобы урок этого дня не не был потерян = потрачен зря на меня; to lose — терять), and my people suffer thereby (и мои люди (бы не) страдали от этого); for learning softeneth the heart and breedeth gentleness and charity (ибо учение смягчает сердце и сеет доброту и милосердие; softeneth и breedeth — устар. вместо softens и breeds; to breed — разводить, вскармливать)'.

native [`neıtıv], reverence [`revərəns], instead [ın`sted]

The boys stopped their play and flocked about the prince, who said with native dignity:

'Good lads, say to your master that Edward Prince of Wales desireth speech with him.'

A great shout went up at this, and one rude fellow said:

'Marry, art thou his grace's messenger, beggar?' The prince's face flushed with anger, and his ready hand flew to his hip, but there was nothing there. There was a storm of laughter, and one boy said:

'Didst mark that? He fancied he had a sword — belike he is the prince himself.'

This sally brought more laughter. Poor Edward drew himself up proudly and said:

'I am the prince; and it ill beseemeth you that feed upon the king my father's bounty to use me so.'

This was vastly enjoyed, as the laughter testified. The youth who had first spoken shouted to his comrades:

'Ho, swine, slaves, pensioners of his grace's princely father, where be your manners? Down on your marrow bones, all of ye, and do reverence to his kingly port and royal rags!'

With boisterous mirth they dropped upon their knees in a body and did mock homage to their prey. The prince spurned the nearest boy with his foot, and said fiercely:

'Take thou that, till the morrow come and I build thee a gibbet!'

Ah, but this was not a joke — this was going beyond fun. The laughter ceased on the instant and fury took its place. A dozen shouted:

'Hale him forth! To the horse-pond, to the horse-pond! Where be the dogs? Ho, there, Lion! ho, Fangs!'

Then followed such a thing as England had never seen before — the sacred person of the heir to the throne rudely buffeted by plebeian hands, and set upon and torn by dogs.

As night drew to a close that day, the prince found himself far down in the close-built portion of the city. His body was bruised, his hands were bleeding, and his rags were all besmirched with mud. He wandered on and on, and grew more and more bewildered, and so tired and faint he could hardly drag one foot after the other. He had ceased to ask questions of any one, since they brought him only insult instead of information. He kept muttering to himself, 'Offal Court — that is the name; if I can but find it before my strength is wholly spent and I drop, then am I saved — for his people will take me to the palace and prove that I am none of theirs, but the true prince, and I shall have mine own again.' And now and then his mind reverted to his treatment by those rude Christ's Hospital boys, and he said, 'When I am king, they shall not have bread and shelter only, but also teachings out of books; for a full belly is little worth where the mind is starved, and the heart. I will keep this diligently in my remembrance, that this day's lesson be not lost upon me, and my people suffer thereby; for learning softeneth the heart and breedeth gentleness and charity.'