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

Tom Canty lived to be a very old man (Том Кэнти дожил до того, чтобы быть очень старым человеком), a handsome, white-haired old fellow (красивым, седовласым старцем), of grave and benignant aspect (величавой и милостивой/кроткой наружности). As long as he lasted (так долго, как он прожил = всю его жизнь; to last — сохраняться, длиться) he was honored (он был уважаем); and he was also reverenced (и он был также почитаем), for his striking and peculiar costume (ибо его удивительный и особенный костюм) kept the people reminded (напоминал людям: «держал людей напомненными») that 'in his time he had been royal' (что «в свое время он был королем»); so, wherever he appeared (так что, где бы он ни появился) the crowd fell apart (толпа расступалась; to fall apart — развалиться: «падать в стороны»), making way for him (делая путь для него), and whispering, one to another (и шепча, один другому), 'Doff thy hat (сними шляпу), it is the King's Ward (это Королевский Подопечный)!' — and so they saluted (и они приветствовали /его/), and got his kindly smile in return (и получали его доброжелательную улыбку в ответ) — and they valued it, too (и они ценили ее, конечно; too — тоже), for his was an honorable history (ибо это была благородная история).

Yes, King Edward VI lived only a few years (да, король Эдуард Шестой прожил лишь несколько лет), poor boy (бедный мальчик), but he lived them worthily (но он прожил их достойно). More than once (более чем однажды = не раз), when some great dignitary (когда какой-нибудь великий сановник), some gilded vassal of the crown (какой-нибудь раззолоченный вассал короны), made argument (спорил; argument — спор, доказательства) against his leniency (против его снисходительности), and urged that some law (и настаивал, что какой-нибудь закон) which he was bent upon amending (который он = король был склонен изменить; to bend — склоняться; to amend — исправить, улучшить) was gentle enough for its purpose (был /и без того/ достаточно мягким для своей цели), and wrought no suffering or oppression (и не причинял никакого страдания или притеснения) which any one need mightily mind (о котором кому-либо надо было серьезно беспокоиться; to need — нуждаться; to mind — возражать, иметь что-либо против), the young king turned the mournful eloquence of his great compassionate eyes (юный король оборачивал скорбное красноречие своих больших сострадательных глаз) upon him (на него) and answered (и отвечал):

'What dost thou know of suffering and oppression (что знаешь ты о страдании и угнетении)! I and my people know (я и мой народ знаем), but not thou (но не ты).'

The reign of Edward VI was a singularly merciful one (правление Эдуарда Шестого было редкостно милосердным) for those harsh times (для тех жестоких времен). Now that we are taking leave of him (теперь, когда мы покидаем его: «берем уход от него») let us try (постараемся: «позволим нам постараться») to keep this in our minds (хранить это в своей памяти), to his credit (на его добрую память = для его хорошей репутации).

rehearse [rı`hə:s], yield [ji:ld], leniency [`li:nıənsı]

As long as the king lived he was fond of telling the story of his adventures, all through, from the hour that the sentinel cuffed him away from the palace gate till the final midnight when he deftly mixed himself into a gang of hurrying workmen and so slipped into the Abbey and climbed up and hid himself in the Confessor's tomb, and then slept so long, next day, that he came within one of missing the Coronation altogether. He said that the frequent rehearsing of the precious lesson kept him strong in his purpose to make its teachings yield benefits to his people; and so, while his life was spared he should continue to tell the story, and thus keep its sorrowful spectacles fresh in his memory and the springs of pity replenished in his heart.

Miles Hendon and Tom Canty were favorites of the king, all through his brief reign, and his sincere mourners when he died. The good Earl of Kent had too much good sense to abuse his peculiar privilege; but he exercised it twice after the instance we have seen of it before he was called from the world; once at the accession of Queen Mary, and once at the accession of Queen Elizabeth. A descendant of his exercised it at the accession of James I. Before this one's son chose to use the privilege, near a quarter of a century had elapsed, and the 'privilege of the Kents' had faded out of most people's memories; so, when the Kent of that day appeared before Charles I and his court and sat down in the sovereign's presence to assert and perpetuate the right of his house, there was a fine stir, indeed! But the matter was soon explained and the right confirmed. The last earl of the line fell in the wars of the Commonwealth fighting for the king, and the odd privilege ended with him.

Tom Canty lived to be a very old man, a handsome, white-haired old fellow, of grave and benignant aspect. As long as he lasted he was honored; and he was also reverenced, for his striking and peculiar costume kept the people reminded that 'in his time he had been royal'; so, wherever he appeared the crowd fell apart, making way for him, and whispering, one to another, 'Doff thy hat, it is the King's Ward!' — and so they saluted, and got his kindly smile in return — and they valued it, too, for his was an honorable history.

Yes, King Edward VI lived only a few years, poor boy, but he lived them worthily. More than once, when some great dignitary, some gilded vassal of the crown, made argument against his leniency, and urged that some law which he was bent upon amending was gentle enough for its purpose, and wrought no suffering or oppression which any one need mightily mind, the young king turned the mournful eloquence of his great compassionate eyes upon him and answered:

'What dost thou know of suffering and oppression! I and my people know, but not thou.'

The reign of Edward VI was a singularly merciful one for those harsh times. Now that we are taking leave of him let us try to keep this in our minds, to his credit.