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

'His injured mind persuades him he is Prince of Wales (его поврежденный ум уверяет его, что он принц Уэльский); 'twill be odd to have a Prince of Wales still with us (будет странно иметь принца Уэльского все еще с нами), now that he that was the prince is prince no more (теперь, когда тот, кто был принцем, не принц более), but king (но король) — for this poor mind is set upon the one fantasy (ибо этот бедный ум зациклен на одной фантазии), and will not reason out that now it should cast by the prince (и не догадается, что теперь он должен отбросить принца) and call itself the king (и называть себя королем)... If my father liveth still (если мой отец живет еще; to live — жить), after these seven years that I have heard naught from home in my foreign dungeon (после этих семи лет, что я ничего не слышал из дома, в моей чужеземной темнице), he will welcome the poor lad (он примет бедного мальчугана) and give him generous shelter for my sake (и даст ему надежный приют ради меня); so will my good elder brother, Arthur (так же будет = поступит мой добрый старший брат, Артур); my other brother, Hugh (мой другой брат, Хью) — but I will crack his crown (но я проломлю ему череп), an’ he interfere (если он вмешается), the fox-hearted (с сердцем лисы), ill-conditioned animal (злобное животное)! Yes, thither will we fare (да, туда мы направимся) — and straightway, too (и немедленно к тому же).'

exhaust [ıg`zO:st], drowsily [`drauzılı], persuade [pə`sweıd]

John Canty moved off, muttering threats and curses, and was swallowed from sight in the crowd. Hendon ascended three flights of stairs to his room, with his charge, after ordering a meal to be sent thither. It was a poor apartment, with a shabby bed and some odds and ends of old furniture in it, and was vaguely lighted by a couple of sickly candles. The little king dragged himself to the bed and lay down upon it, almost exhausted with hunger and fatigue. He had been on his feet a good part of a day and a night, for it was now two or three o'clock in the morning, and had eaten nothing meantime. He murmured drowsily:

'Prithee, call me when the table is spread,' and sunk into a deep sleep immediately.

A smile twinkled in Hendon's eye, and he said to himself:

'By the mass, the little beggar takes to one's quarters and usurps one's bed with as natural and easy a grace as if he owned them — with never a by-your-leave or so-please-it-you, or anything of the sort. In his diseased ravings he called himself the Prince of Wales, and bravely doth he keep up the character. Poor little friendless rat, doubtless his mind has been disordered with ill usage. Well, I will be his friend; I have saved him, and it draweth me strongly to him; already I love the bold-tongued little rascal. How soldierlike he faced the smutty rabble and flung back his high defiance! And what a comely, sweet and gentle face he hath, now that sleep hath conjured away its troubles and its griefs. I will teach him, I will cure his malady; yea, I will be his elder brother, and care for him and watch over him; and who so would shame him or do him hurt, may order his shroud, for though I be burnt for it he shall need it!'