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

'Lo, what an imagination he hath (гляди-ка, какое воображение он имеет)! Verily (вправду) this is no common mind (это не обычный ум); else, crazed or sane (иначе, сумасшедший или нормальный), it could not weave (он не мог бы сплести) so straight and gaudy a tale as this (такую прямую/непосредственную и цветистую/закрученную историю, как эту) out of the airy nothings (/прямо/ из воздуха) wherewith (с помощью чего — устар.) it hath wrought this curious romaunt (он /ум/ сработал этот любопытный роман; romaunt — устар.) Poor ruined little head (бедная поврежденная головушка), it shall not lack friend or shelter whilst I bide with the living (она не будет иметь недостатка в друге или приюте, пока я живу: «пребываю с жизнью»). He shall never leave my side (он никогда не покинет меня: «мою сторону, мой бок»); he shall be my pet (он будет моим любимцем), my little comrade (моим маленьким товарищем). And he shall be cured (и он будет излечен)! — aye (да), made whole and sound (сделан здоровым и крепким) — then will he make himself a name (тогда сделает он себе имя) — and proud shall I be to say (и горд я буду сказать), "Yes, he is mine (да, он мой) — I took him, a homeless little ragamuffin (я взял его, бездомного маленького оборванца), but I saw what was in him (но я увидел, что было в нем), and I said his name would be heard some day (и я сказал, что его имя будет услышано когда-нибудь) — behold him, observe him (смотрите на него) — was I right (был ли я прав)?"'

adventure [əd`ventSə], abuse [ə`bju:z], ruin [`ru:ın]

'Yet did my brother Hugh turn these faults to good account — he seeing that our brother Arthur's health was but indifferent, and hoping the worst might work him profit were I swept out of the path — so — but 'twere a long tale, good my liege, and little worth the telling. Briefly, then, this brother did deftly magnify my faults and make them crimes; ending his base work with finding a silken ladder in mine apartments — conveyed thither by his own means — and did convince my father by this, and suborned evidence of servants and other lying knaves, that I was minded to carry off my Edith and marry with her, in rank defiance of his will.

'Three years of banishment from home and England might make a soldier and a man of me, my father said, and teach me some degree of wisdom. I fought out my long probation in the continental wars, tasting sumptuously of hard knocks, privation, and adventure; but in my last battle I was taken captive, and during the seven years that have waxed and waned since then, a foreign dungeon hath harbored me. Through wit and courage I won to the free air at last, and fled hither straight; and am but just arrived, right poor in purse and raiment, and poorer still in knowledge of what these dull seven years have wrought at Hendon Hall, its people and belongings. So please you, sir, my meager tale is told.'

'Thou hast been shamefully abused!' said the little king, with a flashing eye. 'But I will right thee — by the cross will I! The king hath said it.'

Then, fired by the story of Miles's wrongs, he loosed his tongue and poured the history of his own recent misfortunes into the ears of his astonished listener. When he had finished, Miles said to himself.