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

'We lost her through it (мы потеряли ее через это = из-за этого). Her gift of palmistry (ее дар хиромантии; palm — ладонь) and other sorts of fortune-telling (и других видов предсказания; fortune — судьба) begot for her at last a witch's name and fame (принесли ей наконец имя и славу ведьмы; to beget — рождать, производить). The law roasted her to death at a slow fire (закон изжарил ее до смерти на медленном огне). It did touch me to a sort of tenderness (это тронуло меня до какой-то нежности) to see the gallant way she met her lot (видеть доблестную манеру, с которой она встретила свою участь; to meet — встречать) — cursing and reviling all the crowd (кляня и браня всю толпу) that gaped and gazed around her (которая зевала и таращилась на нее), whilst the flames licked upward toward her face (пока пламя лизало вперед к ее лицу = языки пламени поднимались…) and catched her thin locks (и охватывало ее тонкие космы) and crackled about her old gray head (и трещали у ее старой седой головы) — cursing them, said I (кляня их, сказал я)? — cursing them (кляня их)! why (что ж) an thou shouldst live a thousand years (если ты и проживешь 1000 лет) thou'dst never hear so masterful a cursing (ты бы никогда не услышал такой мастерской брани). Alack, her art died with her (увы, ее искусство умерло вместе с ней). There be base and weakling imitations left (жалкие и слабые имитации остались), but no true blasphemy (но никакого настоящего богохульства).'

proud [praud], worthy [`wə:ðı], revile [rı`vaıl]

Conversation followed; not in the thieves' dialect of the song, for that was only used in talk when unfriendly ears might be listening. In the course of it it appeared that 'John Hobbs' was not altogether a new recruit, but had trained in the gang at some former time. His later history was called for, and when he said he had 'accidentally' killed a man, considerable satisfaction was expressed; when he added that the man was a priest, he was roundly applauded, and had to take a drink with everybody. Old acquaintances welcomed him joyously, and new ones were proud to shake him by the hand. He was asked why he had 'tarried away so many months.' He answered:

'London is better than the country, and safer these late years, the laws be so bitter and so diligently enforced. An I had not had that accident, I had stayed there. I had resolved to stay, and nevermore venture countrywards — but the accident had ended that.'

He inquired how many persons the gang numbered now. The 'Ruffler,' or chief, answered:

'Five and twenty sturdy budges, bulks, files, clapperdogeons and maunders, counting the dells and doxies and other morts. Most are here, the rest are wandering eastward, along the winter lay. We follow at dawn…'

'I do not see the Wen among the honest folk about me. Where may he be?'

'Poor lad, his diet is brimstone now, and over hot for a delicate taste. He was killed in a brawl, somewhere about midsummer.'

'I sorrow to hear that; the Wen was a capable man, and brave.'

'That was he, truly. Black Bess, his dell, is of us yet, but absent on the eastward tramp; a fine lass, of nice ways and orderly conduct, none ever seeing her drunk above four days in the seven.'