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

About noon, after a long and weary tramp, the gang came to a halt behind a hedge on the outskirts of a considerable village. An hour was allowed for rest, then the crew scattered themselves abroad to enter the village at different points to ply their various trades. 'Jack' was sent with Hugo. They wandered hither and thither for some time, Hugo watching for opportunities to do a stroke of business but finding none — so he finally said:

'I see naught to steal; it is a paltry place. Wherefore we will beg.'

'We, forsooth! Follow thy trade — it befits thee. But I will not beg.'

'Thou'lt not beg!' exclaimed Hugo, eying the king with surprise. 'Prithee, since when hast thou reformed?'

'What dost thou mean?'

'Mean? Hast thou not begged the streets of London all thy life?'

'I? Thou idiot!'

'Spare thy compliments — thy stock will last longer. Thy father says thou hast begged all thy days. Mayhap he lied. Peradventure you will even make so bold as to say he lied,' scoffed Hugo.

'Him you call my father? Yes, he lied.'

'Come, play not thy merry game of madman so far, mate; use it for thy amusement, not thy hurt. An I tell him this, he will scorch thee finely for it.'

'Save thyself the trouble. I will tell him.'

'I like thy spirit, I do in truth; but I do not admire thy judgment. Bone-rackings and bastings be plenty enow in this life, without going out of one's way to invite them. But a truce to these matters; I believe your father. I doubt not he can lie; I doubt not he doth lie upon occasion, for the best of us do that; but there is no occasion here. A wise man does not waste so good a commodity as lying for naught. But come; sith it is thy humor to give over begging, wherewithal shall we busy ourselves? With robbing kitchens?'

The king said, impatiently:

'Have done with this folly — you weary me!'

Hugo replied, with temper:

'Now harkee, mate; you will not beg, you will not rob; so be it. But I will tell you what you will do. You will play decoy whilst I beg. Refuse, an you think you may venture!'

The king was about to reply contemptuously, when Hugo said, interrupting: