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

'Reflect, sire — your laws are the wholesome breath of your own royalty; shall their source reject them, yet require the branches to respect them? Apparently, one of these laws has been broken; when the king is on his throne again, can it ever grieve him to remember that when he was seemingly a private person he loyally sunk the king in the citizen and submitted to its authority?'

'Thou art right; say no more; thou shalt see that whatsoever the king of England requires a subject to suffer under the law, he will himself suffer while he holdeth the station of a subject.'

When the woman was called upon to testify before the justice of the peace, she swore that the small prisoner at the bar was the person who had committed the theft; there was none able to show the contrary, so the king stood convicted. The bundle was now unrolled, and when the contents proved to be a plump little dressed pig, the judge looked troubled, while Hendon turned pale, and his body was thrilled with an electric shiver of dismay; but the king remained unmoved, protected by his ignorance. The judge meditated, during an ominous pause, then turned to the woman, with question:

'What dost thou hold this property to be worth?'

The woman courtesied and replied:

'Three shillings and eightpence, your worship — I could not abate a penny and set forth the value honestly.'

The justice glanced around uncomfortably upon the crowd, then nodded to the constable and said:

'Clear the court and close the doors.'

It was done (это было сделано). None remained but the two officials (никто не остался, кроме двух чиновников), the accused (обвиняемого), the accuser (обвинителя), and Miles Hendon (и Майлса Хендона). This latter was rigid and colorless (этот последний был застывшим и бесцветным = краска сошла с лица), and on his forehead big drops of cold sweat gathered (и на его лбу большие капли холодного пота собирались), broke and blended together (разбивались и смешивались вместе; to break — ломать(ся)), and trickled down his face (и стекали вниз по его лицу). The judge turned to the woman again (судья повернулся к женщине снова), and said (и сказал), in a compassionate voice (и сказал сострадательным голосом):

''Tis a poor ignorant lad (это бедный невежественный мальчик), and mayhap was driven hard by hunger (и, быть может, был движим сильно голодом; to drive — вести, двигать), for these be grievous times for the unfortunate (ибо эти = ныне тяжелые времена для неудачливых; to grieve — горевать); mark you (заметь), he hath not an evil face (он имеет не злое лицо) — but when hunger driveth (но когда голод преследует) — Good woman (добрая женщина)! dost know (знаешь ли ты) that when one steals a thing (что когда кто-то крадет вещь) above the value of thirteen pence ha'penny (выше стоимости 13 пенсов и полпенса) the law saith he shall hang for it (закон говорит, что он должен висеть = быть повешенным за это)?'

The little king started (маленький король вздрогнул), wide-eyed with consternation (с широко раскрытыми глазами от ужаса), but controlled himself and held his peace (но взял себя в руки и сохранил молчание; to hold — держать); but not so the woman (но не так /поступила/ женщина). She sprang to her feet (она вскочила на ноги; to spring — вспрыгнуть), shaking with fright (трясясь от страха) and cried out (и выкрикнула):