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

So, little by little, the story of the family came out. Arthur had been dead six years. This loss, with the absence of news from Hendon, impaired his father's health; he believed he was going to die, and he wished to see Hugh and Edith settled in life before he passed away; but Edith begged hard for delay, hoping for Miles's return; then the letter came which brought the news of Miles's death; the shock prostrated Sir Richard; he believed his end was very near, and he and Hugh insisted upon the marriage; Edith begged for and obtained a month's respite; then another, and finally a third; the marriage then took place, by the death-bed of Sir Richard. It had not proved a happy one. It was whispered about the country that shortly after the nuptials the bride found among her husband's papers several rough and incomplete drafts of the fatal letter, and had accused him of precipitating the marriage — and Sir Richard's death, too — by a wicked forgery. Tales of cruelty to the Lady Edith and the servants were to be heard on all hands; and since the father's death Sir Hugh had thrown off all soft disguises and become a pitiless master toward all who in any way depended upon him and his domains for bread.

There was a bit of Andrews's gossip which the king listened to with a lively interest:

'There is rumor that the king is mad. But in charity forbear to say I mentioned it, for 'tis death to speak of it, they say.'

His majesty glared at the old man and said:

'The king is not mad, good man — and thou'lt find it to thy advantage to busy thyself with matters that nearer concern thee than this seditious prattle.'

'What doth the lad mean?' said Andrews, surprised at this brisk assault from such an unexpected quarter. Hendon gave him a sign, and he did not pursue his question, but went on with his budget:

'The late king is to be buried at Windsor in a day or two — the sixteenth of the month — and the new king will be crowned at Westminster the twentieth.'

'Methinks they must needs find him first,' muttered his majesty; then added, confidently, 'but they will look to that — and so also shall I.'

'In the name of —'

But the old man got no further — a warning sign from Hendon checked his remark. He resumed the thread of his gossip.

'Sir Hugh goeth to the coronation — and with grand hopes. He confidently looketh to come back a peer, for he is high in favor with the Lord Protector.'

'What Lord Protector?' asked his majesty.

'His grace the Duke of Somerset.'

'What Duke of Somerset?'