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

Among these prisoners was an old lawyer — a man with a strong face and a dauntless mien. Three years past, he had written a pamphlet against the Lord Chancellor, accusing him of injustice, and had been punished for it by the loss of his ears in the pillory and degradation from the bar, and in addition had been fined L3,000 and sentenced to imprisonment for life. Lately he had repeated his offense; and in consequence was now under sentence to lose what remained of his ears, pay a fine of L5,000, be branded on both cheeks, and remain in prison for life.

'These be honorable scars,' he said, and turned back his gray hair and showed the mutilated stubs of what had once been his ears.

The king's eye burned with passion. He said:

'None believe in me — neither wilt thou. But no matter — within the compass of a month thou shalt be free; and more, the laws that have dishonored thee, and shamed the English name, shall be swept from the statute-books. The world is made wrong, kings should go to school to their own laws at times, and so learn mercy.

CHAPTER XXVIII (Глава двадцать восьмая)

The Sacrifice (Жертва: «жертвоприношение»)

MEANTIME Miles was growing sufficiently tired (тем временем Майлс становился достаточно уставшим; to grow — расти, становиться) of confinement and inaction (от заключения и бездействия). But now his trial came on (но теперь его процесс был рассмотрен в суде; to come on — рассматриваться в суде: «прийти на»), to his great gratification (к его великому удовольствию), and he thought he could welcome any sentence (и он подумал, что мог бы приветствовать любой приговор; to think — думать) provided (при условии, что) a further imprisonment (дальнейшее заключение) should not be a part of it (не было бы частью его). But he was mistaken (но он ошибался: «был заблуждающимся») about that (на этот счет). He was in a fine fury (он был в чистом гневе) when he found himself described as (когда он обнаружил себя описанным как; to find —найти) a 'sturdy vagabond’ (здоровым проходимцем; sturdy — крепкий)' and sentenced to sit two hours in the pillory (и приговорен просидеть два часа у позорного столба) for bearing that character (за ношение этого образа = притворство) and for assaulting the master of Hendon Hall (и за нападение на хозяина Хендон-холла). His pretensions as to brothership with his prosecutor (его притязание на братство с истцом; as to — что до), and rightful heirship to (и законного наследования) the Hendon honors and estates (почестей и владений Хендона), were left contemptuously unnoticed (были оставлены презрительно незамеченными; to leave — оставлять, покидать), as being not even worth examination (как являющиеся даже не заслуживающими рассмотрения).

He raged and threatened (он бушевал и угрожал) on his way to punishment (по пути к наказанию), but it did no good (но это не сделало ничего хорошего = ни к чему не привело); he was snatched roughly along by the officers (он был схвачен грубо офицерами), and got an occasional cuff (и получал иногда удар; to get — получать; occasional — случающийся время от времени), besides (кроме того), for his unreverent conduct (за свое непочтительное поведение).