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

Hendon was removed from the stocks, and his back laid bare; and while the lash was applied the poor little king turned away his face and allowed unroyal tears to channel his cheeks unchecked. 'Ah, brave good heart,' he said to himself, 'this loyal deed shall never perish out of my memory. I will not forget it — and neither shall they!' he added, with passion. While he mused, his appreciation of Hendon's magnanimous conduct grew to greater and still greater dimensions in his mind, and so also did his gratefulness for it. Presently he said to himself, 'Who saves his prince from wounds and possible death — and this he did for me — performs high service; but it is little — it is nothing! — oh, less than nothing! — when 'tis weighed against the act of him who saves his prince from SHAME!'

Hendon made no outcry under the scourge, but bore the heavy blows with soldierly fortitude. This, together with his redeeming the boy by taking his stripes for him, compelled the respect of even that forlorn and degraded mob that was gathered there; and its gibes and hootings died away, and no sound remained but the sound of the falling blows. The stillness that pervaded the place when Hendon found himself once more in the stocks, was in strong contrast with the insulting clamour which had prevailed there so little a while before. The king came softly to Hendon's side, and whispered in his ear:

'Kings cannot ennoble thee, thou good, great soul, for One who is higher than kings hath done that for thee; but a king can confirm thy nobility to men.' He picked up the scourge from the ground, touched Hendon's bleeding shoulders lightly with it, and whispered, 'Edward of England dubs thee earl!'