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

So Miles started on his quest (так что Майлс пустился на свои поиски). Hour after hour (час зв часом) he tramped through back alleys (он бродил по задним = глухим переулкам) and squalid streets (и убогим улочкам), seeking groups and crowds (ища группы и толпы), and finding no end of them (и находя их без конца: «никакого конца их»), but never any sign of the boy (но никогда ни признака мальчика). This greatly surprised him (это чрезвычайно удивило его), but did not discourage him (но не обескуражило его). To his notion (по его мнению), there was nothing the matter with his plan of campaign (дело было не в его плане кампании; nothing — ничего; matter — дело); the only miscalculation about it (единственный просчет в нем = в плане) was that the campaign was becoming a lengthy one (было /то/, что кампания становилась продолжительной), whereas he had expected it to be short (в то время как он ожидал ее быть короткой = что она будет короткой).

When daylight arrived at last (когда дневной свет пришел наконец), he had made many a mile (он сделал = прошел много миль; many a mile = many miles (устар.)), and canvassed many a crowd (и опросил много толп), but the only result was (но единственным результатом было) that he was tolerably tired (что он был довольно-таки уставшим), rather hungry, and very sleepy (весьма голодным и очень сонным). He wanted some breakfast (он хотел какой-нибудь завтрак), but there was no way to get it (но не было способа получить его). To beg for it (выпрашивать его) did not occur to him (не пришло ему в голову; to occur — случаться, приходить на ум); as to pawning his sword (что до /того, чтобы/ заложить свой меч), he would as soon have thought (он бы так скоро = скорее подумал; to think — думать) of parting with his honor (о том, чтобы расстаться со своей честью); he could spare some of his clothes (он мог бы обойтись без части своей одежды) — yes, but one could (но один мог = можно было) as easily find a customer for a disease as for such clothes (так же легко найти покупателя на болезнь, как на такую одежду).

haunt [hO:nt], rather [`ra:ðə], disease [dı`zi:z]

MILES HENDON was picturesque enough before he got into the riot on London Bridge — he was more so when he got out of it. He had but little money when he got in, none at all when he got out. The pickpockets had stripped him of his last farthing.

But no matter, so he found his boy. Being a soldier, he did not go at his task in a random way, but set to work, first of all, to arrange his campaign.

What would the boy naturally do? Where would he naturally go? Well — argued Miles — he would naturally go to his former haunts, for that is the instinct of unsound minds, when homeless and forsaken, as well as of sound ones. Whereabouts were his former haunts? His rags, taken together with the low villain who seemed to know him and who even claimed to be his father, indicated that his home was in one or other of the poorest and meanest districts of London. Would the search for him be difficult, or long? No, it was likely to be easy and brief. He would not hunt for the boy, he would hunt for a crowd; in the center of a big crowd or a little one, sooner or later he should find his poor little friend, sure; and the mangy mob would be entertaining itself with pestering and aggravating the boy, who would be proclaiming himself king, as usual. Then Miles Hendon would cripple some of those people, and carry off his little ward, and comfort and cheer him with loving words, and the two would never be separated any more.