Английский язык с Марком Твеном. Принц и нищий (Mark Twain. The Prince and the Pauper), стр. 61

'Now am I persuaded that if your majesty will but tax your memory yet a little further, it will resolve the puzzle of the Great Seal — a loss which was of moment yesterday, although of none to-day, since its term of service ended with our late lord's life. May it please your grace to make the trial?'

Tom was at sea — a Great Seal was a something which he was totally unacquainted with. After a moment's hesitation he looked up innocently and asked:

'What was it like, my lord?'

The earl started, almost imperceptibly, muttering to himself, 'Alack, his wits are flown again! — it was ill wisdom to lead him on to strain them —' then he deftly turned the talk to other matters, with the purpose of sweeping the unlucky Seal out of Tom's thoughts — a purpose which easily succeeded.

CHAPTER XV (Глава пятнадцатая)

THE next day the foreign ambassadors came (на следующий день иностранные послы пришли), with their gorgeous trains (со своей великолепной свитой); and Tom, throned (и Том, усаженный на трон) in awful state (в ужасном состоянии), received them (принял их). The splendors of the scene delighted his eye (роскошь этого зрелища услаждала его взор) and fired his imagination at first (и воспламеняла его фантазию поначалу), but the audience was long and dreary (но аудиенция была длинной и скучной), and so were most of the addresses (и такими же было большинство речей: «обращений») — wherefore (по каковой причине), what began as a pleasure (что началось как удовольствие), grew into weariness and homesickness by and by (выросло в изнеможение и тоску по дому постепенно). Tom said the words which Hertford put into his mouth from time to time (Том произносил слова, которые Хартфорд вкладывал в его уста время от времени), and tried hard (и старался упорно) to acquit himself satisfactorily (вести себя удовлетворительно), but he was too new to such things (но он был слишком новым = неопытным в этих вещах), and too ill at ease (и слишком неловок) to accomplish more than a tolerable success (чтобы достичь более, чем сносный успех). He looked sufficiently like a king (он выглядел достаточно как король), but he was ill able (но он был плохо = мало способен) to feel like one (чувствовать себя как таковой = как король). He was cordially glad when the ceremony was ended (он был сердечно рад, когда церемония была закончена).

The larger part of his day (большая часть его дня) was 'wasted' (была «потрачена впустую») — as he termed it (как он назвал это), in his own mind (в своих собственных мыслях) — in labors pertaining to his royal office (на труды, относящиеся к его королевской службе). Even the two hours (даже два часа) devoted to certain princely pastimes and recreations (посвященные определенным княжеским развлечениям и отдыху) were rather a burden to him (были скорее бременем для него) than otherwise (чем наоборот), they were so fettered by restrictions and ceremonious observances (они были так опутаны ограничениями и церемониальными ритуалами). However, he had a private hour (однако он имел личный час) with his whipping-boy (со своим мальчиком для битья) which he counted clear gain (который он счел чистой прибылью), since he got both entertainment and needful information out of it (так как он получил и развлечения, и нужные сведения из него; both — оба).

The third day of Tom Canty's kingship (третий день царствования Тома Кэнти) came and went (пришел и ушел; to come — приходить; to go — идти, уходить, исчезать) much as the others had done (точно как другие: «как другие сделали»), but there was a lifting of his cloud (но тучи рассеялись: «но было поднятие его облака») in one way (в одном отношении) — he felt less uncomfortable (он чувствовал себя менее неудобно) than at first (чем поначалу); he was getting a little used (он понемногу привыкал: «становился немного привыкшим») to his circumstances and surroundings (к своим обстоятельствам и окружению); his chains still galled (его цепи все еще раздражали его), but not all the time (но не все время); he found that the presence and homage of the great (он обнаружил, что присутствие и почет от великих) afflicted and embarrassed him less and less sharply (огорчали и смущали его все менее и менее остро) with every hour that drifted over his head (с каждым часом, который протекал над его головой).

But for one single dread (если бы не один единственный ужас), he could have seen the fourth day approach (он мог бы видеть, как приближается четвертый день; to approach — приближаться) without serious distress (без серьезных страданий) — the dining in public (обед на публике); it was to begin that day (это должно было начаться в тот день). There were greater matters in the program (были и бoльшие дела в программе) — for on that day (ибо в тот день) he would have to preside (ему предстояло председательствовать) at a council (на совете) which would take his views and commands (который бы принял его мнения и приказы) concerning the policy to be pursued (относительно политики, которой нужно следовать) toward various foreign nations scattered far and near over the great globe (в отношении разных чужих народов, разбросанных далеко и близко по огромному глобусу); on that day, too (в тот день также), Hertford would be formally chosen to the grand office of Lord Protector (Хартфорд был бы формально избран на великую службу Лорда Протектора; to choose — выбирать); other things of note (иные дела, достойные замечания) were appointed for that fourth day also (были назначены на этот четвертый день также), but to Tom they were all insignificant (но для Тома они были все несущественны) compared with the ordeal of dining (по сравнению с испытанием в виде обеда; to compare — сравнивать) all by himself (совершенно самостоятельно) with a multitude of curious eyes fastened upon him (со множеством глаз, устремленных на него; to fasten — прикреплять) and a multitude of mouths whispering comments upon his performance (и множеством ртов, шепчущих комментарии о его поведении; performance — исполнение, выполнение) — and upon his mistakes (и о его ошибках), if he should be so unlucky as to make any (если бы он был столь неудачлив, чтобы сделать какие-либо).

weariness [`w??r?n?s], waste [we?st], appoint [?`pO?nt]

THE next day the foreign ambassadors came, with their gorgeous trains; and Tom, throned in awful state, received them. The splendors of the scene delighted his eye and fired his imagination at first, but the audience was long and dreary, and so were most of the addresses — wherefore, what began as a pleasure, grew into weariness and homesickness by and by. Tom said the words which Hertford put into his mouth from time to time, and tried hard to acquit himself satisfactorily, but he was too new to such things, and too ill at ease to accomplish more than a tolerable success. He looked sufficiently like a king, but he was ill able to feel like one. He was cordially glad when the ceremony was ended.

The larger part of his day was 'wasted' — as he termed it, in his own mind — in labors pertaining to his royal office. Even the two hours devoted to certain princely pastimes and recreations were rather a burden to him than otherwise, they were so fettered by restrictions and ceremonious observances. However, he had a private hour with his whipping-boy which he counted clear gain, since he got both entertainment and needful information out of it.

The third day of Tom Canty's kingship came and went much as the others had done, but there was a lifting of his cloud in one way — he felt less uncomfortable than at first; he was getting a little used to his circumstances and surroundings; his chains still galled, but not all the time; he found that the presence and homage of the great afflicted and embarrassed him less and less sharply with every hour that drifted over his head.