It was some distance to the wood, but the space was speedily traversed. The

youth looked about him, discovered a bough sticking in the ground, with a

small bit of rag tied to it, then led the way into the forest, watching for similar

boughs and finding them at intervals; they were evidently guides to the point

he was aiming at. By and by an open place was reached, where were the

charred remains of a farmhouse, and near them a barn which was falling to

ruin and decay. There was no sign of life anywhere, and utter silence

prevailed. The youth entered the barn, the king following eagerly upon his

heels. No one there! The king shot a surprised and suspicious glance at the

youth, and asked:

'Where is he?'

A mocking laugh was his answer. The king was in a rage in a moment; he

seized a billet of wood and was in the act of charging upon the youth when

another mocking laugh fell upon his ear. It was from the lame ruffian, who

had been following at a distance. The king turned and said angrily:

'Who art thou? What is thy business here?'

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'Leave thy foolery,' said the man, 'and quiet thyself. My disguise is none so

good that thou canst pretend thou knowest not thy father through it.'

'Thou art not my father. I know thee not. I am the king. If thou hast hid my

servant, find him for me, or thou shalt sup sorrow for what thou hast done.'

John Canty replied, in a stern and measured voice:

'It is plain thou art mad, and I am loath to punish thee; but if thou provoke

me, I must. Thy prating doth no harm here, where there are no ears that need

to mind thy follies, yet is it well to practise thy tongue to wary speech, that it

may do no hurt when our quarters change. I have done a murder, and may

not tarry at home — neither shalt thou, seeing I need thy service. My name is

changed, for wise reasons; it is Hobbs — John Hobbs; thine is Jack — charge

thy memory accordingly. Now, then, speak. Where is thy mother? Where are

thy sisters? They came not to the place appointed — knowest thou whither

they went?'

The king answered, sullenly:

'Trouble me not with these riddles. My mother is dead; my sisters are in the

palace.'

The youth near by burst into a derisive laugh, and the king would have

assaulted him, but Canty — or Hobbs, as he now called himself — prevented

him, and said:

'Peace, Hugo, vex him not; his mind is astray, and thy ways fret him. Sit thee

down, Jack, and quiet thyself; thou shalt have a morsel to eat, anon.'

Hobbs and Hugo fell to talking together (Хоббс и Хьюго принялись

разговаривать вместе; to fall to — приниматься за что-либо), in low voices

(тихими голосами), and the king removed himself (а король удалил себя) as far

as he could (так далеко, как он мог) from their disagreeable company (от их

неприятной компании). He withdrew into the twilight of the farther end of the

barn (он отошел в полумрак дальнего конца сарая; to withdraw — забирать,

отходить), where he found the earthen floor (где он нашел земляной пол; to

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find — находить) bedded a foot deep with straw (устланный на фут глубиной

соломой). He lay down here (он лег здесь; to lie — ложиться, лежать), drew

straw over himself (натянул солому поверх себя; to draw — тянуть) in lieu of

blankets (вместо одеял), and was soon absorbed in thinking (и стал скоро

поглощен размышлениями). He had many griefs (он имел много печалей), but

the minor ones (но меньшие) were swept almost into forgetfulness (были

сметены почти в забвение) by the supreme one (первостепенной; supreme —

высший), the loss of his father (потерей его отца). To the rest of the world (на

остальную часть мира) the name of Henry VIII brought a shiver (имя Генриха

VIII наводило трепет; to bring — приносить), and suggested an ogre (и

наводило на мысль о великане-людоеде; to suggest — внушать, вызывать;

подсказывать /мысль/; намекать; наводить на мысль; говорить о, означать)

whose nostrils breathed destruction (чьи ноздри дышали разрушением) and

whose hand dealt scourgings and death (и чья рука раздавала бичевания и

смерть; scourge — плеть, бич; to scourge — бичевать); but to this boy (но

этому мальчику) the name brought only sensations of pleasure (это имя

приносило только чувство удовольствия; to bring — приносить), the figure it

invoked (фигура, которую оно вызывало) wore a countenance (носила

выражение лица; to wear — носить) that was all gentleness and affection

(которое было все мягкость и любовь). He called to mind (он вызывал в уме) a

long succession of loving passages (длинный ряд задушевных разговоров)

between his father and himself (между его отцом и самим собой), and dwelt

fondly upon them (и задерживался любовно на них = лелеял эти

воспоминания; to dwell — подробно останавливаться, задерживаться,

обитать), his unstinted tears (его безмерные слезы = рыдания) attesting

(свидетельствующие) how deep and real was the grief (как глубока и

неподдельна была печаль) that possessed his heart (которая овладела его

сердцем). As the afternoon wasted away (пока день уходил; to waste away —

зачахнуть, истаять; to waste — терять даром, тратить впустую; чахнуть,

угасать), the lad, wearied with his troubles (мальчик, измотанный своими

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бедами), sunk gradually into a tranquil and healing slumber (погрузился

постепенно в спокойный и целительный сон; to sink — погружаться,

тонуть; to heal — исцелять).

After a considerable time (через значительный промежуток времени) — he

could not tell how long (он не мог сказать, насколько долгий) — his senses

struggled to a half-consciousness (его чувства пробились к

полубессознательному состоянию; half — половина; consciousness —

сознание; conscious — сознательный), and as he lay with closed eyes (и пока он

лежал с закрытыми глазами; to lie — лежать) vaguely wondering where he was

(туманно задаваясь вопросом, где он) and what had been happening (и что

происходило), he noted a murmurous sound (он заметил приглушенный звук),

the sullen beating of rain upon the roof (тихое/угрюмое постукивание дождя по

крыше). A snug sense of comfort (уютное чувство неги) stole over him

(постепенно овладело им; to steal — постепенно овладевать), which was

rudely broken (которое было грубо нарушено; to break — ломать), the next

moment (в следующее мгновение), by a chorus of piping cackles (хором

визгливого хихиканья; pipe — трубка; свирель, дудка, свисток; to pipe —

свистеть, говорить пронзительно) and coarse laughter (и хриплого смеха). It

startled him disagreeably (это поразило его неприятно), and he unmuffled his

head (и он высвободил свою голову) to see whence this interruption proceeded

(чтобы увидеть, откуда эта помеха исходила). A grim and unsightly picture

(мрачная и неприглядная картина) met his eye (встретила его глаз =

открылась его глазам; to meet — встречать(ся)). A bright fire was burning in

the middle of the floor (яркий костер горел в середине пола), at the other end of

the barn (на другом конце сарая); and around it (а вокруг него), and lit weirdly

up by the red glare (и озаренная странно красным светом; to light up —

озарять), lolled and sprawled (расселась и развалилась) the motliest company

(наипестрейшая компания) of tattered gutter-scum and ruffians (оборванных

подонков и головорезов; gutter — канава; scum — пена, накипь; подонок), of

both sexes (обоих полов), he had ever read or dreamed of (о которых он когда-

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либо читал или представлял; to read — читать). There were huge, stalwart men

(там были огромные, рослые мужчины), brown with exposure (коричневые от

солнца = загорелые; exposure — «выставление» на солнце, ветер…), long-

haired (длинноволосые), and clothed in fantastic rags (и одетые в

фантастические лохмотья); there were middle-sized youths (там были среднего

размера юноши), of truculent countenance (свирепой наружности), and

similarly clad (и похоже одетые); there were blind mendicants (там были слепые

попрошайки), with patched or bandaged eyes (с заклеенными пластырем или

перевязанными глазами); crippled ones (увечные; to cripple — калечить,

повреждать), with wooden legs and crutches (с деревянными ногами и

костылями); there was a villain-looking peddler (там был злодейского вида:

«негодяем выглядящий» коробейник) with his pack (со своим мешком); a

knife-grinder (точильщик; knife — нож; to grind — точить), a tinker

(лудильщик), and a barber-surgeon (и цирюльник), with the implements of their

trades (с инструментами своих ремесел); some of the females were hardly grown

girls (некоторые из женщин были едва выросшими девушками; to grow —

расти), some were at prime (некоторые были в расцвете = зрелыми

женщинами), some were old and wrinkled hags (некоторые были старыми и

сморщенными ведьмами), and all were loud, brazen, foul-mouthed (и все были

громкие, бесстыжие, сквернословящие); and all soiled and slatternly (и все

грязные и неопрятные); there were three sore-faced babies (там были три с

болезненными лицами младенца; sore — воспаленный, болезненный); there

were a couple of starveling curs (там была пара истощенных псов), with strings

around their necks (с веревками вокруг их шей), whose office was to lead the

blind (чья служба была вести слепых).

The night was come (ночь пришла), the gang had just finished feasting (шайка

только что закончила пировать), an orgy was beginning (оргия начиналась), the

can of liquor (жестянка спиртного) was passing from mouth to mouth

(переходила ото рта ко рту). A general cry broke forth (общий крик вырвался;

to break forth — вырваться, воскликнуть):

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'A song (песню)! a song from the Bat and Dick Dot-and-go-One (песню от

Летучей мыши и Дика Колченогого; dot-and-go-one — хромой)!'

One of the blind men got up (один из слепых людей встал; to get up —

вставать), and made ready (и сделал готовым = приготовился) by casting aside

the patches (отбросив пластыри; to cast aside — бросать в сторону) that

sheltered his excellent eyes (которые прикрывали его прекрасные = здоровые

глаза), and the pathetic placard (и жалостную картонку; placard — плакат,

объявление) which recited the cause of his calamity (которая излагала причину

его беды). Dot-and-go-One disencumbered himself (Колченогий освободился)

of his timber leg (от своей деревянной ноги) and took his place (и занял свое

место; to take — брать), upon sound and healthy limbs (на твердых и здоровых

членах = ногах), beside his fellow-rascal (рядом со своим товарищем-

жуликом); then they roared out (затем они загорланили) a rollicking ditty

(разухабистую песенку), and were reinforced by the whole crew (и были

поддержаны всей шайкой), at the end of each stanza (в конце каждой строфы),

in a rousing chorus (бурным хором). By the time the last stanza was reached (ко

времени, когда последняя строфа была достигнута = когда дошли до…), the

half-drunken enthusiasm had risen to such a pitch (полупьяный энтузиазм

поднялся до такого уровня) that everybody joined in (что все присоединились)

and sang it clear (и пропели ее целиком; to sing — петь) through from the

beginning (целиком от начала; through — через, сквозь, от начала до конца),

producing a volume of villainous sound (произведя массу мерзкого звука; villain

— /ист./ виллан, крепостной; злодей, негодяй) that made the rafters quake

(который заставлял стропила дрожать; to make — делать, заставлять). These

were the inspiring words (вот какие были вдохновляющие слова):

'Bien Darkmans then,

Bouse Mort and Ken,

The bien Coves bings awast,

On Chates to trine by Rome Coves dine

For his long lib at last.

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Bing'd out bien Morts and toure, and toure,

Bing out of the Rome vile bine,

And toure the Cove that cloy'd your duds,

Upon upon the Chates to trine.'

(/песня на воровском жаргоне той эпохи/ Притон, прощай, не забывай,

Уходим в путь далекий. Прощай, земля, нас ждет петля И долгий сон,

глубокий. Нам предстоит висеть в ночи, Качаясь над землею, А нашу рухлядь

палачи Поделят меж собою).

shiver [`Sıvə], foul [faul], inspiring [ın`spaıərıŋ]

Hobbs and Hugo fell to talking together, in low voices, and the king removed

himself as far as he could from their disagreeable company. He withdrew into

the twilight of the farther end of the barn, where he found the earthen floor

bedded a foot deep with straw. He lay down here, drew straw over himself in

lieu of blankets, and was soon absorbed in thinking. He had many griefs, but

the minor ones were swept almost into forgetfulness by the supreme one, the

loss of his father. To the rest of the world the name of Henry VIII brought a

shiver, and suggested an ogre whose nostrils breathed destruction and whose

hand dealt scourgings and death; but to this boy the name brought only

sensations of pleasure, the figure it invoked wore a countenance that was all

gentleness and affection. He called to mind a long succession of loving

passages between his father and himself, and dwelt fondly upon them, his

unstinted tears attesting how deep and real was the grief that possessed his

heart. As the afternoon wasted away, the lad, wearied with his troubles, sunk

gradually into a tranquil and healing slumber.

After a considerable time — he could not tell how long — his senses struggled

to a half-consciousness, and as he lay with closed eyes vaguely wondering

where he was and what had been happening, he noted a murmurous sound,

the sullen beating of rain upon the roof. A snug sense of comfort stole over

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303

him, which was rudely broken, the next moment, by a chorus of piping cackles

and coarse laughter. It startled him disagreeably, and he unmuffled his head

to see whence this interruption proceeded. A grim and unsightly picture met

his eye. A bright fire was burning in the middle of the floor, at the other end

of the barn; and around it, and lit weirdly up by the red glare, lolled and

sprawled the motliest company of tattered gutter-scum and ruffians, of both

sexes, he had ever read or dreamed of. There were huge, stalwart men, brown

with exposure, long-haired, and clothed in fantastic rags; there were middle-

sized youths, of truculent countenance, and similarly clad; there were blind

mendicants, with patched or bandaged eyes; crippled ones, with wooden legs

and crutches; there was a villain-looking peddler with his pack; a knife-

grinder, a tinker, and a barber-surgeon, with the implements of their trades;

some of the females were hardly grown girls, some were at prime, some were

old and wrinkled hags, and all were loud, brazen, foul-mouthed; and all soiled

and slatternly; there were three sore-faced babies; there were a couple of

starveling curs, with strings around their necks, whose office was to lead the

blind.

The night was come, the gang had just finished feasting, an orgy was

beginning, the can of liquor was passing from mouth to mouth. A general cry

broke forth:

'A song! a song from the Bat and Dick Dot-and-go-One!'

One of the blind men got up, and made ready by casting aside the patches that

sheltered his excellent eyes, and the pathetic placard which recited the cause

of his calamity. Dot-and-go-One disencumbered himself of his timber leg and

took his place, upon sound and healthy limbs, beside his fellow-rascal; then

they roared out a rollicking ditty, and were reinforced by the whole crew, at

the end of each stanza, in a rousing chorus. By the time the last stanza was

reached, the half-drunken enthusiasm had risen to such a pitch that

everybody joined in and sang it clear through from the beginning, producing

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304

a volume of villainous sound that made the rafters quake. These were the