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

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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.

So Miles started on his quest. Hour after hour he tramped through back alleys

and squalid streets, seeking groups and crowds, and finding no end of them,

but never any sign of the boy. This greatly surprised him, but did not

discourage him. To his notion, there was nothing the matter with his plan of

campaign; the only miscalculation about it was that the campaign was

becoming a lengthy one, whereas he had expected it to be short.

When daylight arrived at last, he had made many a mile, and canvassed many

a crowd, but the only result was that he was tolerably tired, rather hungry,

and very sleepy. He wanted some breakfast, but there was no way to get it. To

beg for it did not occur to him; as to pawning his sword, he would as soon

have thought of parting with his honor; he could spare some of his clothes —

yes, but one could as easily find a customer for a disease as for such clothes.

At noon he was still tramping (в полдень он все еще бродил) — among the

rabble (среди сброда) which followed after the royal procession now (который

следовал за королевской процессией теперь); for he argued (ибо он рассудил)

that this regal display (что это королевское выступление) would attract his little

lunatic powerfully (привлекло бы его маленького безумца мощно). He followed

the pageant (он следовал за процессией) through all its devious windings (по

всем ее хитроумным изгибам) about London (по Лондону), and all the way to

Westminster and the Abbey (и вплоть до Вестминстера и Аббатства). He drifted

here and there (он бродил здесь и там) among the multitudes (среди толп) that

were massed in the vicinity (которые скапливались поблизости) for a weary long

time (в течение изматывающего долгого времени), baffled and perplexed

(сбитый с толку и озадаченный), and finally wandered off (и наконец забрел

далеко: «убрел прочь») thinking, and trying to contrive some way (думая и

пытаясь выдумать какой-нибудь способ) to better his plan of campaign

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(улучшить свой план кампании). By and by (мало-помалу), when he came to

himself (когда он пришел к себе = в себя) out of his musings (из своих

размышлений), he discovered that the town was far behind him (он обнаружил,

что город оказался далеко за ним) and that the day was growing old (и что день

становился старым = клонился к закату). He was near the river (он был близ

реки), and in the country (и в сельской местности); it was a region of fine rural

seats (это был район роскошных деревенских усадеб) — not the sort of district

(не такой сорт местности) to welcome clothes like his (чтобы радушно принять

одежду вроде его = как у него).

It was not at all cold (не было совсем холодно); so he stretched himself (так что

он растянулся) on the ground in the lee of a hedge (на земле под сенью

изгороди; lee — укрытие, подветренная сторона) to rest and think (чтобы

отдохнуть и подумать). Drowsiness presently began (сонливость вскоре начала;

to begin — начать) to settle upon his senses (оседать на его чувства); the faint

and far-off boom of cannon (слабый и отдаленный залп пушки) was wafted to

his ear (был донесен до его уха), and he said to himself (и он сказал себе), 'The

new king is crowned (новый король коронован),' and straightway fell asleep (и

сразу же заснул: «упал спящим»; to fall — падать). He had not slept or rested,

before (он не спал и не отдыхал прежде; to sleep — спать), for more than thirty

hours (в течение больше чем тридцати часов). He did not wake again (он не

проснулся снова) until near the middle of the next morning (до почти середины

следующего утра).

He got up, lame (он поднялся, хромой; to get up — вставать), stiff (затекший),

and half famished (и полуголодный; half — половина; to famish —

проголодаться), washed himself in the river (умылся в реке), stayed his stomach

(утолил свой желудок) with a pint or two of water (пинтой-другой воды), and

trudged off toward Westminster (и устало потащился к Вестминстеру)

grumbling at himself (ворча на себя) for having wasted so much time (за то, что

потратил столько времени). Hunger helped him to a new plan now (голод помог

ему к новому плану теперь = подсказал ему новый план); he would try (он

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попробовал бы) to get speech with old Sir Humphrey Marlow (поговорить:

«получить речь» со старым сэром Хамфри Марло) and borrow a few marks (и

одолжить несколько марок), and (и) — but that was enough of a plan (но это

было достаточно от плана = это уже был достаточный план) for the present

(пока что: «для настоящего времени»); it would be time enough (будет времени

достаточно) to enlarge it (увеличить = доработать его) when this first stage

should be accomplished (когда этот первый этап будет окончен).

Toward eleven o'clock (к одиннадцати часам) he approached the palace (он

приблизился к дворцу); and although a host of showy people were about him (и,

хотя толпа блестящих людей была вокруг него), moving in the same direction

(двигаясь в том же направлении), he was not inconspicuous (он не был

незаметен) — his costume took care of that (его костюм позаботился об этом;

to take care — позаботиться о чем-то: «взять заботу»). He watched these

people's faces narrowly (он наблюдал за лицами этих людей пристально),

hoping to find a charitable one (надеясь найти доброжелательное лицо: «одно»)

whose possessor might be willing (чей обладатель мог бы быть желающим =

согласился бы) to carry his name (донести его имя = доложить о нем) to the old

lieutenant (старому лейтенанту) — as to trying (что до того, чтобы попытаться)

to get into the palace himself (попасть во дворец самому), that was simply out of

the question (это было просто вне вопроса = об этом и речи быть не могло).

Presently our whipping-boy (вскоре наш мальчик для битья; to whip — пороть

/хлыстом, кнутом/) passed him (прошел мимо него), then wheeled about (затем

обернулся; about — вокруг) and scanned his figure well (и рассмотрел его

внешность хорошо), saying to himself (говоря себе), 'An that is not the very

vagabond (если это не тот самый бродяга) his majesty is in such a worry about

(о котором его величество так беспокоится: «в таком беспокойстве»; about —

о), then am I an ass (тогда я осел) — though belike I was that before (хотя

похоже, что я был им прежде). He answereth the description to a rag (он

отвечает описанию до лоскутка) — that God should make two such (чтобы Бог

сделал двух таких), would be to cheapen miracles (значило бы обесценивать

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чудеса), by wasteful repetition (расточительным повторением). I would I could

contrive an excuse (я хотел бы, чтобы я мог придумать предлог) to speak with

him (заговорить с ним).'

lunatic [`lu:nətık], waft [wa:ft], repetition [repı`tıS(ə)n]

At noon he was still tramping — among the rabble which followed after the

royal procession now; for he argued that this regal display would attract his

little lunatic powerfully. He followed the pageant through all its devious

windings about London, and all the way to Westminster and the Abbey. He

drifted here and there among the multitudes that were massed in the vicinity

for a weary long time, baffled and perplexed, and finally wandered off

thinking, and trying to contrive some way to better his plan of campaign. By

and by, when he came to himself out of his musings, he discovered that the

town was far behind him and that the day was growing old. He was near the

river, and in the country; it was a region of fine rural seats — not the sort of

district to welcome clothes like his.