ing prisoners (расспрашивая узников) whenever the opportunity offered (когда ни представится возможность; to offer — предлагать) — and the tale of their woes (и рассказ об их бедах) wrung his heart (терзал его сердце; to wring — крутить, скручивать, выламывать; терзать). One of them (одна из них) was a poor half-witted woman (была бедная полоумная женщина) who had stolen a yard or two of cloth (которая украла ярд или два = ярд-другой ткани) from a weaver (у ткача) — she was to be hanged for it (она /должна/ была быть повешена за это; to hang — вешать). Another was a man (другой был человек) who had been accused (который был обвинен) of stealing a horse (в краже лошади; to steal — красть); he said the proof had failed (он сказал, что свидетельские показания провалились = не подтвердились), and he had imagined (и он вообразил) that he was safe from the halter (что он был в безопасности от веревки; safe — находящийся в безопасности); but no (но нет) — he was hardly free (он был едва свободен) before he was arraigned (прежде чем он был привлечен к суду; to arraign — привлекать к суду) for killing a deer (за убийство оленя) in the king's park (в королевском парке); this was proved (это было доказано; to prove — доказывать) against him (против него), and now he was on his way (и теперь он был на пути) to the gallows (на виселицу). There was a tradesman's apprentice (там был подмастерье ремесленника) whose case particularly distressed the king (чье дело особенно огорчило короля); this youth said (этот юнрша сказал) he found a hawk one evening (что он нашел ястреба одним вечером; to find — найти) that had escaped from its owner (который убежал от своего владельца), and he took it home with him (и он взял его домой с собой; to take — брать), imagining himself entitled to it (воображая себя имеющим на это право; to entitle — давать право); but the court convicted him (но суд признал его виновным) of stealing it (в краже его), and sentenced him to death (и приговорил его к смерти).
fought [fO:t], tumult [`tju:mAlt], arraign [ə`reın]
Now, by command, the masses parted and fell aside, and the king saw a spectacle that froze the marrow in his bones. Fagots had been piled about the two women, and a kneeling man was lighting them!
The women bowed their heads, and covered their faces with their hands; the yellow flames began to climb upward among the snapping and crackling fagots, and wreaths of blue smoke to stream away on the wind; the clergyman lifted his hands and began a prayer — just then two young girls came flying through the great gate, uttering piercing screams, and threw themselves upon the women at the stake. Instantly they were torn away by the officers, and one of them was kept in a tight grip, but the other broke loose, saying she would die with her mother; and before she could be stopped she had flung her arms about her mother's neck again. She was torn away once more, and with her gown on fire.
Two or three men held her, and the burning portion of her gown was snatched off and thrown flaming aside, she struggling all the while to free herself, and saying she would be alone in the world now, and begging to be allowed to die with her mother. Both the girls screamed continually, and fought for freedom; but suddenly this tumult was drowned under a volley of heart-piercing shrieks of mortal agony. The king glanced from the frantic girls to the stake, then turned away and leaned his ashen face against the wall, and looked no more. He said, 'That which I have seen, in that one little moment, will never go out from my memory, but will abide there; and I shall see it all the days, and dream of it all the nights, till I die. Would God I had been blind!'
Hendon was watching the king. He said to himself, with satisfaction, 'His disorder mendeth; he hath changed, and groweth gentler. If he had followed his wont, he would have stormed at these varlets, and said he was king, and commanded that the women be turned loose unscathed. Soon his delusion will pass away and be forgotten, and his poor mind will be whole again. God speed the day!'
That same day several prisoners were brought in to remain overnight, who were being conveyed, under guard, to various places in the kingdom, to undergo punishment for crimes committed. The king conversed with these — he had made it a point, from the beginning, to instruct himself for the kingly office by questioning prisoners whenever the opportunity offered — and the tale of their woes wrung his heart. One of them was a poor half-witted woman who had stolen a yard or two of cloth from a weaver — she was to be hanged for it. Another was a man who had been accused of stealing a horse; he said the proof had failed, and he had imagined that he was safe from the halter; but no — he was hardly free before he was arraigned for killing a deer in the king's park; this was proved against him, and now he was on his way to the gallows. There was a tradesman's apprentice whose case particularly distressed the king; this youth said he found a hawk one evening that had escaped from its owner, and he took it home with him, imagining himself entitled to it; but the court convicted him of stealing it, and sentenced him to death.
The king was furious (король был яростен = в ярости) over these inhumanities (из-за этих проявлений бесчеловечности), and wanted Hendon to break jail (и хотел, чтобы Хендон «сломал тюрьму» = устроил побег) and fly with him to Westminster (и полетел = устремился с ним в Вестминстер), so that he could mount his throne (чтобы он смог воссесть на свой трон) and hold out his scepter (и протянуть свой скипетр; to hold out — протянуть: «держать наружу») in mercy over these unfortunate people (в милости к этим несчастным людям) and save their lives (и спасти их жизни). 'Poor child (бедное дитя),' sighed Hendon (вздыхал Хендон), 'these woeful tales (эти горестные рассказы) have brought his malady upon him again (принесли его болезнь на него снова; to bring — приносить) — alack (увы), but for this evil hap (если бы не эта злая судьба), he would have been well (он был бы здоров) in a little time (в малое время).'
Among these prisoners was an old lawyer (среди этих узников был старый адвокат) — a man with a strong face (человек с решительным лицом) and a dauntless mien (и неустрашимым выражением лица). Three years past (три года прошедшие = назад), he had written a pamphlet (он написал памфлет; to write — писать) against the Lord Chancellor (против лорда-канцлера), accusing him of injustice (обвиняя его в несправедливости), and had been punished for it (и был наказан за это) by the loss of his ears (потерей своих ушей) in the pillory (у позорного столба) and degradation from the bar (и исключением из адвокатского сословия), and in addition (и вдобавок) had been fined L3,000 (был оштрафован на 3000 фунтов) and sentenced to imprisonment for life (и приговорен к заключению на жизнь = пожизненному). Lately he had repeated his offense (недавно он повторил свое нарушение); and in consequence (и следовательно) was now under sentence (/должен/ был по приговору) to lose what remained of his ears (потерять, что оставалось от его ушей), pay a fine of L5,000 (заплатить штраф в 5000 фунтов), be branded on both cheeks (быть заклейменным на обеих щеках), and remain in prison for life (и остаться в тюрьме на /всю/ жизнь).
'These be honorable scars (это почетные рубцы),' he said (он сказал), and turned back his gray hair (и повернул = отвел назад свои седые волосы) and showed the mutilated stubs (и показал изуродованные обрубки) of what (того, что) had once been his ears (когда-то было его ушами; once — когда-то).
The king's eye burned with passion (глаза короля загорелись от гнева). He said (он сказал):
'None believe in me (никто не верит в меня) — neither wilt thou (не поверишь и ты; neither — и не). But no matter (но неважно: «никакого значения») — within the compass of a month (в пределах месяца) thou shalt be free (ты будешь свободен); and more (и более того), the laws that have dishonored thee (законы, которые обесчестили тебя), and shamed the English name (и опозорили английское имя = имя Англии), shall be swept from the statute-books (будут вымараны из свода законов; to sweep — мести, уничтожать; statute — закон). The world is made wrong (мир создан неправильным), kings should go to school to their own laws (короли должны идти в школу к своим собственным законам = изучать их) at times (временами), and so learn mercy (и так научиться милосердию).'
lawyer [`lOıə], mien [mi:n], dishonor [dı`sOnə]
The king was furious over these inhumanities, and wanted Hendon to break jail and fly with him to Westminster, so that he could mount his throne and hold out his scepter in mercy over these unfortunate people and save their lives. 'Poor child,' sighed Hendon, 'these woeful tales have brought his malady upon him again — alack, but for this evil hap, he would have been well in a little time.'
Among these prisoners was an old lawyer — a man with a strong face and a dauntless mien. Three years past, he had written a pamphlet against the Lord Chancellor, accusing him of injustice, and had been punished for it by the loss of his ears in the pillory and degradation from the bar, and in addition had been fined L3,000 and sentenced to imprisonment for life. Lately he had repeated his offense; and in consequence was now under sentence to lose what remained of his ears, pay a fine of L5,000, be branded on both cheeks, and remain in prison for life.
'These be honorable scars,' he said, and turned back his gray hair and showed the mutilated stubs of what had once been his ears.
The king's eye burned with passion. He said:
'None believe in me — neither wilt thou. But no matter — within the compass of a month thou shalt be free; and more, the laws that have dishonored thee, and shamed the English name, shall be swept from the statute-books. The world is made wrong, kings should go to school to their own laws at times, and so learn mercy.