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

'Then, prithee, mind the little beast for me while I take my life in my hands and make what success I may toward mounting the big one.'

Then followed a confusion of kicks, cuffs, tramplings and plungings, accompanied by a thunderous intermingling of volleyed curses, and finally a bitter apostrophe to the mule, which must have broken its spirit, for hostilities seemed to cease from that moment.

With unutterable misery the fettered little king (с невыразимым страданием связанный маленький король; to utter — издавать звук; произносить; излагать, выражать словами) heard the voices and footsteps fade away and die out (слышал, как голоса и шаги стихают и замирают; to hear — слышать). All hope forsook him now for the moment (вся надежда оставила его теперь на это время; to forsake — оставлять, покидать), and a dull despair settled down upon his heart (и унылое отчаяние водворилось в его сердце). 'My only friend is deceived (мой единственный друг обманут) and got rid of (и от него отделались; to get rid of — отделаться от кого-либо),' he said (он сказал); 'the hermit will return and (отшельник вернется и) —' He finished with a gasp (он закончил со вздохом); and at once fell to struggling so frantically with his bonds again (и сразу же принялся бороться так неистово со своими путами снова; to fall to — приниматься что-то делать: «упасть к»), that he shook off the smothering sheepskin (что он стряхнул прочь удушающую овечью шкуру; to shake — трясти).

And now he heard the door open (и вот он услышал, как дверь открывается; to hear — слышать)! The sound chilled him to the marrow (этот звук пробрал его до мозга костей; to chill — леденить; marrow — сущность, костный мозг) — already he seemed to feel (уже он, казалось, чувствовал; to seem — казаться) the knife at his throat (нож у своего горла). Horror made him close his eyes (ужас заставил его закрыть глаза; to make — делать, заставлять); horror made him open them again (ужас заставил его открыть их снова) — and before him stood John Canty and Hugo (и перед ним стояли Джон Кэнти и Хьюго; to stand — стоять)!

He would have said (он бы сказал; to say — сказать) 'Thank God (слава Богу)!' if his jaws had been free (если бы его челюсти были свободны).

A moment or two later his limbs were at liberty (моментом или двумя = секундой-другой позже его конечности были на свободе), and his captors (а его похитители), each gripping him by an arm (каждый схвативший его за руку), were hurrying him with all speed through the forest (поторапливали его на всей = полной скорости через лес).

deceive [dı`si:v], limb [lım], hurry [`hArı]

With unutterable misery the fettered little king heard the voices and footsteps fade away and die out. All hope forsook him now for the moment, and a dull despair settled down upon his heart. 'My only friend is deceived and got rid of,' he said; 'the hermit will return and —' He finished with a gasp; and at once fell to struggling so frantically with his bonds again, that he shook off the smothering sheepskin.

And now he heard the door open! The sound chilled him to the marrow — already he seemed to feel the knife at his throat. Horror made him close his eyes; horror made him open them again — and before him stood John Canty and Hugo!

He would have said 'Thank God!' if his jaws had been free.

A moment or two later his limbs were at liberty, and his captors, each gripping him by an arm, were hurrying him with all speed through the forest.

CHAPTER XXII (Глава двадцать вторая)

A Victim of Treachery (Жертва вероломства)