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

The house which Tom's father lived in was up a foul little pocket called Offal Court, out of Pudding Lane. It was small, decayed, and rickety, but it was packed full of wretchedly poor families. Canty's tribe occupied a room on the third floor. The mother and father had a sort of bedstead in the corner; but Tom, his grandmother, and his two sisters, Bet and Nan, were not restricted — they had all the floor to themselves, and might sleep where they chose. There were the remains of a blanket or two, and some bundles of ancient and dirty straw, but these could not rightly be called beds, for they were not organized; they were kicked into a general pile mornings, and selections made from the mass at night.

Bet and Nan were fifteen years old twins (Бет и Нэн были пятнадцатилетние двойняшки; year — год; old — старый). They were good-hearted girls (они были добросердечные девушки; heart — сердце), unclean (нечистые), clothed in rags (одетые в лохмотья), and profoundly ignorant (и глубоко невежественные). Their mother was like them (их мать была, как они). But the father and the grandmother were a couple of fiends (но отец и бабушка были парой дьяволов). They got drunk (они напивались; to get — становиться; drunk — пьяный) whenever they could (когда только они могли); then they fought (затем они дрались; to fight) each other (друг с другом) or anybody else (или с кем угодно еще) who came in the way (кто попадался им на пути); they cursed and swore always (они ругались и сквернословили всегда; to swear — ругаться; клясться), drunk or sober (пьяные или трезвые); John Canty was a thief (Джон Кэнти был вор), and his mother a beggar (а его мать попрошайка).

They made beggars of the children (они сделали попрошаек из детей), but failed (но не смогли; to fail — потерпеть неудачу, провалиться, не смочь) to make thieves of them (сделать воров из них). Among (среди), but not of (но не из /числа/), the dreadful rabble (страшного сброда) that inhabited the house (который населял этот дом), was a good old priest (был добрый старый священник) whom the king (которого король) had turned out of house and home (выбросил из дома) with a pension of a few farthings (с пенсией (в размере) нескольких фартингов), and he used to get (и он усаживал; used to do smth — когда-то давно делать что-то) the children aside (детей рядом) and teach them right ways (и учил их правильным путям = добру) secretly (втайне). Father Andrew also taught Tom a little Latin (отец Эндрю также учил Тома немного латинскому языку), and how to read and write (и как читать и писать); and would have done the same for the girls (и сделал бы то же и для девочек), but they were afraid of the jeers (но они боялись насмешек; afraid — испуганный) of their friends (их друзей), who could not have endured (которые не могли бы вынести) such a queer accomplishment in them (такое странное достижение у них).

clothe [klquð], thief [θi:f], endure [ın`djuə]

Bet and Nan were fifteen years old twins. They were good-hearted girls, unclean, clothed in rags, and profoundly ignorant. Their mother was like them. But the father and the grandmother were a couple of fiends. They got drunk whenever they could; then they fought each other or anybody else who came in the way; they cursed and swore always, drunk or sober; John Canty was a thief, and his mother a beggar.