At the end of half an hour it suddenly occurred to him that the prince was gone a long time; then right away he began to feel lonely; very soon he fell to listening and longing, and ceased to toy with the pretty things about him; he grew uneasy, then restless, then distressed. Suppose some one should come, and catch him in the prince's clothes, and the prince not there to explain. Might they not hang him at once, and inquire into his case afterward? He had heard that the great were prompt about small matters. His fears rose higher and higher; and trembling he softly opened the door to the ante-chamber, resolved to fly and seek the prince, and through him, protection and release. Six gorgeous gentlemen-servants and two young pages of high degree, clothed like butterflies, sprung to their feet, and bowed low before him. He stepped quickly back, and shut the door.

He said (он сказал):

'Oh, they mock at me (о, они смеются надо мной)! They will go and tell (они пойдут и расскажут). Oh! why came I here (о! почему пришел я сюда) to cast away my life (отдать свою жизнь; to cast — кидать)?'

He walked up and down the floor (он ходил из угла в угол; floor — пол), filled with nameless fears (наполненный безымянными страхами; to fill — наполнять), listening (прислушиваясь), starting at every trifling sound (вздрагивая при каждом мельчайшем шорохе). Presently the door swung open (вдруг дверь раскрылась; to swing — качаться; open — открытый), and a silken page said (и шелковый = одетый в шелка паж сказал):

'The Lady Jane Grey (леди Джейн Грей).'

The door closed (дверь закрылась), and a sweet young girl (и прелестная молодая девушка), richly clad (богато одетая), bounded toward him (подскочила к нему).

But she stopped suddenly (но она остановилась внезапно), and said in a distressed voice (и сказала огорченным голосом):

'Oh, what aileth thee (о, что беспокоит тебя; aileth — устар. вместо ails; to ail — беспокоить), my lord (мой господин)?'

Tom's breath was nearly failing him (дыхание Тома почти отказало ему); but he made shift (но он сделал усилие) to stammer out (произнести, запинаясь):

'Ah, be merciful (ах, будь милосердной), thou (ты)! In sooth I am no lord (поистине, я не господин), but only poor Tom Canty of Offal Court in the city (но лишь бедный Том Кэнти из Тупика отбросов в городе). Prithee let me see the prince (пожалуйста, позвольте мне увидеть принца), and he will of his grace restore (и он вернет из своей милости) to me my rags (мне мои лохмотья), and let me hence (и позволит мне /уйти/ отсюда) unhurt (невредимым; to hurt — причинить боль; ранить; ушибить). Oh, be thou merciful (о, будь ты милостива), and save me (и спаси меня)!'

By this time the boy was on his knees (к этому времени мальчик был = стоял на коленях), and supplicating with his eyes (и умолял глазами) and uplifted hands (и поднятыми вверх руками; to uplift — поднимать, вздымать) as well as with his tongue (так же, как и языком = словами). The young girl seemed horror-stricken (молодая девушка казалась объятой ужасом; horror — ужас; to strike — бить, поражать). She cried out (она вскричала):

'Oh, my lord (о, мой господин), on thy knees (на коленях)? and to me (и ко мне)!'

Then she fled away (затем она убежала; to flee — убегать) in fright (в испуге); and Tom, smitten with despair (а Том, охваченный отчаянием; to smite — охватить, сразить), sank down (опустился; to sink — погружаться, тонуть), murmuring (бормоча):

'There is no help (нет никакой помощи), there is no hope (нет никакой надежды). Now will they come and take me (теперь они придут и схватят меня).'

Whilst he lay there (пока он лежал там; to lie — лежать) benumbed with terror (оцепеневший от ужаса), dreadful tidings (страшные известия) were speeding through the palace (распространялись по дворцу). The whisper (шепот), for it was whispered always (так как это всегда передавалось шепотом: «было прошептано всегда»), flew from menial to menial (пронесся от слуги к слуге), from lord to lady (от господ к дамам), down all the long corridors (по всем коридорам), from story to story (c этажа на этаж), from saloon to saloon (из залы в залу), 'The prince hath gone mad (принц сошел с ума), the prince hath gone mad!' Soon every saloon, every marble hall (скоро каждая зала, мраморный холл), had its groups of glittering lords and ladies (имела свои группы блистательных господ и дам), and other groups of dazzling lesser folk (и другие группы ослепительных людей более низкого звания; lesser — меньший), talking earnestly together in whispers (говорящих серьезно вместе шепотом), and every face had in it dismay (и каждое лицо имело /выражение/ испуга). Presently (через некоторое время) a splendid official (величественный чиновник) came marching by these groups (прошел мимо этих групп), making solemn proclamation (делая торжественное объявление):

'IN THE NAME OF THE KING (именем короля)

Let none listen to this false (пусть никто не слушает эту лживую) and foolish matter (и глупую весть), upon pain of death (под страхом смерти; pain — боль), nor discuss the same (и не обсуждает ее; same — то(т) же), nor carry it abroad (и не выносит за пределы /дворца/). In the name of the king (именем короля)!'

The whisperings ceased (шепот прекратился) as suddenly (так внезапно) as if the whisperers had been stricken dumb (как будто шептавшие внезапно онемели).

Soon there was a general buzz (вскоре раздалось всеобщий гул /голосов/) along the corridors (вдоль коридоров), of (о) 'The prince (принц)! See, the prince comes (смотрите, принц идет)!'

tongue [tAŋ], benumb [bı`nAm], death [deθ]

He said:

'Oh, they mock at me! They will go and tell. Oh! why came I here to cast away my life?'

He walked up and down the floor, filled with nameless fears, listening, starting at every trifling sound. Presently the door swung open, and a silken page said:

'The Lady Jane Grey.'

The door closed, and a sweet young girl, richly clad, bounded toward him.

But she stopped suddenly, and said in a distressed voice:

'Oh, what aileth thee, my lord?'

Tom's breath was nearly failing him; but he made shift to stammer out:

'Ah, be merciful, thou! In sooth I am no lord, but only poor Tom Canty of Offal Court in the city. Prithee let me see the prince, and he will of his grace restore to me my rags, and let me hence unhurt. Oh, be thou merciful, and save me!'

By this time the boy was on his knees, and supplicating with his eyes and uplifted hands as well as with his tongue. The young girl seemed horror-stricken. She cried out:

'Oh, my lord, on thy knees? and to me!'

Then she fled away in fright; and Tom, smitten with despair, sank down, murmuring:

'There is no help, there is no hope. Now will they come and take me.'

Whilst he lay there benumbed with terror, dreadful tidings were speeding through the palace. The whisper, for it was whispered always, flew from menial to menial, from lord to lady, down all the long corridors, from story to story, from saloon to saloon, 'The prince hath gone mad, the prince hath gone mad!' Soon every saloon, every marble hall, had its groups of glittering lords and ladies, and other groups of dazzling lesser folk, talking earnestly together in whispers, and every face had in it dismay. Presently a splendid official came marching by these groups, making solemn proclamation:

'IN THE NAME OF THE KING

Let none list to this false and foolish matter, upon pain of death, nor discuss the same, nor carry it abroad. In the name of the king!'

The whisperings ceased as suddenly as if the whisperers had been stricken dumb.

Soon there was a general buzz along the corridors, of 'The prince! See, the prince comes!'