'For shame (позор)! This is my servant (это мой слуга) — set him free (отпустите его: «установите его свободным»)! I am the (я —) —'

'Oh, peace (о, тише)!' exclaimed Hendon (воскликнул Хендон), in a panic (в панике), 'thou'lt destroy thyself (ты погубишь себя). Mind him not, officer (не обращайте на него внимания, офицер), he is mad (он сумасшедший).'

'Give thyself no trouble (не давай себе забот = не заботься) as to the matter of minding him (до дела заботы о нем), good man (добрый человек), I have small mind to mind him (у меня маленькие мысли = я не собираюсь обращать на него внимание); but as to (но что касается того, чтобы) teaching him somewhat (проучить его немного), to that I am well inclined (к этому я очень склонен).' He turned to a subordinate (он повернулся к подчиненному) and said (и сказал), 'Give the little fool (дайте этому маленькому дурачку) a taste or two (вкус или два = отведать) of the lash (порки), to mend his manners (чтобы исправить его манеры).'

'Half a dozen (полдюжины) will better serve his turn (лучше окажут ему услугу; turn — услуга),' suggested Sir Hugh (предложил сэр Хью), who had ridden up (который подъехал; to ride up — подъезжать) a moment before (секундой раньше) to take a passing glance (чтобы взять = бросить мимолетный взгляд) at the proceedings (на заседание суда).

heirship [`e?S?p], youth [ju:?], incline [?n`kla?n]

MEANTIME Miles was growing sufficiently tired of confinement and inaction. But now his trial came on, to his great gratification, and he thought he could welcome any sentence provided a further imprisonment should not be a part of it. But he was mistaken about that. He was in a fine fury when he found himself described as a 'sturdy vagabond' and sentenced to sit two hours in the pillory for bearing that character and for assaulting the master of Hendon Hall. His pretensions as to brothership with his prosecutor, and rightful heirship to the Hendon honors and estates, were left contemptuously unnoticed, as being not even worth examination.

He raged and threatened on his way to punishment, but it did no good; he was snatched roughly along by the officers, and got an occasional cuff, besides, for his unreverent conduct.

The king could not pierce through the rabble that swarmed behind; so he was obliged to follow in the rear, remote from his good friend and servant. The king had been nearly condemned to the stocks himself, for being in such bad company, but had been let off with a lecture and a warning, in consideration of his youth. When the crowd at last halted, he flitted feverishly from point to point around its outer rim, hunting a place to get through; and at last, after a deal of difficulty and delay, succeeded. There sat his poor henchman in the degrading stocks, the sport and butt of a dirty mob — he, the body servant of the king of England! Edward had heard the sentence pronounced, but he had not realized the half that it meant. His anger began to rise as the sense of this new indignity which had been put upon him sank home; it jumped to summer heat the next moment, when he saw an egg sail through the air and crush itself against Hendon's cheek, and heard the crowd roar its enjoyment of the episode. He sprang across the open circle and confronted the officer in charge, crying:

'For shame! This is my servant — set him free! I am the —'

'Oh, peace!' exclaimed Hendon, in a panic, 'thou'lt destroy thyself. Mind him not, officer, he is mad.'

'Give thyself no trouble as to the matter of minding him, good man, I have small mind to mind him; but as to teaching him somewhat, to that I am well inclined.' He turned to a subordinate and said, 'Give the little fool a taste or two of the lash, to mend his manners.'

'Half a dozen will better serve his turn,' suggested Sir Hugh, who had ridden up a moment before to take a passing glance at the proceedings.

The king was seized (король был схвачен). He did not even struggle (он даже не боролся), so paralyzed was he with the mere thought (так парализован он был простой мыслью) of the monstrous outrage (о чудовищном оскорблении) that was proposed (которое предлагалось) to be inflicted upon his sacred person (быть учиненным над его священной персоной). History was already defiled (история была уже запятнана) with the record of the scourging of an English king (записью избиения английского короля) with whips (хлыстами) — it was an intolerable reflection (это была невыносимая мысль: «размышление») that he must furnish a duplicate of that shameful page (что он должен обеспечить дубликат этой позорной страницы). He was in the toils (он был в ловушке), there was no help for him (не было никакой помощи для него); he must either take this punishment (он должен либо принять это наказание) or beg for its remission (либо молить о его отмене). Hard conditions (тяжкие условия); he would take the stripes (он примет порку) — a king might do that (король мог бы сделать это), but a king could not beg (но король не мог умолять).

But meantime (но тем временем), Miles Hendon was resolving the difficulty (Майлс Хендон разрешал эту сложность). 'Let the child go (дайте ребенку уйти),' said he (сказал он); 'ye heartless dogs (вы, бессердечные псы), do ye not see (не видите ли вы) how young and frail he is (как юн и хрупок он)? Let him go (дайте ему уйти) — I will take his lashes (я приму его плети).'

'Marry, a good thought (черт возьми, прекрасная мысль) — and thanks for it (и спасибо за нее),' said Sir Hugh (сказал сэр Хью), his face lighting (его лицо светящееся = с лицом, светящимся) with a sardonic satisfaction (сардоническим удовольствием). 'Let the little beggar go (дайте маленькому нищему уйти), and give this fellow a dozen (и дайте этому парню дюжину) in his place (вместо него: «в его место») — an honest dozen (честную дюжину), well laid on (хорошо нанесенную; to lay on — наносить (удар): «класть на»).' The king was in the act (король был в действии = собирался) of entering a fierce protest (вступить в ярый протест), but Sir Hugh silenced him (но сэр Хью утихомирил его; silence — тишина, безмолвие) with the potent remark (действенным замечанием), 'Yes, speak up (да, вступайся за него; to speak up — говорить громко, высказываться, заступаться: «говорить вверх»), do (сделай = это), and free thy mind (и освободи = дай волю своим желаниям) — only, mark ye (только заметь себе), that for each word you utter (что за каждое слово, которое ты произнесешь) he shall get six strokes the more (он получит шестью ударами больше).'

Hendon was removed from the stocks (Хендон был вытащен из колодок; to remove — убирать), and his back laid bare (и его спина /была/ обнажена: «положена нагой»; to lay — класть); and while the lash was applied (и пока плеть была применяема) the poor little king turned away his face (бедный маленький король отвернул свое лицо) and allowed unroyal tears (и позволил некоролевским слезам) to channel his cheeks (бороздить его щеки; to channel — рыть канал) unchecked (несдержанно; to check — ограничивать, сдерживать, обуздывать, регулировать). 'Ah, brave good heart (ах, отважное доброе сердце),' he said to himself (он сказал себе), 'this loyal deed (этот верноподданный поступок) shall never perish out of my memory (никогда не исчезнет из моей памяти). I will not forget it (я не забуду его) — and neither shall they (и они не /забудут/)!' he added, with passion (он добавил со страстью = гневно). While he mused (пока он находился в задумчивости), his appreciation of Hendon's magnanimous conduct (его признательность за великодушное поведение Хендона) grew to greater and still greater dimensions (росла до все бoльших и бoльших размеров; dimension — измерение) in his mind (в его уме), and so also did (и также делала = росла) his gratefulness for it (его благодарность за него). Presently he said to himself (вскоре он сказал себе), 'Who saves his prince from wounds (кто спасает своего короля от ран) and possible death (и возможной смерти) — and this he did for me (а это он сделал для меня; to do — делать) — performs high service (оказывает великую услугу); but it is little (но это немного) — it is nothing (это ничто)! — oh, less than nothing (о, меньше, чем ничего)! — when 'tis weighed against (когда это взвешено против = по сравнению с) the act of him (с действием его = того) who saves his prince from SHAME (кто спасает своего короля от ПОЗОРА)!'