The Lord Protector spoke up (лорд-протектор воскликнул; to speak up — высказаться: «говорить вверх»):

'Let the small varlet be stripped and flung into the Tower (пусть этот маленький негодяй будет раздет и брошен в Тауэр; to fling — бросать).'

But the new king (но новый король), the true king, said (настоящий король, сказал):

'I will not have it so (я этого не потерплю: «я не буду иметь этого так»). But for him (если бы не он) I had not got my crown again (я бы не получил мою корону снова; to get — получать) — none shall lay a hand upon him (никто не положит руку на него) to harm him (чтобы повредить ему). And as for thee (а что до тебя), my good uncle (мой добрый дядя), my Lord Protector (милорд Регент), this conduct of thine (это поведение твое) is not grateful toward this poor lad (не благодарно по отношению к этому бедному мальчику), for I hear (ибо я слышу = знаю) he hath made thee a duke (что он сделал тебя герцогом; to make — делать)' — the Protector blushed (регент покраснел) — ' yet he was not a king (а он не был королем); wherefore (по каковой причине), what is thy fine title worth now (чего твой высокий титул стоит сейчас; worth — достойный)? To-morrow you shall sue to me (завтра ты будешь просить меня), through him (через него), for its confirmation (о его подтверждении), else no duke (иначе не герцогом), but a simple earl (но простым графом), shalt thou remain (ты останешься).'

Under this rebuke (под этим выговором), his grace the Duke of Somerset (его милость герцог Сомерсетский) retired a little (отошел немного) from the front (от переднего края) for the moment (на минутку). The king turned to Tom (король повернулся к Тому), and said, kindly (и сказал добро):

'My poor boy (мой бедный мальчик), how was it (как было это = как вышло так) that you could remember (что ты смог вспомнить) where I hid the Seal (где я спрятал Печать; to hide — прятать) when I could not remember it myself (когда я не мог вспомнить это сам)?'

'Ah, my king, that was easy (ах, мой король, это было легко), since I used it divers days (ибо я использовал ее в разные дни = не раз).'

'Used it (использовал ее) — yet could not explain (и не мог объяснить) where it was (где она была)?'

'I did not know (я не знал, что) it was that they wanted (она была тем, чего они хотели). They did not describe it, your majesty (они не описали ее, ваше величество).'

'Then how used you it (тогда как же использовал ты ее)?'

The red blood began to steal up into Tom's cheeks (красная кровь начала заливать щеки Тома; to steal up — подкрасться), and he dropped his eyes (и он опустил глаза) and was silent (и был тих = замолчал).

'Speak up, good lad (говори же, добрый паренек), and fear nothing (и не бойся ничего),' said the king (сказал король). 'How used you the Great Seal of England (как использовал ты Великую Печать Англии)?'

Tom stammered a moment (Том запинался секунду), in a pathetic confusion (в трогательном смущении), then got it out (затем произнес это; to get — произнести):

'To crack nuts with (чтобы колоть орехи /ею/)!'

Poor child (бедное дитя), the avalanche of laughter that greeted this (лавина смеха, которая встретила это = это признание), nearly swept him off his feet (почти снесла его с ног; to sweep — мести). But if a doubt remained in any mind (но если сомнение оставалось в какой-либо голове: «уме») that Tom Canty was not the king of England (что Том Кэнти не был королем Англии) and familiar with the august appurtenances of royalty (и знакомым с августейшими принадлежностями королевской власти), this reply disposed of it utterly (этот ответ разделался с ним = этим сомнением совершенно).

Meantime the sumptuous robe of state (в это время роскошная парадная мантия) had been removed from Tom's shoulders (была перемещена с плеч Тома) to the king's (на /плечи/ короля), whose rags were effectively hidden from sight (чьи лохмотья были удачно спрятаны от взглядов; to hide — прятать) under it (под ней). Then the coronation ceremonies were resumed (затем коронационные церемонии были возобновлены); the true king was anointed (истинный король был миропомазан) and the crown set upon his head (и корона — возложена на его голову), whilst cannon thundered the news to the city (пока пушка прогрохотала эту новость городу), and all London seemed to rock with applause (и весь Лондон, казалось, сотрясся от рукоплесканий).

handkerchief [`h??k?t?i:f], conspicuous [k?n`sp?kju?s], confusion [k?n`fju:Z(?)n]

The whole assemblage was on its feet now, and well-nigh out of its mind with uneasiness, apprehension, and consuming excitement. On the floor and on the platform a deafening buzz of frantic conversation burst forth, and for some time nobody knew anything or heard anything or was interested in anything but what his neighbor was shouting into his ear, or he was shouting into his neighbor's ear. Time — nobody knew how much of it — swept by unheeded and unnoted. At last a sudden hush fell upon the house, and in the same moment St. John appeared upon the platform and held the Great Seal aloft in his hand. Then such a shout went up!

'Long live the true king!'

For five minutes the air quaked with shouts and the crash of musical instruments, and was white with a storm of waving handkerchiefs; and through it all a ragged lad, the most conspicuous figure in England, stood, flushed and happy and proud, in the center of the spacious platform, with the great vassals of the kingdom kneeling around him.

Then all rose, and Tom Canty cried out:

'Now, O my king, take these regal garments back, and give poor Tom, thy servant, his shreds and remnants again.'

The Lord Protector spoke up:

'Let the small varlet be stripped and flung into the Tower.'

But the new king, the true king, said:

'I will not have it so. But for him I had not got my crown again — none shall lay a hand upon him to harm him. And as for thee, my good uncle, my Lord Protector, this conduct of thine is not grateful toward this poor lad, for I hear he hath made thee a duke' — the Protector blushed — 'yet he was not a king; wherefore, what is thy fine title worth now? To-morrow you shall sue to me, through him, for its confirmation, else no duke, but a simple earl, shalt thou remain.'

Under this rebuke, his grace the Duke of Somerset retired a little from the front for the moment. The king turned to Tom, and said, kindly:

'My poor boy, how was it that you could remember where I hid the Seal when I could not remember it myself?'

'Ah, my king, that was easy, since I used it divers days.'

'Used it — yet could not explain where it was?'

'I did not know it was that they wanted. They did not describe it, your majesty.'

'Then how used you it?'

The red blood began to steal up into Tom's cheeks, and he dropped his eyes and was silent.

'Speak up, good lad, and fear nothing,' said the king. 'How used you the Great Seal of England?'

Tom stammered a moment, in a pathetic confusion, then got it out:

'To crack nuts with!'

Poor child, the avalanche of laughter that greeted this, nearly swept him off his feet. But if a doubt remained in any mind that Tom Canty was not the king of England and familiar with the august appurtenances of royalty, this reply disposed of it utterly.

Meantime the sumptuous robe of state had been removed from Tom's shoulders to the king's, whose rags were effectively hidden from sight under it. Then the coronation ceremonies were resumed; the true king was anointed and the crown set upon his head, whilst cannon thundered the news to the city, and all London seemed to rock with applause.