"Prince and the Pauper" (The Prince and the Pauper by Mark Twain)

Plot (from Wikipedia):

The book takes place in London in 1547, when a poor boy named Tom Canty, suffering from his father's beatings, enters the royal palace and changes clothes with Prince Edward, who is remarkably similar to him.

Throughout the book, Edward, once on the street, learns the lack of rights of the lower strata of English society. He watches the cruel executions of women, goes to prison and is subjected to a comic coronation by robbers. He swears, upon becoming king, to rectify the state of affairs and rule over his subjects with mercifulness and generosity. Meanwhile, Tom, who has remained in the palace, is trying to master the court rites and manners. His ignorance of the basics of etiquette is explained by the fact that he has lost his memory and, perhaps, even goes crazy.

At the decisive moment, when Tom should inherit the throne after the death of Henry VIII, Edward appears at the court and, in confirmation of his rights to the crown, points to the location of the missing Great Seal of the kingdom (Tom ignorantly chopped nuts with it). He becomes king, and Tom gets a place in his retinue.

Mark Twain / Mark Twain

The Prince and the Pauper / The Prince and the Pauper. Book to read in English

To Those good-mannered and agreeable children Susie and Clara Clemens this book is affectionately inscribed by their father.

The quality of mercy … is twice bless'd;

It blesseth him that gives, and him that takes; 'Tis mightiest in the mightiest; it becomes The throned monarch better than his crown.

Merchant of Venice

Comments and Dictionary by E. G. Tigonen

© KARO, 2016

I will set down a tale as it was told to me by one who had it of his father, which the latter had it of HIS father, this last having in like manner had it of HIS father – and so on, back and still back, three hundred years and more, the fathers transmitting it to the sons and so preserving it. It may be history, it may be only a legend, a tradition. It may have happened, it may not have happened: but it COULD have happened. It may be that the wise and the learned believed it in the old days; it may be that only the unlearned and the simple loved it and credited it.

The Birth of the Prince and the Pauper

In the ancient city of London, on a certain autumn day in the second quarter of the sixteenth century, a boy was born to a poor family of the name of Canty , who did not want him. On the same day another English child was born to a rich family of the name of Tudor, who did want him. All England wanted him too. England had so longed for him, and hoped for him, and prayed God for him, that, now that he was really come, the people went nearly mad for joy. Mere acquaintances hugged and kissed each other and cried. Everybody took a holiday, and high and low, rich and poor, feasted and danced and sang, and got very mellow; and they kept this up for days and nights together. By day, London was a sight to see , with gay banners waving from every balcony and housetop, and splendid pageants marching along. By night, it was again a sight to see, with its great bonfires at every corner, and its troops of revellers making merry around them. There was no talk in all England but of the new baby, Edward Tudor, Prince of Wales, who lay lapped in silks and satins, of all this fuss unconscious, and not knowing that great lords and ladies were tending him and watching over him – and not caring, either. But there was no talk about the other baby, Tom Canty, lapped in his poor rags, except among the family of paupers whom he had just come to trouble with his presence.

Tom's Early Life

Let us skip a number of years.

London was fifteen hundred years old, and was a great town - for that day. It had a hundred thousand inhabitants - some think double as many. The streets were very narrow, and crooked, and dirty, especially in the part where Tom Canty lived, which was not far from London Bridge . The houses were of wood, with the second story projecting over the first, and the third sticking its elbows out beyond the second. The higher the houses grew, the broader they grew. They were skeletons of strong criss-cross beams, with solid material between, coated with plaster. The beams were painted red or blue or black, according to the owner's taste, and this gave the houses a very picturesque look. The windows were small, glazed with little diamond-shaped panes, and they opened outward, on hinges, like doors.

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, for service.

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. They made beggars of the children, but failed to make thieves of them. Among, but not of, the dreadful rabble that inhabited the house, was a good old priest whom the King had turned out of house and home with a pension of a few farthings, and he used to get the children aside and teach them right ways secretly. Father Andrew also taught Tom a little Latin, and how to read and write; and would have done the same with the girls, but they were afraid of the jeers of their friends, who could not have endured such a queer accomplishment in them.

All Offal Court was just such another hive as Canty's house. Drunkenness, riot and brawling were the order, there, every night and nearly all night long. Broken heads were as common as hunger in that place. Yet little Tom was not happy. He had a hard time of it, but did not know it. It was the sort of time that all the Offal Court boys had, therefore he supposed it was the correct and comfortable thing. When he came home empty-handed at night, he knew his father would curse him and thrash him first, and that when he was done the awful grandmother would do it all over again and improve on it; and that away in the night his starving mother would slip to him stealthily with any miserable scrap or crust she had been able to save for him by going hungry herself, notwithstanding she was often caught in that sort of treason and soundly beaten for it by her husband.

No, Tom's life went along well enough, especially in summer. He only begged just enough to save himself, for the laws against mendicancy were stringent, and the penalties heavy; so he put in a good deal of his time listening to good Father Andrew’s charming old tales and legends about giants and fairies, dwarfs and genii, and enchanted castles, and gorgeous kings and princes. His head grew to be full of these wonderful things, and many a night as he lay in the dark on his scant and offensive straw, tired, hungry, and smarting from a thrashing, he unleashed his imagination and soon forgot his aches and pains in delicious picturings to himself of the charmed life of a petted prince in a regal palace. One desire came in time to haunt him day and night: it was to see a real prince, with his own eyes. He spoke of it once to some of his Offal Court comrades; but they jeered him and scoffed him so unmercifully that he was glad to keep his dream to himself after that.

He often read the priest's old books and got him to explain and enlarge upon them. His dreamings and readings worked certain changes in him, by-and-by. His dream-people were so fine that he grew to lament his shabby clothing and his dirt, and to wish to be clean and better clad. He went on playing in the mud just the same, and enjoying it, too; but, instead of splashing around in the Thames solely for the fun of it, he began to find an added value in it because of the washings and cleansings it afforded.

The famous story by the American writer Mark Twain was written in 1880 based on the historical story of the young King Edward VI. The events that take place in the book date back to the 16th century. Next to ugliness is beauty, next to cruelty is humanity. But only justice and kindness make a person a person. Translation from English by K.I. Chukovsky and N.K. Chukovsky. The e-book file was prepared by MTF Agency, Ltd., 2013.

They give instructions

Tom was led into the front hall and seated in a chair. But it was very awkward for him to sit, as there were elderly and noble people around him. He asked them to sit down too, but they only bowed to him or muttered words of gratitude and continued to stand. Tom repeated his request, but his "uncle" the Earl of Hertford whispered in his ear:

“Please do not insist, my lord; it is not befitting for them to sit in your presence.

It was reported that Lord St. John had come. Bowing respectfully to Tom, the lord said:

“I was sent by the king on a secret matter. Would it please your royal highness to release all who are here, with the exception of my lord earl of Hertford?

Noticing that Tom did not seem to know how to let the courtiers go, Hertford whispered to him to make a sign with his hand, without bothering to speak, if he had no desire to speak.

When the retinue had gone, Lord St. John continued:

“His Majesty commands that, in view of important and weighty reasons of state, His Highness the Prince should hide his illness, as far as he can, until the illness has passed and the prince is again what he was before. Namely: he must not deny to anyone that he is a true prince, heir to a great English power, he must always observe his dignity as an heir sovereign and accept without any objections the signs of obedience and respect that are due to him by law and ancient custom; the king demands that he stop telling anyone about his supposedly low origin and low lot, for these stories are nothing but morbid fabrications of his overworked fantasy; that he diligently try to recall familiar faces to his memory, and in those cases when he fails, let him remain calm, not showing surprise or other signs of forgetfulness; but during ceremonial receptions, if he is at a loss, not knowing what to say or do, let him hide his confusion from the curious, but consult with Lord Hertford or with me, his obedient servant, for the earl and I are specially assigned to him for this king and we will always be at hand, until the cancellation of this order. Thus commands His Majesty the King, who sends greetings to your Royal Highness, praying to God that he, in his mercy, will send you a quick cure and overshadow you with his grace.

Lord St. John bowed and stepped aside. Tom dutifully replied:

“So the king commanded. No one dares to disobey the royal decrees or deftly reshape them for their own needs if they seem too shy. The wish of the king will be fulfilled.

Lord Hertford said:

“Since his majesty has deigned to order you not to bother you with reading books and other serious matters of this kind, would it not be pleasing to your highness to spend time in careless amusements, so as not to get tired before the banquet and not damage your health?”

Surprise showed on Tom's face; he looked inquiringly at Lord St. John, and blushed as he met the mournful gaze directed at him.

“Memory still fails you,” said the lord, “and therefore the words of Lord Hertford seem surprising to you; but don't worry, it will pass as soon as you start to get better. Lord Hertford speaks of a banquet from the city; about two months ago, the king promised that you, your highness, would be present at it. Now do you remember?

“I must sadly confess that my memory really betrayed me,” Tom answered in an uncertain voice and blushed again.

At that moment Lady Elizabeth and Lady Jane Gray were reported. The Lords exchanged meaningful glances, and Hertford moved quickly to the door. As the young princesses passed him, he whispered to them:

“I beg you, lady, do not pretend to notice his quirks, and show no surprise when his memory fails him: you will see bitterly how often this happens to him.

Meanwhile, Lord St. John was speaking in Tom's ear:

- I beg you, sir, keep holy the will of his majesty: remember everything you can, pretend that you remember everything else. Don't let them see that you have changed. After all, you know how dearly the princesses who played with you in childhood love you and how it will upset them. Would you like me to stay here, sir? Me and your uncle?

Tom gestured assent and murmured a word indistinctly. Science had already gone to the future for him, and in the simplicity of his soul he decided to carry out the royal order as conscientiously as possible.

Despite all precautions, conversation between Tom and the princesses became sometimes a little difficult. In truth, Tom was more than once ready to ruin the whole thing and declare himself unfit for such a painful role, but each time he was saved by the tact of the Princess Elizabeth. Both lords were on their guard and also successfully rescued him with two or three words, spoken as if inadvertently. Once, little lady Jane drove Tom into despair by asking him this question:

“Have you been greeted by Her Majesty the Queen today, my lord?”

Tom was at a loss, hesitated to answer, and was about to blurt out randomly anything, but Lord St. John rescued him, answering for him with the ease of a courtier, accustomed to finding a way out of any delicate situation:

- How, milady! The empress gave him heartfelt joy, informing him that his majesty was better. Isn't that right, your highness?

Tom murmured something that might have been taken as confirmation, but felt himself stepping on slippery ground. Somewhat later in the conversation, it was mentioned that the prince would have to leave the teaching for a while.

The little princess exclaimed:

- Oh, what a pity! What a pity! You've been making such progress. But don't worry, it won't be long. You will still have time to enlighten your mind with the same learning that your father has, and master as many foreign languages ​​as he is subject to.

- My father? – for a moment forgetting, exclaimed Tom. - Yes, he speaks his native language in such a way that only pigs in a barn can understand him! And as for any kind of learning…” He raised his eyes and, meeting the gloomy, warning look of my lord St. John, he stuttered, blushed, then continued quietly and sadly: roads. I didn't mean to offend His Majesty.

“We know this, sir,” Princess Elizabeth said respectfully, affectionately taking the hand of her “brother” and holding it between her palms. - Don't worry about it! It's not your fault, but your illness.

“You are a gentle comforter, dear lady,” Tom said gratefully, “and with your permission, I thank you from the bottom of my heart.

Once, Lady Jane's pinwheel fired a simple Greek phrase at Tom. The sharp-sighted Princess Elizabeth immediately noticed from the innocent bewilderment on the face of the prince that the shot did not hit the target, and instead of Tom calmly answered with a whole volley of sonorous Greek phrases, then immediately started talking about something else.

The time passed pleasantly, and in general the conversation went smoothly. Underwater reefs and shoals were less and less common, and Tom already felt more at ease, seeing how everyone was trying to help him and not notice his mistakes. When it turned out that the princesses were to accompany him to the banquet at the Lord Mayor's in the evening, Tom's heart surged with joy, and he breathed a sigh of relief, feeling that he would not be alone in a crowd of strangers, although an hour ago the thought that the princesses would go with him , would bring him into indescribable horror.

Both lords, Tom's guardian angels, got less pleasure from this conversation than the rest of its participants. They felt as if they were guiding a large ship through a dangerous strait; all the time they were on their guard, and their duties did not at all seem to them child's play. So when the young ladies' visit came to an end, and Lord Guildford Dudley was reported, they felt that their pet should not be overburdened now, and that, besides, it would not be so easy to embark on another troublesome voyage and bring their ship back, – so they respectfully advised Tom to decline the visit. Tom himself was glad of this, but Lady Jane's face darkened slightly when she learned that the brilliant youth would not be accepted.

There was silence. Everyone seemed to be waiting for something, Tom did not understand what exactly. He looked at Lord Hertford, who made him a sign, but he did not understand this sign either. Lady Elizabeth, with her usual resourcefulness, hastened to extricate him from his difficulty. She curtsied to him and asked:

“Your Highness, my brother, would you like us to leave?”

“Truly, my lady, you can ask anything of me,” said Tom, “but I would rather grant any other request of yours - as it is in my humble powers - than to deprive myself of the grace and light of your presence, but goodbye, and yes the Lord keeps you!

He chuckled to himself and thought: “It’s not for nothing that in my books I lived only in the company of princes and learned to imitate their flowery courteous speeches!”

When the noble girls had gone, Tom turned wearily to his jailers and said:

“Would you be so kind, my lords, if you would allow me to rest somewhere in this corner?”

“It is your Highness’s business to command, and ours to obey,” said Lord Hertford. “You really need rest, for you will soon have to make a trip to London.

The Lord touched the bell; a page ran in and was ordered to invite Sir William Herbert here. Sir William was not slow to appear and led Tom into the inner chambers of the palace. Tom's first movement was to reach out for a cup of water, but the velvet-silk page immediately seized the cup, knelt down, and offered it to the prince on a golden platter.

Then the weary prisoner sat down and was about to take off his shoes, timidly asking with a glance for permission; but another importunate page of velvety silk hurried to kneel down to relieve him of this work as well. Tom made two or three more attempts to get by without outside help, but none were successful. He finally gave in and muttered with a resigned sigh:

- Woe to me, woe! How else these people will not undertake to breathe for me!

In shoes, in a luxurious dressing gown, he finally took a nap on the sofa, but could not sleep: his head was too crowded with thoughts, and the room with people. He could not drive away the thoughts, and they remained with him; he did not know how to send his servants out, and therefore they also remained with him, to the great chagrin of Tom and themselves.

When Tom retired, his noble guardians were left alone. For a while they were both silent, shaking their heads in thought and pacing the room. At last Lord St. John spoke:

“Tell me honestly, what do you think about it?”

“In all honesty, the king has not long to live, my nephew has lost his mind – a madman will ascend the throne, and a madman will remain on the throne. May the Lord save our England! She will need God's help soon!

“Indeed, it all seems to be true. But... don't you have a suspicion... that... that...

The speaker hesitated and did not dare to continue: the question was too ticklish. Lord Hertford stood before St. John, looked into his face with a clear, open look, and said:

– Speak! Except me, no one will hear your words. Suspicions of what?

“I hate to put into words, my lord, what is on my mind, you are so close to him by blood. Forgive me if I offend you, but don't you think it's amazing that madness has changed him so much? I do not say that his speech or bearing have lost their regal grandeur, but still they are in some insignificant details. different from his old way of carrying himself. Isn't it strange that madness blotted out even the features of his father from his memory; that he had forgotten even the usual signs of respect, which are due to him from all those around him; Isn't it strange that, having kept the Latin language in his memory, he forgot Greek and French? Do not be offended, my lord, but take the weight off my soul and accept my sincere gratitude! I'm haunted by his words that he's not a prince, and I...

- Shut up, my lord! What you say is treason! Or have you forgotten the order of the king? Remember that by listening to you, I become an accomplice in your crime.

Saint John turned pale and hurried to say:

I made a mistake, I admit it myself. Be so generous and merciful, don't betray me! I will never think or talk about it again. Do not be too harsh with me, otherwise I am a lost man.

“I am satisfied, my lord. If you do not repeat your insulting fiction neither to me nor to anyone else, your words will be considered as if unspoken. Leave your empty suspicions. He is my sister's son: isn't his voice, his face, his appearance familiar to me from his very cradle? Madness could cause in him not only those contradictory oddities that you noticed, but also others, even more striking. Don't you remember how old Baron Marley, going mad, forgot his own face, which he had known for sixty years, and thought it was someone else's - no, moreover, he claimed that he was the son of Mary Magdalene, that his head was made of Spanish glass, and - funny to say! - did not allow anyone to touch it, so that someone's clumsy hand would not break it. Cast away your doubts, good milord. This is a true prince, I know him well, and soon he will be your king. It is good for you to think about it: it is more important than all other circumstances.

During the ensuing conversation, Lord St. John repeatedly retracted his erroneous words and asserted that now he knew for sure where the truth was, and would never doubt again. Lord Hertford took leave of his fellow jailer, and was left alone to guard and watch over the prince. He was soon lost in thought, and evidently the longer he thought, the more uneasy he tormented. At last he jumped up and began to pace the room.

- Nonsense! He should be a prince! he muttered to himself. “There is not a person in the whole country who would dare to assert that two boys born in different families, strangers to each other by blood, can be similar to one another, like two twins. Yes, even if so! It would be an even more outlandish miracle if some unthinkable chance gave them the opportunity to switch places. No, it's crazy, crazy, crazy!

After a while Lord Hertford said:

- If he was an impostor and called himself a prince - This it would be natural; this would certainly make sense. But was there ever such an impostor who, seeing that both the king and the court - everyone calls him a prince, denied would his dignity and refuse the honors that are given to him? Not! I swear on the soul of Saint Swithan, no! He is a true prince who has lost his mind!

PREFACE

I will set down a tale (I will tell the story; to set down - put) as it was told to me by one (as it was told to me by one (person), who had it of his father (who heard it from his father; to have - to have, to receive), which latter (which is the last / i.e. father /) had it of his father (received it from his father), this last (this last) having in like manner had it of his father ( who received it from his father in the same manner) - and so on (and so on), back and still back (back and back / into history /), three hundred years and more (three hundred years and more), the fathers were transmitting it to the sons and so protecting it (fathers passed it on to their sons and thus preserved it).

It may be history, it may be only legend, a tradition (it may be history, it may only be legend, tradition). It may have happened, it may not have happened: but it could have happened (it could have happened, it might not have happened: but it could have happened; to happen - happen). It may be that the wise and the learned believed it in the old days; it may be that only the unlearned and the simple loved it and credited it

transmit, tradition, learned [`lə:nıd]

I will set down a tale as it was told to me by one who had it of his father, which the latter had it of his father, this last having in like manner had it of his father - and so on, back and still back, three hundred years and more, the fathers transmitting it to the sons and so preserving it.

It may be history, it may be only legend, a tradition. It may have happened, it may not have happened: but it could have happened. It may be that the wise and the learned believed it in the old days; it may be that only the unlearned and the simple loved it and credited it.

CHAPTER I

The Birth of the Prince and the Pauper (Birth of the Prince and the Pauper)

IN the ancient city of London (in the ancient city of London), on a certain autumn day (on one autumn day; certain - some, certain) in the second quarter of the sixteenth century (in the second quarter of the sixteenth century), a boy was born to a poor family of the name of Canty (the boy was born into a poor family named Canty), who did not want him (who did not want him).

On the same day another English child (on the same day another English child) was born to a rich family of the name of Tudor (born in a rich family named Tudor), who did want him (who wanted him). All England wanted him too (all England wanted him too). England had so longed for him (so wanted him; to long for smth - passionately desire something), and hoped for him (hoped for him), and prayed God for him (and prayed to God for him), that (what) , now that he was really come (now that he really came), the people went nearly mad for joy (people almost went crazy with joy; to go mad - go crazy).

Mere acquaintances (barely familiar people; acquaintance - acquaintance, acquaintance) hugged and kissed each other and cried (hugged and kissed each other and cried). Everybody took a holiday (everyone took a day off; to take - take), and high and low (both high and low), rich and poor (rich and poor), feasted and danced and sang (feasted and danced and sang), and got very mellow (and became very good-natured); and they kept this up for days and nights together (and they continued this day and night together: “during days and nights”; to keep up - do not stop, do not change). By day (in the afternoon), London was a sight to see (was a sight (which is worth) to see), with gay banners (with cheerful banners) waving from every balcony and housetop (fluttering from every balcony and roof; house - house; top - top, top), and splendid pageants marching along (and beautiful processions marching; along - along, past).

By night, it was again a sight to see, with its great bonfires at every corner, and its troops of revelers making merry around them (and his gangs of revelers who had fun around them; to make - do, merry - cheerful).

There was no talk (there was no talk) in all England but of (in all of England except (as) about) the new baby (new = newborn baby), Edward Tudor (Edward Tudor), Prince of Wales (Prince of Wales), who lay (lay, to lie - lie) lapped (wrapped) in silks and satins (in silks and satins = in silk and satin), unconscious (not knowing: “unconscious”) of all this fuss (about all this fuss), and not knowing (and not knowing) that great lords and ladies (that great lords and ladies) were tending him (nursed him) and watching over him (and looked after him) - and not caring (and having nothing to do with it: "not caring"), either (also).

But there was no talk about the other baby, Tom Canty, lapped in his poor rags, except among the family of paupers in a poor family; among - among) whom he had just come to trouble with his presence (whom = whom he had just come to disturb with his presence).

trouble, certain [`sə:t(ə)n], quarter [`kwO:tə], acquaintance [ə`kweıntəns]

IN the ancient city of London, on a certain autumn day in the second quarter of the sixteenth century, a boy was born to a poor family of the name of Canty, who did not want him.

On the same day another English child was born to a rich family of the name of Tudor, who did want him. All England wanted him too. England had so longed for him, and hoped for him, and prayed God for him, that, now that he was really come, the people went nearly mad for joy.

Mere acquaintances hugged and kissed each other and cried. Everybody took a holiday, and high and low, rich and poor, feasted and danced and sang, and got very mellow; and they kept this up for days and nights together. By day, London was a sight to see, with gay banners waving from every balcony and housetop, and splendid pageants marching along.

By night, it was again a sight to see, with its great bonfires at every corner, and its troops of revelers making merry around them.

There was no talk in all England but of the new baby, Edward Tudor, Prince of Wales, who lay lapped in silks and satins, of all this fuss, and not knowing that great lords and ladies were tending him and watching over him - and not caring, either.

But there was no talk about the other baby, Tom Canty, lapped in his poor rags, except among the family of paupers whom he had just come to trouble with his presence.

CHAPTER II (Chapter Two)

Tom's Early Life (Tom's early life)

LET us skip a number of years

London was fifteen hundred years old (London was fifteen hundred years old), and was a great town (and was a huge city) - for that day (for that day = time). It had a hundred thousand inhabitants (he had a hundred thousand inhabitants) - some think double as many (some think (that) twice as many: “twice as many”). The streets (streets) were very narrow (were very narrow), and crooked (and crooked), and dirty (and dirty), especially in the part where (especially in the part where) Tom Canty lived (Tom Canty lived), which was not far from (which was not far from) London Bridge (London Bridge).

The houses were of wood, with the second story projecting over the first, and the third sticking its elbows out beyond the second (and the third sticking its elbows over the second; beyond - outside, beyond). The higher the houses grew (the higher the houses became; to grow - grow), the broader (the wider) they grew (they became). They were skeletons of strong crisscross beams (they were skeletons of strong cross-beams), with solid material between (with solid material between / them /), coated with plaster (covered with plaster). The beams were painted red (the beams were painted red) or blue (or blue) or black (or black), according to the owner's taste (according to the taste of the owner; owner - owner; to own - own), and this gave the houses a very picturesque look (and this gave the houses a very picturesque look).The windows were small (the windows were small), glazed with little diamond-shaped panes (glazed with small diamond-shaped glasses; diamond - diamond, diamond; shape - shape) and they opened outward (and they opened forward = outward), on hinges (on hinges), like doors (like doors).