Лучшие сказки мира на английском языке. Уровень 1 / The Best Fairy Tales of the World

'Such a pattern, what colors!' I'll be sure to tell the Emperor how delighted[47 - to be delighted – быть в восторге] I am with it.'

'We're happy to hear that,' the swindlers said. They proceeded to name all the colors and to explain the complicated pattern. The old minister paid the closest attention, so that he could tell it all to the Emperor. And so he did.

The swindlers at once asked for more money, more silk and gold thread, to get on with the weaving. But it all went into their pockets.

Not a thread went into the looms, though they worked at their weaving as hard as ever.

The Emperor presently sent another trustworthy[48 - trustworthy – надежный, заслуживающий доверия] official to see how the work progressed and how soon it would be ready. The same thing happened to him that had happened to the minister. He looked and he looked, but as there was nothing to see in the looms he couldn't see anything.

'Isn't it a beautiful piece of clothes?' the swindlers asked him, as they displayed and described their imaginary pattern.

'I know I'm not stupid,' the man thought, 'so it must be that I'm unfit for my office. That's strange. I mustn't let anyone know it, though.' So he praised the material he did not see. He declared he was delighted with the beautiful colors and the elegant pattern. To the Emperor he said, 'It held me spellbound[49 - It held me spellbound – Я очарован].'

All the town was talking of this great cloth, and the Emperor wanted to see it for himself while it was still in the looms.

Attended by a band of chosen men, among whom were his two old trusted officials – the ones who had been to the weavers-he set out to see the two swindlers. He found them weaving with might and main[50 - with might and main – стараясь изо всех сил], but without a thread in their looms.

'Magnificent,' said the two officials already fooled. 'Just look, Your Majesty, what colors! What a design!' They pointed to the empty looms, each supposing that the others could see the stuff.

'What's this?' thought the Emperor. 'I can't see anything. This is terrible!

Am I a fool? Am I unfit to be the Emperor? What a thing to happen to me of all people! – Oh! It's very pretty,' he said. 'It has my highest approval[51 - approval – одобрение].' And he nodded approbation at the empty loom. Nothing could make him say that he couldn't see anything.