The Prince and the Pauper / Принц и нищий. Книга для чтения на английском языке

I put my Great Seal in commission: choose thou the lords that shall compose it, and get ye to your work. Speed ye, man! Before the sun shall rise and set again, bring me his head that I may see it.”

“According to the King’s command, so shall it be. Will’t please your majesty to order that the Seal be now restored to me, so that I may forth upon the business?”

“The Seal? Who keepeth the Seal but thou?”

“Please your majesty, you did take it from me two days since, saying it should no more do its office till your own royal hand should use it upon the Duke of Norfolk’s warrant.

”

“Why, so in sooth I did: I do remember… What did I with it?… I am very feeble… So oft these days doth my memory play the traitor with me[59 - So oft these days doth my memory play the traitor with me – (уст.) В последнее время память все чаще подводит меня]… ’tis strange, strange – ”

The King dropped into inarticulate mumblings, shaking his grey head weakly from time to time, and gropingly trying to recollect what he had done with the Seal.

At last my Lord Hertford ventured to kneel and offer information —

“Sire, if that I may be so bold, here be several that do remember with me how that you gave the Great Seal into the hands of his highness the Prince of Wales to keep against the day that – ”

“True, most true!” interrupted the King. “Fetch it! Go: time flieth!”

Lord Hertford flew to Tom, but returned to the King before very long, troubled and empty-handed. He delivered himself to this effect —

“It grieveth me, my lord the King, to bear so heavy and unwelcome tidings; but it is the will of God that the prince’s aflfiction abideth still[60 - the prince’s afliction abideth still – (уст.

) болезнь принца еще не прошла], and he cannot recall to mind that he received the Seal. So came I quickly to report, thinking it were waste of precious time, and little worth withal, that any should attempt to search the long array of chambers and saloons that belong unto his royal high – ”

A groan from the King interrupted the lord at this point.

After a little while his majesty said, with a deep sadness in his tone —

“Trouble him no more, poor child. The hand of God lieth heavy upon him, and my heart goeth out in loving compassion for him, and sorrow that I may not bear his burden on mine old trouble-weighted shoulders, and so bring him peace.”

He closed his eyes, fell to mumbling, and presently was silent.