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

Ah! why did’st thou cleave to it when I so warned thee ’gainst it? Thou’st broke thy mother’s heart.”

The Prince looked into her face, and said gently —

“Thy son is well, and hath not lost his wits, good dame. Comfort thee: let me to the palace where he is, and straightway will the King my father restore him to thee.”

“The King thy father! Oh, my child! unsay these words that be freighted with death for thee, and ruin for all that be near to thee. Shake of this gruesome dream. Call back thy poor wandering memory.

Look upon me. Am not I thy mother that bore thee, and loveth thee?”

The Prince shook his head and reluctantly said —

“God knoweth I am loth to grieve thy heart[68 - I am loth to grieve thy heart – (уст.) я не хочу тебя огорчать]; but truly have I never looked upon thy face before.”

The woman sank back to a sitting posture on the floor, and, covering her eyes with her hands, gave way to heart-broken sobs and wailings.

“Let the show go on!” shouted Canty. “What, Nan! – what, Bet! mannerless wenches! will ye stand in the Prince’s presence? Upon your knees, ye pauper scum, and do him reverence!”

He followed this with another horse-laugh.

The girls began to plead timidly for their brother; and Nan said —

“An’ thou wilt but let him to bed, father, rest and sleep will heal his madness: prithee, do.”

“Do, father,” said Bet; “he is more worn than is his wont. To-morrow will he be himself again, and will beg with diligence, and come not empty home again.”

This remark sobered the father’s joviality, and brought his mind to business.

He turned angrily upon the Prince, and said —

“The morrow must we pay two pennies to him that owns this hole; two pennies, mark ye – all this money for a half-year’s rent, else out of this we go. Show what thou’st gathered with thy lazy begging.”

The Prince said —

“Offend me not with thy sordid matters. I tell thee again I am the King’s son.”

A sounding blow upon the Prince’s shoulder from Canty’s broad palm sent him staggering into goodwife Canty’s arms, who clasped him to her breast, and sheltered him from a pelting rain of cuffs and slaps by interposing her own person.

The frightened girls retreated to their corner; but the grandmother stepped eagerly forward to assist her son. The Prince sprang away from Mrs. Canty, exclaiming —

“Thou shalt not suffer for me, madam. Let these swine do their will upon me alone[69 - do their will upon me alone – (уст.) отыгрываются на мне].