'What Lord Protector (какого лорда-протектора)?' asked his majesty (спросил его величество).

'His grace the Duke of Somerset (его милость герцог Сомерсетский).'

'What Duke of Somerset (какой герцог Сомерсетский)?'

'Marry, there is but one (черт побери, есть только один) — Seymour, Earl of Hertford (Сеймур, граф Хартфорд).'

The king asked sharply (король спросил резко):

'Since when is he a duke, and Lord Protector (с каких пор он герцог и лорд-протектор)?'

'Since the last day of January (с последнего дня января).'

'And, prithee, who made him so (а, прошу, кто сделал его таковым)?'

'Himself and the Great Council (он сам и Великий совет) — with the help of the king (с помощью короля).'

His majesty started violently (его величество вздрогнул жестоко = сильно). 'The king (король)!' he cried (он вскричал). 'What king, good sir (какой король, добрый сэр)?'

'What king, indeed (какой король, в самом деле)! (God-a-mercy (Боже милостивый), what aileth the boy (что болит у этого мальчика)?) Sith we have but one (раз у нас есть только один), 'tis not difficult to answer (несложно ответить) — his most sacred majesty King Edward the Sixth (Его Святейшее Величество Король Эдуард Шестой) — whom God preserve (которого Бог да хранит)! Yea (да), and a dear and gracious little urchin is he, too (и славный и добрый мальчишка он к тому же); and whether he be mad or no (и сумасшедший он или нет) — and they say he mendeth daily (а говорят, что он поправляется ежедневно = с каждым днем) — his praises (его хвалы = хвалы ему) are on all men's lips (на устах у всех людей); and all bless him likewise (и все благословляют его также), and offer prayers (и возносят молитвы) that he may be spared (чтобы он мог быть пощажен = чтобы он здравствовал) to reign long in England (чтобы править долго в Англии); for he began humanely (ибо он начал человечно; to begin — начинать), with saving the old Duke of Norfolk's life (пощадив жизнь старого герцога Норфолка), and now is he bent on (а сейчас он склоняется к тому, чтобы; to bend — гнуться) destroying the cruelest of the laws (уничтожить жесточайшие из законов) that harry and oppress the people (которые обездоливают и притесняют народ).'

nuptials [`nApSəlz], pitiless [`pıtıləs], humanely [hju:`meınlı]

So, little by little, the story of the family came out. Arthur had been dead six years. This loss, with the absence of news from Hendon, impaired his father's health; he believed he was going to die, and he wished to see Hugh and Edith settled in life before he passed away; but Edith begged hard for delay, hoping for Miles's return; then the letter came which brought the news of Miles's death; the shock prostrated Sir Richard; he believed his end was very near, and he and Hugh insisted upon the marriage; Edith begged for and obtained a month's respite; then another, and finally a third; the marriage then took place, by the death-bed of Sir Richard. It had not proved a happy one. It was whispered about the country that shortly after the nuptials the bride found among her husband's papers several rough and incomplete drafts of the fatal letter, and had accused him of precipitating the marriage — and Sir Richard's death, too — by a wicked forgery. Tales of cruelty to the Lady Edith and the servants were to be heard on all hands; and since the father's death Sir Hugh had thrown off all soft disguises and become a pitiless master toward all who in any way depended upon him and his domains for bread.

There was a bit of Andrews's gossip which the king listened to with a lively interest:

'There is rumor that the king is mad. But in charity forbear to say I mentioned it, for 'tis death to speak of it, they say.'

His majesty glared at the old man and said:

'The king is not mad, good man — and thou'lt find it to thy advantage to busy thyself with matters that nearer concern thee than this seditious prattle.'

'What doth the lad mean?' said Andrews, surprised at this brisk assault from such an unexpected quarter. Hendon gave him a sign, and he did not pursue his question, but went on with his budget:

'The late king is to be buried at Windsor in a day or two — the sixteenth of the month — and the new king will be crowned at Westminster the twentieth.'

'Methinks they must needs find him first,' muttered his majesty; then added, confidently, 'but they will look to that — and so also shall I.'

'In the name of —'

But the old man got no further — a warning sign from Hendon checked his remark. He resumed the thread of his gossip.

'Sir Hugh goeth to the coronation — and with grand hopes. He confidently looketh to come back a peer, for he is high in favor with the Lord Protector.'

'What Lord Protector?' asked his majesty.

'His grace the Duke of Somerset.'

'What Duke of Somerset?'

'Marry, there is but one — Seymour, Earl of Hertford.'

The king asked sharply:

'Since when is he a duke, and Lord Protector?'

'Since the last day of January.'

'And, prithee, who made him so?'

'Himself and the Great Council — with the help of the king.'

His majesty started violently. 'The king!' he cried. 'What king, good sir?'

'What king, indeed! (God-a-mercy, what aileth the boy?) Sith we have but one, 'tis not difficult to answer — his most sacred majesty King Edward the Sixth — whom God preserve! Yea, and a dear and gracious little urchin is he, too; and whether he be mad or no — and they say he mendeth daily — his praises are on all men's lips; and all bless him likewise, and offer prayers that he may be spared to reign long in England; for he began humanely, with saving the old Duke of Norfolk's life, and now is he bent on destroying the cruelest of the laws that harry and oppress the people.'

This news struck his majesty dumb with amazement (эта новость ударила = сделала его величество немым от изумления; to strike — бить), and plunged him into so deep and dismal a reverie (и погрузила его в такую глубокую и мрачную задумчивость: «мечтательность») that he heard no more of the old man's gossip (что он не слышал больше сплетен старика; to hear — слышать). He wondered (он задумался) if the 'little urchin' was the beggar-boy (не был ли «маленький мальчишка» тем мальчиком-попрошайкой; if — ли; beggar — нищий) whom he left dressed in his own garments in the palace (мальчиком, которого он оставил одетым в его собственную одежду во дворце; to leave — оставлять, покидать). It did not seem possible (это не казалось возможным) that this could be (что это может быть), for surely his manners and speech (ибо, конечно, его манеры и речь) would betray him (выдали бы его) if he pretended (если бы он притворился) to be the Prince of Wales (быть принцем Уэльским) — then he would be driven out (тогда он был бы изгнан; to drive out — выгнать: «вытолкнуть наружу»), and search made (и поиск (был бы) совершен) for the true prince (истинного принца). Could it be (могло ли это быть) that the court had set up (что двор поставил; to set up — ставить) some sprig of the nobility (какого-нибудь юнца из дворян) in his place (на его место)? No, for his uncle would not allow that (нет, ведь его дядя не позволил бы этого) — he was all-powerful (он был всесильным) and could (и мог бы) and would crush such a movement (и подавил бы такое движение = развитие событий), of course (конечно). The boy's musings (размышления мальчика) profited him nothing (не дали ему ничего; to profit — приносить пользу); the more he tried to unriddle the mystery (чем больше он старался разрешить эту тайну; riddle — загадка) the more perplexed he became (тем более озадаченным он становился; to become — становиться), the more his head ached (тем больше его голова болела), and the worse he slept (и тем хуже он спал; to sleep — спать). His impatience to get to London (его нетерпение добраться до Лондона) grew hourly (росло с каждым часом; to grow — расти), and his captivity became almost unendurable (и его пленение стало почти непереносимым).