'Oh, my lord the king (о, мой господин король), let poor Tom Canty be first (позволь бедному Тому Кэнти быть первым) to swear fealty to thee (чтобы поклясться верным = присягнуть на верность тебе), and say (и сказать) "Put on thy crown (надень свою корону) and enter into thine own again (и войди в твое собственное снова = верни себе свое)!"'

The Lord Protector's eye fell sternly (глаз = взгляд лорда-протектора пал строго) upon the new-comer's face (на лицо вновь прибывшего; new — новый; to come — приходить); but straightway the sternness vanished away (но тут же эта строгость исчезла прочь), and gave place to an expression of wondering surprise (и уступила место выражению сомневающегося удивления). This thing happened also (эта вещь случилась также) to the other great officers (с остальными великими чиновниками). They glanced at each other (они взглянули друг на друга), and retreated a step (и отступили на шаг) by a common and unconscious impulse (по общему и бессознательному побуждению). The thought in each mind was the same (мысль в каждой голове: «уме» была та же самая): 'What a strange resemblance (какое разительное сходство)!'

The Lord Protector reflected a moment or two (лорд-протектор поразмышлял секунду-другую) in perplexity (в озадаченности), then he said (затем он сказал), with grave respectfulness (с важной почтительностью):

'By your favor, sir (с вашего одобрения, сэр), I desire to ask certain questions which (я желаю задать некоторые вопросы, которые; to ask — спрашивать) —'

'I will answer them, my lord (я отвечу на них, милорд).'

The duke asked him many questions about the court (герцог задал ему много вопросов о дворе), the late king (покойном короле), the prince, the princesses (принце, принцессах). The boy answered them correctly (мальчик ответил на них правильно) and without hesitating (и без колебания; to hesitate — колебаться, медлить). He described the rooms of state in the palace (он описал парадные комнаты во дворце; state — парадность, государство), the late king's apartments (апартаменты покойного короля), and those of the Prince of Wales (и принца Уэльского: «эти» = апартаменты).

It was strange (это было странно); it was wonderful (это было удивительно); yes, it was unaccountable (да, это было необъяснимо; to account — отчитываться, давать отчет) — so all said that heard it (так все сказали, которые слышали это). The tide was beginning to turn (дела начинал оборачиваться = к лучшему; tide — дела, время, прилив), and Tom Canty's hopes to run high (а надежды Тома Кэнти — возрастать: «бежать высоко»), when the Lord Protector shook his head and said (когда лорд-протектор покачал головой и сказал; to shake — трясти):

'It is true it is most wonderful (это верно, что это совершенно поразительно) — but it is no more than our lord the king likewise can do (но это не больше, чем наш повелитель король также может сделать).' This remark (это замечание), and this reference to himself, as still the king (и это упоминание себя как все еще короля), saddened Tom Canty (опечалило Тома Кэнти), and he felt his hopes crumbling from under him (и он почувствовал свои надежды крошащимися из-под него = как надежды рушатся; to feel — чувствовать).

'These are not proofs (это не доказательства),' added the Protector (добавил регент).

scene [si:n], plebeian [plə`bi:ən], withhold [wıθ`hquld]

A deep hush pervaded the Abbey. At this impressive moment, a startling apparition intruded upon the scene — an apparition observed by none in the absorbed multitude, until it suddenly appeared, moving up the great central aisle. It was a boy, bareheaded, ill shod, and clothed in coarse plebeian garments that were falling to rags. He raised his hand with a solemnity which ill comported with his soiled and sorry aspect, and delivered this note of warning:

'I forbid you to set the crown of England upon that forfeited head. I am the king!'

In an instant several indignant hands were laid upon the boy; but in the same instant Tom Canty, in his regal vestments, made a swift step forward and cried out in a ringing voice:

'Loose him and forbear! He is the king!'

A sort of panic of astonishment swept the assemblage, and they partly rose in their places and stared in a bewildered way at one another and at the chief figures in this scene, like persons who wondered whether they were awake and in their senses, or asleep and dreaming. The Lord Protector was as amazed as the rest, but quickly recovered himself and exclaimed in a voice of authority:

'Mind not his Majesty, his malady is upon him again — seize the vagabond!'

He would have been obeyed, but the mock king stamped his foot and cried out:

'On your peril! Touch him not, he is the king!'

The hands were withheld; a paralysis fell upon the house, no one moved, no one spoke; indeed, no one knew how to act or what to say, in so strange and surprising an emergency. While all minds were struggling to right themselves, the boy still moved steadily forward, with high port and confident mien; he had never halted from the beginning; and while the tangled minds still floundered helplessly, he stepped upon the platform, and the mock king ran with a glad face to meet him; and fell on his knees before him and said:

'Oh, my lord the king, let poor Tom Canty be first to swear fealty to thee, and say "Put on thy crown and enter into thine own again!"'

The Lord Protector's eye fell sternly upon the new-comer's face; but straightway the sternness vanished away, and gave place to an expression of wondering surprise. This thing happened also to the other great officers. They glanced at each other, and retreated a step by a common and unconscious impulse. The thought in each mind was the same: 'What a strange resemblance!'

The Lord Protector reflected a moment or two in perplexity, then he said, with grave respectfulness:

'By your favor, sir, I desire to ask certain questions which —'

'I will answer them, my lord.'

The duke asked him many questions about the court, the late king, the prince, the princesses. The boy answered them correctly and without hesitating. He described the rooms of state in the palace, the late king's apartments, and those of the Prince of Wales.

It was strange; it was wonderful; yes, it was unaccountable — so all said that heard it. The tide was beginning to turn, and Tom Canty's hopes to run high, when the Lord Protector shook his head and said:

'It is true it is most wonderful — but it is no more than our lord the king likewise can do.' This remark, and this reference to himself, as still the king, saddened Tom Canty, and he felt his hopes crumbling from under him.

'These are not proofs,' added the Protector.

The tide was turning very fast now (дела оборачивались очень быстро сейчас; tide — прилив и отлив), very fast, indeed (очень быстро действительно) — but in the wrong direction (но в неправильную сторону); it was leaving poor Tom Canty stranded on the throne (этот прилив оставлял бедного Тома Кэнти выброшенным на трон; stranded — выброшенный на берег), and sweeping the other out to sea (и уносил другого в открытое море: «наружу в море»). The Lord Protector communed with himself (лорд-протектор посовещался сам с собой) — shook his head (покачал головой; to shake — трясти) — the thought forced itself upon him (мысль навязывала себя ему = неотступно преследовала его), 'It is perilous to the state and to us all (это гибельно для государства и для нас всех; peril — опасность; риск, угроза), to entertain so fateful a riddle as this (заниматься такой фатальной/зловещей загадкой, как эта); it could divide the nation (она может расколоть народ; to divide — разделить) and undermine the throne (и подорвать трон).' He turned and said (он повернулся и сказал):