'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 affliction abideth still, 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 my lord at this point. After a 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 own old trouble-weighted shoulders, and so bring him peace.'

He closed his eyes, fell to mumbling, and presently was silent. After a time he opened his eyes again, and gazed vacantly around until his glance rested upon the kneeling Lord Chancellor. Instantly his face flushed with wrath:

'What, thou here yet! By the glory of God, an thou gettest not about that traitor's business, thy miter shall have holiday the morrow for lack of a head to grace withal!'

The trembling Chancellor answered:

'Good your majesty, I cry you mercy! I but waited for the Seal.'

'Man, hast lost thy wits? The small Seal which aforetime I was wont to take with me abroad lieth in my treasury. And, since the Great Seal hath flown away, shall not it suffice? Hast lost thy wits? Begone! And hark ye — come no more till thou do bring his head.'

The poor Chancellor was not long in removing himself from this dangerous vicinity; nor did the commission waste time in giving the royal assent to the work of the slavish Parliament, and appointing the morrow for the beheading of the premier peer of England, the luckless Duke of Norfolk.

AT nine in the evening (в девять вечера) the whole vast river-front of the palace (весь громадный выходящий на реку фасад дворца; river — река; front — фасад) was blazing with light (сверкал огнями). The river itself (сама река), as far as the eye could reach cityward (так далеко, как глаз мог достать = насколько хватало глаз в направлении города), was so thickly covered with watermen's boats (была так плотно покрыта лодками перевозчиков) and with pleasure barges (увеселительными баржами), all fringed with colored lanterns (увешанными цветными фонарями), and gently agitated by the waves (и мягко покачиваемыми волнами; to agitate — волновать, колыхать), that it resembled a glowing and limitless garden of flowers (что она (река) напоминала яркий и бесконечный сад цветов) stirred to soft motion by summer winds (приводимых в мягкое движение летними ветрами; to stir — двигать(ся), шевелить(ся)). The grand terrace of stone steps leading down to the water (большая терраса из ступеней, ведущих вниз к воде), spacious enough to mass the army of a German principality upon (достаточно большая, чтобы вместить армию немецкого княжества на себе), was a picture to see (была картиной, которую стоило увидеть: «чтобы увидеть»), with its ranks of royal halberdiers (с ее шеренгами королевских алебардщиков) in polished armor (в полированной броне), and its troops of brilliantly costumed servitors (и ее отрядами блистательно наряженных слуг) flitting up and down (снующих вверх-вниз), and to and fro (и туда-сюда), in the hurry of preparation (в спешке приготовлений).

Presently a command was given (вскоре приказ был отдан), and immediately all living creatures vanished from the steps (и немедленно все живые существа исчезли со ступеней). Now the air was heavy (теперь воздух был тяжелым) with the hush of suspense and expectancy (от тишины неопределенности и ожидания). As far as one's vision could carry (насколько хватало глаз: «так далеко, как человеческое зрение могло донестись»), he might see the myriads of people in the boats rise up (он мог = можно было видеть как толпы людей в лодках вставали), and shade their eyes from the glare of lanterns and torches (и прикрывали свои глаза от сияния фонарей и факелов), and gaze toward the palace (и глазели в сторону дворца).

A file of forty or fifty state barges (флотилия: «ряд» из сорока или пятидесяти парадных барж) drew up to the steps (подплыла к ступеням; to draw up — подтягиваться). They were richly gilt (они были богато украшены золотом), and their lofty prows and sterns (и их высокие носы и кормы) were elaborately carved (были искусно покрыты резьбой; to carve — покрывать резьбой). Some of them were decorated with banners and streamers (некоторые из них были украшены знаменами и вымпелами); some with cloth-of-gold and arras (некоторые из них золотой парчой и гобеленами) embroidered with coats of arms (с вышитыми гербами; to embroider — вышивать); others with silken flags that had numberless little silver bells fastened to them (другие — шелковыми флагами, к которым были приделаны бесчисленные маленькие серебряные колокольчики; to fasten — прикреплять), which shook out tiny showers of joyous music (которые выплескивали наружу маленькие дожди веселой музыки; to shake — трясти; shower — ливень) whenever the breezes fluttered them (каждый раз, когда бриз колебал на них); others of yet higher pretensions (другие, с еще бóльшими претензиями), since they belonged to nobles in the prince's immediate service (так как они принадлежали дворянам непосредственно на службе у принца), had their sides picturesquely fenced with shields (имели свои борта живописно завешенными щитами) gorgeously emblazoned with armorial bearings (роскошно расписанными геральдическими фигурами). Each state barge was towed (каждая парадная баржа тянулась; to tow — тянуть канатом) by a tender (вспомогательным судном). Besides the rowers (помимо гребцов), these tenders carried each a number of men-at-arms in glossy helmet and breastplate (эти вспомогательные суда несли каждый множество воинов в сверкающих шлемах и латах; number — число), and a company of musicians (и ансамбль музыкантов).

armor [`a:mə], suspense [səs`pens], immediate [ı`mi:dıət]

AT nine in the evening the whole vast river-front of the palace was blazing with light. The river itself, as far as the eye could reach cityward, was so thickly covered with watermen's boats and with pleasure barges, all fringed with colored lanterns, and gently agitated by the waves, that it resembled a glowing and limitless garden of flowers stirred to soft motion by summer winds. The grand terrace of stone steps leading down to the water, spacious enough to mass the army of a German principality upon, was a picture to see, with its ranks of royal halberdiers in polished armor, and its troops of brilliantly costumed servitors flitting up and down, and to and fro, in the hurry of preparation.

Presently a command was given, and immediately all living creatures vanished from the steps. Now the air was heavy with the hush of suspense and expectancy. As far as one's vision could carry, he might see the myriads of people in the boats rise up, and shade their eyes from the glare of lanterns and torches, and gaze toward the palace.

A file of forty or fifty state barges drew up to the steps. They were richly gilt, and their lofty prows and sterns were elaborately carved. Some of them were decorated with banners and streamers; some with cloth-of-gold and arras embroidered with coats of arms; others with silken flags that had numberless little silver bells fastened to them, which shook out tiny showers of joyous music whenever the breezes fluttered them; others of yet higher pretensions, since they belonged to nobles in the prince's immediate service, had their sides picturesquely fenced with shields gorgeously emblazoned with armorial bearings. Each state barge was towed by a tender. Besides the rowers, these tenders carried each a number of men-at-arms in glossy helmet and breastplate, and a company of musicians.