The prince shook his head, and reluctantly said:

'God knoweth I am loath to grieve thy heart; 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 heartbroken 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 (это замечание отрезвило веселость отца), and brought his mind to business (и обратило его ум к делу; to bring — приносить). He turned angrily upon the prince (он повернулся злобно к принцу), and said (и сказал):

'The morrow must we pay two pennies to him that owns this hole (завтра должны мы заплатить два пенни тому, кто владеет этой дырой); two pennies mark ye (два пенни, заметь) — all this money for a half-year's rent (все эти деньги в качестве аренды за полгода), else out of this we go (иначе вон отсюда мы уходим = должны будем уйти). Show what thou'st gathered with thy lazy begging (покажи, что ты собрал своим ленивым попрошайничеством).'

The prince said (принц сказал):

'Offend me not with thy sordid matters (не оскорбляй меня своими корыстными разговорами; matter — предмет /разговора/). I tell thee again I am the king's son (я говорю тебе опять, что я сын короля).'

A sounding blow (звонкий удар) upon the prince's shoulder (по плечу принца) from Canty's broad palm (от широкой ладони Кэнти) sent him staggering into good-wife Canty's arms (отправил его катящимся в руки жены Кенти), who clasped him to her breast (которая прижала его к груди), and sheltered him from a pelting rain of cuffs and slaps (и укрыла его от хлещущего града пинков и ударов) by interposing her own person (подставив саму себя).

The frightened girls retreated to their corner (испуганные девочки вернулись в свой угол); but the grandmother stepped eagerly forward to assist her son (но бабушка выступила нетерпеливо, чтобы помочь сыну). The prince sprang away from Mrs. Canty (принц отпрыгнул от миссис Кенти), exclaiming (воскликнув):

'Thou shalt not suffer for me, madam (вы не должны страдать из-за меня, мадам). Let these swine do their will upon me alone (пусть эти свиньи исполняют свои желания на мне одном).'

This speech infuriated the swine (эта речь взбесила свиней) to such a degree (до такой степени) that they set about their work without waste of time (что они принялись за работу без потери времени). Between them they belabored the boy (между собой они отколошматили мальчика) right soundly (очень сильно), and then gave the girls and their mother a beating (а затем задали девушкам и их матери побоев) for showing sympathy for the victim (за проявление сочувствия жертве).

'Now (теперь),' said Canty (скзал Кэнти), 'to bed, all of ye (в постель, все вы). The entertainment has tired me (это развлечение утомило меня).'

The light was put out (свет был выключен), and the family retired (и семья легла спать: «удалилась»). As soon as the snorings of the head of the house and his mother (как только храп главы дома и его матери) showed that they were asleep (показал, что они спали), the young girls crept (молодые девушки проползли; to creep — ползти) to where the prince lay (туда, где лежал принц; to lie — лежать), and covered him tenderly from the cold with straw and rags (и укрыли его нежно от холода соломой и тряпьем); and their mother crept to him also (и их мать подползла к нему тоже), and stroked his hair (и гладила его волосы), and cried over him (и плакала над ним), whispering broken words of comfort and compassion in his ear the while (шепча несвязные слова жалости и сочувствия ему одновременно; the while — в то время как). She had saved a morsel for him to eat also (она сберегла кусочек для него, чтобы съесть также); but the boy's pains had swept away all appetite (но боль мальчика уничтожила весь аппетит; to sweep — (с)мести; уничтожить) — at least for black and tasteless crusts (по крайней мере, к черным и безвкусным коркам). He was touched (он был тронут) by her brave and costly defense of him (ее храброй и дорого ей обошедшейся защиты его), and by her commiseration (и ее состраданием); and he thanked her in very noble and princely words (и он поблагодарил ее очень благородныим и достойными принца словами), and begged her to go to sleep and try to forget her sorrows (и попросил ее пойти спать и попытаться забыть ее огорчения). And he added that the king his father would not let her loyal kindness and devotion go unrewarded (и он добавил, что его отец, король, не позволит ее верноподданной доброте и преданности остаться невознагражденными). This return to his 'madness' (это возвращение к его «безумству») broke her heart anew (разбило ее сердце снова), and she strained him to her breast (и она прижимала к груди) again and again (снова и снова) and then went back (и затем ушла обратно), drowned in tears (утонувшая в слезах), to her bed (в свою постель).

breast [brest], compassion [kəm`pæS(ə)n], unrewarded [Anrı`wO:did]

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 good-wife 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.'

This speech infuriated the swine to such a degree that they set about their work without waste of time. Between them they belabored the boy right soundly, and then gave the girls and their mother a beating for showing sympathy for the victim.

'Now,' said Canty, 'to bed, all of ye. The entertainment has tired me.'

The light was put out, and the family retired. As soon as the snorings of the head of the house and his mother showed that they were asleep, the young girls crept to where the prince lay, and covered him tenderly from the cold with straw and rags; and their mother crept to him also, and stroked his hair, and cried over him, whispering broken words of comfort and compassion in his ear the while. She had saved a morsel for him to eat also; but the boy's pains had swept away all appetite — at least for black and tasteless crusts. He was touched by her brave and costly defense of him, and by her commiseration; and he thanked her in very noble and princely words, and begged her to go to sleep and try to forget her sorrows. And he added that the king his father would not let her loyal kindness and devotion go unrewarded. This return to his 'madness' broke her heart anew, and she strained him to her breast again and again and then went back, drowned in tears, to her bed.