'London is better than the country (Лондон лучше, чем деревня), and safer these late years (и безопаснее в эти последние годы), the laws be so bitter and so diligently enforced (законы так жестко и так усердно укрепляются/проводятся в жизнь; force — сила). An I had not had that accident (если бы у меня не было этого несчастного случая), I had stayed there (я бы остался там). I had resolved to stay (я уже решил остаться), and nevermore venture countrywards (и никогда больше не отправляться в деревню) — but the accident had ended that (но этот несчастный случай покончил с этим).'

He inquired how many persons the gang numbered now (он спросил, сколько человек шайка насчитывала сейчас). The 'Ruffler («атаман»),' or chief (или вожак), answered (ответил):

'Five and twenty (пять и двадцать = 25) sturdy budges, bulks, files, clapperdogeons and maunders (отважных овчин, верстаков, напилков, кулаков, корзинщиков), counting the dells and doxies and other morts (да еще старухи и потаскушки и прочие девки). Most are here (большинство здесь), the rest are wandering eastward (остальные идут на восток), along the winter lay (по зимнему пути). We follow at dawn (мы следуем = пойдем за ними на заре).'

'I do not see the Wen among the honest folk about me (я не вижу Жирнягу среди честных людей вокруг меня). Where may he be (где может он быть)?'

'Poor lad (бедный парень), his diet is brimstone now (его диета = еда — сера сейчас), and over hot for a delicate taste (и слишком горяча для тонкого вкуса). He was killed in a brawl (он был убит в драке), somewhere about midsummer (где-то около середины лета).'

'I sorrow to hear that (я грущу слышать это); the Wen was a capable man (Жирняга был способный человек), and brave (и смелый).'

'That was he, truly (таким был он, правда). Black Bess (черная Бесс), his dell (его подруга), is of us yet (среди нас еще), but absent on the eastward tramp (но отсутствует — (ушла) в восточный поход); a fine lass (отличная девочка), of nice ways and orderly conduct (приятного обращения и благонравного поведения), none ever seeing her drunk (никто ведь когда-либо не видел ее пьяной) above four days in the seven (больше четырех дней из семи).'

'She was ever strict (она была всегда строга) — I remember it well (я помню это хорошо) — a goodly wench and worthy all commendation (миловидная девчонка и достойная всяческих похвал). Her mother was more free and less particular (ее мать была более свободная и менее особенная = разборчивая); a troublesome and ugly-tempered beldame (беспокойная и ужасного характера карга; temper — нрав, характер), but furnished with a wit above the common (но наделенная умом сверх обычного).'

'We lost her through it (мы потеряли ее через это = из-за этого). Her gift of palmistry (ее дар хиромантии; palm — ладонь) and other sorts of fortune-telling (и других видов предсказания; fortune — судьба) begot for her at last a witch's name and fame (принесли ей наконец имя и славу ведьмы; to beget — рождать, производить). The law roasted her to death at a slow fire (закон изжарил ее до смерти на медленном огне). It did touch me to a sort of tenderness (это тронуло меня до какой-то нежности) to see the gallant way she met her lot (видеть доблестную манеру, с которой она встретила свою участь; to meet — встречать) — cursing and reviling all the crowd (кляня и браня всю толпу) that gaped and gazed around her (которая зевала и таращилась на нее), whilst the flames licked upward toward her face (пока пламя лизало вперед к ее лицу = языки пламени поднимались…) and catched her thin locks (и охватывало ее тонкие космы) and crackled about her old gray head (и трещали у ее старой седой головы) — cursing them, said I (кляня их, сказал я)? — cursing them (кляня их)! why (что ж) an thou shouldst live a thousand years (если ты и проживешь 1000 лет) thou'dst never hear so masterful a cursing (ты бы никогда не услышал такой мастерской брани). Alack, her art died with her (увы, ее искусство умерло вместе с ней). There be base and weakling imitations left (жалкие и слабые имитации остались), but no true blasphemy (но никакого настоящего богохульства).'

proud [praud], worthy [`wə:ðı], revile [rı`vaıl]

Conversation followed; not in the thieves' dialect of the song, for that was only used in talk when unfriendly ears might be listening. In the course of it it appeared that 'John Hobbs' was not altogether a new recruit, but had trained in the gang at some former time. His later history was called for, and when he said he had 'accidentally' killed a man, considerable satisfaction was expressed; when he added that the man was a priest, he was roundly applauded, and had to take a drink with everybody. Old acquaintances welcomed him joyously, and new ones were proud to shake him by the hand. He was asked why he had 'tarried away so many months.' He answered:

'London is better than the country, and safer these late years, the laws be so bitter and so diligently enforced. An I had not had that accident, I had stayed there. I had resolved to stay, and nevermore venture countrywards — but the accident had ended that.'

He inquired how many persons the gang numbered now. The 'Ruffler,' or chief, answered:

'Five and twenty sturdy budges, bulks, files, clapperdogeons and maunders, counting the dells and doxies and other morts. Most are here, the rest are wandering eastward, along the winter lay. We follow at dawn…'

'I do not see the Wen among the honest folk about me. Where may he be?'

'Poor lad, his diet is brimstone now, and over hot for a delicate taste. He was killed in a brawl, somewhere about midsummer.'

'I sorrow to hear that; the Wen was a capable man, and brave.'

'That was he, truly. Black Bess, his dell, is of us yet, but absent on the eastward tramp; a fine lass, of nice ways and orderly conduct, none ever seeing her drunk above four days in the seven.'

'She was ever strict — I remember it well — a goodly wench and worthy all commendation. Her mother was more free and less particular; a troublesome and ugly-tempered beldame, but furnished with a wit above the common.'

'We lost her through it. Her gift of palmistry and other sorts of fortune-telling begot for her at last a witch's name and fame. The law roasted her to death at a slow fire. It did touch me to a sort of tenderness to see the gallant way she met her lot — cursing and reviling all the crowd that gaped and gazed around her, whilst the flames licked upward toward her face and catched her thin locks and crackled about her old gray head — cursing them, said I? — cursing them! why an thou shouldst live a thousand years thou'dst never hear so masterful a cursing. Alack, her art died with her. There be base and weakling imitations left, but no true blasphemy.'

The Ruffler sighed (атаман вздохнул); the listeners sighed in sympathy (слушатели вздохнули сочувственно); a general depression fell upon the company for a moment (общее уныние упало = снизошло на компанию на минуту; to fall — падать), for even hardened outcasts like these (ибо даже загрубевшие изгои вроде этих) are not wholly dead to sentiment (не целиком мертвы к чувству), but are able to feel a fleeting sense of loss and affliction (но способны ощущать мимолетное чувство потери и невзгоды) at wide intervals (через широкие промежутки времени = изредка) and under peculiarly favoring circumstances (и при особенно благоприятных обстоятельствах) — as in cases like to this, for instance (как в случаях, подобных этому, например), when genius and culture depart and leave no heir (когда дух и культура исчезают и не оставляют наследника).

However, a deep drink all round (однако основательный глоток по кругу) soon restored the spirits of the mourners (скоро восстановил дух скорбящих).