desert [dı`zə:t], couple [kApl]

WHEN the mysteries were all cleared up, it came out, by confession of Hugh Hendon, that his wife had repudiated Miles by his command that day at Hendon Hall — a command assisted and supported by the perfectly trustworthy promise that if she did not deny that he was Miles Hendon, and stand firmly to it, he would have her life; whereupon she said take it, she did not value it — and she would not repudiate Miles; then her husband said he would spare her life, but have Miles assassinated! This was a different matter; so she gave her word and kept it.

Hugh was not prosecuted for his threats or for stealing his brother's estates and title, because the wife and brother would not testify against him — and the former would not have been allowed to do it, even if she had wanted to. Hugh deserted his wife and went over to the continent, where he presently died; and by and by the Earl of Kent married his relict. There were grand times and rejoicings at Hendon village when the couple paid their first visit to the Hall.

Tom Canty's father was never heard of again.

The king sought out the farmer who had been branded and sold as a slave, and reclaimed him from his evil life with the Ruffler's gang, and put him in the way of a comfortable livelihood.

He also took that old lawyer out of prison and remitted his fine. He provided good homes for the daughters of the two Baptist women whom he saw burned at the stake, and roundly punished the fficial who laid the undeserved stripes upon Miles Hendon's back.

He saved from the gallows the boy who had captured the stray falcon, and also the woman who had stolen the remnant of cloth from a weaver; but he was too late to save the man who had been convicted of killing a deer in the royal forest.

He showed favor to the justice who had pitied him when he was supposed to have stolen a pig, and he had the gratification of seeing him grow in the public esteem and become a great and honored man.

As long as the king lived (так долго, как король жил = всю свою жизнь) he was fond of (он любил: «был любящим») telling the story of his adventures (рассказывать историю своих приключений), all through (целиком: «всю через»), from the hour that the sentinel (с того часа, когда часовой) cuffed him away from the palace gate (отогнал его прочь от дворцовых ворот; to cuff — бить) till the final midnight (до последней: «финальной» полуночи) when he deftly mixed himself into a gang of hurrying workmen (когда он ловко смешался с ватагой спешащих рабочих; to mix — смешивать) and so slipped into the Abbey (и так проскользнул в Аббатство) and climbed up (и забрался вверх) and hid himself in the Confessor's tomb (и спрятался в гробнице Исповедника; to hide — прятать(ся)), and then slept so long (и затем проспал так долго; to sleep — спать), next day (на следующий день), that he came within one of missing the Coronation altogether (что он чуть не пропустил коронацию совсем: «что он пришел в пределы одного от того = близко к тому, чтобы пропустить коронацию совсем»). He said that the frequent rehearsing of the precious lesson (он говорил, что частое повторение этого драгоценного урока) kept him strong (хранило его сильным = поддерживало его) in his purpose (в его намерении) to make its teachings yield benefits to his people (заставить его уроки принести плоды его народу); and so, while his life was spared (и поэтому, пока его жизнь была пощажена = покуда он был жив) he should continue to tell the story (он бы продолжал рассказывать эту историю), and thus keep its sorrowful spectacles fresh in his memory (и так хранить ее печальные картины свежими в его памяти) and the springs of pity replenished in his heart (и источники сострадания полными: «пополненными» в его сердце).

Miles Hendon and Tom Canty were favorites of the king (Майлс Хендон и Том Кэнти были любимцами короля), all through his brief reign (все время его короткого правления: «все через его короткое правление»), and his sincere mourners (и его искренними плакальщиками = искренне скорбели о нем) when he died (когда он умер). The good Earl of Kent had too much good sense (добрый граф Кентский имел слишком много благоразумия: «хорошего разума») to abuse his peculiar privilege (чтобы злоупотреблять своей особой привилегией); but he exercised it twice (но он воспользовался ею дважды) after the instance we have seen of it (после того случая, который мы видели) before he was called from the world (прежде чем он был призван из мира); once at the accession of Queen Mary (однажды при восшествии на престол королевы Марии), and once at the accession of Queen Elizabeth (и однажды при восшествии на престол королевы Елизаветы). A descendant of his (один потомок его) exercised it (воспользовался ею) at the accession of James I (при восшествии на престол Якова Первого). Before this one's son (прежде чем этого = его сын) chose to use the privilege (выбрал = решил воспользоваться этой привилегией; to choose — выбирать), near a quarter of a century had elapsed (почти четверть века прошла), and the 'privilege of the Kents' had faded out (и «привилегия Кентов» испарилась) of most people's memories (из памяти большинства людей); so, when the Kent of that day (так что, когда Кент того времени) appeared before Charles I and his court (появился перед Карлом Первым и его двором) and sat down in the sovereign's presence (и уселся в присутствии суверена; to sit down — усесться: «сесть вниз») to assert and perpetuate (чтобы заявить о и увековечить) the right of his house (это право своего дома), there was a fine stir, indeed (был настоящий переполох, действительно)! But the matter was soon explained (но это дело было вскоре разъяснено) and the right confirmed (и право — подтверждено). The last earl of the line (последний граф в этом роду) fell in the wars (пал в войнах; to fall — пасть) of the Commonwealth (Английской республики = времен революции; the Commonwealth of England — Английская республика, существовавшая в 1649-1660 гг.) fighting for the king (сражаясь за короля), and the odd privilege (и эта странная привилегия) ended with him (закончилась с ним).

Tom Canty lived to be a very old man (Том Кэнти дожил до того, чтобы быть очень старым человеком), a handsome, white-haired old fellow (красивым, седовласым старцем), of grave and benignant aspect (величавой и милостивой/кроткой наружности). As long as he lasted (так долго, как он прожил = всю его жизнь; to last — сохраняться, длиться) he was honored (он был уважаем); and he was also reverenced (и он был также почитаем), for his striking and peculiar costume (ибо его удивительный и особенный костюм) kept the people reminded (напоминал людям: «держал людей напомненными») that 'in his time he had been royal' (что «в свое время он был королем»); so, wherever he appeared (так что, где бы он ни появился) the crowd fell apart (толпа расступалась; to fall apart — развалиться: «падать в стороны»), making way for him (делая путь для него), and whispering, one to another (и шепча, один другому), 'Doff thy hat (сними шляпу), it is the King's Ward (это Королевский Подопечный)!' — and so they saluted (и они приветствовали /его/), and got his kindly smile in return (и получали его доброжелательную улыбку в ответ) — and they valued it, too (и они ценили ее, конечно; too — тоже), for his was an honorable history (ибо это была благородная история).

Yes, King Edward VI lived only a few years (да, король Эдуард Шестой прожил лишь несколько лет), poor boy (бедный мальчик), but he lived them worthily (но он прожил их достойно). More than once (более чем однажды = не раз), when some great dignitary (когда какой-нибудь великий сановник), some gilded vassal of the crown (какой-нибудь раззолоченный вассал короны), made argument (спорил; argument — спор, доказательства) against his leniency (против его снисходительности), and urged that some law (и настаивал, что какой-нибудь закон) which he was bent upon amending (который он = король был склонен изменить; to bend — склоняться; to amend — исправить, улучшить) was gentle enough for its purpose (был /и без того/ достаточно мягким для своей цели), and wrought no suffering or oppression (и не причинял никакого страдания или притеснения) which any one need mightily mind (о котором кому-либо надо было серьезно беспокоиться; to need — нуждаться; to mind — возражать, иметь что-либо против), the young king turned the mournful eloquence of his great compassionate eyes (юный король оборачивал скорбное красноречие своих больших сострадательных глаз) upon him (на него) and answered (и отвечал):

'What dost thou know of suffering and oppression (что знаешь ты о страдании и угнетении)! I and my people know (я и мой народ знаем), but not thou (но не ты).'

The reign of Edward VI was a singularly merciful one (правление Эдуарда Шестого было редкостно милосердным) for those harsh times (для тех жестоких времен). Now that we are taking leave of him (теперь, когда мы покидаем его: «берем уход от него») let us try (постараемся: «позволим нам постараться») to keep this in our minds (хранить это в своей памяти), to his credit (на его добрую память = для его хорошей репутации).

rehearse [rı`hə:s], yield [ji:ld], leniency [`li:nıənsı]

As long as the king lived he was fond of telling the story of his adventures, all through, from the hour that the sentinel cuffed him away from the palace gate till the final midnight when he deftly mixed himself into a gang of hurrying workmen and so slipped into the Abbey and climbed up and hid himself in the Confessor's tomb, and then slept so long, next day, that he came within one of missing the Coronation altogether. He said that the frequent rehearsing of the precious lesson kept him strong in his purpose to make its teachings yield benefits to his people; and so, while his life was spared he should continue to tell the story, and thus keep its sorrowful spectacles fresh in his memory and the springs of pity replenished in his heart.

Miles Hendon and Tom Canty were favorites of the king, all through his brief reign, and his sincere mourners when he died. The good Earl of Kent had too much good sense to abuse his peculiar privilege; but he exercised it twice after the instance we have seen of it before he was called from the world; once at the accession of Queen Mary, and once at the accession of Queen Elizabeth. A descendant of his exercised it at the accession of James I. Before this one's son chose to use the privilege, near a quarter of a century had elapsed, and the 'privilege of the Kents' had faded out of most people's memories; so, when the Kent of that day appeared before Charles I and his court and sat down in the sovereign's presence to assert and perpetuate the right of his house, there was a fine stir, indeed! But the matter was soon explained and the right confirmed. The last earl of the line fell in the wars of the Commonwealth fighting for the king, and the odd privilege ended with him.

Tom Canty lived to be a very old man, a handsome, white-haired old fellow, of grave and benignant aspect. As long as he lasted he was honored; and he was also reverenced, for his striking and peculiar costume kept the people reminded that 'in his time he had been royal'; so, wherever he appeared the crowd fell apart, making way for him, and whispering, one to another, 'Doff thy hat, it is the King's Ward!' — and so they saluted, and got his kindly smile in return — and they valued it, too, for his was an honorable history.

Yes, King Edward VI lived only a few years, poor boy, but he lived them worthily. More than once, when some great dignitary, some gilded vassal of the crown, made argument against his leniency, and urged that some law which he was bent upon amending was gentle enough for its purpose, and wrought no suffering or oppression which any one need mightily mind, the young king turned the mournful eloquence of his great compassionate eyes upon him and answered: