– In cases, however, where a man was deprived or dispossessed of something without the lawful judgment of his equals by our father King Henry or our brother King Richard, and it remains in our hands or is held by others under our warranty, we shall have respite for the period commonly allowed to Crusaders, unless a lawsuit had been begun, or an enquiry had been made at our order, before we took the Cross as a Crusader. On our return from the Crusade, or if we abandon it, we will at once render justice in full. Greetings to thee, valiant Godric.
– Hey, – сказал Годрик. – Listen. Hey! Pay attention, old hag. Whence this talk? Whereof speaketh thee? How didst thou know my name?
Певунья открыла глаза и вполне осмысленно посмотрела на Годрика.
– Who art thou? – спросила она.
– I’m Godric, – сказал он. – I’m a baron’s manservant. A gentleman’s gentleman, so to speak. Which is neither here nor there, since it is thy own identity, rather than mine, that presents a measure of interest at this juncture; and thine knowing me before I had a chance to introduce myself is most intriguing too.
– I know thee not, – сказала Певунья. – Begone, Godric. Leave this place. Leave town. Thou hardly belongeth here. Away with thee, Godric!
– It would be great if thou couldst cease behaving like a raving lunatic, – сказал Годрик. – I might be able to help thee. Knoweth thou who thou art?
– Of course.
– Mind telling me?
– I am an oracle.
– Indeed. Well. I’m an oracle too. What are the odds, two oracles meeting like this. Anyway, I’m delighted to meet a colleague so far from home. Hast thou a name, oracle?
– Tis quite useless.
– What is?
– The sarcasm. It won’t get thee very far.
– Was I being sarcastic? Force of habit, I reckon. My apologies. Mind explaining to me the meaning of thine earlier soliloquy, especially the part in which thou mentioned my name?
– It shall come to pass.
– Who is that King Henry thou mentioned? And King Richard? I’m sure I’ve never heard of them. Neither of them comes across as very benevolent, either. Who are they?
– I know not.
– What’s a crusader?
– I know not.
Вернулась молочница, неся в руках сложенные вчетверо простыни.
– Ты чего это к ней подсел? – спросила она подозрительно. – А ну, вставай. Негоже так тебе сидеть. Дай я ей хоть грудь прикрою.
– Интересные грунки она говорит.
– Мало ли что. Бедная ты моя, бедная.
Певунья мутно посмотрела на молочницу и снова закрыла глаза.
– When in the Course of human events, – сказала Певунья, – it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bands which have connected them with another, and to assume among the powers of the earth, the separate and equal station to which the Laws of Nature and of Nature’s God entitle them, a decent respect to the opinions of mankind requires that they should declare the causes which impel them to the separation.
