| И он дал обманщикам большой задаток, чтобы они сейчас же принялись за дело. |
| So the two pretended weavers set up two looms, and affected to work very busily, though in reality they did nothing at all. | Те поставили два ткацких станка и стали делать вид, будто усердно работают, а у самих на станках ровно ничего не было. |
| They asked for the most delicate silk and the purest gold thread; put both into their own knapsacks; and then continued their pretended work at the empty looms until late at night. | Нимало не стесняясь, они требовали для работы тончайшего шелку и чистейшего золота, все это припрятывали в карманы и просиживали за пустыми станками с утра до поздней ночи. |
| "I should like to know how the weavers are getting on with my cloth," said the Emperor to himself, after some little time had elapsed; he was, however, rather embarrassed, when he remembered that a simpleton, or one unfit for his office, would be unable to see the manufacture. | "Хотелось бы мне посмотреть, как подвигается дело!" - думал король. Но тут он вспоминал о чудесном свойстве ткани, и ему становилось как-то не по себе. |
| To be sure, he thought he had nothing to risk in his own person; but yet, he would prefer sending somebody else, to bring him intelligence about the weavers, and their work, before he troubled himself in the affair. | Конечно, ему нечего бояться за себя, но... все-таки лучше сначала пошел бы кто-нибудь другой! |
| All the people throughout the city had heard of the wonderful property the cloth was to possess; and all were anxious to learn how wise, or how ignorant, their neighbors might prove to be. | А между тем молва о диковинной ткани облетела весь город, и всякий горел желанием поскорее убедиться в глупости или непригодности своего ближнего. |
| "I will send my faithful old minister to the weavers," said the Emperor at last, after some deliberation, "he will be best able to see how the cloth looks; for he is a man of sense, and no one can be more suitable for his office than he is." | "Пошлю-ка я к ним своего честного старика министра, - подумал король. - Уж он-то рассмотрит ткань: он умен и с честью занимает свое место". |
| So the faithful old minister went into the hall, where the knaves were working with all their might, at their empty looms. | И вот старик министр вошел в залу, где за пустыми станками сидели обманщики. |
| "What can be the meaning of this?" thought the old man, opening his eyes very wide. | "Господи помилуй! - подумал министр, тараща глаза. |
