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.into Hendon s eyes with a stony and frightened gaze; I thank thee out of my heart! exclaimed Hendon the blood sank out of her face, drop by drop, till noth-with a fervency which showed that he was touched.The ing remained but the grey pallor of death; then sheKing added, with the same gentle simplicity said, in a voice as dead as the face, I know him not! Dost thou doubt me? and turned, with a moan and a stifled sob, and totteredA guilty confusion seized upon Hendon, and he was out of the room.grateful that the door opened to admit Hugh, at that Miles Hendon sank into a chair and covered his facemoment, and saved him the necessity of replying.with his hands.After a pause, his brother said to theA beautiful lady, richly clothed, followed Hugh, and servantsafter her came several liveried servants.The lady walked You have observed him.Do you know him?slowly, with her head bowed and her eyes fixed upon They shook their heads; then the master saidthe floor.The face was unspeakably sad.Miles Hendon The servants know you not, sir.I fear there is somesprang forward, crying out mistake.You have seen that my wife knew you not. Oh, my Edith, my darling Thy wife! In an instant Hugh was pinned to theBut Hugh waved him back, gravely, and said to the wall, with an iron grip about his throat. Oh, thou fox-lady hearted slave, I see it all! Thou st writ the lying letter144The Prince and the Pauperthyself, and my stolen bride and goods are its fruit. Escape? Spare thyself discomfort, an that is all thatThere now get thee gone, lest I shame mine honourable troubles thee.For Miles Hendon is master of Hendonsoldiership with the slaying of so pitiful a mannikin! Hall and all its belongings.He will remain doubt itHugh, red-faced, and almost suffocated, reeled to the not.nearest chair, and commanded the servants to seize andbind the murderous stranger.They hesitated, and oneof them said He is armed, Sir Hugh, and we are weaponless. Armed! What of it, and ye so many? Upon him, Isay!But Miles warned them to be careful what they did,and added Ye know me of old I have not changed; come on,an it like you.This reminder did not hearten the servants much; theystill held back. Then go, ye paltry cowards, and arm yourselves andguard the doors, whilst I send one to fetch the watch!said Hugh.He turned at the threshold, and said to Miles, You ll find it to your advantage to offend not withuseless endeavours at escape.145Mark Twainsighed, and muttered to himself, Poor ruined mindXXVIstill busy with its pathetic dream.Disowned But I have a plan that shall right us both I willwrite a paper, in three tongues Latin, Greek and En-glish and thou shalt haste away with it to London inhe King sat musing a few moments, thenthe morning.Give it to none but my uncle, the Lordlooked up and saidHertford; when he shall see it, he will know and say I Tis strange most strange.I cannot ac-wrote it.Then he will send for me.count for it. Might it not be best, my Prince, that we wait here until No, it is not strange, my liege.I know him, and thisI prove myself and make my rights secure to my domains?conduct is but natural.He was a rascal from his birth.I should be so much the better able then to Oh, I spake not of him, Sir Miles.The King interrupted him imperiously Not of him? Then of what? What is it that is strange? Peace! What are thy paltry domains, thy trivial in- That the King is not missed.terests, contrasted with matters which concern the weal How? Which? I doubt I do not understand.of a nation and the integrity of a throne? Then, he Indeed? Doth it not strike you as being passingadded, in a gentle voice, as if he were sorry for hisstrange that the land is not filled with couriers andseverity, Obey, and have no fear; I will right thee, Iproclamations describing my person and making searchwill make thee whole yes, more than whole.I shallfor me? Is it no matter for commotion and distress thatremember, and requite.the Head of the State is gone; that I am vanished awaySo saying, he took the pen, and set himself to work.Hendonand lost?contemplated him lovingly a while, then said to himself Most true, my King, I had forgot. Then Hendon146The Prince and the Pauper An it were dark, I should think it was a king that my voice, for how could it be otherwise? Yet she said shespoke; there s no denying it, when the humour s upon knew me not, and that is proof perfect, for she cannoton him he doth thunder and lighten like your true King; lie.But stop I think I begin to see.Peradventure henow where got he that trick? See him scribble and scratch hath influenced her, commanded her, compelled her toaway contentedly at his meaningless pot-hooks, fancy- lie.That is the solution.The riddle is unriddled.Sheing them to be Latin and Greek and except my wit seemed dead with fear yes, she was under his compul-shall serve me with a lucky device for diverting him sion.I will seek her; I will find her; now that he is away,from his purpose, I shall be forced to pretend to post she will speak her true mind.She will remember the oldaway to-morrow on this wild errand he hath invented times when we were little playfellows together, and thisfor me. will soften her heart, and she will no more betray me,The next moment Sir Miles s thoughts had gone back to but will confess me.There is no treacherous blood inthe recent episode.So absorbed was he in his musings, her no, she was always honest and true.She has lovedthat when the King presently handed him the paper which me, in those old days this is my security; for whom onehe had been writing, he received it and pocketed it with- has loved, one cannot betray.out being conscious of the act. How marvellous strange He stepped eagerly toward the door; at that momentshe acted, he muttered. I think she knew me and I it opened, and the Lady Edith entered.She was verythink she did not know me.These opinions do conflict, I pale, but she walked with a firm step, and her carriageperceive it plainly; I cannot reconcile them, neither can was full of grace and gentle dignity.Her face was as sadI, by argument, dismiss either of the two, or even per- as before.suade one to outweigh the other.The matter standeth Miles sprang forward, with a happy confidence, to meetsimply thus: she must have known my face, my figure, her, but she checked him with a hardly perceptible ges-147Mark Twainture, and he stopped where he was.She seated herself, not the man whom you profess to be, my husband mightand asked him to do likewise.Thus simply did she take bid you pleasure yourself with your dream in peace; butthe sense of old comradeship out of him, and transform trust me, I know him well; I know what he will do; hehim into a stranger and a guest.The surprise of it, the will say to all that you are but a mad impostor, andbewildering unexpectedness of it, made him begin to straightway all will echo him. She bent upon Milesquestion, for a moment, if he was the person he was that same steady look once more, and added: If youpretending to be, after all.The Lady Edith said were Miles Hendon, and he knew it and all the region Sir, I have come to warn you.The mad cannot be knew it consider what I am saying, weigh it wellpersuaded out of their delusions, perchance; but doubt- you would stand in the same peril, your punishmentless they may be persuaded to avoid perils
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