Принц и нищий

           Atthisimpressivemoment,astartlingapparitionintrudeduponthescene—anapparitionobservedbynoneintheabsorbedmultitude,untilitsuddenlyappeared,movingupthegreatcentralaisle.Itwasaboy,bareheaded,illshod,andclothedincoarseplebeiangarmentsthatwerefallingtorags.Heraisedhishandwithasolemnitywhichillcomportedwithhissoiledandsorryaspect,anddeliveredthisnoteofwarning—

           "IforbidyoutosetthecrownofEnglanduponthatforfeitedhead.IamtheKing!"

           Inaninstantseveralindignanthandswerelaidupontheboy;butinthesameinstantTomCanty,inhisregalvestments,madeaswiftstepforward,andcriedoutinaringingvoice—

           "Loosehimandforbear!HeistheKing!"

           Asortofpanicofastonishmentswepttheassemblage,andtheypartlyroseintheirplacesandstaredinabewilderedwayatoneanotherandatthechieffiguresinthisscene,likepersonswhowonderedwhethertheywereawakeandintheirsenses,orasleepanddreaming.TheLordProtectorwasasamazedastherest,butquicklyrecoveredhimself,andexclaimedinavoiceofauthority—

           "MindnothisMajesty,hismaladyisuponhimagain—seizethevagabond!"

           Hewouldhavebeenobeyed,butthemock-Kingstampedhisfootandcriedout—

           "Onyourperil!Touchhimnot,heistheKing!"

           Thehandswerewithheld;aparalysisfelluponthehouse;noonemoved,noonespoke;indeed,nooneknewhowtoactorwhattosay,insostrangeandsurprisinganemergency.