Принц и нищий
The Prince and his Deliverer
Myfatherlovedhimbestofusall,andtrustedandbelievedhim;forhewastheyoungestchild,andothershatedhim—thesequalitiesbeinginallagessufficienttowinaparent’sdearestlove;andhehadasmoothpersuasivetongue,withanadmirablegiftoflying—andthesebequalitieswhichdomightilyassistablindaffectiontocozenitself.Iwaswild—introthImightgoyetfartherandsayverywild,though‘twasawildnessofaninnocentsort,sinceithurtnonebutme,broughtshametonone,norloss,norhadinitanytaintofcrimeorbaseness,orwhatmightnotbeseemminehonourabledegree.
"YetdidmybrotherHughturnthesefaultstogoodaccount—heseeingthatourbrotherArthur’shealthwasbutindifferent,andhopingtheworstmightworkhimprofitwereIsweptoutofthepath—so—but‘twerealongtale,goodmyliege,andlittleworththetelling.Briefly,then,thisbrotherdiddeftlymagnifymyfaultsandmakethemcrimes;endinghisbaseworkwithfindingasilkenladderinmineapartments—conveyedthitherbyhisownmeans—anddidconvincemyfatherbythis,andsubornedevidenceofservantsandotherlyingknaves,thatIwasmindedtocarryoffmyEdithandmarrywithherinrankdefianceofhiswill.
"ThreeyearsofbanishmentfromhomeandEnglandmightmakeasoldierandamanofme,myfathersaid,andteachmesomedegreeofwisdom.
