Принц і жебрак
Le Roi est mort — vive le Roi
Anideacametohisrelief:accidentslikethismightbelikelytohappenwithsomefrequency,nowthatbusinessurgencieswouldoftencallHertfordandSt.Johnfromhisside,theybeingmembersoftheCouncilofExecutors;thereforeperhapsitwouldbewelltostrikeoutaplanhimselftomeettherequirementsofsuchemergencies.Yes,thatwouldbeawisecourse—hewouldpractiseonthisboy,andseewhatsortofsuccesshemightachieve.Sohestrokedhisbrowperplexedlyamomentortwo,andpresentlysaid—
"NowIseemtoremembertheesomewhat—butmywitiscloggedanddimwithsuffering—"
"Alack,mypoormaster!"ejaculatedthewhipping-boy,withfeeling;adding,tohimself,"Intruth‘tisastheysaid—hismindisgone—alas,poorsoul!Butmisfortunecatchme,howamIforgetting!Theysaidonemustnotseemtoobservethataughtiswrongwithhim."
"‘Tisstrangehowmymemorydothwantonwithmethesedays,"saidTom."Butminditnot—Imendapace—alittlecluedothoftenservetobringmebackagainthethingsandnameswhichhadescapedme.(Andnotthey,only,forsooth,bute’ensuchasIne’erheardbefore—asthisladshallsee.)Givethybusinessspeech."
"‘Tismatterofsmallweight,myliege,yetwillItouchuponit,an’itpleaseyourGrace.Twodaysgoneby,whenyourMajestyfaultedthriceinyourGreek—inthemorninglessons,—dostrememberit?"
"Y-e-s—methinksIdo.(Itisnotmuchofalie—an’IhadmeddledwiththeGreekatall,Ihadnotfaultedsimplythrice,butfortytimes.)
