Принц і жебрак
Foo-foo the First
Theruffianwhomthewaiterattheinnonthebridgesaw‘abouttojoin’theyouthandtheKingdidnotexactlyjointhem,butfellinclosebehindthemandfollowedtheirsteps.Hesaidnothing.Hisleftarmwasinasling,andheworealargegreenpatchoverhislefteye;helimpedslightly,andusedanoakenstaffasasupport.TheyouthledtheKingacrookedcoursethroughSouthwark,andby-and-bystruckintothehighroadbeyond.TheKingwasirritated,now,andsaidhewouldstophere—itwasHendon’splacetocometohim,nothistogotoHendon.Hewouldnotenduresuchinsolence;hewouldstopwherehewas.Theyouthsaid—
"Thou’lttarryhere,andthyfriendlyingwoundedinthewoodyonder?Sobeit,then."
TheKing’smannerchangedatonce.Hecriedout—
"Wounded?Andwhohathdaredtodoit?Butthatisapart;leadon,leadon!Faster,sirrah!Artshodwithlead?Wounded,ishe?Nowthoughthedoerofitbeaduke’ssonheshallrueit!"
Itwassomedistancetothewood,butthespacewasspeedilytraversed.Theyouthlookedabouthim,discoveredaboughstickingintheground,withasmallbitofragtiedtoit,thenledthewayintotheforest,watchingforsimilarboughsandfindingthematintervals;theywereevidentlyguidestothepointhewasaimingat.By-and-byanopenplacewasreached,wherewerethecharredremainsofafarm-house,andnearthemabarnwhichwasfallingtoruinanddecay.Therewasnosignoflifeanywhere,anduttersilenceprevailed.
