Принц і жебрак
Foo-foo the First
’JohnHobbs’madeseveralattemptstomakehimselfheardabovethedin,andatlastsucceeded—saying—
"Mates,heismyson,adreamer,afool,andstarkmad—mindhimnot—hethinkethheistheKing."
"IamtheKing,"saidEdward,turningtowardhim,"asthoushaltknowtothycost,ingoodtime.Thouhastconfessedamurder—thoushaltswingforit."
"Thou’ltbetrayme?—thou?An’Igetmyhandsuponthee—"
"Tut-tut!"saidtheburleyRuffler,interposingintimetosavetheKing,andemphasisingthisservicebyknockingHobbsdownwithhisfist,"hastrespectforneitherKingsnorRufflers?An’thouinsultmypresencesoagain,I’llhangtheeupmyself."ThenhesaidtohisMajesty,"Thoumustmakenothreatsagainstthymates,lad;andthoumustguardthytonguefromsayingevilofthemelsewhere.Beking,ifitpleasethymadhumour,butbenotharmfulinit.Sinkthetitlethouhastuttered—‘tistreason;webebadmeninsomefewtriflingways,butnoneamongusissobaseastobetraitortohisKing;webelovingandloyalhearts,inthatregard.NoteifIspeaktruth.Now—alltogether:’LongliveEdward,KingofEngland!’"
"LONGLIVEEDWARD,KINGOFENGLAND!"
Theresponsecamewithsuchathundergustfromthemotleycrewthatthecrazybuildingvibratedtothesound.ThelittleKing’sfacelightedwithpleasureforaninstant,andheslightlyinclinedhishead,andsaidwithgravesimplicity—
"Ithankyou,mygoodpeople."
