Принц і жебрак
The Prince a prisoner
TheKingwasinclinedtorebel;butHendonsaidtohiminalowvoice—
"Reflect,Sire—yourlawsarethewholesomebreathofyourownroyalty;shalltheirsourceresistthem,yetrequirethebranchestorespectthem?Apparentlyoneoftheselawshasbeenbroken;whentheKingisonhisthroneagain,canitevergrievehimtorememberthatwhenhewasseeminglyaprivatepersonheloyallysankthekinginthecitizenandsubmittedtoitsauthority?"
"Thouartright;saynomore;thoushaltseethatwhatsoevertheKingofEnglandrequiresasubjecttosuffer,underthelaw,hewillhimselfsufferwhileheholdeththestationofasubject."
Whenthewomanwascalledupontotestifybeforethejusticeofthepeace,shesworethatthesmallprisoneratthebarwasthepersonwhohadcommittedthetheft;therewasnoneabletoshowthecontrary,sotheKingstoodconvicted.Thebundlewasnowunrolled,andwhenthecontentsprovedtobeaplumplittledressedpig,thejudgelookedtroubled,whilstHendonturnedpale,andhisbodywasthrilledwithanelectricshiverofdismay;buttheKingremainedunmoved,protectedbyhisignorance.Thejudgemeditated,duringanominouspause,thenturnedtothewoman,withthequestion—
"Whatdostthouholdthispropertytobeworth?"
Thewomancourtesiedandreplied—
"Threeshillingsandeightpence,yourworship—Icouldnotabateapennyandsetforththevaluehonestly."
Thejusticeglancedarounduncomfortablyuponthecrowd,thennoddedtotheconstable,andsaid—
"Clearthecourtandclosethedoors."
