Принц і жебрак

           "Then,Godbepraised,myjoyiswholeagain!Speedthee,brother—lethercometome!An’shesayIamnotmyself—butshewillnot;no,no,shewillknowme,Iwereafooltodoubtit.Bringher—bringtheoldservants;they,too,willknowme."

           "Allaregonebutfive—Peter,Halsey,David,Bernard,andMargaret."

           Sosaying,Hughlefttheroom.Milesstoodmusingawhile,thenbegantowalkthefloor,muttering—

           "Thefivearch-villainshavesurvivedthetwo-and-twentylealandhonest—‘tisanoddthing."

           Hecontinuedwalkingbackandforth,mutteringtohimself;hehadforgottentheKingentirely.By-and-byhisMajestysaidgravely,andwithatouchofgenuinecompassion,thoughthewordsthemselveswerecapableofbeinginterpretedironically—

           "Mindnotthymischance,goodman;therebeothersintheworldwhoseidentityisdenied,andwhoseclaimsarederided.Thouhastcompany."

           "Ah,myKing,"criedHendon,colouringslightly,"donotthoucondemnme—wait,andthoushaltsee.Iamnoimpostor—shewillsayit;youshallhearitfromthesweetestlipsinEngland.Ianimpostor?Why,Iknowthisoldhall,thesepicturesofmyancestors,andallthesethingsthatareaboutus,asachildknowethitsownnursery.HerewasIbornandbred,mylord;Ispeakthetruth;Iwouldnotdeceivethee;andshouldnoneelsebelieve,Ipraytheedonotthoudoubtme—Icouldnotbearit."

           "Idonotdoubtthee,"saidtheKing,withachildlikesimplicityandfaith."