Принц і жебрак

           TheKingwenton—

           "Learnyeall,ladies,lords,andgentlemen,thatthisismytrustyandwell-belovedservant,MilesHendon,whointerposedhisgoodswordandsavedhisprincefrombodilyharmandpossibledeath—andforthisheisaknight,bytheKing’svoice.Alsolearn,thatforahigherservice,inthathesavedhissovereignstripesandshame,takingtheseuponhimself,heisapeerofEngland,EarlofKent,andshallhavegoldandlandsmeetforthedignity.More—theprivilegewhichhehathjustexercisedishisbyroyalgrant;forwehaveordainedthatthechiefsofhislineshallhaveandholdtherighttositinthepresenceoftheMajestyofEnglandhenceforth,ageafterage,solongasthecrownshallendure.Molesthimnot."

           Twopersons,who,throughdelay,hadonlyarrivedfromthecountryduringthismorning,andhadnowbeeninthisroomonlyfiveminutes,stoodlisteningtothesewordsandlookingattheKing,thenatthescarecrow,thenattheKingagain,inasortoftorpidbewilderment.ThesewereSirHughandtheLadyEdith.ButthenewEarldidnotseethem.