Принц і жебрак
The Prince in the toils
’Tisthepriest,FatherAndrew!"
"God-a-mercy!"exclaimedCanty.Herousedhisfamily,andhoarselycommanded,"Upwithyeallandfly—orbidewhereyeareandperish!"
ScarcelyfiveminuteslatertheCantyhouseholdwereinthestreetandflyingfortheirlives.JohnCantyheldthePrincebythewrist,andhurriedhimalongthedarkway,givinghimthiscautioninalowvoice—
"Mindthytongue,thoumadfool,andspeaknotourname.Iwillchoosemeanewname,speedily,tothrowthelaw’sdogsoffthescent.Mindthytongue,Itellthee!"
Hegrowledthesewordstotherestofthefamily—
"Ifitsochancethatwebeseparated,leteachmakeforLondonBridge;whosofindethhimselfasfarasthelastlinen-draper’sshoponthebridge,lethimtarrytheretilltheothersbecome,thenwillwefleeintoSouthwarktogether."
Atthismomentthepartyburstsuddenlyoutofdarknessintolight;andnotonlyintolight,butintothemidstofamultitudeofsinging,dancing,andshoutingpeople,massedtogetherontheriverfrontage.Therewasalineofbonfiresstretchingasfarasonecouldsee,upanddowntheThames;LondonBridgewasilluminated;SouthwarkBridgelikewise;theentireriverwasaglowwiththeflashandsheenofcolouredlights;andconstantexplosionsoffireworksfilledtheskieswithanintricatecomminglingofshootingsplendoursandathickrainofdazzlingsparksthatalmostturnednightintoday;everywherewerecrowdsofrevellers;allLondonseemedtobeatlarge.
