Принц и нищий
Hendon Hall
"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."
