Принц и нищий
Le Roi est mort — vive le Roi
TomwasabouttoblurtoutsomethingabouttheproprietyofpayingthelateKing’sdebtsfirst,beforesquanderingallthismoney,butatimelytouchuponhisarm,fromthethoughtfulHertford,savedhimthisindiscretion;whereforehegavetheroyalassent,withoutspokencomment,butwithmuchinwarddiscomfort.Whilehesatreflectingamomentovertheeasewithwhichhewasdoingstrangeandglitteringmiracles,ahappythoughtshotintohismind:whynotmakehismotherDuchessofOffalCourt,andgiveheranestate?Butasorrowfulthoughtsweptitinstantlyaway:hewasonlyakinginname,thesegraveveteransandgreatnobleswerehismasters;tothemhismotherwasonlythecreatureofadiseasedmind;theywouldsimplylistentohisprojectwithunbelievingears,thensendforthedoctor.
Thedullworkwenttediouslyon.Petitionswereread,andproclamations,patents,andallmannerofwordy,repetitious,andwearisomepapersrelatingtothepublicbusiness;andatlastTomsighedpatheticallyandmurmuredtohimself,"InwhathaveIoffended,thatthegoodGodshouldtakemeawayfromthefieldsandthefreeairandthesunshine,toshutmeuphereandmakemeakingandafflictmeso?"Thenhispoormuddledheadnoddedawhileandpresentlydroopedtohisshoulder;andthebusinessoftheempirecametoastandstillforwantofthataugustfactor,theratifyingpower.Silenceensuedaroundtheslumberingchild,andthesagesoftherealmceasedfromtheirdeliberations.
