In the stillness and the darkness, realization soon began to supplement knowledge. The mere knowledge of a fact is pale; but when you come to realize yourⒶalteration in the MS fact, it takes on color. It is all the difference between hearing of a man being stabbed to the heart, and seeing it done. In the stillness and the darkness, the knowledge that I was in deadly danger took to itself deeper and deeper meaning all the time; a something which was realization crept inch by inch through my veins and turned me cold.
But it is a blessed provision of nature that at times like these, as soon as a man’s mercury has got down to a certain point there comes a revulsion, and he rallies. Hope springs up, and cheerfulness along with it, and then he is in good shape to do something for himself if anything can be done. When my rally came, it came with a bound. I said to myself that my eclipse would be sure to save me, and make me the greatest man [begin page 91] in the kingdom besides; and straightway my mercury went up to the top of the tubeⒶalteration in the MS, and my solicitudes all vanished. I was as happy a man as there was in the world. I was even impatient for to-morrow to come, I so wanted to gather-in that great triumph and be the centre of all the nation’sⒶemendation wonder and reverence. Besides,Ⓐalteration in the MS in a business wayⒶalteration in the MS it would be the making of me; I knew that.
Meantime there was one thing which had got pushed into the background of my mind. ThatⒶtextual note was, the half-convictionⒶalteration in the MS that when the nature of my proposed calamity should be reported to those superstitious people, it would have such an effect that they would want to compromise. So, by and by when I heard footsteps coming, that thought was recalled to me, and I said to myself, “As sure as anything, it’s the compromise. Well, if it is good, all right, I will accept; but if it isn’t, I mean to stand my ground and play my hand for all it is worth.”Ⓐalteration in the MS
The door opened, and some men-at-arms appeared. The leader said—
“The stake is ready. Come!”
The stake! The strength went out of meⒶalteration in the MS, and I almost fell down. It is hard to get one’s breath at such a time, such lumps come into one’s throat, and such gaspings; but as soon as I could speak, I said:
“But this is a mistakeⒶalteration in the MS—the execution is to-morrow.”
“Order changed; beenⒶalteration in the MS set forward a day. Haste thee!”
I was lost. There was no help for me. I was dazed, stupefied; I had no command over myself; I only wandered purposelessly about, like one out of his mind; so the soldiers took hold of me, and pulled me along with them, out of the cell and along the maze of underground corridors, and finally into the fierce glare of daylight and the upper world. As we stepped into the vast enclosed court of the castle I got a shock; for the first thing I saw was the stake, standing in the centre, and near it the piled fagots and a monkⒶalteration in the MS. On all fourⒶemendation Ⓐalteration in the MS sides of the court the seated multitudes rose rank above rank,Ⓐalteration in the MS forming slopingⒶalteration in the MS terraces that were rich with color. The king and the queen sat inⒶrejected substantive their thrones, the most conspicuous figures there, of course.
To note all this, occupied but a second. The next second Clarence had slipped from some place of concealment and was pouring news into my ear, his eyes beaming with triumphⒶalteration in the MS and gladness. He said:
“ ’Tis through me Ⓐemendation the change was wrought! And main hard have I [begin page 92] worked to do it, too. But when I revealed toⒶalteration in the MS them the calamity in store, and saw how mighty was the terror it did engender, then saw I also that this was the time to strike! Wherefore I diligently pretended, unto this and that and the other one, that your power against the sun could not reach its full until the morrow; and so if any would save the sun and the world, you must be slain to-day, whilst your enchantments are but in the weaving, and lack potency. OdsbodkinsⒶrejected substantive Ⓐalteration in the MS it was but a dull lie, a most indifferent invention, but you should have seen them seizeⒶemendation it and swallow it, in the frenzy of their fright, as it were salvation sent from heaven; and all the while was I laughing in my sleeve the one moment, to see them so cheaply deceived, and glorifying God the next, that He was content to let the meanest of His creatures be His instrument to the saving of thy life. Ah, how happyⒶrejected substantive has the matter sped! You will not need to do the sun a real hurt—ah,Ⓐemendation forget not that, on your soul forget it not! Only make a little darkness—only the littlest little darkness, mind, and cease with that. It will be sufficient. They will see that I spoke falsely,—being ignorant, as they will fancy—and with the falling of the first shadow of that darkness you shall see them go mad with fear;Ⓐalteration in the MS and they will set you free and make you great! Go to thy triumph, now! but remember—ah, good friend, I implore thee remember my supplication, and do the blessed sun no hurt. For my sake, thy true friend.”
I choked out some words through my grief and misery; as much as to say I would spare the sun; forⒶalteration in the MS which the lad’sⒶalteration in the MS eyes paid me back with such deep and loving gratitude that I had not the heart to tell him his good-hearted foolishness had ruined me and sent me to my death.
As the soldiers assisted me across the court the stillness was so profound that if I had been blindfoldedⒶrejected substantive I should have supposed I was in a solitude insteadⒶalteration in the MS of walled in byⒶalteration in the MS fourⒶemendation thousand people. There was not a movement perceptible in those masses of humanity;Ⓐalteration in the MS they were as rigid as stone images, and as pale; and dread sat upon every countenance. This hush continued while I was being chained to the stake; it still continued while the fagots were carefully and tediously piled about my ancles, my knees, my thighs, my body. Then there was a pause, and a deeper hush, if possible, andⒶalteration in the MS a man knelt down at my feet with a blazing torch; the multitude strained forward, gazing, and parting slightly from their seats without knowing it; the monk raised his hands above my head, and his eyes toward the blue sky, and began [begin page 93]
“Apply the torch!”
“I forbid it!”
The one was from Merlin, the other from the king. Merlin started from his place—to apply the torch himself, I judged. I said:
“Stay where you are. If any man moves—even the king—before I give him leave, I will blast him with thunder, I will consume him with lightnings!Ⓐemendation”Ⓐalteration in the MS
The multitude sank meekly into their seats, and I was just expecting they would. Merlin hesitated a moment or two, and I was on pins and needles duringⒶalteration in the MS that little while. Then he sat down, and I took a good breath; for I knew I was master of the situation now. The king said:
“Be merciful, fair sir, and essay no further in this perilous matter, lest disaster follow. It was reported to us that your powers could not attain unto their full strength until the morrow; but—”
“Your majesty thinks the report may have been a lie? It was a lie.”
That made an immense effect; up went appealing hands everywhere, and the king was assailed with a storm of supplications that I might be bought off at any priceⒶalteration in the MS and the calamity stayed. The king was eager to comply. He said:
“Name any terms, reverend sir, even to the halving of my kingdom; but banish this calamity, spare the sun!”
My fortune was made. I would have taken him up in a minute, but I couldn’t stop an eclipse; the thing was out of the question. So I asked time to consider. The king said—
“How long—ah, how long, good sir? Be merciful; look, it groweth darker, moment by moment. Prithee, how long?”
“Not long. Half an hour—Ⓐtextual notemaybe an hour.”
There were a thousand pathetic protests, but I couldn’t shorten up any, for I couldn’t remember how long a total eclipse lasts. I was in a puzzled condition, anyway, and wanted to think. Something was wrong about that eclipse, and the fact was very unsettling. If this wasn’t the one I was after, how was I to tell whether this was the sixth century, or nothing but a dream? Dear me, if I could only prove it was the latter! Here was a glad new hope. If the boyⒶalteration in the MS was right about the date, and this was surely the 20thⒶalteration in the MS, it wasn’t the sixth century. I reached for the monk’s sleeve, in considerable excitement, and asked him what day of the month it was.
[begin page 95]
Hang him, heⒶemendation said it was the twenty-first! Ⓐalteration in the MS It made me turn cold to hear him. I begged him to notⒶrejected substantive make any mistake about it; but he was sure; he knew it was the 21st.Ⓐalteration in the MS So that feather-headedⒶemendation boy had botched things again!Ⓐemendation The time of dayⒶrejected substantive was right for the eclipse; I had seenⒶalteration in the MS that for myself, in the beginning,Ⓐalteration in the MS by the dial that was near by. Yes, I was in KingⒶemendation Arthur’s court, and I might as well make the most out of it I could.
The darkness was steadily growing, the people becoming more and more distressed. I now said:
“I have reflected, sir king. For a lesson, I will let this darkness proceed, and spread night in the world; but whether I blot out the sun for good, or restore it, shall rest with you. These are the terms, to witⒶemendation: you shall remain king over all your dominions, and receive all the glories and honors that belong to the kingship; but you shall appoint me your perpetualⒶemendation minister and executive, and give me for my services oneⒶalteration in the MS per cent of such actualⒶalteration in the MS increase of revenue over andⒶalteration in the MS above its present amount as I may succeed in creating for the state. If I can’t live on that, I shan’t ask anybody to give me a lift. Is it satisfactoryⒶalteration in the MS?”
There was a prodigious roar of applause, and out of the midst of it the king’s voice rose, saying:
[begin page 96]“Away with his bonds, and set him free!Ⓐemendation and do him homage, high and low, rich and poor, for he is become the king’s right hand, is clothed with power and authority, and his seat is upon the highest step of the throne! Now sweep away this creeping night, and bring the light and cheer again, that all the world may bless thee.”
But I said:
“That a common man should be shamed before the world, is nothing; but it were dishonor to the king if any that saw his minister naked should not also see him deliveredⒶalteration in the MS from his shame. If I might ask that my clothes be brought again—”
“They are not meet,” the king broke in. “Fetch raiment of another sort; clothe him like a prince!Ⓐemendation”
My idea worked.Ⓐtextual note I wanted to keep things as they were till the eclipse was total, otherwise they would be trying againⒶalteration in the MS to get me to dismiss the darkness, and of course I couldn’t do it. SendingⒶalteration in the MS for the clothes gained some delay, but not enough. So I had to make another excuse. I said it would be but natural if the king should change his mind and repent to some extent of what he had done under excitement; thereforeⒶalteration in the MS I would let the darkness grow a while,Ⓐalteration in the MS and if at the end of a reasonable timeⒶalteration in the MS the kingⒶalteration in the MS had kept his mind the same, the darkness should be dismissed. Neither the king nor anybody else was satisfied with that arrangement, but I had to stick to my point.
ItⒶalteration in the MS grew darker and darker, and blacker and blacker, while I struggled with those awkward sixth-centuryⒶemendation clothes. It got to be pitch dark, at last, and the multitude groaned with horror to feel the cold uncanny night breezesⒶalteration in the MS fan through the place and see the stars come outⒶemendation and twinkle in the sky. At last the eclipse was total, and I was very glad of it, but everybody else was in misery; which was quite natural. I said:
“The king, by his silence, still stands to the terms.” Then I lifted up my hands—stood just so a moment—then I said, with the most awful solemnity:Ⓐemendation “Let the enchantment dissolve and pass harmless away!”Ⓐemendation
There was no response, for a moment, in that deep darkness and that graveyardⒶemendation Ⓐalteration in the MS hush. But when the silver rim of the sun pushedⒶalteration in the MS itself out, a moment or two later, the assemblage broke loose with a vast shout and came pouring down like a deluge to smother me with blessings and gratitude; and Clarence was not the last of the wash, be sure.Ⓐalteration in the MS
It] follows an interlined instruction to turn over, canceled in pencil. A passage was added to the verso of the MS page, revised, then canceled in pencil. The canceled passage is reproduced below. The superior numbers refer to Mark Twain’s revisions, which are listed following the passage.
‘To be1 naked before those people was not an unbearable hardship, because I knew the peasantry had long ago made them used2 to that sort of thing and so it wasn’t of any consequence to them; but to put on my clothes3 before these ladies—that was quite another matter; I would4 have died first. Maybe you do not see the sense of this. Well, I will illustrate. Suppose you go into one of those great European galleries5 with classical statues all along the walls; and suppose it is full of people. Everything is all right, nobody is in any discomfort. But you put an undershirt on one of those statues and you will see every lady there get behind a fan and meander for home. Well, as I was saying, when the twilight got gloomy enough to protect my modesty, I began my toilet.’
2. used] follows canceled ‘ad’.
3. put on my clothes] interlined above canceled ‘dress’.
4. I would] follows canceled ‘and’.
5. galleries] follows canceled ‘statue’.