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As soon as Miles Hendon and the little prince were clear of the mobⒶalteration in the MS, they struck down through back lanes and alleys toward the river. Their way was unobstructed until they approached London BridgeⒶemendation; then they plowed into the multitude again, Hendon keeping a fast grip upon the prince’s—no, the king’s—wrist. The tremendous news was already abroad, and the boy learned it fromⒶalteration in the MS a thousand voices at once—“The king is dead!” The tidings struck a chill to the heart of the poor little waif and sent a shudder through his frame. He realized the greatness of his loss, and was filled with a bitter grief; for the grim tyrant who had been such a terror to others had always been gentle with him. The tears sprungⒶhistorical collation to his eyes and blurred all objects. For an instant he felt himself the most forlorn, outcastⒶalteration in the MS, and forsaken of God’s creatures—then another cry shook the night with its far-reaching thunders: “Long live King Edward the Sixth!” and this made his eyes kindle, and thrilled him with pride to his fingers’ ends. “Ah,” he thought, “how grand and strange it seems—I am King!”Ⓐalteration in the MS

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Our friends threaded their way slowly through the throngs upon the BridgeⒶemendation. This structure, which had stood for six hundred years, and had been a noisy and populous thoroughfare all that time, was a curious affair, for a closely packed rank of stores and shops, with family quarters overhead, stretched along both sides of it,Ⓐalteration in the MS from one bankⒶalteration in the MS of

the river to the other. The Bridge was a sort of town to itself; it had its inn, its beer houses, its bakeriesⒶhistorical collation Ⓐemendation, its haberdasheries, its food markets, its manufacturing industries, and even its church.Ⓐalteration in the MS It lookedⒶalteration in the MS uponⒶalteration in the MS the two neighbors which it linked together,—London and Southwark—as being well enough, as suburbs, but not otherwise particularly important. It was a close corporation, so to speak; it was a narrow town, of a [begin page 133] single street a fifth of a mile long, its population was but a village population, and everybody in it knew allⒶalteration in the MS his fellow townsmen intimately, and had known their fathers and mothers before them—and all their little family affairs into the bargain. It had its aristocracy, of course—its fine old familiesⒶalteration in the MS of butchers, and bakers, and what-not, who had occupied the same oldⒶalteration in the MS premises for five or sixⒶalteration in the MS hundred years, and knew the great history of the BridgeⒶemendation from beginning to end, and all its strange legends; and who always talked bridgy talk, and thought bridgy thoughts, and lied in a long, level,Ⓐalteration in the MS direct, substantial bridgy way. It wasⒶalteration in the MS just the sort of population to be narrow and ignorant and self-conceited.Ⓐalteration in the MS Children were born on the Bridge, wereⒶalteration in the MS reared there, grew to old age and finally died without ever havingⒶalteration in the MS set a foot upon any part of the world but London Bridge alone. Such people would naturally imagine that the mightyⒶalteration in the MS and interminable procession which moved through its street night and day, with its confused roar of shouts and cries, its neighings and bellowings and bleatings and its muffled thunder-tramp, was the one great thing in this world, and themselves somehow the proprietors of it. And so they were, in effect—at leastⒶalteration in the MS they could exhibit it from their windows,Ⓐalteration in the MS and did—for a consideration—whenever a returning king or hero gave it a fleeting splendor, for there was no place like it for affordingⒶalteration in the MS a long, straight, uninterrupted view of marching columns.

Men born and reared upon the Bridge found life unendurably dull and inane, elsewhere. History tells of one of these who left the BridgeⒶalteration in the MS at the age of seventy-one and retired to the country. But he could only fret and toss in his bed; he could not go to sleep, the deep stillness was so painful, so awful, so oppressive. When he was worn out with it, at last, he fled back to his old home, a lean and haggard spectre, and fell [begin page 134] peacefully to rest and pleasant dreams under the lulling music of the lashingⒶalteration in the MS waters and the boom and crash and thunder of LondonⒶalteration in the MS Bridge.Ⓐtextual note

In the times of which we are writing,Ⓐalteration in the MS the Bridge furnished “object-lessons” in EnglishⒶalteration in the MS history, for its children—namely, the livid and decaying heads of renowned men impaled upon iron spikes atop of its gateways.Ⓐalteration in the MS Ⓔexplanatory note But we digress.Ⓐalteration in the MS

Hendon’s lodgings were in the little inn on the BridgeⒶemendation. As he neared the door with his small friend, a rough voice said—

“So, thou’rtⒶemendation come at last! Thou’ltⒶemendation not escape again, I warrant thee; and if pounding thy bones to a pudding can teach thee somewhat, thou’ltⒶemendation not keep usⒶalteration in the MS waiting another time, mayhapⒶalteration in the MS”—and John Canty put out his hand to seize the boy.

Miles Hendon stepped in the way and said—

“Not too fast, friend. Thou art needlessly rough, methinks. What is the lad to thee?”

“If it be any business of thine to make and meddle in others’ affairs, he is my son.”

“Tis a lie!” cried the little king, hotly.

“Boldly said, and I believe thee, whether thy small head-pieceⒶemendation be sound or cracked, my boy. But whether this scurvyⒶalteration in the MS ruffian be thy father or no, ’tis all one, he shall not have thee to beat thee and abuse, according to his threat,Ⓐalteration in the MS so thou prefer to bide with me.”

“I do, I do—I know him not, I loathe him, and will die before I will go with him.”

“Then ’tis settled, and there is naught more to say.”

“We will see, as to that!” exclaimed John Canty, striding past Hendon to get at the boy; “by force shall he—”

“If thou do but touch him, thou animated offal, I will spit thee like a goose!” said Hendon, barring the way and laying his hand upon his swordⒶalteration in the MS hilt. Canty drew back. “Now mark ye,” continued Hendon, “I took this lad under my protection when a mob of such as thouⒶalteration in the MS would have mishandled him, mayhap killed him; dost imagine I will desert him now to a worser fate?Ⓐalteration in the MS—for whether thou art his father or no,—and sooth to say, I think it is a lie—Ⓐalteration in the MSa decent swift death were better for such a lad than life in such brute hands as thine. So go thy ways, and set quick about it, for I like not much bandying of words, being not over-patient in my nature.”

John Canty moved off, muttering threats and curses, and was swal- [begin page 135] lowed from sight in the crowd. Hendon ascended three flights of stairs to his room, with his charge, after ordering a meal to be sent thither. It was a poor apartment, with a shabby bed and some odds and ends of old furniture in it, and was vaguely lighted by a couple of sickly candles. The little king dragged himself to the bed and lay down upon it, almost exhausted with hunger and fatigue. He had been on his feet

a good part of a day and a night, for it was now two or three o’clockⒶalteration in the MS in the morning, and had eaten nothing meantime. He murmured drowsily—

“Prithee call me when the table is spread,” and sunk into a deep sleep immediately.Ⓐalteration in the MS

A smile twinkled in Hendon’s eye, and he said to himself—

“By the mass, the little beggar takes to one’s quarters and usurps [begin page 136] one’s bed with as natural and easy a grace as if he owned them—with never a by-your-leave or so-please-it-you, or anything of the sort. In his diseased ravings he called himself the PrinceⒶemendation of Wales, and bravely doth he keep up the character. Poor little friendless rat, doubtless his mind has been disordered with ill usage. Well, I will be his friend; I have saved him, and it draweth me strongly to him; already I love the bold-tongued little rascal. How soldier-like he faced the smutty rabble and flung back his high defiance! And what a comely, sweet and gentle face he hath, now that sleep hath conjured away its troubles and its griefs. I will teach him, I will cure his malady;Ⓐalteration in the MS yea, I will be his elderⒶhistorical collation Ⓐemendation brother, and care for him and watch over him; and whoso would shame him or do him hurt, may order his shroud, for though I be burntⒶalteration in the MS for it he shall need it!Ⓐemendation”

He bent over the boy and contemplated him with kind and pitying interest, tapping the young cheek tenderlyⒶalteration in the MS and smoothing back the tangled curls with his great brown hand. A slightⒶalteration in the MS shiver passed over the boy’s form Hendon muttered—

“See, now, how like a man it was,Ⓐalteration in the MS to let him lie here uncovered and fill his body with deadly rheums. Now what shall I do? ’twill wake him

[begin page 137] to take him up and put him within the bed, and he sorely needeth sleep.”

He looked about for extra covering, but finding none, doffed his doublet and wrapped the lad in it, saying, “I am used to nipping air and scant apparel, ’tis little I shall mind the cold”—then walked up and down the room to keep his blood in motion, soliloquizing, as before.

“His injured mind persuades him he is PrinceⒶemendation of Wales; ’twill be odd to have a PrinceⒶemendation of Wales still with us, now that he that was Ⓐalteration in the MS the princeⒶtextual note is prince no more, but king,Ⓐalteration in the MS—for this poor mind is set upon the one fantasyⒶemendation, and will not reason out that now it should cast by the prince and call itself the king. . . . . . . . . . If my father liveth still, after these seven years that I have heard naught from home in my foreignⒶalteration in the MS dungeon, he will welcome the poor lad and give him generous shelter for my sake; so will my good elder brother, Arthur;Ⓐalteration in the MS my other brother, Hugh—but I will crack his crown, an’ he Ⓐalteration in the MS interfere, the fox-hearted, ill-conditioned animal! Yes, thither will we fare—and straightway, too.”

A servant entered with a smoking meal, disposed it upon a small deal table, placed the chairs, and took his departure,Ⓐalteration in the MS leaving such cheapⒶalteration in the MS lodgers as these to wait upon themselves. The door slammed after him, and the noise woke the boy, who sprungⒶhistorical collation Ⓐalteration in the MS to a sitting posture, andⒶalteration in the MS shot a glad glance about him; then a grieved look came into his face and he murmured, to himself, with a deep sigh, “Alack, it was but a dream, woe is me.” Next he noticed Miles Hendon’s doublet— glanced from that to Hendon, comprehended the sacrifice that had been made for him, and said, gently—

“Thou art good to me, yes, thou art very good to me. Take it and put it on—I shall not need it more.”

Then he got up and walked to the washstand in the corner, and stood there, waiting. Hendon said in a cheery voice—

“We’ll have a right hearty sup and bite, now, for everything is savory and smoking hot, and that and thy nap together will make thee a little man again, never fear!”

The boy made no answer, but bent a steady look, that was filled with grave surprise, and also somewhatⒶalteration in the MS touched with impatience, upon the tall knight of the sword. Hendon was puzzled, and said—

“What’s amiss?”

“Good sir, I would wash me.”

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“OⒶhistorical collation, is that all! Ask no permission of Miles Hendon for aught thou cravest. Make thyself perfectly free here, and welcome, with all that are his belongings.”

Still the boy stood, and moved not; more, he tapped the floor once or twice with his small impatient foot. Hendon was wholly perplexed. Said he—

“Bless us, what is it?”

“PritheeⒶemendation pour the water, and make not so many words!”

Hendon, suppressing a horse-laugh, and saying to himself, “By all the saints, but this is admirable!” stepped brisklyⒶtextual note forward and did the small insolent’s bidding,Ⓐalteration in the MS then stood by, in a sort of stupefaction until the command, “Come—the towel!” woke him sharply up. He took up a towel,Ⓐalteration in the MS from under the boy’sⒶhistorical collation Ⓐemendation nose, and handed it to him, without comment. He now proceeded to comfort his own faceⒶalteration in the MS with a wash, and while he was at it his adopted child seated himself at the table and prepared to fall to. Hendon dispatched his ablutions with alacrity, thenⒶalteration in the MS drew back the other chair and was about to place himself at table, when the boy said,Ⓐalteration in the MS indignantly—

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“Forbear! Wouldst sit in the presence of the king?”

This blow staggered Hendon to his foundations. He muttered to himself, “Lo, the poor thing’s madness is up with the time! it hath changed with the great change that is come to the realm, and now in fancy is he king Ⓐemendation ! Good lack, I must humor the conceit, too—there is no other way—faith,Ⓐalteration in the MS he would order me to the Tower,Ⓐalteration in the MS else!”

And pleased with this jest, he removed the chair from the table, took his stand behind the king, and proceeded to wait upon him in the courtliest way he was capable of.Ⓐalteration in the MS

While the king ate, a grateful sense of refreshment, both of body and spirit, began to steal over him;Ⓐhistorical collation Ⓐtextual note the rigor of his royal dignity relaxedⒶalteration in the MS a little, and with his growing contentment came a desire to talk. He said—

“I think thou callest thyself Miles Hendon, if I heard thee aright?”

“Yes, sire,” Miles replied; then observed to himself, “If I must Ⓐemendation humor the poor lad’s madness, I must sire him, I must majesty him, I must not go by halves, I must stick at nothing that belongeth to the part I play, else shall I play it ill and work evil to this charitable and kindly cause.”

The king warmed his heart with a second glass of wine, and said—

“I wouldⒶtextual note know thee—tell me thy story. Thou hast a gallant way with thee, and a noble—art nobly born?”

“We are of the tail of the nobility, good your majesty. My father is a baronet— one of the smaller lords, by knight service*—Ⓐhistorical collation Ⓐemendation Sir Richard Hendon, of Hendon Hall, by Monk’s Holm in Kent.”

“The name hasⒶalteration in the MS escaped my memory. Go on—tell me thy story.”

“’Tis not much, your majesty, yet perchance it may beguile a short half hour for want of a better. My father, Sir Richard, is very rich, and of a most generous nature. My mother died whilst I was yet a boy. I have two brothers; Arthur, my elder, with a soul like to his father’s; and Hugh, younger than I, a mean spirit, covetous, treacherous, vicious, underhanded—a reptile. Such was he from the cradle; such was he ten years past,Ⓐalteration in the MS when I last saw him—a ripe rascal at nineteenⒶalteration in the MS, I being twenty, then, and Arthur twenty-two. There is none other of us but the lady Edith, my cousin—she was sixteen, then—beautiful,

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*He refers to the order of baronets, or baronettes,—the barones minores, as distinct from the parliamentary barons;—not, it need hardly be said, the baronets of later creation.Ⓐhistorical collation ⒶemendationⒺexplanatory note [begin page 140] gentle, good, the daughter of an earl, the last of her race, heiressⒶalteration in the MS of a great fortune and a lapsedⒶalteration in the MS title. My father was her guardian. I loved her and she loved me; but she was betrothed to Arthur from the cradle, and Sir Richard would not suffer the contract to be broken. Arthur loved another maid, and bade us be of good cheer and hold fast to the hope that delay and luck together would some day give success to our several causes. Hugh loved the lady Edith’s fortune, though in truth he said it was herself he loved—but then ’twas his way, alway, to say the one thing and mean the other. But he lost his arts upon the girl; he could deceive my father, but none else. My father loved him bestⒶalteration in the MS of us all, and trusted and believed him; for he was the youngest child and others hated him—these qualities being in all ages sufficient to win a parent’s dearest love; and he had a smooth persuasive tongue, with an admirable gift of lying—and these beⒶalteration in the MS qualities which do mightily assist a blind affection to cozen itself. I was wild—in truthⒶhistorical collation Ⓐtextual note IⒶalteration in the MS might go yet farther and sayⒶalteration in the MS very wild, though ’twas a wildness of an innocent sort, sinceⒶalteration in the MS it hurt none but me, broughtⒶalteration in the MS shame to none, nor loss, nor had in it any taintⒶalteration in the MS of crime or baseness, or what might not beseem mine honorable degree.

“Yet did my brother Hugh turn these faultsⒶalteration in the MS to good account—he [begin page 141] seeing that our brother Arthur’s health was but indifferent, and hoping the worst might work him profit were I swept out of the path—so,—but ’twere a long tale, good my liege, and little worth the telling. Briefly, then, this brotherⒶalteration in the MS did deftly magnify my faults and makeⒶalteration in the MS them crimes; ending his base work with finding a silken ladder in mine apartments—conveyed thither byⒶalteration in the MS his own means—and did convince my father by this, and suborned evidence of servants and other lying knaves, that I was minded to carry off my Edith and marry with her, in rank defiance of his will.

“Three years of banishment from home and England might make a soldier and a man of me, my father said, and teach me some degree of wisdom. I fought out my long probation in the continental wars, tasting sumptuously of hard knocks, privation and adventure; but in my last battle I wasⒶalteration in the MS taken captive, and during the seven years that have waxed and waned since then, a foreign dungeon hath harbored me. Through wit and courage I wonⒶalteration in the MS to the free air at last, and fled hither

[begin page 142] straight; and am but just arrived, right poor in purse and raiment, and poorer still in knowledge of what these dull seven years have wrought at Hendon Hall, itsⒶalteration in the MS people and belongings. So please you, sir, my meagre tale is told.”

“Thou hast been shamefully abused!Ⓐalteration in the MS” said the little king, with a flashing eye. “But I will right thee—by the crossⒶalteration in the MS will I! The king hath said it.”

Then, fired by the story of Miles’s wrongs, he loosed his tongue and poured the history of his own recent misfortunes into the earsⒶalteration in the MS of his astonished listener. When he had finished, Miles said to himself—

“Lo, what an imagination he hath! Verily this is no common mind; else, crazed or sane, it could not weave so straight and gaudy a tale as this outⒶalteration in the MS of the airy nothings wherewithⒶalteration in the MS it hathⒶalteration in the MS wrought this curious romaunt.Ⓐalteration in the MS Poor ruined little head, it shall not lackⒶalteration in the MS friend or shelter whilst I bide with the living.Ⓐalteration in the MS He shall never leave my side; he shall be my pet, my little comrade. And he shall be cured!Ⓐalteration in the MS—aye, made whole and sound—then will he make himself a name—and proudⒶalteration in the MS shall I be to say, ‘Yes, he is mine—I took him, a homeless little ragamuffin, but I saw what was in him, and I said his name would be heard some day—behold him, observe him—was I right?’ ”

The king spoke—in a thoughtful, measured voice—

“Thou didst save me injury and shame, perchance my life, and so my crown. Such service demandeth rich reward. Name thy desire, and so it be within the compass of my royal power, it isⒶalteration in the MS thine.”

This fantastic suggestion startled Hendon out of his reverie. He was about to thank the king and put the matter aside with saying he had only done his duty andⒶtextual note desired no reward, but a wiser thought came into his head, and he asked leave to be silent a few moments and consider the gracious offer—Ⓐalteration in the MSan idea which the king gravely approved, remarking that it was best to be not too hasty with a thing of such great import.

Miles reflected during some moments, then said to himself, “Yes, that is the thing to do—by any other means it wereⒶalteration in the MS impossible to get at it—and certes, this hour’s experience hasⒶalteration in the MS taught me ’twould be most wearing and inconvenient to continue it as it is.Ⓐalteration in the MS Yes, I will propose it; ’twas a happy accident that I did not throwⒶalteration in the MS the chance away.” Then he dropped upon one knee and said—

“My poor service went not beyond the limit of a subject’s simple [begin page 143] duty,Ⓐalteration in the MS and therefore hath no merit; but sinceⒶalteration in the MS your majesty is pleased to holdⒶalteration in the MS it worthy some reward, I take heart of grace to make petition to this effect. Near four hundred years ago, as your grace knoweth,Ⓐalteration in the MS there being ill blood betwixt John, king of England,Ⓐalteration in the MS and the king of France, it was decreed that two champions should fight together in the lists, and so settle the dispute by what is called the arbitrament of God. These two kings, and the SpanishⒶalteration in the MS king, being assembled to witnessⒶalteration in the MS and judge the conflict, the French champion appeared; but so redoubtable was he that our English knights refused to measure weapons with him. So the

matter, which was a weighty one, was like to go against the English monarchⒶalteration in the MS by default. Now in the Tower lay the lord de Courcy, the mightiest arm in England, stripped of his honors and possessions, and wasting with long captivity. Appeal was made to him; he gave assent, and came forth arrayed for battle; but no sooner did the Frenchman glimpse his huge frame and hear his famous name but he fled away and the French king’s cause was lost. King John restored de Courcy’s titles and possessions, and said, ‘Name thy wish and thou shalt have it, though it cost me half my kingdom;’ whereat de Courcy, kneeling, as I [begin page 144] do now, made answer, ‘This, then, I ask, my liege; that I andⒶalteration in the MS my successors may have and holdⒶalteration in the MS the privilege of remaining covered in the presence of the kingsⒶalteration in the MS of England, henceforth while the throne shall last.’ The boon was granted, as your majesty knoweth; andⒶalteration in the MS there hath been no time, these four hundred years, that that line has failed of an heir; and so, even unto thisⒶalteration in the MS day, the head of that ancient house still weareth his hat or helm before the king’s majesty, without let or hindrance, and this none other may doⒺexplanatory note.* Invoking this precedent in aid of my prayer, I beseech the king to grant to me but this one grace and privilege—to my more than sufficient reward—and none other, to witⒶemendation: that I and my heirs, forever, may sit in the presence of the majesty of England!”

“Rise, Sir Miles Hendon, KnightⒶhistorical collation Ⓐemendation,” said the king, gravely—giving the accolade with Hendon’s sword—“rise, andⒶalteration in the MS seat thyself. Thy petition is granted. Whilst England remains, and the crown continues, the privilege shall not lapse.”Ⓐalteration in the MS

His majestyⒶalteration in the MS walked apart, musing, and Hendon dropped into a chair

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*The lords of Kingsale, descendants of de Courcy, still enjoy this curious privilege. [begin page 145] at table, observing to himself, “ ‘Twas a brave thought, and hath wrought me a mighty deliverance; my legs are grievouslyⒶalteration in the MS wearied. An’ I had not thought of that, I must have had to stand for weeks, till my poor lad’s wits are cured.” After a little, he went on, “And so I am become a knightⒶhistorical collation Ⓐemendation of the Kingdom of Dreams and Shadows! A most odd and strange position, truly, for one so matter-of-fact as I. I will not laugh—no, God forbid, for this thing which is so substanceless to me is real to him. And to me, also, in one way, it is not a falsity, for it reflects with truth the sweet and generous spirit that is in him.” After a pause: “Ah, what if he should call me by my fine title before folk!—there’d be a merry contrast betwixt my glory and my raiment!Ⓐalteration in the MS But no matter: let him call me what he will, so it please him; I shall be content.”

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