The Prince and the Pauper (CONCLUSION -- end)

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                              CONCLUSION                                    
                       Justice and Retribution                              
-                                                                           
    WHEN the mysteries were all cleared up, it came out, by confession      
of Hugh Hendon, that his wife had repudiated Miles by his command that      
day at Hendon Hall- a command assisted and supported by the                 
perfectly trustworthy promise that if she did not deny that he was          
Miles Hendon, and stand firmly to it, he would have her life;               
whereupon she said take it, she did not value it- and she would not         
repudiate Miles; then her husband said he would spare her life, but         
have Miles assassinated! This was a different matter; so she gave           
her word and kept it.                                                       
    Hugh was not prosecuted for his threats or for stealing his             
brother's estates and title, because the wife and brother would not         
testify against him- and the former would not have been allowed to          
do it, even if she had wanted to. Hugh deserted his wife and went over      
to the continent, where he presently died; and by and by the Earl of        
Kent married his relict. There were grand times and rejoicings at           
Hendon village when the couple paid their first visit to the Hall.          

The Prince and the Pauper (CHAPTER 29 - 33)

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                             CHAPTER XXIX                                   
                              To London                                     
-                                                                           
    WHEN Hendon's term of service in the stocks was finished, he was        
released and ordered to quit the region and come back no more. His          
sword was restored to him, and also his mule and his donkey. He             
mounted and rode off, followed by the king, the crowd opening with          
quiet respectfulness to let them pass, and then dispersing when they        
were gone.                                                                  
    Hendon was soon absorbed in thought. There were questions of            
high import to be answered. What should he do? Whither should he go?        
Powerful help must be found somewhere, or he must relinquish his            
inheritance and remain under the imputation of being an impostor            
besides. Where could he hope to find this powerful help? Where,             
indeed! It was a knotty question. By and by a thought occurred to           
him which pointed to a possibility- the slenderest of slender               
possibilities, certainly, but still worth considering, for lack of any      
other that promised anything at all. He remembered what old Andrews         
had said about the young king's goodness and his generous championship      
of the wronged and unfortunate. Why not go and try to get speech of         
him and beg for justice? Ah, yes, but could so fantastic a pauper           
get admission to the august presence of a monarch? Never mind- let          
that matter take care of itself; it was a bridge that would not need        
to be crossed till he should come to it. He was an old campaigner, and      
used to inventing shifts and expedients; no doubt he would be able          
to find a way. Yes, he would strike for the capital. Maybe his              
father's old friend, Sir Humphrey Marlow, would help him- 'good old         
Sir Humphrey, Head Lieutenant of the late king's kitchen, or                
stables, or something'- Miles could not remember just what or which.        

The Prince and the Pauper (CHAPTER 24 - 28)

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                             CHAPTER XXIV                                   
                              The Escape                                    
-                                                                           
    THE short winter day was nearly ended. The streets were                 
deserted, save for a few random stragglers, and these hurried straight      
along, with the intent look of people who were only anxious to              
accomplish their errands as quickly as possible and then snugly             
house themselves from the rising wind and the gathering twilight. They      
looked neither to the right nor to the left; they paid no attention to      
our party, they did not even seem to see them. Edward the Sixth             
wondered if the spectacle of a king on his way to jail had ever             
encountered such marvelous indifference before. By and by the               
constable arrived at a deserted market-square and proceeded to cross        
it. When he had reached the middle of it, Hendon laid his hand upon         
his arm, and said in a low voice:                                           
    'Bide a moment, good sir, there is none in hearing, and I would         
say a word to thee.'                                                        
    'My duty forbids it, sir; prithee, hinder me not, the night             
comes on.'                                                                  
    'Stay, nevertheless, for the matter concerns thee nearly. Turn thy      
back moment and seem not to see; let this poor lad escape.'                 
    'This to me, sir! I arrest thee in-'                                    
    'Nay, be not too hasty. See thou be careful and commit no               
foolish error'- then he shut his voice down to a whisper, and said          
in the man's ear- 'the pig thou hast purchased for eightpence may cost      
thee thy neck, man!'                   

The Prince and the Pauper (CHAPTER 19 - 23)

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CHAPTER XIX                                    
                     The Prince with the Peasants                           
-                                                                           
    WHEN the king awoke in the early morning, he found that a wet           
but thoughtful rat had crept into the place during the night and            
made a cozy bed for itself in his bosom. Being disturbed now, it            
scampered away. The boy smiled, and said, 'Poor fool, why so                
fearful? I am as forlorn as thou. 'Twould be a shame in me to hurt the      
helpless, who am myself so helpless. Moreover, I owe you thanks for         
a good omen; for when a king has fallen so low that the very rats do        
make a bed of him, it surely meaneth that his fortunes be upon the          
turn, since it is plain he can no lower go.'                                
    He got up and stepped out of the stall, and just then he heard the      
sound of children's voices. The barn door opened and a couple of            
little girls came in. As soon as they saw him their talking and             
laughing ceased, and they stopped and stood still, gazing at him            
with strong curiosity; they presently began to whisper together,            
then they approached nearer, and stopped again to gaze and whisper. By      
and by they gathered courage and began to discuss him aloud. One said:      
    'He hath a comely face.'

The Prince and the Pauper (CHAPTER 14 - 18)

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    CHAPTER XIV                                    
                   'Le Roi est Mort - Vive le Roi'                          
-                                                                           
    TOWARD daylight of the same morning, Tom Canty stirred out of a         
heavy sleep and opened his eyes in the dark. He lay silent a few            
moments, trying to analyze his confused thoughts and impressions,           
and get some sort of meaning out of them, then suddenly he burst out        
in a rapturous but guarded voice:                                           
    'I see it all, I see it all! Now God be thanked, I am, indeed,          
awake at last! Come, joy! vanish, sorrow! Ho, Nan! Bet! kick off            
your straw and hie ye hither to my side, till I do pour into your           
unbelieving ears the wildest madcap dream that ever the spirits of          
night did conjure up to astonish the soul of man withal!... Ho, Nan, I      
say! Bet!'...                  

The Prince and the Pauper (CHAPTER 9 - 13)

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 CHAPTER IX                                    
                          The River Pageant                                 
-                                                                           
    AT nine in the evening the whole vast river-front of the palace         
was blazing with light. The river itself, as far as the eye could           
reach cityward, was so thickly covered with watermen's boats and            
with pleasure barges, all fringed with colored lanterns, and gently         
agitated by the waves, that it resembled a glowing and limitless            
garden of flowers stirred to soft motion by summer winds. The grand         
terrace of stone steps leading down to the water, spacious enough to        
mass the army of a German principality upon, was a picture to see,          
with its ranks of royal halberdiers in polished armor, and its              
troops of brilliantly costumed servitors flitting up and down, and          
to and fro, in the hurry of preparation.                                    
    Presently a command was given, and immediately all living               
creatures vanished from the steps. Now the air was heavy with the hush      
of suspense and expectancy. As far as one's vision could carry, he          
might see the myriads of people in the boats rise up, and shade             
their eyes from the glare of lanterns and torches, and gaze toward the      
palace.                       

The Prince and the Pauper (CHAPTER 4 - 8)

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CHAPTER IV                                    
                     The Prince's Troubles Begin                            
-                                                                           
    AFTER hours of persistent pursuit and persecution, the little           
prince was at last deserted by the rabble and left to himself. As long      
as he had been able to rage against the mob, and threaten it                
royally, and royally utter commands that were good stuff to laugh           
at, he was very entertaining; but when weariness finally forced him to      
be silent, he was no longer of use to his tormentors, and they              
sought amusement elsewhere. He looked about him now, but could not          
recognize the locality. He was within the city of London- that was all      
he knew. He moved on, aimlessly, and in a little while the houses           
thinned, and the passers-by were infrequent. He bathed his bleeding         
feet in the brook which flowed then where Farringdon Street now is;         
rested a few moments, then passed on, and presently came upon a             
great space with only a few scattered houses in it, and a prodigious        
church. He recognized this church. Scaffoldings were about,                 
everywhere, and swarms of workmen; for it was undergoing elaborate          
repairs. The prince took heart at once- he felt that his troubles were      
at an end now. He said to himself, 'It is the ancient Grey Friars'          
church, which the king my father hath taken from the monks and given        
for a home forever for poor and forsaken children, and new-named it         
Christ's church. Right gladly will they serve the son of him who            
hath done so generously by them- and the more that that son is himself      
as poor and as forlorn as any that be sheltered here this day, or ever      
shall be.'