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Why did the king say about Tom “But for him I would not have got my crown again!”
Miles Hendon started looking for his little friend. What would the boy naturally do? Where would he naturally go? Well—argued Miles—he would naturally go home. His rags and the villain who seemed to know him and who even said he was his father showed that his home was in one of the poorest districts of London. Hour after hour he walked through small alleys and dirty streets. After a few hours the only result was that he was tired, hungry and very sleepy. A thought occurred to him, he joined the crowd which followed the royal procession now, for he argued that this procession would attract his little madman. He followed the procession through London, and all the way to Westminster Abbey. But he could not find his little friend. He finally walked off, trying to think of a better plan. By-and-by, when he came to himself, he discovered that the town was far behind him. He was near the river, and in the country.
It was not at all cold; so he lay on the ground to rest and think. He heard the far-off boom of artillery, and he said to himself, “The new King is crowned,” and fell asleep. He had not slept or rested for more than thirty hours. He only woke in the middle of the next morning. He got up, washed himself in the river, drank from it, and walked toward Westminster. Hunger helped him to a new plan, now he would try to speak to old Sir Humphrey Marlow.
At eleven o’clock he approached the palace; a lot of splendidly dressed people were about him, moving in the same direction. He watched these people’s faces, hoping to find a kind man who might carry his name to Sir Humphrey at the palace.
Presently our whipping-boy passed him, then turned round and looked at his figure carefully, saying to himself, “This may be the vagabond his Majesty is so worried about. He answers the description. I think I could speak to him.”
Miles Hendon felt somebody watching him, and turned round. Observing a strong interest in the boy’s eyes, he stepped toward him and said—
“Have you just come out from the palace?”
“Yes, sir.”
“Do you know Sir Humphrey Marlow?”
The boy was surprised, and said to himself, “My late father!” Then he answered aloud, “Quite well, sir.”
“Good—is he in the palace?”
“Yes,” said the boy, too surprised to say more.
“Could you carry my name to him, and say I wish to speak to him?”
“Certainly, sir.”
“Then say Miles Hendon, son of Sir Richard, is here—I shall be very grateful to you, my good boy.”
The boy said to Miles, “Come in here, sir, and wait till I bring you the answer.”
Hendon went to the place that the boy showed him—it was a stone bench at the palace wall. He had hardly seated himself when an officer passed by. The officer saw him, and commanded Hendon to come up to him. He did so, and was immediately arrested as a suspicious man. Poor Miles was going to explain, but the officer did not want to listen to him. He ordered his men to watch him, and hurried away.
“Now my bad luck is ended at last,” muttered Hendon, “for I shall be hanged. And what will become of my poor boy?—only God knows!”
By-and-by he saw the officer coming again, in a great hurry; so he prepared to meet his end. The officer ordered the men to set the prisoner free, then bowed and said—
“Please, sir, follow me.”
Hendon followed, wondering what was to become of him. The two arrived at the entrance of the palace, where the officer, with another bow, left Hendon with an official, who received him with respect and led him forward through a great hall, and up a broad staircase, and finally conducted him into a big room, through the crowd of the highest nobles of England, then made a bow, and left him standing in the middle of the room.
Miles Hendon was bewildered. There sat the young King five steps away, with his head bent down, speaking to a man. Hendon observed to himself that it was hard to be sentenced to death in the splendor of the palace. He wished the King would hurry about it. At this moment the King raised his head, and Hendon saw his face. The sight took his breath away! He thought, “Is it a dream… or is he the real King of England, and not the poor madman I took him for?”
His Majesty looked at him and said—“Ladies, lords, and gentlemen, this is my well-beloved servant, Miles Hendon, who saved his prince from possible death. Also, for a higher service, that he saved his prince from shame, he is a peer of England. He is Earl of Kent, and shall have gold and lands for what he has done for his King.”
Two persons, who had only arrived from the country during this morning, and had now been in this room only five minutes, stood listening to these words and looking at the King, then at Miles Hendon. These were Sir Hugh and Lady Edith. But the new Earl did not see them. He was still looking at the monarch and muttering—
“Oh, this my pauper! This my madman! This is he whom I wished to show my house of seventy rooms and twenty-seven servants! Shame on me!”
Then his manners suddenly came back to him, and he dropped on his knees, and swore loyalty to the King and thanked him for his lands and titles.
Now the King discovered Sir Hugh, and spoke out furiously—
“Take his false title and stolen lands from him, and arrest him.”
Sir Hugh was led away.
There was some noise at the other end of the room now, and Tom Canty, richly dressed, marched toward the King, who said—
“I have learned the story of these past few weeks, and I am pleased with you. You have been just and gentle. Have you found your mother and your sisters? Good; they will be taken care of, and your father will be hanged, if you wish it. Know, all of you, that from this day this boy will live at Christ’s Hospital, and hold the chief place there during life. Everyone must remember that he has been royal, in his time. He has the throne’s protection, he has the crown’s support, he will be known and called by the title of the King’s Ward.”
The proud and happy Tom Canty kissed the King’s hand, and was conducted from the hall. He did not waste any time, but ran to his mother, to tell her and Nan and Bet all about it.
When the mysteries were all cleared up, it came out, with the help of Hugh Hendon, that his wife had denounced Miles by his command, that day at Hendon Hall. He told her that if she did not say that he was not Miles Hendon, he would have her life, but she said, “Take it!”—but she would not denounce Miles; then the husband said he would not kill her but Miles! This was a different matter; so she gave her word and kept it.
Hugh was not prosecuted for his stealing his brother’s property and title, because the wife and brother did not wish it. Hugh left his wife and went over to the continent, where he presently died; and by-and-by the Earl of Kent married Lady Edith.
Tom Canty’s father was never heard of again.
As long as the King lived he was fond of telling the story of his adventures from the hour that the soldier threw him away from the palace gate till the final night when he mixed himself into a crowd of hurrying workmen and so got into the Abbey and hid himself there, and then slept there till the Coronation began.
Miles Hendon and Tom Canty were favourites of the King, all through his short time on the throne.
Tom Canty lived to be a very old man, a handsome, white-haired old man. As long as he lived he was respected. When he appeared in public the crowd whispered one to another, “Take off your hat, it is the King’s Ward!”—and they got his kind smile in return.
Yes, King Edward VI lived only a few years, poor boy, but he lived them like a true king. Edward VI was extraordinarily merciful and gentle for those times. Let us try to keep this in our minds.
adj—adjective—прилагательное
adv—adverb—наречие
cj—conjunction—союз
int—interjection—междометие
n—noun—имя существительное
pl—plural—множественное число
prn—pronon—местоимение
prp—preposition—предлог
v—verb—глагол
abbey — n аббатство
about — prp о; около; приблизительно
be about to do smth собираться что-л. сделать
abuse — v оскорблять, ругать; быть обманутым; плохо/жестоко обращаться
accept — v принимать
accident — n несчастный случай, авария, катастрофа
by accident случайно
accompany — v сопровождать; провожать
according – to в соответствии с
accuse — v обвинять
add — v добавлять
admiration — n восхищение, восторг
admire — v восхищаться
adventure — n приключение
age — n возраст; век
aisle — n проход (между рядами)
alas – int увы
alike — adj похожий
alive — adj живой
although — cj хотя, несмотря на то, что
amazement — n удивление
ambassador — n посол
among — prp среди, между
amusement — n развлечение
ancient — adj древний, старинный
announce — v объявлять, провозглашать
annul — v аннулировать, отменять
apartment — n покой, комната; апартамент
appear — v появляться, показываться
appearance — n внешность, внешний вид
approach — v приближаться
argue — v спорить; утверждать; рассуждать
armed — adj вооруженный
armour — n доспехи
as – adv, cj как; когда; так как, в то время как; в качестве
as if как будто
as to что касается
astonish — v удивлять, потрясать
attend — v посещать; прислуживать, обслуживать; ухаживать
attract — v привлекать
audience — n публика, зрители, аудитория
awake — adj бодрствующий
be awake не спать
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