Hendonforcedback a smile, andbentdownandwhisperedintheKing's ear—
1
"Softly, softly, myprince, wagthytonguewarily—nay, sufferitnottowagatall. Trustinme—allshallgowellintheend." Thenheaddedtohimself: "SirMiles! Blessme, I hadtotallyforgot I was a knight! Lord, howmarvellous a thingitis, thegriphismemorydothtakeuponhisquaintandcrazyfancies! . . . Anemptyandfoolishtitleismine, andyetitissomethingtohavedeservedit; for I thinkitismorehonourtobeheldworthytobe a spectre-knightinhisKingdomofDreamsandShadows, thantobeheldbaseenoughtobeanearlinsomeoftherealkingdomsofthisworld."
2
Thecrowdfellaparttoadmit a constable, whoapproachedandwasabouttolayhishandupontheKing's shoulder, whenHendonsaid—
3
"Gently, goodfriend, withholdyourhand—heshallgopeaceably; I amresponsibleforthat. Leadon, wewillfollow."
4
Theofficerled, withthewomanandherbundle; MilesandtheKingfollowedafter, withthecrowdattheirheels. TheKingwasinclinedtorebel; butHendonsaidtohimin a lowvoice—
5
"Reflect, Sire—yourlawsarethewholesomebreathofyourownroyalty; shalltheirsourceresistthem, yetrequirethebranchestorespectthem? Apparentlyoneoftheselawshasbeenbroken; whentheKingisonhisthroneagain, canitevergrievehimtorememberthatwhenhewasseemingly a privatepersonheloyallysankthekinginthecitizenandsubmittedtoitsauthority?"
6
"Thouartright; saynomore; thoushaltseethatwhatsoevertheKingofEnglandrequires a subjecttosuffer, underthelaw, hewillhimselfsufferwhileheholdeththestationof a subject."
Itwasdone. Noneremainedbutthetwoofficials, theaccused, theaccuser, andMilesHendon. Thislatterwasrigidandcolourless, andonhisforeheadbigdropsofcoldsweatgathered, brokeandblendedtogether, andtrickleddownhisface. Thejudgeturnedtothewomanagain, andsaid, in a compassionatevoice—
14
"'Tis a poorignorantlad, andmayhapwasdrivenhardbyhunger, forthesebegrievoustimesfortheunfortunate; markyou, hehathnotanevilface—butwhenhungerdriveth—Goodwoman! dostknowthatwhenonesteals a thingabovethevalueofthirteenpenceha'pennythelawsaithheshallhangforit?"
"Oh, goodlack, whathave I done! God-a-mercy, I wouldnothangthepoorthingforthewholeworld! Ah, savemefromthis, yourworship—whatshall I do, whatcan I do?"