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“Have you paid thy duty to the Queen’s majesty today, my lord?”
Tom hesitated and was about to stammer out something quick, when Lord St. John answered for him—
“He has indeed, madam, and she did hearten him, considering his majesty’s condition; is it not so, your highness?”
Tom mumbled something that sounded like approval, but felt that it was getting more and more difficult to talk. Some time later it was said that Tom was to study no more at present, and Princess Elizabeth exclaimed—
“It is a pity! You made great progress. But you will learn and know as many languages as his majesty, your father.”
“My father!” cried Tom.“He ca
He stopped, blushed, then continued sadly:“Ah, my illness—I do not know what I am saying. I meant to offence to the King’s grace.”
“We know it, sir,” said Princess Elizabeth;“do not trouble yourself as to that.”
“Thank you, my lady,” said Tom, gratefully. When he learned that the little ladies were to accompany him to the banquet in the evening, he was glad, for he felt that he would have friends at his side among strangers.
Once the giddy little Lady Jane asked Tom a simple question in Greek. Princess Elizabeth saw that he didn’t ‘remember’ Greek; so she answered it herself on on Tom’s behalf, and then straightway changed the talk to other matters.
The more they talked, the more Tom grew at ease, seeing that everyone wanted to help him. When he learned that the little ladies were to accompany him to the Lord Mayor’s banquet in the evening, he felt relief and delight, since now he would have friends among that multitude of strangers.
Tom’s guardian angels, the two lords, had had less comfort during this talk. They felt much as if they were piloting a great ship through a dangerous cha
When the young ladies were gone, Tom turned to the lords and said—
“May I please rest?”
Lord Hertford said—
“It is for you to command, it is for us to obey[9]. You should rest indeed, since you must go to the city presently.”
In his apartment Tom wanted to take a cup of water; but a servant seized it, dropped on one knee, and offered it to him. Then the tired prisoner sat down and was going to take off his shoes, but another servant went down on his knees and took them off.
After Tom left, the two noble guardians were alone. They were silent a while, then Lord St. John said—
“What do you think?”
“The King is near his end; my nephew is mad. God protect England!”
“Do you have any suspicions as to… as to…” Lord St. John stopped. He evidently was afraid to speak. Lord Hertford looked into his face, and said—
“Speak on—there is nobody to hear but me. Suspicions as to what?”
“I hate what is in my mind, and you are so near to him in blood, my lord. Does it not seem strange that madness could so change him? His speech is the same, but he is DIFFERENT, in one thing or another. Does it not seem strange that he forgot his father’s face, his ma
“My lord, it is treason! Have you forgotten the King’s command? Remember I am also a criminal if I listen.”
St. John paled, and said—
“Do not tell anyone, and I will neither think nor speak of this thing any more.”
“You needn’t have suspicions. He is my sister’s son; I have known his voice, his face all his life. This is the prince—I know him well—and soon he will be King.”
After Lord St. John left, Lord Hertford sat down. He was soon deep in thought, and evidently the longer he thought, the more he was bothered.
“He MUST be the prince! Can any one be so much like him? No, no! If he were an impostor he would call himself prince. What impostor would call himself a pauper? NO! This is the true prince, gone mad!”
6
Later in the afternoon, Tom went through the ordeal of being dressed for di
All the courtiers had been trained to remember that the prince was now out of his head, and to show no surprise at his unusual behaviour. Poor Tom ate with his fingers; but no one smiled at it, or even seemed to observe it. Tom examined his food and asked what it was. His question was answered with respect, and no surprise was shown. When he had finished his dessert, he filled his pockets with nuts; but nobody seemed to be shocked by it.
When his meal ended, a lord came and held before him a golden dish with rosewater in it, to wash his mouth and fingers with. Tom looked at the dish a moment or two, then raised it to his lips, and drank. Then he returned it to the lord, and said—
“No, I do not like it, my lord.”
This new eccentricity of the prince made everyone sad. Tom was taken to his apartment. As he was examining the prince’s armour, he suddenly remembered the nuts he had brought from di
About five o’clock Henry VIII woke up and muttered to himself, “Troublous dreams, troublous dreams! My end is near.” Then a wicked light flamed up in his eye, and he muttered,
“Yet I will not die before him.”
His servants saw that he was awake, and one of them asked to bring in Lord Chancellor, who was waiting outside.
“Do it!” exclaimed the King eagerly.
The Lord Chancellor entered, and knelt by the King’s couch, saying—
“I have given order, and we waiting for your majesty’s further decision in the matter.”
The King’s face lit up with a fierce joy. He said—
“Lift me up! I will go before my Parliament, and seal the warrant that rids me of—”
His voice failed and the color dissapeared from his cheeks; the attendants lowered him back on his pillows. Sorrowfully, he said—
“How have I longed for this hour! And now it’s too late. But go, go! Let others do this. I put my Great Seal in commission: choose the lords that shall compose it and get to work. Go! Before the sun shall rise and set again, bring me the Duke of Norfolk’s head.”
“According to the King’s command, so shall it be. Will it please your majesty to order that the Seal be restored to me, so that I may proceed with the business?”
9
It is for you to command, it is for us to obey – Вы повелеваете, а мы подчиняемся
10
run the risk – рисковать