第41章

'Some- yes. Particularly new-comers- such as small husbandmen turned shiftless and hungry upon the world because their farms were taken from them to be changed to sheep-ranges. They begged, and were whipped at the cart's tail, naked from the girdle up, till the blood ran; then set in the stocks to be pelted; they begged again, were whipped again, and deprived of an ear; they begged a third time-poor devils, what else could they do?- and were branded on the cheek with a red-hot iron, then sold for slaves; they ran away, were hunted down, and hanged. 'Tis a brief tale, and quickly told. Others of us have fared less hardly. Stand forth, Yokel, Burns, and Hodge-show your adornments!'

These stood up and stripped away some of their rags, exposing their backs, crisscrossed with ropy old welts left by the lash; one turned up his hair and showed the place where a left ear had once been; another showed a brand upon his shoulder- the letter V and a mutilated ear; the third said:

'I am Yokel, once a farmer and prosperous, with loving wife and kids- now am I somewhat different in estate and calling; and the wife and kids are gone; mayhap they are in heaven, mayhap in- in the other place- but the kindly God be thanked, they bide no more in England! My good old blameless mother strove to earn bread by nursing the sick; one of these died, the doctors knew not how, so my mother was burned for a witch, whilst my babes looked on and wailed.

English law!- up, all with your cups!- now all together and with a cheer!- drink to the merciful English law that delivered her from the English hell! Thank you, mates, one and all. I begged, from house to house- I and the wife- bearing with us the hungry kids- but it was a crime to be hungry in England- so they stripped us and lashed us through three towns. Drink ye all again to the merciful English law!- for its lash drank deep of my Mary's blood and its blessed deliverance came quick. She lies there, in the potter's field, safe from all harms. And the kids- well, whilst the law lashed me from town to town, they starved. Drink lads- only a drop- a drop to the poor kids, that never did any creature harm. I begged again- begged for a crust, and got the stocks and lost an ear- see, here bides the stump; I begged again, and here is the stump of the other to keep me minded of it. And still I begged again, and was sold for a slave- here on my cheek under this stain, if I washed it off, ye might see the red S the branding iron left there! A SLAVE! Do ye understand that word!

An English SLAVE!- that is he that stands before ye. I have run from my master, and when I am found- the heavy curse of heaven fall on the law of the land that hath commanded it!- I shall hang!'*(17)A ringing voice came through the murky air:

'Thou shalt not!- and this day the end of that law is come!'

All turned, and saw the fantastic figure of the little king approaching hurriedly; as it emerged into the light and was clearly revealed, a general explosion of inquiries broke out:

'Who is it ? What is it? Who art thou, manikin?'

The boy stood unconfused in the midst of all those surprised and questioning eyes, and answered with princely dignity:

'I am Edward, king of England.'

A wild burst of laughter followed, partly of derision and partly of delight in the excellence of the joke. The king was stung. He said sharply:

'Ye mannerless vagrants, is this your recognition of the royal boon I have promised?'

He said more, with angry voice and excited gesture, but it was lost in a whirlwind of laughter and mocking exclamations. 'John Hobbs'

made several attempts to make himself heard above the din, and at last succeeded- saying: