第75章

'I call the scene back- all of it- but the Seal hath no place in it.' He paused, then looked up, and said with gentle dignity, 'My lords and gentlemen, if ye will rob your rightful sovereign of his own for lack of this evidence which he is not able to furnish, I may not stay ye, being powerless. But-'

'O folly, O madness, my king!' cried Tom Canty, in a panic, 'wait!- think! Do not give up!- the cause is not lost! Nor shall be, neither! List to what I say- follow every word- I am going to bring that morning back again, every hap just as it happened. We talked- Itold you of my sisters, Nan and Bet- ah, yes, you remember that; and about mine old grandam- and the rough games of the lads of Offal Court- yes, you remember these things also; very well, follow me still, you shall recall everything. You gave me food and drink, and did with princely courtesy send away the servants, so that my low breeding might not shame me before them- ah, yes, this also you remember.'

As Tom checked off his details, and the other boy nodded his head in recognition of them, the great audience and the officials stared in puzzled wonderment; the tale sounded like true history, yet how could this impossible conjunction between a prince and a beggar boy have come about? Never was a company of people so perplexed, so interested, and so stupefied, before.

'For a jest, my prince, we did exchange garments. Then we stood before a mirror; and so alike were we that both said it seemed as if there had been no change made- yes, you remember that. Then you noticed that the soldier had hurt my hand- look! here it is, Icannot yet even write with it, the fingers are so stiff. At this your Highness sprang up, vowing vengeance upon that soldier, and ran toward the door- you passed a table- that thing you call the Seal lay on that table- you snatched it up and looked eagerly about, as if for a place to hide it- your eye caught sight of-'

'There, 'tis sufficient!- and the dear God be thanked!'

exclaimed the ragged claimant, in a mighty excitement. 'Go, my good St. John- in an arm-piece of the Milanese armor that hangs on the wall, thou'lt find the Seal!'

'Right, my king! right!' cried Tom Canty; 'now the scepter of England is thine own; and it were better for him that would dispute it that he had been born dumb! Go, my Lord St. John, give thy feet wings!'

The whole assemblage was on its feet now, and well-nigh out of its mind with uneasiness, apprehension, and consuming excitement. On the floor and on the platform a deafening buzz of frantic conversation burst forth, and for some time nobody knew anything or heard anything or was interested in anything but what his neighbor was shouting into his ear, or he was shouting into his neighbor's ear.

Time- nobody knew how much of it- swept by unheeded and unnoted. At last a sudden hush fell upon the house, and in the same moment St.

John appeared upon the platform and held the Great Seal aloft in his hand. Then such a shout went up!

'Long live the true king!'

For five minutes the air quaked with shouts and the crash of musical instruments, and was white with a storm of waving handkerchiefs; and through it all a ragged lad, the most conspicuous figure in England, stood, flushed and happy and proud, in the center of the spacious platform, with the great vassals of the kingdom kneeling around him.

Then all rose, and Tom Canty cried out:

'Now, O my king, take these regal garments back, and give poor Tom, thy servant, his shreds and remnants again.'

The Lord Protector spoke up:

'Let the small varlet be stripped and flung into the Tower.'

But the new king, the true king, said:

'I will not have it so. But for him I had not got my crown again- none shall lay a hand upon him to harm him. And as for thee, my good uncle, my Lord Protector, this conduct of thine is not grateful toward this poor lad, for I hear he hath made thee a duke'- the Protector blushed-' yet he was not a king; wherefore, what is thy fine title worth now? To-morrow you shall sue to me, through him, for its confirmation, else no duke, but a simple earl, shalt thou remain.'

Under this rebuke, his grace the Duke of Somerset retired a little from the front for the moment. The king turned to Tom, and said, kindly:

'My poor boy, how was it that you could remember where I hid the Seal when I could not remember it myself?'

'Ah, my king, that was easy, since I used it divers days.'

'Used it- yet could not explain where it was?'

'I did not know it was that they wanted. They did not describe it, your majesty.'

'Then how used you it?'

The red blood began to steal up into Tom's cheeks, and he dropped his eyes and was silent.

'Speak up, good lad, and fear nothing,' said the king. 'How used you the Great Seal of England?'

Tom stammered a moment, in a pathetic confusion, then got it out:

'To crack nuts with!'

Poor child, the avalanche of laughter that greeted this, nearly swept him off his feet. But if a doubt remained in any mind that Tom Canty was not the king of England and familiar with the august appurtenances of royalty, this reply disposed of it utterly.

Meantime the sumptuous robe of state had been removed from Tom's shoulders to the king's, whose rags were effectively hidden from sight under it. Then the coronation ceremonies were resumed; the true king was anointed and the crown set upon his head, whilst cannon thundered the news to the city, and all London seemed to rock with applause.