Chapter XIV. 'Le Roi est mort--vive le Roi.'

Toward daylight of the same morning, Tom Canty stirred out of a heavy

sleep and opened his eyes in the dark. He lay silent a few moments,

trying to analyse his confused thoughts and impressions, and get some

sort of meaning out of them; then suddenly he burst out in a rapturous

but guarded voice--

"I see it all, I see it all! Now God be thanked, I am indeed awake at

last! Come, joy! vanish, sorrow! Ho, Nan! Bet! kick off your straw and

hie ye hither to my side, till I do pour into your unbelieving ears the

wildest madcap dream that ever the spirits of night did conjure up to

astonish the soul of man withal! . . . Ho, Nan, I say! Bet!"

A dim form appeared at his side, and a voice said--

Wilt deign to deliver thy commands?"

Commands? . . . O, woe is me, I know thy voice! Speak thou--who am I?"

Thou? In sooth, yesternight wert thou the Prince of Wales; to-day art

thou my most gracious liege, Edward, King of England."

Tom buried his head among his pillows, murmuring plaintively--

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The Prince and The Pauper