Chapter 15

TOM AS KING

On his fourth day in the palace, Tom was taken to a large hall, where he always met great lords. He went to a window and looked out. Suddenly he saw a big crowd of men, women, and children. They were coming toward the gates.

" What is the matter? " said Tom.

Не called a page and sent him to the Captain of the Guard to find out what the matter was. In a few minutes the page came back to say that the crowd was following a woman and a child to execution for some crime. Tom looked out of the window at the poor woman and the child. Death — for these unhappy people. For the moment he forgot that he was not the real king and gave the command:

" Bring them here! "

In a few minutes some officers entered with the prisoners.

" What have they done? " asked Tom.

" Your majesty, they have sold themselves to the devil — that is their crime. "

" Where was this done? And when? " asked Tom.

" At midnight, in December, in an old church, your majesty. "

" Who was present? "

" Only these two, your majesty, and the devil. "

" Then how was it known? "

" Some people saw them when they were going to the church, your majesty, and thought that something was wrong. Soon after that the woman and the child, with the help of the devil, caused a terrible storm. "

Tom thought for a minute and then said: " Did this woman also suffer from the storm? " " Yes, she did, your majesty, she lost her house and she and her child are homeless now. "

" Then I do not understand why she caused the storm from which she suffered herself. Is she mad? If she is, she does not know what she does. "

Everybody was surprised at the cleverness of the king. The woman had stopped crying and was looking up at Tom with hope. Tom saw this and felt sorry for her. " How did they cause the storm? " he asked. " By taking off their stockings, your majesty. " Now it was Tom's turn to be surprised. " How strange! " he said. Then he turned to the woman:

" Show us your power. I should like to see a storm. "

" Oh, my lord the king, " said the woman, " I have no power. "

" Don't be afraid, " said Tom. " Make a storm for me. Do this and you will go out free with your child. "

The woman fell at his feet and cried that she had no power to make a storm. She said: " I cannot do what the king wants. " Tom repeated his command, but the woman only cried and said she could not do it. At last Tom said: " I think the woman is speaking the truth. You are free, good woman, you and your child. And now — don't fear, take off your stockings. Make me a storm and you will be rich. "

The woman took off her stockings and her little girl too, but nothing happened. Tom was very sorry and said: " It is true; you have no power. Well, go your way in peace; and if the power comes back to you, do not forget to come and make me a storm. "

1. Answer the questions.

1) What did Tom see one day when he looked out of the window?

2) What command did he give?

3) What did Tom learn about the woman?

4) What did he ask the woman about?

5) Tom let the woman go her way in peace, didn’t he?

2. Who said the following?

- " Bring them here! "

- " I cannot do what the king wants. "

- " Only these two, your majesty, and the devil. "

- " Then how was it known? "

- " She lost her house and she and her child are homeless now. "

⇐ Предыдущая 9 10 11 12 131415 16 17 18 Следующая ⇒