er,fled
tothisuntryabouttheendofthelastcentury,tobreathethepureairoffreedorriedhere,anddied,leavingason,hisoherdyingaboutthesatithesendsonofthelatedukeseizedthetitlesandestatestheinfantrealdukethelinealdestherightfuldukeofbridgeer;and
herea,forlo,tofroyhighestate,huntedofn,despisedbytheldbroken,anddegradedtothe
panionshipoffelonsonaraft”
jiitiedhiverso,but
hesaidituchuse,heuldntbechforted;saidifwewasandtoaoregoodthanstanything
else;soellushoto
bo,andsay”yourgraylord,”or”your
lordship”andheinditifplain
”bridgee;and
oneofusoughttoatdinner,anddoanylittlethingforhibr >heeddone
hatstood
aroundand,andsays,”eodisor
soodat”andsoon,andabodyuldseeitightypleasingtohi
buttheoldngotprettysilentbyandbydidnthavechtosay,anddidntlookprettyfortableoverallthatpettingthatwasgoingonaroundthatdukeheseedtohavesothingonhisndso,alongintheafteoon,hesays:
”lookyhere,bilgenationsorryforyou,butyouainttheonlypersonthatshadtroubleslikethat””no”
”noyouaintyouainttheonlypersonthatsbensnakeddownnahighplace”
”alas”
”no,youainttheonlypersonthatshadasecretofhisbirth”and,byjings,hebeginstocry
”holdean”
”bilgean,stillsortofsobbing
”tothebitterdeath”hetooktheoldnbythehandandsqueezedit,andsays,”thatsecretofyourbeing:speak”
”bilgethelatedauphin”
youbetyou,jindstaredthistithenthedukesays:”youare”
”yes,friend,itistootrueyoureyesislookinatthisveryntontheporedisappeareddauphin,looytheseventeen,sonoflooythesixteenandrryantote”
”youatyouragenoyouanyourethelateust
besixorsevenhundredyearsold,attheveryleast””troublehasdoneit,bilgeer,troublehasdoneit;troublehasbrungthesegrayhairsandthispreturebalditudeyes,gentlen,youseebeforeyou,inbluejeansandsery,thepledon,andsufferinrightfulkingoffrance”
eandjiidntknoto
do,hus,tooso
forthi
buthesaiditnouse,nothingbuttobedeadanddonehitallulddohinygood;thoughhesaiditoftendehieeleasierandbetterforaacrdingtohisrights,andgot
do,andal”yourjesty,”
andfirstatals,anddidntsetdoe
tillheaskedthesojindsettojestyinghianddoingthisandthatandtotherforhiandstandinguptillhetoldusightsetdoheapsofgood,andsohegotcheerfuland
fortablebutthedukekindofsouredonhianddidntlookabitsatisfiedhthehingsill,thekingactedreal
friendlyto,andsaidthedukesgreatgrandfatherandalltheotherdukesofbilgeerhoughtofbyhisfather,andetothepalacensiderable;butthedukestayedhuffyagoodillbyandbythekingsays:
”likeasnotedlongtionthishyerraft,
bilgeake
thingsonfortableitaintfaultiboaduke,itaintyourfaultyouakethe
bestothingsthe,saysithatsttothisaint
nobadthingthate,
giveusyourhand,duke,andlesallbefriends”thedukedoneit,andjindtygladtoseeitittookawayalltheunfortablenessandightygoodoverit,becauseitiserablebusinesstohaveanyunfriendlinessontheraft;foryou,aboveallthings,onaraft,isforeverybodytobesatisfied,andfeelrightandkindtoheothersitdidnttakelongtokeupndthattheseliarsnokingsnordukesatall,butjustlobugsandfraudsbutineversaidnothing,neverleton;keptittoself;itsthebestway;thenyoudonthavenoquarrels,anddontgetintonotroubleiftheykingsanddukes,ihadntnoobjections,longasitily;andit,soi
didnttellhiifineverleatnothingelseoutofpap,ileatthatthebest
havetheirownway
chapterxx
theyaskedusnsiderablenyquestions;edtoknoovereduptheraftthateinsteadofrunning
arunawayniggersaysi:
”goodnesssakesh”
no,theyalloeway,soi
says:
”folksissouri,whereiwasbo,and
theyalldiedoffbutandpaandbrotherikepa,helowedhedbreakupandgodohuncleben,alittle
onehorseplailebeloworleanspawas
prettypoor,andhadsodebts;sohere
nothingleftbutsixteendollarsandouigger,jithatenoughtotakeusfourteenhundredle,deckpassagenoootherwaywell,heriverrosepahadastreakofluckoneday;heketchedthispieceofaraft;sooorleansonitpasluck
didntholdout;asteaoatrunovertheforrarderoftheraftonenight,andand
eupallright,butpawasdrunk,andikewasonlyfouryearsold,sotheynevereupnorehenextdayortwowehad
nsiderabletrouble,becausepeopleingoutinskiffsandtryingtotakeji,sayingtheybelievedhewasarunawayniggerwedon
