They was fetching a very nice-looking old gentleman along, and a nice-looking younger one, with his right arm in a sling. And, my souls, how the people yelled and laughed, and kept it up. But I didnât see no joke about it, and I judged it would strain the duke and the king some to see any. I reckoned theyâd turn pale. But no, nary a pale did they turn. The duke he never let on he suspicioned what was up, but just went a goo-gooing around, happy and satisfied, like a jug thatâs googling out buttermilk; and as for the king, he just gazed and gazed down sorrowful on them newcomers like it give him the stomachache in his very heart to think there could be such frauds and rascals in the world. Oh, he done it admirable. Lots of the principal people gethered around the king, to let him see they was on his side. That old gentleman that had just come looked all puzzled to death. Pretty soon he begun to speak, and I see straight off he pronounced like an Englishmanâ ânot the kingâs way, though the kingâs was pretty good for an imitation. I canât give the old gentâs words, nor I canât imitate him; but he turned around to the crowd, and says, about like this:
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