The hands were withheld; a paralysis fell upon the house, no one moved, no

One spoke; indeed, no one knew how to act or what to say, in so strange and

Surprising an emergency. While all minds were struggling to right themselves,

The boy still moved steadily forward, with high port and confident mien; he

Had never halted from the beginning; and while the tangled minds still

Floundered helplessly, he stepped upon the platform, and the mock king ran

with a glad face to meet him; and fell on his knees before him and said:

'Oh, my lord the king, let poor Tom Canty be first to swear fealty to thee, and

say "Put on thy crown and enter into thine own again!"'

The Lord Protector's eye fell sternly upon the new-comer's face; but

Straightway the sternness vanished away, and gave place to an expression of

Wondering surprise. This thing happened also to the other great officers. They

Glanced at each other, and retreated a step by a common and unconscious

impulse. The thought in each mind was the same: 'What a strange

resemblance!'

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The Lord Protector reflected a moment or two in perplexity, then he said,

with grave respectfulness:

'By your favor, sir, I desire to ask certain questions which —'

'I will answer them, my lord.'

The duke asked him many questions about the court, the late king, the prince,