handkerchief； and； of course； the two depositions just sworn to by
the Professors。 I hope and think that the King will pardon us all
round； but whatever he may do I shall tell him everything。〃
Hanky was up in arms at once。 〃Sheer madness；〃 he exclaimed。 Yram
and the Mayor looked anxious； Dr。 Downie eyed George as though he
were some curious creature； which he heard of but had never seen；
and was rather disposed to like。 Mrs。 Humdrum nodded her head
approvingly。
〃Quite right； George；〃 said she； 〃tell his Majesty everything。〃
Dr。 Downie then said； 〃Your son； Mayoress； is a very sensible
fellow。 I will go with him； and with the Professorsfor they had
better come too： each will hear what the other says； and we will
tell the truth； the whole truth； and nothing but the truth。 I am；
as you know； a persona grata at Court； I will say that I advised
your son's action。 The King has liked him ever since he was a boy；
and I am not much afraid about what he will do。 In public； no
doubt we had better hush things up； but in private the King must be
told。〃
Hanky fought hard for some time； but George told him that it did
not matter whether he agreed or no。 〃You can come；〃 he said； 〃or
stop away； just as you please。 If you come； you can hear and
speak； if you do not； you will not hear； but these two depositions
will speak for you。 Please yourself。〃
〃Very well；〃 he said at last； 〃I suppose we had better go。〃
Every one having now understood what his or her part was to be；
Yram said they had better shake hands all round and take a couple
of hours' rest before getting ready for the banquet。 George said
that the Professors did not shake hands with him very cordially；
but the farce was gone through。 When the hand…shaking was over；
Dr。 Downie and Mrs。 Humdrum left the house； and the Professors
retired grumpily to their own room。
I will say here that no harm happened either to George or the
Professors in consequence of his having told the King； but will
reserve particulars for my concluding chapter。
CHAPTER XXI： YRAM； ON GETTING RID OF HER GUESTS； GOES TO THE
PRISON TO SEE MY FATHER
Yram did not take the advice she had given her guests； but set
about preparing a basket of the best cold dainties she could find；
including a bottle of choice wine that she knew my father would
like； thus loaded she went to the gaol； which she entered by her
father's private entrance。
It was now about half…past four； so that much more must have been
said and done after luncheon at the Mayor's than ever reached my
father。 The wonder is that he was able to collect so much。 He；
poor man； as soon as George left him； flung himself on to the bed
that was in his cell and lay there wakeful； but not unquiet； till
near the time when Yram reached the gaol。
The old gaoler came to tell him that she had come and would be glad
to see him； much as he dreaded the meeting there was no avoiding
it； and in a few minutes Yram stood before him。
Both were agitated； but Yram betrayed less of what she felt than my
father。 He could only bow his head and cover his face with his
hands。 Yram said； 〃We are old friends； take your hands from your
face and let me see you。 There！ That is well。〃
She took his right hand between both hers； looked at him with eyes
full of kindness； and said softly …
〃You are not much changed； but you look haggard； worn； and ill； I
am uneasy about you。 Remember； you are among friends； who will see
that no harm befalls you。 There is a look in your eyes that
frightens me。〃
As she spoke she took the wine out of her basket； and poured him
out a glass； but rather to give him some little thing to distract
his attention； than because she expected him to drink itwhich he
could not do。
She never asked him whether he found her altered； or turned the
conversation ever such a little on to herself； all was for him； to
soothe and comfort him； not in words alone； but in look； manner；
and voice。 My father knew that he could thank her best by
controlling himself； and letting himself be soothed and comforted
at any rate so far as he could seem to be。
Up to this time they had been standing； but now Yram； seeing my
father calmer； said； 〃Enough； let us sit down。〃
So saying she seated herself at one end of the small table that was
in the cell； and motioned my father to sit opposite to her。 〃The
light hurts you？〃 she said； for the sun was coming into the room。
〃Change places with me； I am a sun worshipper。 No； we can move the
table； and we can then see each other better。〃
This done； she said； still very softly； 〃And now tell me what it is
all about。 Why have you come here？〃
〃Tell me first；〃 said my father； 〃what befell you after I had been
taken away。 Why did you not send me word when you found what had
happened？ or come after me？ You know I should have married you at
once； unless they bound me in fetters。〃
〃I know you would； but you remember Mrs。 Humdrum？ Yes； I see you
do。 I told her everything； it was she who saved me。 We thought of
you； but she saw that it would not do。 As I was to marry Mr。
Strong； the more you were lost sight of the better； but with George
ever with me I have not been able to forget you。 I might have been
very happy with you； but I could not have been happier than I have
been ever since that short dreadful time was over。 George must
tell you the rest。 I cannot do so。 All is well。 I love my
husband with my whole heart and soul； and he loves me with his。 As
between him and me； he knows everything； George is his son； not
yours； we have settled it so； though we both know otherwise； as
between you and me； for this one hour； here； there is no use in
pretending that you are not George's father。 I have said all I
need say。 Now； tell me what I asked youWhy are you here？〃
〃I fear；〃 said my father； set at rest by the sweetness of Yram's
voice and mannerhe told me he had never seen any one to compare
with her except my mother〃I fear； to do as much harm now as I did
before； and with as little wish to do any harm at all。〃
He then told her all that the reader knows； and explained how he
had thought he could have gone about the country as a peasant； and
seen how she herself had fared； without her； or any one； even
suspecting that he was in the country。
〃You say your wife is dead； and that she left you with a sonis he
like George？〃
〃In mind and disposition； wonderfully； in appearance； no； he is
dark and takes after his mother； and though he is handsome； he is
not so good…looking as George。〃
〃No one；〃 said George's mother； 〃ever was； or ever will be； and he
is as good as he looks。〃
〃I should not have believed you if you had said he was not。〃
〃That is right。 I am glad you are proud of him。 He irradiates the
lives of every one of us。〃
〃And the mere knowledge that he exists will irradiate the rest of
mine。〃
〃Long may it do so。 Let us now talk about this morningdid you
mean to declare yourself？〃
〃I do not know what I meant； what I most cared about was the doing
what I thought George would wish to see his father do。〃
〃You did that； but he says he told you not to say who you were。〃
〃So he did； but I knew what he would think right。 He was uppermost
in my thoughts all the time。〃
Yram smiled； and said； 〃George is a dangerous person； you were both
of you very foolish； one as bad as the other。〃
〃I do not know。 I do not know anything。 It is beyond me； but I am
at peace about it； and hope I shall do the like again to…morrow
before the Mayor。〃
〃I heartily hope you will do nothing of the kind。 George tells me
you have promised him to be good and to do as we bid you。〃
〃So I will； but he will not tell me to say that I am not what I
am。〃
〃Yes； he will； and I will tell you why。 If we permit you to be
Higgs the Sunchild； he must either throw his own father into the
Blue Poolwhich he will not door run great risk of being thrown
into it himself； for not having Blue…Pooled a foreigner。 I am
afraid we shall have to make you do a good deal that neither you
nor we shall like。〃
She then told him briefly of what had passed after luncheon at her
house； and what it had been settled to do； leaving George to tell
the details while escorting him towards the statues on the
following evening。 She said that every one would be so completely
in every one else's power that there was no fear of any one's
turning traitor。 But she said nothing about George's intention of
setting out for the capital on Wednesday morning to tell the whole
story to the King。
〃Now；〃 she said； when she had told him as much as was necessary；
〃be good； and do as you said you would。〃
〃I will。 I will deny myself； not once； nor twice； but as often as
is necessary。 I will kiss the reliquary； and when I meet Hanky and
Panky at your table； I will be sworn brother to themso long； that
is； as George is out of hearing； for I cannot lie well to them when
he is listening。〃
〃Oh yes； you can。 He will understand all about it； he enjoys
falsehood as well as we all do； and has the nicest sense of when to
lie and when not to do so。〃
〃What gift can be more invaluable？〃
My father； knowing