English
WHENtheygotaboardthekingwentforme,andshookmebythecollar,andsays:
“Tryin’togiveustheslip,wasye,youpup!Tiredofourcompany,hey?”
Isays:
“No,yourmajesty,wewarn’t–PLEASEdon’t,yourmajesty!”
“Quick,then,andtelluswhatWASyouridea,orI’llshaketheinsidesouto’you!”
“Honest,I’lltellyoueverythingjustasithappened,yourmajesty.
Themanthathada-holtofmewasverygoodtome,andkeptsayinghehadaboyaboutasbigasmethatdiedlastyear,andhewassorrytoseeaboyinsuchadangerousfix;andwhentheywasalltookbysurprisebyfindingthegold,andmadearushforthecoffin,heletsgoofmeandwhispers,‘Heelitnow,orthey’llhangye,sure!’andIlitout.
Itdidn’tseemnogoodforMEtostay–Icouldn’tdonothing,andIdidn’twanttobehungifIcouldgetaway.
SoIneverstoppedrunningtillIfoundthecanoe;andwhenIgothereItoldJimtohurry,orthey’dcatchmeandhangmeyet,andsaidIwasafeardyouandthedukewasn’talivenow,andIwasawfulsorry,andsowasJim,andwasawfulgladwhenweseeyoucoming;youmayaskJimifIdidn’t.”
Jimsaiditwasso;andthekingtoldhimtoshutup,andsaid,“Oh,yes,it’sMIGHTYlikely!”andshookmeupagain,andsaidhereckonedhe’ddrowndme.Butthedukesays:
“Leggotheboy,youoldidiot!WouldYOUadoneanydifferent?DidyouinquirearoundforHIMwhenyougotloose?Idon’trememberit.”
Sothekingletgoofme,andbeguntocussthattownandeverybodyinit.Butthedukesays:
“Youbetterablame’sightgiveYOURSELFagoodcussing,foryou’retheonethat’sentitledtoitmost.
Youhain’tdoneathingfromthestartthathadanysenseinit,exceptcomingoutsocoolandcheekywiththatimaginaryblue-arrowmark.
ThatWASbright–itwasrightdownbully;anditwasthethingthatsavedus.
Forifithadn’tbeenforthatthey’dajailedustillthemEnglishmen’sbaggagecome–andthen–thepenitentiary,youbet!
Butthattricktook‘emtothegraveyard,andthegolddoneusastillbiggerkindness;foriftheexcitedfoolshadn’tletgoallholtsandmadethatrushtogetalookwe’dasleptinourcravatsto-night–cravatswarrantedtoWEAR,too–longerthanWE’Dneed‘em.”
Theywasstillaminute–thinking;thenthekingsays,kindofabsent-mindedlike:
“Mf!AndwereckonedtheNIGGERSstoleit!”
Thatmademesquirm!
“Yes,”saystheduke,kinderslowanddeliberateandsarcastic,“WEdid.”
Afteraboutahalfaminutethekingdrawlsout:
“Leastways,Idid.”
Thedukesays,thesameway:
“Onthecontrary,Idid.”
Thekingkindofrufflesup,andsays:
“Lookyhere,Bilgewater,what’ryoureferrin’to?”
Thedukesays,prettybrisk:
“Whenitcomestothat,maybeyou’llletmeask,whatwasYOUreferringto?”
“Shucks!”saystheking,verysarcastic;“butIdon’tknow–maybeyouwasasleep,anddidn’tknowwhatyouwasabout.”
Thedukebristlesupnow,andsays:
“Oh,letUPonthiscussednonsense;doyoutakemeforablame’fool?Don’tyoureckonIknowwhohidthatmoneyinthatcoffin?”
“YES,sir!IknowyouDOknow,becauseyoudoneityourself!”
“It’salie!”–andthedukewentforhim.Thekingsingsout:
“Takey’rhandsoff!–leggomythroat!–Itakeitallback!”
Thedukesays:
“Well,youjustownup,first,thatyouDIDhidethatmoneythere,intendingtogivemethesliponeofthesedays,andcomebackanddigitup,andhaveitalltoyourself.”
“Waitjestaminute,duke–answermethisonequestion,honestandfair;ifyoudidn’tputthemoneythere,sayit,andI’llb’lieveyou,andtakebackeverythingIsaid.”
“Youoldscoundrel,Ididn’t,andyouknowIdidn’t.There,now!”
“Well,then,Ib’lieveyou.Butanswermeonlyjestthisonemore–nowDON’Tgitmad;didn’tyouhaveitinyourmindtohookthemoneyandhideit?”
Thedukeneversaidnothingforalittlebit;thenhesays:
“Well,Idon’tcareifIDID,Ididn’tDOit,anyway.Butyounotonlyhaditinmindtodoit,butyouDONEit.”
“IwishtIneverdieifIdoneit,duke,andthat’shonest.Iwon’tsayIwarn’tgoin’todoit,becauseIWAS;butyou–Imeansomebody–gotinaheado’me.”
“It’salie!Youdoneit,andyougottoSAYyoudoneit,or–”
Thekingbegantogurgle,andthenhegaspsout:
”’Nough!–IOWNUP!”
Iwasverygladtohearhimsaythat;itmademefeelmuchmoreeasierthanwhatIwasfeelingbefore.Sotheduketookhishandsoffandsays:
“IfyoueverdenyitagainI’lldrownyou.
It’sWELLforyoutosetthereandblubberlikeababy–it’sfittenforyou,afterthewayyou’veacted.
Ineverseesuchanoldostrichforwantingtogobbleeverything–andIa-trustingyouallthetime,likeyouwasmyownfather.
Yououghttobeenashamedofyourselftostandbyandhearitsaddledontoalotofpoorniggers,andyouneversayawordfor‘em.
ItmakesmefeelridiculoustothinkIwassoftenoughtoBELIEVEthatrubbage.
Cussyou,Icanseenowwhyyouwassoanxioustomakeupthedeffisit–youwantedtogetwhatmoneyI’dgotoutoftheNonesuchandonethingoranother,andscoopitALL!”
Thekingsays,timid,andstilla-snuffling:
“Why,duke,itwasyouthatsaidmakeupthedeffisit;itwarn’tme.”
“Dryup!Idon’twanttohearnomoreoutofyou!”saystheduke.“AndNOWyouseewhatyouGOTbyit.
They’vegotalltheirownmoneyback,andallofOURNbutashekelortwoBESIDES.
G’longtobed,anddon’tyoudeffersitMEnomoredeffersits,long’sYOUlive!”
Sothekingsneakedintothewigwamandtooktohisbottleforcomfort,andbeforelongtheduketackledHISbottle;andsoinaboutahalfanhourtheywasasthickasthievesagain,andthetightertheygotthelovingertheygot,andwentoffa-snoringineachother’sarms.
Theybothgotpowerfulmellow,butInoticedthekingdidn’tgetmellowenoughtoforgettoremembertonotdenyabouthidingthemoney-bagagain.Thatmademefeeleasyandsatisfied.
Ofcoursewhentheygottosnoringwehadalonggabble,andItoldJimeverything.
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