A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court

kes on color. It is all the difference between hearing of a man being stabbed to the heart, and seeing it done. In the stillness and the darkness, the knowledge that

lf, if anything can be done. When my rally came, it came with a bound. I said to myself that my eclipse would be sure to save me, and make me the greatest man in the kingdom besides; and straightway my mercury went up to the top of the tube, and my solicitudes all vani

ose superstitious people, it would have such an effect that they would want to compromise. So, by and by when I heard footsteps coming, that thought was recalled to me, and I said

some men-at-arms appe

e is read

is hard to get one's breath at such a time, such lumps come into on

stake-the executi

een set forward a

aze of underground corridors, and finally into the fierce glare of daylight and the upper world. As we stepped into the vast enclosed court of the castle I got a shock; for the first thing I saw was the stake, standing in the center, and near it

had slipped from some place of concealment and was pouring news

ency. Odsbodikins, it was but a dull lie, a most indifferent invention, but you should have seen them seize it and swallow it, in the frenzy of their fright, as it were salvation sent from heaven; and all the while was I laughing in my sleeve the one moment, to see them so cheaply deceived, and glorifying God the next, that He was content to let the meanest of His creatures be His instrument to the saving of thy life. Ah how happy has the matter sped! You will not need to do the sun a real hurt-ah, forget not

un; for which the lad's eyes paid me back with such deep and loving gratitude that I had n

eper hush, if possible, and a man knelt down at my feet with a blazing torch; the multitude strained forward, gazing, and parting slightly from their seats without knowing it; the monk raised his hands above my head, and his eyes toward the blue sky, and began some words in Latin; in this attitude he droned on and on, a little while, and then stopped. I waited two or three moments; then looked up; he was standing there petrified. With a common impulse the multitude rose slowly up and stared into the sky. I followed their eyes, as sure as guns, there

the t

orbi

he king. Merlin started from his place-to

ing-before I give him leave, I will blast him wi

itated a moment or two, and I was on pins and needles during that little while. Then he sat

ter, lest disaster follow. It was reported to us that your powers

he report may have bee

ng was assailed with a storm of supplications that I might be bought off at

to the halving of my kingdom; but

te, but I couldn't stop an eclipse; the thing was out of

merciful; look, it groweth darker,

lf an hour-ma

eclipse, and the fact was very unsettling. If this wasn't the one I was after, how was I to tell whether this was the sixth century, or nothing but a dream? Dear me, if I could only prove it was the latter! Here was

e knew it was the 21st. So, that feather-headed boy had botched things again! The time of the day was right for the eclipse; I had seen that fo

ing, the people becoming more

t: You shall remain king over all your dominions, and receive all the glories and honors that belong to the kingship; but you shall appoint me your perpetual minister and executive, and give me for my services o

pplause, and out of the midst of

king's right hand, is clothed with power and authority, and his seat is upon the highest step of the throne

I

dishonor to the king if any that saw his minister naked should not also see

oke in. "Fetch raiment of anothe

elay, but not enough. So I had to make another excuse. I said it would be but natural if the king should change his mind and repent to some extent of what he had done under excitement; therefore I would let the darkness gr

last, and the multitude groaned with horror to feel the cold uncanny night breezes fan through the place and see the stars come out and twi

d up my hands-stood just so a moment-then I said, with the most awf

e sun pushed itself out, a moment or two later, the assemblage broke loose with a vast shout and came pouring dow