'
The woman sank back to a sitting posture on the floor, and,
covering her eyes with her hands, gave way to heartbroken sobs and
wailings.
'Let the show go on!' shouted Canty. 'What, Nan! what, Bet!
Mannerless wenches! will ye stand in the prince's presence? Upon
your knees, ye pauper scum, and do him reverence!'
He followed this with another horse-laugh. The girls began to
plead timidly for their brother; and Nan said:
'An thou wilt but let him to bed, father, rest and sleep will heal
his madness; prithee, do.'
'Do, father,' said Bet; 'he is more worn than is his wont.
To-morrow will he be himself again, and will beg with diligence, and
come not empty home again.'
This remark sobered the father's joviality, and brought his mind
to business. He turned angrily upon the prince, and said:
'The morrow must we pay two pennies to him that owns this hole;
two pennies mark ye- all this money for a half-year's rent, else out
of this we go. Show what thou'st gathered with thy lazy begging.'
The prince said:
'Offend me not with thy sordid matters. I tell thee again I am the
king's son.'
A sounding blow upon the prince's shoulder from Canty's broad palm
sent him staggering into good-wife Canty's arms, who clasped him to
her breast, and sheltered him from a pelting rain of cuffs and slaps
by interposing her own person.
The frightened girls retreated to their corner; but the
grandmother stepped eagerly forward to assist her son.
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