Chapter XII. The Prince and his deliverer. Practice Quiz — The Prince and the Pauper
by Mark Twain — tap or click to flip
Practice Quiz: Chapter XII. The Prince and his deliverer.
What devastating news does Edward hear as he and Miles cross London Bridge?
He hears that his father, King Henry VIII, is dead. The crowd cries "The King is dead!" followed by "Long live King Edward the Sixth!"
Where are Miles Hendon's lodgings located?
In a little inn on London Bridge.
Who confronts Miles and Edward at the inn door?
John Canty, who claims the boy is his son and threatens to beat him.
How does Miles Hendon drive John Canty away?
He bars Canty's path, lays his hand on his sword hilt, and threatens to "spit thee like a goose" if Canty touches the boy.
What does Miles do to keep Edward warm while the boy sleeps?
He takes off his own doublet and wraps the boy in it, then paces the cold room to keep his blood moving.
What does Edward imperiously demand of Miles after waking up?
He demands that Miles pour his wash water, hand him a towel, and then forbids Miles from sitting at the table in the king's presence.
How does Miles Hendon respond internally to Edward's royal demands?
He is privately amused but decides to "humour the conceit" and play along, reasoning the boy is mentally disturbed and needs gentle treatment, not contradiction.
What vow does Miles make about Edward while watching him sleep?
He vows to be the boy's "elder brother," to care for him and watch over him, and declares that whoever would harm the boy "may order his shroud."
Who is Sir Richard Hendon?
Miles Hendon's father, a wealthy and generous baronet of Hendon Hall in Kent.
Who are Miles Hendon's two brothers, and how do they differ?
Arthur is the honorable elder brother with a soul like his father's. Hugh is the treacherous younger brother — covetous, vicious, and underhanded.
Who is Lady Edith, and what is her relationship to the Hendon family?
She is Miles's cousin, the daughter of an earl, heiress to a great fortune. Miles and Edith loved each other, but she was betrothed to Arthur from the cradle.
How did Hugh Hendon get Miles banished?
Hugh planted a silken ladder in Miles's room and fabricated evidence that Miles planned to elope with Lady Edith, convincing their father to banish Miles for three years.
What is the dramatic irony of Miles calling himself "a knight of the Kingdom of Dreams and Shadows"?
Miles believes his knighthood is a fantasy indulging a mad boy, but the reader knows Edward is the true king, making the knighthood entirely legitimate.
What historical precedent does Miles cite when asking Edward for a reward?
The story of Lord de Courcy, who won the hereditary right to remain covered (wear his hat) in the presence of the kings of England after defeating a French champion.
What reward does Miles ask of Edward, and why?
The hereditary right for himself and his heirs to sit in the king's presence — practically motivated because Edward has forbidden him from sitting down.
What title does Edward bestow on Miles Hendon?
Edward knights him "Sir Miles Hendon" using Hendon's own sword to give the accolade.
What theme does the London Bridge digression illustrate?
The arbitrariness of class distinctions and provincial self-importance — the bridge's hereditary shopkeepers consider themselves aristocrats and never leave their narrow world.
What grim historical detail does Twain mention about London Bridge?
The heads of men convicted of treason were impaled on iron spikes atop the bridge's gateways as "object lessons" for children.
How does Edward's reaction to his father's death reveal his complexity?
He feels genuine grief because Henry VIII, though a "grim tyrant" to others, was always gentle with him. Then moments later he feels pride at realizing he is now king — showing both his humanity and his royal identity.
What does the phrase "bridgy talk" and "bridgy thoughts" satirize?
It satirizes the insular, self-important worldview of London Bridge residents who lived their entire lives on the bridge and considered themselves superior to their surroundings.
What does Miles's willingness to give up his doublet symbolize?
It symbolizes his selfless devotion and the theme of loyalty — he sacrifices his own comfort to protect a child he believes to be a deranged stranger, purely out of compassion.
"Prithee pour the water, and make not so many words!" Who says this and what does it reveal?
Edward says this to Miles. It reveals how deeply ingrained Edward's royal identity is — even as a ragged, powerless boy, he naturally commands others with the authority of a king.
What does Miles mean when he says "I must stick at nothing that belongeth to the part I play"?
He means he must fully commit to humoring Edward's "delusion" of kingship — calling him Sire, treating him as royalty — or risk undermining the compassionate care he is trying to provide.