Chapter XXIV. The escape. Practice Quiz — The Prince and the Pauper
by Mark Twain — tap or click to flip
Practice Quiz: Chapter XXIV. The escape.
What time of day does Chapter 24 take place?
Near the end of a short winter day, as twilight gathers and wind rises.
Where does Hendon confront the constable?
In a deserted market square, when there is no one else within hearing.
What does Hendon ask the constable to do?
Turn his back and let the boy (Edward) escape.
What leverage does Hendon have over the constable?
He overheard the constable buy a stolen pig from a woman for eightpence — a potentially criminal transaction.
How does Hendon prove he overheard the pig transaction?
He repeats the entire conversation between the constable and the woman word for word.
How does the constable initially explain the pig purchase?
He claims it was merely a jest — that he was only teasing the woman for his own amusement.
What fake Latin legal term does Hendon invent for the constable's crime?
"Non compos mentis lex talionis sic transit gloria mundi" — a string of unrelated Latin phrases that sound legal but are complete nonsense.
What penalty does Hendon claim for the constable's crime?
Death by hanging ("death by the halter, without ransom, commutation, or benefit of clergy").
What does Hendon say the constable's actions constitute in legal terms?
"Constructive barratry, misprision of treason, malfeasance in office, ad hominem expurgatis in statu quo" — more invented legal gibberish.
How much did the constable pay for the pig?
Eightpence.
What is the actual value threshold Hendon cites to make the crime sound serious?
The goods were worth above thirteenpence ha'penny, but the constable paid only a trifle.
What does Hendon threaten to do if the constable refuses?
Go to the judge ("his worship") and report everything he overheard.
Why is the threat of telling the judge especially effective?
Because the judge "hath no more sympathy with a jest than hath a dead corpse" — he would take the matter seriously.
What does the constable promise to do about the pig?
Restore the pig to its owner and never touch another stolen one.
How does the constable plan to explain Edward's disappearance?
He will claim someone broke in and took the prisoner by force, and he will batter down the old jail door himself to stage the break-in.
How long does Hendon ask the constable to be "blind and dumb and paralytic"?
While one may count a hundred thousand — counting slowly.
What does Edward notice about the passersby in the streets?
They hurry past without paying any attention to the group — they do not even seem to see a king being taken to jail.
What literary device does Twain use when Edward wonders about a king going to jail unnoticed?
Dramatic irony — the reader knows Edward is the true king, but none of the characters on the street do.
What satirical target does Twain aim at through the fake Latin legal terms?
The incomprehensibility and intimidating nature of legal jargon, which was used to control uneducated people.
What strategy does Hendon use instead of physical force to free Edward?
Psychological manipulation and blackmail — using knowledge, wit, and bluffing rather than violence.
Why does Hendon say "no harm will come" from the staged escape?
Because the judge has a "loving charity" for the poor lad and will not punish anyone for his escape.