Chapter XXXIII. Edward as King. Practice Quiz — The Prince and the Pauper
by Mark Twain — tap or click to flip
Practice Quiz: Chapter XXXIII. Edward as King.
What happens to Miles Hendon on London Bridge?
He gets caught in a riot and pickpockets steal his last farthing, leaving him penniless.
What is Miles Hendon's strategy for finding Edward?
He plans to search for crowds in London's poorest districts, reasoning that the boy would be at the center of a mob, proclaiming himself King.
Why does Miles Hendon's search strategy fail?
Although he finds many crowds during his all-night search, none of them contain Edward. The boy has already been taken to the coronation.
How long does Miles search before sleeping?
More than thirty hours without sleep or rest, tramping through back alleys and following the coronation procession.
What does Miles hear as he falls asleep near the river?
The faint boom of cannon, which tells him "The new King is crowned."
Who does Miles hope to find at the palace for financial help?
Sir Humphrey Marlow, an old acquaintance from whom he hopes to borrow a few marks.
Who recognizes Miles outside the palace?
The whipping-boy, who matches Miles to the description the King has been circulating.
What private irony does the whipping-boy experience?
Miles asks to see Sir Humphrey Marlow, who is actually the whipping-boy's own deceased father.
Why is Miles Hendon arrested at the palace?
He is found prowling within the palace precincts in suspicious, tattered clothing, and officers consider him a suspicious character.
What document do the officers find on Miles?
The decree Edward wrote at Hendon Hall, which names Miles an earl—the officers see it as another fraudulent claim to the Crown.
What does Miles expect will happen to him because of the document?
He expects to be hanged, believing the royal decree will be seen as treasonous forgery.
What actually happens when the document reaches the King?
Edward recognizes it and orders Miles released, his sword returned, and an escort provided to bring him to the royal presence.
What does Miles exclaim when he sees Edward on the throne?
"Lo, the Lord of the Kingdom of Dreams and Shadows on his throne!"
How does Miles test whether the King is truly his friend?
He grabs a chair and sits down in the King's presence—a right Edward had previously granted him—to see if the King will recognize and permit it.
What title and rank does Edward bestow on Miles Hendon?
Knight (for saving the prince from harm) and Earl of Kent (for taking the prince's whipping upon himself), with gold and lands.
What hereditary privilege does Edward grant the Hendon family?
The chiefs of the Hendon line may sit in the presence of the King of England, "so long as the crown shall endure."
What happens to Sir Hugh Hendon in this chapter?
Edward orders him stripped of his false titles and stolen estates and put under lock and key.
Who else is present when Sir Hugh is arrested?
Lady Edith, who along with Sir Hugh had arrived from the country that morning and witnessed Miles's elevation.
How does Edward praise Tom Canty?
He says Tom governed the realm with "right royal gentleness and mercy" and appoints him chief governor of Christ's Hospital for life.
What honorary title does Tom Canty receive?
"The King's Ward," with a distinctive dress of state that none may copy and that commands public reverence wherever he goes.
How do the palace courtiers react to Miles's appearance?
They bow respectfully as he passes but "fell into death-throes of silent laughter" at the "stately scarecrow" the moment his back was turned.
What theme does Miles's transformation from prisoner to earl illustrate?
The arbitrariness of social class—a single royal declaration transforms a ragged, penniless man into a peer of the realm.
What literary device does Twain use extensively in Miles's scenes at the palace?
Dramatic irony—the reader knows Edward is the real King while Miles still believes him delusional, creating both humor and pathos.