illustration of the prince and the pauper standing back to back with a castle on the prince's side and a low building on the pauper's

The Prince and the Pauper

by Mark Twain

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Chapters 25-26 Summary

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Edward discards his rags and dresses in the clothes Miles bought for him on London Bridge. They leave London and travel across country, staying at a village overnight.

Miles continues to act as the servant to Edward’s “act” as the king. He tells Edward that the mad monk returned to his hut and was upset that Edward had escaped. When Edward tells Miles that the monk planned to kill him, Miles regrets not killing the “archangel.”

Miles looks forward to arriving at his old home, Hendon Hall. When he reaches the village, it seems to him unchanged. At Hendon Hall, Miles’ brother Hugh is the first to see them. Hugh, however, claims not to recognize Miles as his brother. He says that the family received a letter several years before saying that Miles Hendon had been killed in battle.

When Miles asks for his brother Arthur and his father in hopes that they will recognize him, Hugh tells him that both are dead. When Edith arrives, she looks at him but also claims not to know him. Not only that, but Hugh reveals that Edith is now his wife.

Miles is heartbroken that no one recognizes him and welcomes him home. Edward assures him that he believes in him but also asks if Miles believes that he is the king. Hugh tells Miles that he must not escape. Miles assures him that he will remain at Hendon Hall until the truth is revealed, sure that Hugh wrote the letter of his death himself to gain control of the estate.

As they wait, Edward wonders why his own disappearance from the palace has not caused a stir. He dismisses Miles’ loss of his lands relative to his own loss of a nation. He proposes that he write a letter in English, Latin, and Greek and have Miles deliver it to the Earl of Hertford, thus letting the royal court know that their true king is missing. Miles does not want to leave Hendon Hall to go to London with the message, prepared to wait until he regains his old home.

Edith comes back in and begs Miles to leave before Hugh does more mischief. She herself is a slave to Hugh and does not want any harm to come to Miles. He asks her to look once more into his eyes and swear that she does not recognize him. She looks and swears, urging him to leave at once. Before he can do so, the officials Hugh summoned arrive and imprison Miles and Edward.

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Chapters 23-24 Summary

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Chapters 27-28 Summary

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