The next day the foreign ambassadors came, with their gorgeous trains; and Tom, throned in awful state, received them. The splendours of the scene delighted his eye and fired his imagination at first, but the audience was long and dreary, and so were most of the addresses—wherefore, what began as a pleasure grew into weariness and home-sickness by-and-by. Tom said the words which Hertford put into his mouth from time to time, and tried hard to acquit himself satisfactorily, but he was too new to such things, and too ill at ease to accomplish more than a tolerable success. He looked sufficiently like a king, but he was ill able to feel like one. He was cordially glad when the ceremony was ended.
The larger part of his day was ‘wasted’—as he termed it, in his own mind—in labours pertaining to his royal office. Even the two hours devoted to certain princely pastimes and recreations were rather a burden to him than otherwise, they were so fettered by restrictions and ceremonious observances. However, he had a private hour with his whipping-boy which he counted clear gain, since he got both entertainment and needful information out of it.
The third day of Tom Canty’s kingship came and went much as the others had done, but there was a lifting of his cloud in one way—he felt less uncomfortable than at first; he was getting a little used to his circumstances and surroundings; his chains still galled, but not all the time; he found that the presence and homage of the great afflicted and embarrassed him less and less sharply with every hour that drifted over his head.
But for one single dread, he could have seen the fourth day approach without serious distress—the dining in public; it was to begin that day. There were greater matters in the programme—for on that day he would have to preside at a council which would take his views and commands concerning the policy to be pursued toward various foreign nations scattered far and near over the great globe; on that day, too, Hertford would be formally chosen to the grand office of Lord Protector; other things of note were appointed for that fourth day, also; but to Tom they were all insignificant compared with the ordeal of dining all by himself with a multitude of curious eyes fastened upon him and a multitude of mouths whispering comments upon his performance,—and upon his mistakes, if he should be so unlucky as to make any.
Still, nothing could stop that fourth day, and so it came. It found poor Tom low-spirited and absent-minded, and this mood continued; he could not shake it off. The ordinary duties of the morning dragged upon his hands, and wearied him. Once more he felt the sense of captivity heavy upon him.
Late in the forenoon he was in a large audience-chamber, conversing with the Earl of Hertford and dully awaiting the striking of the hour appointed for a visit of ceremony from a considerable number of great officials and courtiers.
After a little while, Tom, who had wandered to a window and become interested in the life and movement of the great highway beyond the palace gates—and not idly interested, but longing with all his heart to take part in person in its stir and freedom—saw the van of a hooting and shouting mob of disorderly men, women, and children of the lowest and poorest degree approaching from up the road.
“I would I knew what ‘tis about!” he exclaimed, with all a boy’s curiosity in such happenings.
“Thou art the King!” solemnly responded the Earl, with a reverence. “Have I your Grace’s leave to act?”
“O blithely, yes! O gladly, yes!” exclaimed Tom excitedly, adding to himself with a lively sense of satisfaction, “In truth, being a king is not all dreariness—it hath its compensations and conveniences.”
The Earl called a page, and sent him to the captain of the guard with the order—
“Let the mob be halted, and inquiry made concerning the occasion of its movement. By the King’s command!”
A few seconds later a long rank of the royal guards, cased in flashing steel, filed out at the gates and formed across the highway in front of the multitude. A messenger returned, to report that the crowd were following a man, a woman, and a young girl to execution for crimes committed against the peace and dignity of the realm.
Death—and a violent death—for these poor unfortunates! The thought wrung Tom’s heart-strings. The spirit of comion took control of him, to the exclusion of all other considerations; he never thought of the offended laws, or of the grief or loss which these three criminals had inflicted upon their victims; he could think of nothing but the scaffold and the grisly fate hanging over the heads of the condemned. His concern made him even forget, for the moment, that he was but the false shadow of a king, not the substance; and before he knew it he had blurted out the command—
“Bring them here!”
Then he blushed scarlet, and a sort of apology sprung to his lips; but observing that his order had wrought no sort of surprise in the Earl or the waiting page, he suppressed the words he was about to utter. The page, in the most matter-of-course way, made a profound obeisance and retired backwards out of the room to deliver the command. Tom experienced a glow of pride and a renewed sense of the compensating advantages of the kingly office. He said to himself, “Truly it is like what I was used to feel when I read the old priest’s tales, and did imagine mine own self a prince, giving law and command to all, saying ‘Do this, do that,’ whilst none durst offer let or hindrance to my will.”
Now the doors swung open; one high-sounding title after another was announced, the personages owning them followed, and the place was quickly half-filled with noble folk and finery. But Tom was hardly conscious of the presence of these people, so wrought up was he and so intensely absorbed in that other and more interesting matter. He seated himself absently in his chair of state, and turned his eyes upon the door with manifestations of impatient expectancy; seeing which, the company forbore to trouble him, and fell to chatting a mixture of public business and court gossip one with another.

In a little while the measured tread of military men was heard approaching, and the culprits entered the presence in charge of an under-sheriff and escorted by a detail of the king’s guard. The civil officer knelt before Tom, then stood aside; the three doomed persons knelt, also, and remained so; the guard took position behind Tom’s chair.

Tom scanned the prisoners curiously. Something about the dress or appearance of the man had stirred a vague memory in him. "Methinks I have seen this man ere now . . . but the when or the where fail me.”—Such was Tom’s thought. Just then the man glanced quickly up and quickly dropped his face again, not being able to endure the awful port of sovereignty; but the one full glimpse of the face which Tom got was sufficient.

He said to himself: “Now is the matter clear; this is the stranger that plucked Giles Witt out of the Thames, and saved his life, that windy, bitter, first day of the New Year—a brave good deed—pity he hath been doing baser ones and got himself in this sad case . . . I have not forgot the day, neither the hour; by reason that an hour after, upon the stroke of eleven, I did get a hiding by the hand of Gammer Canty which was of so goodly and ired severity that all that went before or followed after it were but fondlings and caresses by comparison.”

Tom now ordered that the woman and the girl be removed from the presence for a little time; then addressed himself to the under-sheriff, saying—
“Good sir, what is this man’s offence?”
The officer knelt, and answered—
“So please your Majesty, he hath taken the life of a subject by poison.”
Tom’s comion for the prisoner, and iration of him as the daring rescuer of a drowning boy, experienced a most damaging shock.
“The thing was proven upon him?” he asked.
“Most clearly, sire.”
Tom sighed, and said—
“Take him away—he hath earned his death. ’Tis a pity, for he was a brave heart—na—na, I mean he hath the look of it!”
The prisoner clasped his hands together with sudden energy, and wrung them despairingly, at the same time appealing imploringly to the ‘King’ in broken and terrified phrases—
“O my lord the King, an’ thou canst pity the lost, have pity upon me! I am innocent—neither hath that wherewith I am charged been more than but lamely proved—yet I speak not of that; the judgment is gone forth against me and may not suffer alteration; yet in mine extremity I beg a boon, for my doom is more than I can bear. A grace, a grace, my lord the King! in thy royal comion grant my prayer—give commandment that I be hanged!”
Tom was amazed. This was not the outcome he had looked for.
“Odds my life, a strange boon! Was it not the fate intended thee?”
“O good my liege, not so! It is ordered that I be boiled alive!”
The hideous surprise of these words almost made Tom spring from his chair. As soon as he could recover his wits he cried out—
“Have thy wish, poor soul! an’ thou had poisoned a hundred men thou shouldst not suffer so miserable a death.”
The prisoner bowed his face to the ground and burst into ionate expressions of gratitude—ending with—
“If ever thou shouldst know misfortune—which God forefend!—may thy goodness to me this day be ed and requited!”
Tom turned to the Earl of Hertford, and said—
“My lord, is it believable that there was warrant for this man’s ferocious doom?”
“It is the law, your Grace—for poisoners. In coiners be boiled to death in oil—not cast in of a sudden, but by a rope let down into the oil by degrees, and slowly; first the feet, then the legs, then—”
“O prithee no more, my lord, I cannot bear it!” cried Tom, covering his eyes with his hands to shut out the picture. "I beseech your good lordship that order be taken to change this law—oh, let no more poor creatures be visited with its tortures.”
The Earl’s face showed profound gratification, for he was a man of merciful and generous impulses—a thing not very common with his class in that fierce age. He said—

“These your Grace’s noble words have sealed its doom. History will it to the honour of your royal house.”
The under-sheriff was about to remove his prisoner; Tom gave him a sign to wait; then he said—
“Good sir, I would look into this matter further. The man has said his deed was but lamely proved. Tell me what thou knowest.”

“If the King’s grace please, it did appear upon the trial that this man entered into a house in the hamlet of Islington where one lay sick—three witnesses say it was at ten of the clock in the morning, and two say it was some minutes later—the sick man being alone at the time, and sleeping—and presently the man came forth again and went his way. The sick man died within the hour, being torn with spasms and retchings.”
“Did any see the poison given? Was poison found?”
“Marry, no, my liege.”
“Then how doth one know there was poison given at all?”
“Please your Majesty, the doctors testified that none die with such symptoms but by poison.”
Weighty evidence, this, in that simple age. Tom recognised its formidable nature, and said—
“The doctor knoweth his trade—belike they were right. The matter hath an ill-look for this poor man.”
“Yet was not this all, your Majesty; there is more and worse. Many testified that a witch, since gone from the village, none know whither, did foretell, and speak it privately in their ears, that the sick man would die by poison—and more, that a stranger would give it—a stranger with brown hair and clothed in a worn and common garb; and surely this prisoner doth answer woundily to the bill. Please your Majesty to give the circumstance that solemn weight which is its due, seeing it was foretold.”
This was an argument of tremendous force in that superstitious day. Tom felt that the thing was settled; if evidence was worth anything, this poor fellow’s guilt was proved. Still he offered the prisoner a chance, saying—
“If thou canst say aught in thy behalf, speak.”
“Nought that will avail, my King. I am innocent, yet cannot I make it appear. I have no friends, else might I show that I was not in Islington that day; so also might I show that at that hour they name I was above a league away, seeing I was at Wapping Old Stairs; yea more, my King, for I could show, that whilst they say I was taking life, I was saving it. A drowning boy—”
“Peace! Sheriff, name the day the deed was done!”
“At ten in the morning, or some minutes later, the first day of the New Year, most illustrious—”
“Let the prisoner go free—it is the King’s will!”
Another blush followed this unregal outburst, and he covered his indecorum as well as he could by adding—
“It enrageth me that a man should be hanged upon such idle, hare-brained evidence!”
A low buzz of iration swept through the assemblage. It was not iration of the decree that had been delivered by Tom, for the propriety or expediency of pardoning a convicted poisoner was a thing which few there would have felt justified in either itting or iring—no, the iration was for the intelligence and spirit which Tom had displayed. Some of the low-voiced remarks were to this effect—
“This is no mad king—he hath his wits sound.”
“How sanely he put his questions—how like his former natural self was this abrupt imperious disposal of the matter!”
“God be thanked, his infirmity is spent! This is no weakling, but a king. He hath borne himself like to his own father.”
The air being filled with applause, Tom’s ear necessarily caught a little of it. The effect which this had upon him was to put him greatly at his ease, and also to charge his system with very gratifying sensations.
However, his juvenile curiosity soon rose superior to these pleasant thoughts and feelings; he was eager to know what sort of deadly mischief the woman and the little girl could have been about; so, by his command, the two terrified and sobbing creatures were brought before him.

“What is it that these have done?” he inquired of the sheriff.
“Please your Majesty, a black crime is charged upon them, and clearly proven; wherefore the judges have decreed, according to the law, that they be hanged. They sold themselves to the devil—such is their crime.”
Tom shuddered. He had been taught to abhor people who did this wicked thing. Still, he was not going to deny himself the pleasure of feeding his curiosity for all that; so he asked—
“Where was this done?—and when?”
“On a midnight in December, in a ruined church, your Majesty.”
Tom shuddered again.
“Who was there present?”
“Only these two, your grace—and that other.”
“Have these confessed?”
“Nay, not so, sire—they do deny it.”
“Then prithee, how was it known?”
“Certain witness did see them wending thither, good your Majesty; this bred the suspicion, and dire effects have since confirmed and justified it. In particular, it is in evidence that through the wicked power so obtained, they did invoke and bring about a storm that wasted all the region round about. Above forty witnesses have proved the storm; and sooth one might have had a thousand, for all had reason to it, sith all had suffered by it.”
“Certes this is a serious matter.” Tom turned this dark piece of scoundrelism over in his mind a while, then asked—
“Suffered the woman also by the storm?”
Several old heads among the assemblage nodded their recognition of the wisdom of this question. The sheriff, however, saw nothing consequential in the inquiry; he answered, with simple directness—
“Indeed did she, your Majesty, and most righteously, as all aver. Her habitation was swept away, and herself and child left shelterless.”
“Methinks the power to do herself so ill a turn was dearly bought. She had been cheated, had she paid but a farthing for it; that she paid her soul, and her child’s, argueth that she is mad; if she is mad she knoweth not what she doth, therefore sinneth not.”
The elderly heads nodded recognition of Tom’s wisdom once more, and one individual murmured, “An’ the King be mad himself, according to report, then is it a madness of a sort that would improve the sanity of some I wot of, if by the gentle providence of God they could but catch it.”
“What age hath the child?” asked Tom.
“Nine years, please your Majesty.”
“By the law of England may a child enter into covenant and sell itself, my lord?” asked Tom, turning to a learned judge.
“The law doth not permit a child to make or meddle in any weighty matter, good my liege, holding that its callow wit unfitteth it to cope with the riper wit and evil schemings of them that are its elders. The Devil may buy a child, if he so choose, and the child agree thereto, but not an Englishman—in this latter case the contract would be null and void.”

“It seemeth a rude unchristian thing, and ill contrived, that English law denieth privileges to Englishmen to waste them on the devil!” cried Tom, with honest heat.
This novel view of the matter excited many smiles, and was stored away in many heads to be repeated about the Court as evidence of Tom’s originality as well as progress toward mental health.
The elder culprit had ceased from sobbing, and was hanging upon Tom’s words with an excited interest and a growing hope. Tom noticed this, and it strongly inclined his sympathies toward her in her perilous and unfriended situation. Presently he asked—
“How wrought they to bring the storm?”
“By pulling off their stockings, sire.”
This astonished Tom, and also fired his curiosity to fever heat. He said, eagerly—
“It is wonderful! Hath it always this dread effect?”
“Always, my liege—at least if the woman desire it, and utter the needful words, either in her mind or with her tongue.”
Tom turned to the woman, and said with impetuous zeal—
“Exert thy power—I would see a storm!”
There was a sudden paling of cheeks in the superstitious assemblage, and a general, though unexpressed, desire to get out of the place—all of which was lost upon Tom, who was dead to everything but the proposed cataclysm. Seeing a puzzled and astonished look in the woman’s face, he added, excitedly—

Tom como rey

Al da siguiente llegaron los embajadores extranjeros con sus magnficos squitos, y Tom los recibi sentado en su trono con debida ceremonia. El esplendor de la escena deleit su vista y encendi su imaginacin, mas como la audiencia fue larga y tediosa, lo mismo que la mayora de los discursos, lo que empez como un placer, poco tard en convertirse en aburrimiento y nostalgia. Tom deca de cuando en cuando las palabras que Hertford pona en sus labios, y procuraba salir airoso; pero era demasiado novato en tales asuntos y estaba harto desazonado para conseguir algo ms que un mediano xito. Aparentaba un porte bastante regio, pero su mente no alcanzaba a sentirse rey. Y fue grande su alegra cuando la ceremonia termin.
La mayor parte de aquel da fue un da a pjaros, como l deca en su interior, en trabajos pertenecientes a su real oficio. Aun las dos horas dedicadas a ciertos pasatiempos y recreos regios, fueron para l ms bien una carga que otra cosa, pues haba sobra de restricciones y de ceremoniosas observancias. No obstante, pas una hora, en privado, con el "nio-azotes", la cual consider como una ganancia cierta, puesto que en ella obtuvo diversin, y a la vez, informes tiles.
El tercer da del reinado de Tom Canty lleg y transcurri lo mismo que los otros; pera en cierto modo se despej un algo la nube que envolva al nio, el cual se sinti menos incmodo que al principio. Iba poco a poco acostumbrndose a las circunstancias y al medio que le rodeaba. Le dolan an sus cadenas, pero no constantemente, y se daba cuenta de que la presencia y el homenaje de los grandes le afligan y turbaban menos cada hora que pasaba.
A no ser por un solo temor habra mirado sin grave disgusto la proximidad del da cuarto. Era aquel en que deba empezar a comer en pblico. Habra asuntos ms graves en el programa, porque tendra Tom que presidir un consejo en que habra de exponer sus miras y dictar sus rdenes respecto a la poltica que debera seguirse con varias naciones extranjeras, desperdigadas por todo el mundo; tambin sera elegido oficialmente Hertford para el importante cargo de Lord Protector, y otras cosas notables estaban sealadas; mas para Tom todo era insignificante, comparado con la prueba de tener que comer solo, ante una muchedumbre de ojos fijos en l y una multitud de bocas que cuchicheaban comentarios sobre sus actos y sus torpezas, si era tan desdichado que las cometiese.
Pero como nada poda detener la llegada del cuarto da, este vino y encontr alicado y absorto al pobre Tom, que no poda sacudir su mal humor. Los deberes ordinarios de la maana le aburrieron ms de la cuenta, y una vez ms experiment la pesadumbre de su cautiverio.
Muy avanzado el da estuvo en una sala con una grande audiencia, conversando con el conde de Hertford, y esperando de muy mal ceo la hora sealada para la visita de gran nmero de encumbrados funcionarios y cortesanos.
Al cabo de un rato, mientras Tom se haba acercado a una ventana, pudo ver con inters la vida y el movimiento de la gran va que pasaba junto a las puertas del palacio (y no con inters ocioso, sino con vehementsimo deseo de su corazn de tomar parte en su bullicio y libertad), de hombres, mujeres y nios de la ms baja y pobre condicin que se acercaban desordenadamente por esa ancha va.
–Quisiera saber qu es todo eso –exclam con toda la curiosidad de un nio ante tal acontecimiento.
–Eres el rey –respondi solemnemente el conde con una reverencia–. Tengo tu venia para obrar?
–Oh, s, con mil amores! –exclam Tom con alegra. Y aadi para s con viva satisfaccin–: En verdad que el ser rey no es todo aburrimiento, pues conlleva sus compensaciones y sus ventajas.
Llam el conde a un paje y lo envi al capitn de la guardia con esta orden:
–Detngase a la muchedumbre y pregntese la causa de ese bullicio! De orden del rey!
Unos segundos ms tarde una larga procesin de guardias reales, cubiertos de deslumbrante acero, sali, por las puertas y se form al travs de la va, frente a la multitud. Volvi un mensajero para decir que la turba iba siguiendo a un hombre, una mujer y una muchacha, que iban a ser ejecutados por delitos contra la paz y la dignidad del reino.
La muerte –y una muerte violenta– para aquellos pobres desdichados! Esta idea retorci las fibras del corazn, de Tom.
El sentimiento de la compasin se apoder de l, con exclusin de todas las dems consideraciones. No pens un momento en las leyes infringidas ni en el dolor o el dao que aqullos tres criminales haban ocasionado a su vctima. No pudo pensar, ms que en el patbulo y en el terrible destino que penda sobre las cabezas de los condenados. Su inters le hizo olvidar por un momento que l no era sino la falsa sombra de un rey, no su esencia, y antes de darse cuenta profiri la orden:
–Traedlos aqu!
Psose como escarlata y aflor a sus labios algo as como una excusa, pero, al observar que su orden no haba provocado sorpresa en el conde ni en el paje de confianza, reprimi las palabras que se dispona a pronunciar. El paje, de la manera mas natural, hizo una profunda reverencia y, andando de espaldas, sali de la cmara para dar la orden. Tom experiment un sobresalto de orgullo, y al recordar su idea de las compensadoras ventajas que tena el oficio real, se dijo:
–En verdad es lo que yo sola imaginar cuando lea los cuentos dei viejo sacerdote, y me figuraba ser prncipe, que dictaba leyes y daba rdenes a todo el mundo, diciendo: "Hgase esto, hgase lo otro", sin que nadie se opusiera a mi voluntad.
Abrironse entonces las puertas, fueron anunciados unos tras otros varios ttulos sonoros, seguidos de los personajes que los posean, y la estancia se llen al punto de gente noble y distinguida. Pero Tom apenas se dio cuenta de la presencia de aquellas personas, tan excitado estaba y tan absorto en aquel otro asunto ms interesante. Se sent distrado en su silln oficial y dirigi los ojos a la puerta, con seales de impaciente expectacin; al ver lo cual los circunstantes no se permitieron perturbarlo, sino que empezaron a charlar unos con otros una entremezcla de negocios pblicos y chismes.
Se oy al cabo de un rato que se acercaban los mesurados pasos de hombres de armas, y los condenados entraron a la presencia del rey, custodiados por un alguacil y con una escolta formada por un piquete de la guardia real. El funcionario civil dobl la rodilla delante del rey y se apart a un lado. Los tres condenados se arrodillaron tambin, y as permanecieron, en tanto que la guardia se situaba detrs del silln de Tom. ste mir con curiosidad a los prisioneros. Algo del vestido o del mismo aspecto del reo haba suscitado en l un vago recuerdo.
–Creo que he visto a ese hombre en otra ocasin, pero no puedo recordar cmo ni cundo.
En aquel momento el hombre levant de pronto la vista, y volvi a inclinar la cabeza, pues no le era posible soportar el imponente porte de la realeza; mas aquel breve vistazo a su rostro fue bastante para Tom, que se dijo:
Ahora recuerdo. S, es el desconocido que sac a Giles Witt del Tmesis, y le salv la vida aquel da tan crudo y tan ventoso de Ao Nuevo; accin brava y valerosa. Lstima que haya cometido otras que son bajas, hasta verse en este triste estado! No se me han olvidado ni el da ni la hora, por razn de que poco despus, al darlas once, la abuela Canty me dio una paliza de tal calibre y severidad, que todas las anteriores, y las que le siguieron, comparadas con ella, no fueron sino caricias y mimos.
Orden Tom que salieran un instante de su presencia la mujer y la nia, y luego se dirigi al alguacil dicindole:
–Buen caballero, cul es el delito de este hombre?
Hinc una rodilla en tierra el interpelado, y respondi:
–Seor, ha quitado la vida, mediante veneno, a un sbdito de Vuestra Majestad.
La compasin de Tom por el preso y su iracin al valiente salvador de un nio que se ahogaba experimentaron tremendo golpe.
–Est probado el delito? –pregunt.
–Con toda evidencia, seor.
Suspir Tom y dijo:
–Llvatelo, porque ha merecido la muerte. Es una lstima, pues era un corazn valeroso... Quiero decir que tiene aspecto de eso.
El preso cruz las manos con fuerza y las retorci desesperadamente, clamando al mismo tiempo al "rey" con desgarradas y grandes voces:
–Oh, mi seor y rey! Si puedes apiadarte de los perdidos, ten piedad de m. Soy inocente. Lo que me imputan no se ha probado ni mucho menos. Pero no hablo de eso. Se ha dictado contra m una sentencia, y no puede ser alterada; mas en mi desesperacin te suplico una gracia, porque mi destino es peor de lo que puede imaginarse. Una gracia, una gracia, oh, mi seor y rey! Que tu regia compasin acceda a mi ruego! Da orden de que me ahorquen!
Tom estaba asombrado. No era esto lo que l haba previsto.
–Por mi vida que es extraa la gracia que pides. No era sa la muerte que te preparaban?
–Oh, mi seor! No era sa. Se ha mandado que me hiervan vivo.
Esa horrenda sorpresa que conllevaban estas palabras, casi hizo saltar a Tom de su silla. En cuanto pudo recobrarse exclam:
–Se har segn tu voluntad, infeliz! Aunque hubieras envenenado a cien hombres, no deberas sufrir tan miserable muerte!
El prisionero se inclin hasta tocar el suelo con el rostro, y estall en frenticas exclamaciones de gratitud, que terminaron de esta suerte:
–Si alguna vez, lo que Dios no quiera, llegaras a conocer el infortunio, ojal se recuerde y se recompense tu bondad para conmigo en el da de hoy!
Tom se volvi al conde de Hertford y le dijo:
–Milord, es concebible que haya podido dictarse una sentencia tan feroz contra ese hombre?
–sa es la ley, seor, para los envenenadores: En Alemania los monederos falsos son hervidos en aceite hasta que mueren, pero no echndolos de sbito, sino dejndolos caer poco a poco atados a una cuerda; primero los pies, luego las piernas, despus...
–Oh! No sigas, milord, te lo ruego!, no puedo soportarlo! –exclam Tom cubrindose los ojos con las manos para apartar de s la horrible escena–. Te ruega que ordenes que se cambie esa ley... Que no haya ms pobres criaturas sometidas a ese tormento!
El semblante del conde mostr profunda satisfaccin, porque era hombre de impulsos generosos, cosa no muy frecuente en su clase en aquella edad feroz.
–Esas nobles palabras tuyas –dijo– han sellado la condena de esa ley. La historia lo recordar en honor de tu casa real.
El alguacil se dispona a llevarse al preso, mas Tom le hizo un signo de que esperara y le dijo:
–Quiero enterarme mejor de este asunto. Dice ese hombre que su crimen no se le prob. Cuntame lo que sepas de ello.
–Con la venia de Vuestra Majestad. En el juicio se demostr que ese hombre entr en una casa de la aldea de Islington, donde haba un enfermo; tres testigos dicen que entr a las diez de la maana y otros dos que unos minutos ms tarde. El enfermo estaba a la sazn solo y durmiendo. Ese hombre no tard en salir y proseguir su camino. El enfermo muri al cabo de una hora, desgarrado por espasmos y estremecimientos.
–Vio alguien cmo le daba el veneno? Se ha encontrado el veneno?
–Cabalmente, no, seor.
–Entonces, cmo se sabe que muri envenenado?
–Porque los doctores atestiguaron que nadie muere de esos sntomas sino por veneno.
sta era una prueba de gran peso en aquellos crdulos tiempos. Tom comprendi su formidable carcter y dijo:
–Los mdicos saben su oficio. Digamos que tuvieran razn. El asunto presenta mal cariz para este pobre hombre.
–Pero no fue eso todo, Majestad. Hay ms y peor. Muchos testificaron que una bruja, que despus desapareci de la aldea, nadie sabe adnde, vaticin, y lo dijo en secreto a varias personas, que el enfermo morira envenenado, y que, adems, le dara el veneno un desconocido de pelo castao y de ropas comunes y usadas; y as este preso responda a la descripcin. Dgnese Vuestra Majestad dar a esa circunstancia el solemne peso que merece, en vista de que fue vaticinada.
ste era un argumento de tremendo peso en aquellos das de supersticin. Tom se dijo que no haba ms que hablar, y que, si de algo valan las pruebas, la culpa de aquel hombre estaba demostrada. Sin embargo, ofreci una tabla de salvacin al preso dicindole:
–Si puedes alegar algo en tu favor, habla.
–Nada que pueda ser de provecho seor. Soy inocente, mas no puedo demostrarlo. No tengo amigos, pues si los tuviera podra probar que no estuve aquel da en Islington. Tambin podra demostrar que, a la hora que dicen, estaba a ms de una legua de distancia, porque me hallaba en la Escalera Vieja de Wapping. Y aun podra demostrar que cuando dicen que estaba quitando una vida, estaba salvndola. Un nio que se ahogaba...
–Calla! Alguacil, dime qu da se cometi el delito.
–A las diez de la maana, o unos minutos ms tarde, del la primero de ao...
–Entonces que el preso quede en libertad. Es la voluntad del rey! A estas palabras tan poco propias de una majestad, sigui otra sonrojo, y el nio encubri su poco decoro lo mejor que pudo aadiendo:
–Me enfurece que se ahorque a un hombre con pruebas tan pobres y tan descabelladas.
Un susurro de iracin recorri la asamblea. No era iracin por la orden que dictaba Tom, porque la conveniencia o la necesidad de perdonar a un convicto de envenenamiento eran cosas que ninguno de los presentes se hubiera credo con derecho a discutir ni a irar; no. La iracin era por la inteligencia y la decisin que Tom haba demostrado. Algunos que comentaban en voz baja, decan:
–ste no es un rey loco; est en su sano juicio.
–Cun cuerdamente ha hecho las preguntas!
–Y cun digna de como sola ser su antepasado ha sido su contundente manera de zanjar el asunto!
–Dios sea loado! Se fue su mal!
–ste no es un ser dbil, sino un rey. Ha nacido con el genio de su padre.
Como el ambiente, estaba tan dispuesto al aplauso, necesariamente lleg algo de ello al odo de Tom Canty, con el efecto de ponerle muy a sus anchas, y llenar su manera de obrar de muy placenteras sensaciones.
No obstante, su juvenil curiosidad pronto super esas halageas ideas y sentimientos. Tena ganas de saber qu clase de delito podan haber cometido la mujer y la nia; y as, por su mandato, trajeron a su presencia a las dos aterradas y sollozantes criaturas.
–Qu es lo que han hecho stas? –pregunt al alguacil.
–Se les imputa, seor, un negro crimen y bien probado, por lo cual los jueces han decretado, con apego a la ley, que sean ahorcadas. Se han vendido al diablo. Tal es su crimen.
Tom se estremeci. Habanle enseado a detestar a la gente que cometa tan viciosa accin. Sin embargo, como no estaba dispuesto a privarse del placer de saciar su curiosidad, pregunt:
–Cmo y cundo sucedi esto?
–Una noche de diciembre, en una iglesia en ruinas, Majestad. Tom se estremeci de nuevo.
–Quin estaba presente?
–Esas dos, y el otro.
–Han confesado?
–No, seor. Ellas lo niegan.
–Entonces cmo se supo?
–Porque ciertos testigos las vieron encaminarse all, Majestad. Esto provoc sospechas, y sus efectos las han confirmado y justificado. En particular est demostrado que, por el perverso poder que as obtuvieron, invocaron y provocaron una tormenta, que devast toda la comarca. Cuarenta testigos han declarado que hubo tormenta, y con facilidad se habran podido encontrar mil, porque todos tuvieron razn para recordarla, ya que fueron sus vctimas.
–Ciertamente esto es un grave asunto.
Luego, tras darle vueltas un momento en su imaginacin a aquel grave delito, pregunt:
–Y no fue tambin esa mujer vctima de la tormenta?
Varias cabezas ancianas entre los all presentes hicieron movimientos como de alabar la prudencia de la pregunta, mas el alguacil no vio nada de importancia en ella y respondi sin rodeos:
—S, por cierto, seor, y ms que nadie. Su casa result destrozada, y ella y la nia quedaron sin techo.
–A mi ver le cost caro el poder de hacer tan mal tercio. La engaaron, por poco que pagara por ello; y si pag con su alma y la de su hija, eso demuestra que est loca, y estando loca no sabe lo que hace, y por consiguiente, no delinque.
Las cabezas de los ancianos asintieron en reconocimiento a la sabidura de Tom, una vez ms, y uno de ellos murmur: "Si el rey, est loco, de acuerdo con el diagnstico, es entonces una locura de tal jaez que mejorara la cordura de algunos que yo me s si por la gentil providencia de Dios pudieran ellos contagiarse."
–Qu edad tiene la nia? –pregunt Tom.
–Nueve aos.
–Por las leyes de Inglaterra, puede una nia celebrar pactos y venderse a s misma, milord? –interrog Tom, dirigindose a un entendido juez.
–La ley no permite que un nio celebre ningn pacto importante ni intervenga en l, seor, pues considera que su razn no est capacitada para tratar con la razn madura y los planes perversos de las personas mayores que l. El diablo puede comprar a un nio, si se lo propone, y el nio convenir en ello, pero no a un ingls, porque en este ltimo caso el trato sera nulo e invlido.
–Parece cosa harto poco cristiana y mal discurrida –exclamo Tom con sincero entusiasmo– que la ley de Inglaterra niegue a los ingleses privilegios que concede al diablo.
Este nuevo modo de considerar el asunto provoc muchas sonrisas, y qued en la memoria de muchos, para ser repetido en la corte como prueba de la originalidad de Tom, as como de sus progresos hacia su salud mental.
La vieja culpable haba cesado de sollozar y estaba pendiente de la palabra de Tom, con creciente inters y mayor esperanza. Diose cuenta el nio, y sinti que sus simpatas se inclinaban hacia ella en su peligrosa y desamparada situacin. Luego pregunt:
–Cmo lograron provocar la tormenta?
–Quitndose sus medias, seor. Esto dej asombrado a Tom y aument su febril curiosidad.
–Es maravilloso! –exclam con vehemencia–. Produce siempre esa accin tan terribles efectos?
–Siempre, seor. Por lo menos, si la mujer lo desea y pronuncia las palabras necesarias, bien con la lengua, bien de pensamiento.
Tom se volvi a la mujer y dijo con impetuoso celo:
–Ejerce tu poder! Quisiera ver una tempestad!
Palidecieron sbitamente las mejillas de los supersticiosos circunstantes, a quienes invadi un deseo general, aunque escondido, de largarse ms que de prisa. Se le escap todo esto a Tom, que no pensaba en otra cosa sino en el exigido cataclismo. Al ver la expresin de perplejidad en el rostro de la mujer, aadi: excitado:
–No temas, nada te pasar. Es ms... quedaras libre. No te tocar nadie. Da muestras de tu poder!
–Oh, rey y seor! No lo tengo. Se me ha acusado falsamente.
–Hablas por temor. Ten bien puesto el corazn; no sufrirs dao. Provoca una tormenta, por pequea que sea. No quiero nada en grande ni daoso, antes bien prefiero lo contrario. Hazlo y salvars tu vida; quedaris libre t y tu hija, con el perdn del rey, y a salvo de dao o maldad de nadie del reino.
Se postr la mujer y protest baada en llanto que no tena poder para hacer el milagro, pues de tenerlo defendera de buen grado la vida de su hija solamente, contenta de perder la suya, si por su obediencia al mandato del rey pudiera alcanzar tan preciada gracia.
Insisti Tom y la mujer persisti en su declaracin. Finalmente dijo el nio:
–Me parece que esa mujer ha hablado verdad. Si mi madre estuviera en este lugar y tuviera poderes del diablo, para semejantes funciones, no habra vacilado un momento en provocar la tormenta y dejar en ruinas todo el pas, a cambio de obtener la salvacin de mi vida a cualquier precio que fuere. Todas las madres estn vaciadas en el mismo molde. Quedas libre, buena mujer..., y lo mismo tu hija..., porque yo te creo inocente. Ahora no tienes ya que temer, una vez perdonada... Qutate las medias, y si puedes provocar una tormenta, yo te har rica.
La redimida criatura lanz a voces su gratitud y se dispuso a obedecer, mientras Tom la contemplaba con avidez y algo de temor. Al propio tiempo los cortesanos manifestaron visible desasosiego e inquietud. La mujer desnud sus piernas y las de la nia, y evidentemente hizo todo lo posible por recompensar la generosidad del rey con un terremoto, pero la prueba result un fracaso y un desencanto.

Tom suspir y dijo: vamos, buena mujer, no te molestes ms; tu poder se ha desvanecido. Vete en paz y sigue tu camino, y si alguna vez recuperas tal poder, no me olvides y darme una tormenta.