Mark TwainCHAPTER ONE
King Arthur's Court
I was at Warwick Castle in England when I met a stranger. He told me many stories about the past. I liked them very much. Then we saw some very old armour. There was a bullet hole in the armour.
"This hole is later. It comes after the invention of firearms," said the guide.
"I did it," said the stranger, and smiled.
I was very surprised. The stranger was staying at my hotel. He came to my room and gave me a manuscript. His name was Hank Morgan. This is his story.
I was in my factory in Connecticut. A worker hit me on the head and I fell down. I woke up under a tree and saw a strange man in armour on a horse. He said I was his prisoner. His name was Sir Kay. I went with him to a village. He said it was Camelot. I was sure it was a lunatic asylum.
I thought all the people were mad. They all looked at my clothes. They thought I was strange.
I started to talk to a page. His name was Clarence.
"Where am I?" I asked.
"King Arthur's Court, in the year 513," he answered. "You are a prisoner. They are going to kill you. But I will come and visit you in prison."
Then some people took me to the King at his round table. There were lots of knights sitting round the table eating. Lots of people served them food. Beautiful ladies watched from a balcony. Musicians played on another balcony. The room was very big and made of stone. The knights' and ladies' clothes were beautiful.
An old man stood up and told a story. Everyone was bored and fell asleep. The old man was Merlin. Then Sir Kay told the story of my capture. He told a lot of lies and said I was very dangerous. He presented me to Queen Guenever. He said my clothes were magic. They took away my clothes and then put me in prison. I fell asleep.
When I woke up, I thought it was all a dream. Then I realized it was true: I was a prisoner at King Arthur's court. Clarence came to visit me.
"Help me to escape," I said to him.
"I can't," he answered. "There are lots of guards. And Merlin has put a spell on this prison. No one can escape. Tomorrow at noon they are going to burn you."
I was very miserable but I had an idea.