[begin page 57]
Tom got up hungryⒶalteration in the MS and sauntered hungry away but with his thoughts busy with the shadowy splendors of his night’s dreams.Ⓐalteration in the MS He wandered here and there in the city, hardly noticing where he was going or what was happening around him. People jostled him, and some gave him rough speech, but it was all lost on the musingⒶalteration in the MS boy. By and by he found himself at Temple Bar—the furthestⒶhistorical collation Ⓐtextual note from home he had ever traveledⒶalteration in the MS in that direction. He stopped and considered a moment, then fell into his imaginings again and passed on, outside the walls of London. The Strand had ceased to be a country road then, and regarded itself as a street—but by a strained construction, for though there was a tolerably compact row of houses on one sideⒶalteration in the MS of it, there wereⒶalteration in the MS only some scattering great buildings on the other,Ⓐalteration in the MS these being palaces of richⒶalteration in the MS nobles, with ample and beautiful grounds stretching to the river—grounds that are now closely packed with grim acres of brick and stone. [begin page 58]
Tom discovered Charing village, presently, and rested himself at the beautiful cross built there by a bereavedⒶalteration in the MS king of earlier days;Ⓐalteration in the MS then idled down a quiet, lovely road, past the great cardinal’s statelyⒶalteration in the MS palace, toward a far moreⒶalteration in the MS mighty and majestic palace beyond—Westminster. Tom stared in glad wonder at the vast pileⒶalteration in the MS of masonry, the wide-spreading wings, the frowning bastions and turrets, the huge stone gateway with its gildedⒶalteration in the MS barsⒶalteration in the MS and its magnificent arrayⒶhistorical collation Ⓐemendation of colossal granite lions and other theⒶtextual note signs and symbols of EnglishⒶalteration in the MS royalty. Was the desire of his soul to be satisfied at last? Here, indeed, was a king’s palace—might he not hope to see a prince, now, a prince of flesh and blood,Ⓐalteration in the MS if heaven were willing?
At each side of the gilded gate stood a living statue—that is to say, an erect and statelyⒶalteration in the MS and motionless man-at-arms, clad from head to heel in shining steel armor. At a respectful distance were many country folk, and people from the city waiting for any chance glimpse of royalty that might offer. Splendid carriages with splendid people in them and splendid servants outside were arriving and departing by several otherⒶalteration in the MS noble gateways that pierced the royal enclosure.Ⓐalteration in the MS
[begin page 59]Poor little Tom, in his rags, approached, and was movingⒶalteration in the MS slowⒶhistorical collation and timidly past the sentinels, with a beating heart and a rising hope, when all atⒶalteration in the MS once he caught sight, through the goldenⒶalteration in the MS bars, of a spectacle that almost made him shout for joy. Within was a comelyⒶalteration in the MS boy, tanned and brown with sturdy out-door sports and exercises,Ⓐalteration in the MS whose clothing was all of lovely silks and satins, shining with jewels;Ⓐalteration in the MS at his hip a little jeweled sword and dagger; dainty buskins on his feet, with red heels, and on his head a jaunty crimson cap with drooping plumes fastened with a great sparkling gem. Several gorgeous gentlemen stood near—his servants, without a doubt. OⒶhistorical collation, he was a prince! a prince! a living
Tom’sⒶalteration in the MS breath came quick and short with excitement, and his eyes grew big with wonder and delight.Ⓐalteration in the MS EverythingⒶalteration in the MS gave way in his mind, instantly, to one desire; that was, to get close to the prince and have a good, devouringⒶalteration in the MS look at him. Before he knew what he was about, he had his face against the gate-barsⒶalteration in the MS. The next instant one of the soldiers snatched him rudely away and sent him spinning among the gaping crowd of country gawks and London idlers.Ⓐalteration in the MS The soldierⒶalteration in the MS said:
“Mind thyⒶalteration in the MS manners thouⒶalteration in the MS young beggar!”
The crowd jeered and laughed; but the young prince sprang to the gate with his face flushed and his eyes flashing with indignation, and cried out:
“How dar’st thou use a poorⒶalteration in the MS lad like that!Ⓐalteration in the MS How dar’st thou useⒶtextual note theⒶalteration in the MS king my father’s meanest subjectⒶalteration in the MS so! Open the gates and let him in!”
You should have seen that fickle crowd snatch off their hats, then. You should have heard them cheer and shout “Long live the Prince of Wales!”Ⓐalteration in the MS
The soldiers presentedⒶalteration in the MS arms, with their halberds,Ⓐalteration in the MS opened the gates, and presented again as the little PrinceⒶalteration in the MS of Poverty passed in, in his fluttering rags, to join hands with the Prince of LimitlessⒶemendation PlentyⒶtextual note.
EdwardⒶalteration in the MS Tudor said:
“Thou lookestⒶalteration in the MS tired and hungry; thou’stⒶalteration in the MS been treated ill. Come with me.”
Half a dozen attendants sprang forward to—I don’t know what; interfere, no doubt. But they were waved aside with a right royalⒶalteration in the MS gesture, and they stopped stock stillⒶalteration in the MS where they were, like so many statues.Ⓐalteration in the MS EdwardⒶalteration in the MS took TomⒶalteration in the MS to a rich apartment in the palaceⒶalteration in the MS which he called his cabinet. By his commandⒶalteration in the MS, a repastⒶalteration in the MS was brought such as TomⒶalteration in the MS had never encountered before except in books, the prince, with princelyⒶalteration in the MS delicacy and breeding, sent away the servants, so that his humble guest might not be embarrassed by their critical presence; then he sat near by and asked questions while Tom ate.Ⓐalteration in the MS
“What is thy name, lad?”
“Tom Canty, an’ it please thee, sir.”
“’Tis an odd one. Where dost live?”
“In the city, please thee, sir—Offal CourtⒶemendation, out of PuddingⒶalteration in the MS LaneⒶemendation Ⓐtextual note.”
“Offal CourtⒶemendation! Truly ’tis another odd one. Hast parents?”
[begin page 61]“Parents have I, sir, and a grandamⒶalteration in the MS Ⓐemendation likewise that is but indifferently precious to me, God forgive me if it be offense to say it. Also twin sisters—Nan and Bet.Ⓐalteration in the MS”
“Then is thy grandamⒶemendation not over kind to thee, I take it.”
“Neither to any otherⒶalteration in the MS is she, so please your worship. She hath a wicked heart, and worketh evilⒶalteration in the MS all her days.”
“Doth she mistreat thee?”
“There be times that she stayeth her hand, being asleep or overcome with drink; but when she hath her judgment clear again, she maketh it up to me with goodly beatingsⒶalteration in the MS.”
A fierce look came into the little prince’s eyes, and he cried out—
“What! Beatings?Ⓐalteration in the MS”
“OⒶhistorical collation, indeed, yes, please you, sir.”
“Beatings! And thou so frail and little. Harkye; before the night come, she shall hie herⒶalteration in the MS to the Tower! The king my father—”
“In sooth youⒶalteration in the MS forget,Ⓐalteration in the MS sir, her low degree. The Tower is for the great alone.”
“True, indeed. I had not thought of that. I will consider of her punishment. Is thy father kind to thee?”
“Not more than Gammer Canty, sir.”
“Fathers be alike, mayhap. Mine hath not a doll’s temper. He smiteth with a heavy
hand, yet spareth me; he spareth me not
al-
[begin page 62]
ways
with his tongue, though, sooth to
say. How doth thy mother use thee?”
“She is good, sir, and giveth me neitherⒶalteration in the MS sorrowⒶalteration in the MS nor pain of any sort. And Nan and Bet are like to her in this.”
“How old be these?”
“Fifteen, an’Ⓐalteration in the MS it please you, sir.”
“The lady Elizabeth my sister is fourteen, and the lady Jane Grey my cousin is of mine own age, and comely and gracious withal; but my sister the lady Mary, with her gloomy mien and—look you, do thyⒶalteration in the MS sisters forbid their servants to smile, lest the sin destroy their souls?”
“They? OⒶhistorical collation, dost think, sir, that they have servants?”
The little prince contemplated the little pauper gravely a moment, then said—
“And prithee, why not? Who helpeth them undress at night?Ⓐalteration in the MS who attirethⒶalteration in the MS them when they rise?”
“None, sir. Wouldst have them take off their garment and sleep without—like the beasts?”
“Their garment! Have they but one?”
“Ah, good your worship, what would they do with more? Truly they have not two bodies each.”
“ It isⒶhistorical collation Ⓐemendation a quaint and marvelous thought! Thy pardon—I had not meantⒶalteration in the MS to laugh. But thy good Nan and thy Bet shall have raiment and lackeysⒶemendation Ⓐalteration in the MS enow—and that soon, too—my cofferer shall look to it.Ⓐalteration in the MS No, thank me not—’tis nothing. Thou speakest well; thou hast an easy grace in it. Art learned?”
“I know not if I am or not, sir. The good priest that is called Father Andrew, taught me, of his kindness, from his books.”
“ Know’stⒶhistorical collation Ⓐemendation Ⓐtextual note thou the Latin?”
“But scantly, sir, I doubt.”Ⓐalteration in the MS
“Learn it, lad; ’tis hard onlyⒶalteration in the MS at first. The Greek is harder; but neither these nor any tongues else, I think,Ⓐalteration in the MS are hard to the lady Elizabeth and my cousin. Thou shouldst hear those damsels at it! But tell me of thy Offal Court.Ⓐemendation HastⒶalteration in the MS thou a pleasant life there?”
“In truth, yes, so please you, sir, save when one is hungry. There be Punch and Judy shows; and monkeys—oh, such antic creatures and so bravely dressed!—and there be plays, wherein they that playⒶalteration in the MS do shout and fight till all are slain, and ’tis so fine to see, and costeth but a farthing—albeit ’tis main hard to get the farthing, please your worship.” [begin page 63]
“Tell me more.”
“We lads of Offal CourtⒶemendation do strive against each other with the cudgel, like to theⒶalteration in the MS fashion of the ’prentices, sometimes.”
The prince’s eyes flashed. Said he—
“Marry,Ⓐalteration in the MS that would not I mislike! Tell me more.”
“We strive in races, sir, to see who of us shall be fleetest—”
“That would I like, also! Speak on!”
“In summer, sir, we wade and swim in the canals and in the river, and each doth duck his neighbor, and spatterⒶhistorical collation Ⓐemendation Ⓐtextual note him with water, and dive and shout and tumble and—”
“’Twould be worth my father’s kingdom but to enjoyⒶalteration in the MS it once! Prithee go on.”
[begin page 64]“We dance and sing about the May-pole in Cheapside, we play in the sand, each covering his neighbor up; and times we make mud pastry—oh, the lovely mud, it hath not its like for delightfulness in all the world—we do fairly wallow in the mud, sir, saving your worship’s presence!”
“OⒶhistorical collation, prithee, say no more, ’tis gloriousⒶhistorical collation Ⓐemendation! If that I could but clothe me in raiment like to thineⒶalteration in the MS, and strip my feet, and revel in the mud once, just once, with none to rebuke me or forbid, meseemeth I could forego the crown!”Ⓐalteration in the MS
“And if that I could clothe me once, sweet sir, as thou art clad—just once—”
“Oho,Ⓐalteration in the MS wouldst like it? Then so shall it be! Doff thy rags and don these splendors, lad! It isⒶhistorical collation Ⓐemendation a brief happiness, but will beⒶalteration in the MS not less keen for that. We will have it while we may, and change again before any come to molest.”
A fewⒶalteration in the MS minutes later, the little Prince of Wales was garlanded with Tom’s fluttering odds and ends, and the little Prince of Pauperdom was tricked out in the gaudy plumage of royalty. The two went and stood side by side before a great mirror, and lo, a miracle: there did not seem to have been any change made! They stared at each other, then at the glass, then at eachⒶalteration in the MS other again. At last the puzzled princeling said—
“What dost thou make of this?”
“Ah, good your worship, require me not to answer. It isⒶalteration in the MS not meet that one of my degree should utter the thing.”
“Then will I Ⓐalteration in the MS utter it. Thou hastⒶalteration in the MS the same hair, the same eyes, the same voice and manner,Ⓐalteration in the MS the same form and statureⒶalteration in the MS, the same face and countenance, that I bear. Fared we forth naked, there is none could say which was you and which the Prince of Wales. And now that I am clothed as thouⒶalteration in the MS wert clothed, it seemeth I should be able the more nearly to feel as thou didst when the bruteⒶtextual note soldier—harkye, is not this a bruise upon your hand?”
“Yes, but it isⒶalteration in the MS a slight thing, and your worship knoweth that the poor man-at-arms—”
“Peace!Ⓐalteration in the MS It wasⒶalteration in the MS a shameful thing and a cruelⒶalteration in the MS!” cried the littleⒶalteration in the MS prince, stamping his bare foot.Ⓐalteration in the MS “If the kingⒶhistorical collation Ⓐemendation—stir not a step till I come again! It isⒶhistorical collation Ⓐemendation a command!”
In a moment he had snatched up and put away an article of [begin page 65] national importance that lay upon a table, and was out at the door and flying through the palace grounds inⒶalteration in the MS hisⒶalteration in the MS bannered rags, with a hot face and glowingⒶalteration in the MS eyes. As soon as he reached the great gate he seizedⒶemendation the bars and tried to shake them, shouting:
“Open! Unbar the gates!”
The soldier that had maltreated Tom,Ⓐalteration in the MS obeyed promptly;Ⓐalteration in the MS and as the prince burst through the portal,Ⓐalteration in the MS
“Take that, thou beggar’sⒶalteration in the MS spawn, for what thou got’stⒶalteration in the MS me from his highnessⒶemendation!”Ⓐalteration in the MS
[begin page 66]The crowd roared with laughter. The princeⒶalteration in the MS picked himself out of the mud and made fiercelyⒶalteration in the MS at the sentry, shouting:
“I am the Prince of Wales, my person is sacred;Ⓐalteration in the MS and thou shaltⒶalteration in the MS hang for laying thyⒶalteration in the MS hand upon me!”
TheⒶalteration in the MS soldier broughtⒶalteration in the MS his halberdⒶalteration in the MS to a present-arms and said, mockinglyⒶalteration in the MS:
“I salute your gracious highnessⒶalteration in the MS Ⓐemendation.” Then angrily: “Be off, thouⒶalteration in the MS crazy rubbish!”
Here the jeeringⒶalteration in the MS crowd closed around the poor little prince and hustled him far down the road, hooting him, and shouting “Way for his royal highnessⒶemendation! way for the Prince of Wales!”
The truth is that he suggested only one correction—a verbal one. He thought—but did not claim to be certain—that the word “entreated,” to signify “used,” (kindly treated, badly treated, etc.,) had disappeared from speech before the time of Edward VI. But . . . it was an error. The expression was still in use in Elizabeth's time, as Shakspeare will testify. (DV 305, MTP)
Since there is no alteration of “entreated” in the manuscript, Mark Twain was probably remembering this change from “treat” to “use.” At the time, he apparently considered the change to be of some importance, since collation indicates that he made the same correction at 201.10 on the proofs for the first American edition. Thus in spite of his inaccurate memory of the incident, his repudiation of the change seems to have come more from his anger at House in 1890 than from any wish to go back and change the reading.