[begin page 85]
Tom was conducted to the principal apartment of a noble suite, and made to sit down—a thing which he was loth to do, sinceⒶalteration in the MS there were elderly menⒶalteration in the MS and men of high degree about him. He begged them to be seated, also, but they only bowed their thanks or murmured them, and remained standing. He would have insisted, but his “uncle” the EarlⒶemendation of Hertford whispered in his ear—
“Prithee, insist not, my lord; it is not meet that they sit in thy presence.”
The lord St. John was announced, and after making obeisance to Tom, he said—
“I come upon the king’s errand, concerning a matter which requireth privacy. Will it please your royal highness to dismiss all that attend youⒶalteration in the MS here, save my lord the EarlⒶemendation of Hertford?”
[begin page 86]Observing that Tom did not seem toⒶalteration in the MS know how to proceed, Hertford whispered him to make a sign with his hand and not trouble himself to speak unless he chose. When the waiting gentlemenⒶalteration in the MS had retired, lord St. JohnⒶemendation said—
“His majesty commandeth, that forⒶalteration in the MS due and weighty reasons of state, the prince’s grace shall hide his infirmity in all ways that be within his power,Ⓐalteration in the MS till it be passed and he be as he was before. To witⒶemendation, that he shall deny to none that he is the true prince, and heir to
The lord St. JohnⒶemendation made reverence and stood aside. Tom replied, resignedly—
“The king hath said it. None may palter with the king’s command, or fit it to his ease, where it dothⒶemendation chafe,Ⓐalteration in the MS with deft evasions. The king shall be obeyed.”
Lord HertfordⒶalteration in the MS said—
“Touching the king’s majesty’s ordainment concerning books and such like serious matters, it may peradventure please your highness [begin page 88] to ease your time with lightsome entertainment, lest you go wearied to the banquet and suffer harm thereby.”
Tom’s face showed inquiring surprise; and a blush followed when he saw lord St. John’sⒶemendation eyes bent sorrowfully upon him. His lordship said—
“Thy memory still wrongeth thee, and thou hast shownⒶhistorical collation Ⓐemendation surprise—but suffer it not to trouble thee, for ’tis a matter that will not bide, but depart with thy mending malady. My lord of Hertford speaketh of the city’s banquet which the king’s majesty did promise, some two months flown, your highness should attend. Thou recallest it now?”
“It grievesⒶalteration in the MS me to confess it had indeed escaped me,” said Tom, in a hesitating voice;Ⓐalteration in the MS and blushed again.
At this moment the lady Elizabeth and the lady Jane Grey were announced. The two lords exchanged significant glances, and Hertford stepped quickly toward the door. As the young girlsⒶalteration in the MS passed him, he said in a low voice—
“I pray ye, ladies, seem not to observe his humors, nor showⒶhistorical collation Ⓐemendation surprise when his memory doth lapse—it willⒶalteration in the MS grieve you to noteⒶalteration in the MS how it doth stick at every trifle.”
Meantime lord St. John was saying in Tom’s ear—
“Please you sir, keep diligently in mind his majesty’sⒶalteration in the MS desire. Remember all thou canst—seem to remember all else. Let them not perceive that thou art muchⒶalteration in the MS changed from thy wont, for thou knowest how tenderly thy old playfellows bear thee in their hearts and how ’twould grieve them. Art willing, sir, that I remain?—and thine uncle?”
Tom signified assent with a gesture and a murmured word, for he was already learning, and in his simple heart was resolved to acquit himself as best he might, according to the king’s command.
In spite of every precaution,Ⓐalteration in the MS the conversation among the young people becameⒶalteration in the MS a little embarrassing, at times. More than once, in truth, Tom was near to breaking down and confessing himself unequal to his tremendous part;Ⓐalteration in the MS but the tact of the princess Elizabeth saved him, or a word from one or the other of the vigilant lords, thrown in apparently by chance, had the same happy effect. Once the little ladyⒶemendation Jane turned to Tom and dismayedⒶhistorical collation Ⓐemendation him with this question,—
[begin page 89]“Hast paid thy duty to the queen’s majesty to-dayⒶemendation, my lord?”
Tom hesitated, looked distressed, and was about to stammer out something at hazard, when lord St. John took the word and answered for him with the easy grace of a courtier accustomed to encounter delicate difficulties and to be ready for them—
“He hath indeed, madam, and she did greatly hearten him, as touching his majesty’s condition, is itⒶalteration in the MS not so, your highness?”
Tom mumbled something that stood for assent, but felt that he was getting upon dangerous groundⒶhistorical collation Ⓐemendation. Somewhat later it was mentioned that Tom was to study no more at present, whereupon her little ladyship exclaimed—
“Tis a pity, ’tis such a pity! Thou wertⒶalteration in the MS proceeding bravely. But bide thy time in patience; it will not be for long. Thou’ltⒶalteration in the MS yet be graced with learning like thy father, and make thy tongue master of as many languages as his, good my prince.”Ⓐalteration in the MS
[begin page 90]“My father!” cried Tom, off his guard for the moment. “I trow he cannot speak his own so that any but the swine that wallowⒶhistorical collation Ⓐemendation in the styesⒶhistorical collation Ⓐemendation Ⓐtextual note may tell his meaning; and as for learning of any sort soever—” He looked up and encountered a solemn warning in my lord St. John’sⒶemendation eyes. He stopped, blushed, then continued low and sadly: “Ah, my malady persecuteth me again, and my mind wandereth. I meant the king’s grace no irreverence.”
“We know it, sir,” said the princess Elizabeth, taking her “brother’s”Ⓐalteration in the MS hand betweenⒶalteration in the MS her two palms, respectfully but caressinglyⒶalteration in the MS; “trouble not thyself as to that. The fault is none of thine, but thy distemper’s.”
“Thou’rt a gentle comforter, sweet lady,” said Tom, gratefully, “and my heart moveth me to thank thee for’t, an’Ⓐemendation I may be so bold.”
Once the giddy little lady Jane fired a simple Greek phrase at Tom. The princessⒶalteration in the MS Elizabeth’s quick eye sawⒶalteration in the MS by the serene blankness of the target’s front that the shaft was overshot; so she tranquilly delivered a return volley of sounding Greek on Tom’s behalf, and then straightwayⒶemendation changedⒶalteration in the MS the talk to other matters.
Time wore onⒶalteration in the MS pleasantly, and likewise smoothly, on the whole. Snags and sandbars grew less and less frequent, and Tom grew more and more at his ease, seeing that all were so lovinglyⒶalteration in the MS bent upon helping him and overlookingⒶemendation his mistakes. When it came out that the little ladies were to accompany him to the Lord Mayor’s banquet in the evening, his heart gave a bound of reliefⒶalteration in the MS and delight, for he felt that he should not be friendless, now, among that multitude of strangers; whereas, an hour earlier, the idea of their going with him would have been an insupportable terror to him.
Tom’s guardian angels, the two lords, had had less comfort in the interview than the other parties to it. They felt much as if they were piloting a great ship through a dangerous channelⒶalteration in the MS; they were on the alert, constantly, and found their office no child’s play. Wherefore, at last, when the ladies’ visit was drawing to a close and the lord Guilford Dudley was announced, they not only felt that their charge had been sufficientlyⒶalteration in the MS taxed for the present, but also that they themselves were not in the best condition to take their ship back and make thatⒶhistorical collation Ⓐtextual note Ⓐalteration in the MS anxious voyage all over again. So they respectfully advised Tom to excuse himself, which he was very glad to do, althoughⒶhistorical collation Ⓐemendation a slight shade of disappointment might have been observed upon my lady Jane’s face when she heard the splendidⒶalteration in the MS stripling denied admittance.
[begin page 91]There was a pause, now, a sort of waiting silence which Tom could not understand. He glanced at lord Hertford, who gave him a sign—but he failed to understand that, also. The ready Elizabeth came to the rescue with her usual easy grace. She made reverence and said—
“Have we leave of the prince’s grace my brother to go?”
Tom said—
“IndeedⒶalteration in the MS your ladyshipsⒶalteration in the MS canⒶalteration in the MS have whatsoever of me they will, for the asking; yet would I rather give them any other thing that in my poor power lieth, than leave to take the light and blessing of their presence hence. Give yeⒶalteration in the MS good den, and God be with ye!”Ⓐalteration in the MS Then he
When the illustrious maidens were gone, Tom turned wearily to his keepers and said—
“May it please your lordships to grant me leave to go into some corner and rest me?”
Lord Hertford said—
“So please your highness, it is for youⒶalteration in the MS to command, it is for usⒶalteration in the MS to [begin page 92]
He touched a bell, and a page appeared, who was ordered to desire the presence of
Sir William Herbert. This
gentlemanⒶhistorical collation
Ⓐemendation came straightwayⒶemendation, and conducted Tom to an inner apartment. Tom’s first movement, there,
was to reach for a cup of water;Ⓐalteration in the MS but a silk-and-velvet servitor
seizedⒶemendation it, dropped upon one knee, and offered it to him on a golden salver.
NextⒶalteration in the MS the tired captive sat down and was going to
take off his buskins, timidlyⒶalteration in the MS asking leave with his eye, but
another silk-and-velvet discomforter went down upon his kneesⒶtextual note and took
the office from him. He made two or three further efforts to help himself, but
being promptly forestalled each time, he finally gave up, with a sigh of
resignation and a murmured “BeshrewⒶemendation me but I marvel they do not require to breathe for me, also!” Slippered,
and wrapped in a
sump-
[begin page 93]
tuous
robeⒶhistorical collation
Ⓐemendation, he
laid himselfⒶhistorical collation
Ⓐemendation down at last to rest, but not to
sleepⒶalteration in the MS, for his head was
too full of thoughts and the room too full of people. He could not dismiss the
former, so they staid; he did not know enough to dismiss the latter, so they
staid also, to his vast regret,—and theirs.Ⓐtextual note
Ⓐalteration in the MS
Tom’s departure had left his two noble guardians alone. They mused a while, with muchⒶalteration in the MS head-shakingⒶemendation and walking the floor, then lord St. JohnⒶemendation said—
“Plainly, what dost thou think?”
“Plainly, then, this.Ⓐalteration in the MS The king is near his end, my nephew is mad, mad willⒶalteration in the MS mount the throne, and mad remain. God protect England, sinceⒶalteration in the MS she will need it!”
“Verily it promiseth so, indeed. But . . . . have youⒶalteration in the MS no misgivings as to . . . . as to . . . .”
The speaker hesitated, and finally stopped. He evidently felt that he was upon delicate ground. Lord Hertford stopped before him, looked into his face with a clear, frank eye, and said—
“SpeakⒶalteration in the MS on—there is none to hear but me. Misgivings as to what?”
[begin page 94]“I am full lothⒶemendation to word the thing that is in myⒶalteration in the MS mind, and thou so near to him in blood, my lord. But craving pardon if I do offend, seemeth it not strange that madness could so change his port and manner!Ⓐemendation Ⓐalteration in the MS—not but that his port and speech are princely still, but that they differ, in one unweighty trifle or another, from what his custom was aforetime. Seemeth it not strange that madness should filch from his memory his father’s very lineaments, the customs and observances that are his due from such as be about him, and leaving him his Latin strip him of his Greek and French? My lord, be not offended, but ease my mind of its disquiet and receive my grateful thanks. It haunteth me, his saying he was not the prince, and so—”
“Peace, my lord, thou utterest treason! Hast forgot the king’s command? Remember I am party to thy crime, if I but listen.”
St. John paled, and hastened to say—
“I was in fault. I do confess it. Betray me not, grant me this grace out of thy courtesy, and I will neither think nor speak of this thing more. Deal not hardly with me, sir, else am I ruined.”
“I am content, my lord. So thou offend not again, here or in the earⒶhistorical collation of others, it shall be as though thou hadst not spoken. But thou needst not have misgivings. He is my sister’s son; are not his voice, his face, his form, familiar to me from his cradle? Madness can do all the odd conflicting things thou seest in him, and more. Dost not recal how that the old BaronⒶalteration in the MS Marley, being mad, forgot the favor of his own countenance that he had known for sixty years,Ⓐalteration in the MS and held it was another’s; nay, even claimed he was the son of Mary Magdalene, and that his head was made of Spanish glass; and sooth to say, he suffered none to touch it, lest by mischance some heedless handⒶalteration in the MS might shiver it. Give thy misgivings easement, good my lord. This is the very prince, I know him well—and soon will be thy king; it may advantage thee to bear this in mind and more dwell upon it than the other.”
[begin page 96]After some further talk, in which the lord St. JohnⒶemendation covered up his mistake as well as he could by repeated protests that his faith was thoroughly grounded, now, and could not be assailed by doubts again, the lord HertfordⒶalteration in the MS relieved his fellow keeper and sat down to keep watch and ward alone. He was soon deep in meditation. And evidently, the longer he thought,Ⓐalteration in the MS the more he was bothered. By and by he began to pace the floor and mutter.Ⓐalteration in the MS
“Tush, he must be the prince! Will any he in all the land maintain thereⒶalteration in the MS can be two, not of one bloodⒶhistorical collation Ⓐemendation and birth, so marvelously twinned? And even were it so, ’twere yet a stranger miracle that chance should cast the one into the other’s place. Nay, ’tis folly, folly, folly!”
Presently he said:
“Now wereⒶalteration in the MS he impostor and called himselfⒶhistorical collation Ⓐemendation prince, look you that would be natural; that would be reasonable. But lived ever an impostor yet, who, being called princeⒶemendation by the king, prince byⒶemendation the court, princeⒶemendation Ⓐalteration in the MS by all, denied his dignity and pleaded againstⒶhistorical collation Ⓐemendation Ⓐalteration in the MS Ⓐtextual note his exaltation?— No! By the soulⒶalteration in the MS of St. Swithin, no! This is the true prince, gone mad!Ⓐemendation”Ⓐalteration in the MS
1. kennel in the slums (MS)
2. not in in the slums (Pr)
3. kennel in the slums (Ea)
4. wallow in the slums (C)
5. wallow in the styes (A)
6. kennel in the styes (Eb)
The first state of the English edition (Ea) and the Canadian edition (C) were set from early stages of proof for the first American edition (A). Apparently Mark Twain made the first change (from “kennel” to “wallow”) after the early proofs had been sent to England but before the Canadian edition was set. At some time after the prospectus (Pr) was printed, he then further revised the reading (from “slums” to “styes”) for the first American edition. That reading is adopted here. The reading of the second state of the first English edition (Eb), which was corrected against the American edition to incorporate late changes, does not represent another Mark Twain revision, but rather an incomplete correction.