The Prince and the Pauper | Page 3

was just such another hive as Canty's house.
Drunkenness, riot and brawling were the order, there, every night and
nearly all night long. Broken heads were as common as hunger in that
place. Yet little Tom was not unhappy. He had a hard time of it, but did
not know it. It was the sort of time that all the Offal Court boys had,
therefore he supposed it was the correct and comfortable thing. When
he came home empty-handed at night, he knew his father would curse
him and thrash him first, and that when he was done the awful
grandmother would do it all over again and improve on it; and that
away in the night his starving mother would slip to him stealthily with
any miserable scrap or crust she had been able to save for him by going
hungry herself, notwithstanding she was often caught in that sort of
treason and soundly beaten for it by her husband.
No, Tom's life went along well enough, especially in summer. He only
begged just enough to save himself, for the laws against mendicancy
were stringent, and the penalties heavy; so he put in a good deal of his

time listening to good Father Andrew's charming old tales and legends
about giants and fairies, dwarfs and genii, and enchanted castles, and
gorgeous kings and princes. His head grew to be full of these wonderful
things, and many a night as he lay in the dark on his scant and offensive
straw, tired, hungry, and smarting from a thrashing, he unleashed his
imagination and soon forgot his aches and pains in delicious picturings
to himself of the charmed life of a petted prince in a regal palace. One
desire came in time to haunt him day and night: it was to see a real
prince, with his own eyes. He spoke of it once to some of his Offal
Court comrades; but they jeered him and scoffed him so unmercifully
that he was glad to keep his dream to himself after that.
He often read the priest's old books and got him to explain and enlarge
upon them. His dreamings and readings worked certain changes in him,
by- and-by. His dream-people were so fine that he grew to lament his
shabby clothing and his dirt, and to wish to be clean and better clad. He
went on playing in the mud just the same, and enjoying it, too; but,
instead of splashing around in the Thames solely for the fun of it, he
began to find an added value in it because of the washings and
cleansings it afforded.
Tom could always find something going on around the Maypole in
Cheapside, and at the fairs; and now and then he and the rest of London
had a chance to see a military parade when some famous unfortunate
was carried prisoner to the Tower, by land or boat. One summer's day
he saw poor Anne Askew and three men burned at the stake in
Smithfield, and heard an ex- Bishop preach a sermon to them which did
not interest him. Yes, Tom's life was varied and pleasant enough, on
the whole.
By-and-by Tom's reading and dreaming about princely life wrought
such a strong effect upon him that he began to ACT the prince,
unconsciously. His speech and manners became curiously ceremonious
and courtly, to the vast admiration and amusement of his intimates. But
Tom's influence among these young people began to grow now, day by
day; and in time he came to be looked up to, by them, with a sort of
wondering awe, as a superior being. He seemed to know so much! and

he could do and say such marvellous things! and withal, he was so deep
and wise! Tom's remarks, and Tom's performances, were reported by
the boys to their elders; and these, also, presently began to discuss Tom
Canty, and to regard him as a most gifted and extraordinary creature.
Full-grown people brought their perplexities to Tom for solution, and
were often astonished at the wit and wisdom of his decisions. In fact he
was become a hero to all who knew him except his own family--these,
only, saw nothing in him.
Privately, after a while, Tom organised a royal court! He was the prince;
his special comrades were guards, chamberlains, equerries, lords and
ladies in waiting, and the royal family. Daily the mock prince was
received with elaborate ceremonials borrowed by Tom from his
romantic readings; daily the great affairs of the mimic kingdom were
discussed in the royal council, and daily his mimic highness issued
decrees to his imaginary armies, navies, and viceroyalties.
After which, he would go forth in his rags and beg a few farthings, eat
his poor crust, take his customary cuffs and abuse, and