The Prince and the Pauper Mark Twain (readict books .TXT) đ
- Author: Mark Twain
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The dull work went tediously on. Petitions were read, and proclamations, patents, and all manner of wordy, repetitious, and wearisome papers relating to the public business; and at last Tom sighed pathetically and murmured to himself, âIn what have I offended, that the good God should take me away from the fields and the free air and the sunshine, to shut me up here and make me a king and afflict me so?â Then his poor muddled head nodded a while and presently drooped to his shoulder; and the business of the empire came to a standstill for want of that august factor, the ratifying power. Silence ensued around the slumbering child, and the sages of the realm ceased from their deliberations.
During the forenoon, Tom had an enjoyable hour, by permission of his keepers, Hertford and St. John, with the Lady Elizabeth and the little Lady Jane Grey; though the spirits of the princesses were rather subdued by the mighty stroke that had fallen upon the royal house; and at the end of the visit his âelder sisterââ âafterwards the âBloody Maryâ of historyâ âchilled him with a solemn interview which had but one merit in his eyes, its brevity. He had a few moments to himself, and then a slim lad of about twelve years of age was admitted to his presence, whose clothing, except his snowy ruff and the laces about his wrists, was of blackâ âdoublet, hose, and all. He bore no badge of mourning but a knot of purple ribbon on his shoulder. He advanced hesitatingly, with head bowed and bare, and dropped upon one knee in front of Tom. Tom sat still and contemplated him soberly a moment. Then he saidâ â
âRise, lad. Who art thou. What wouldst have?â
The boy rose, and stood at graceful ease, but with an aspect of concern in his face. He saidâ â
âOf a surety thou must remember me, my lord. I am thy whipping-boy.â
âMy whipping-boy?â
âThe same, your Grace. I am Humphreyâ âHumphrey Marlow.â
Tom perceived that here was someone whom his keepers ought to have posted him about. The situation was delicate. What should he do?â âpretend he knew this lad, and then betray by his every utterance that he had never heard of him before? No, that would not do. An idea came to his relief: accidents like this might be likely to happen with some frequency, now that business urgencies would often call Hertford and St. John from his side, they being members of the Council of Executors; therefore perhaps it would be well to strike out a plan himself to meet the requirements of such emergencies. Yes, that would be a wise courseâ âhe would practise on this boy, and see what sort of success he might achieve. So he stroked his brow perplexedly a moment or two, and presently saidâ â
âNow I seem to remember thee somewhatâ âbut my wit is clogged and dim with sufferingâ ââ
âAlack, my poor master!â ejaculated the whipping-boy, with feeling; adding, to himself, âIn truth âtis as they saidâ âhis mind is goneâ âalas, poor soul! But misfortune catch me, how am I forgetting! They said one must not seem to observe that aught is wrong with him.â
âââTis strange how my memory doth wanton with me these days,â said Tom. âBut mind it notâ âI mend apaceâ âa little clue doth often serve to bring me back again the things and names which had escaped me. (And not they, only, forsooth, but eâen such as I neâer heard beforeâ âas this lad shall see.) Give thy business speech.â
âââTis matter of small weight, my liege, yet will I touch upon it, anâ it please your Grace. Two days gone by, when your Majesty faulted thrice in your Greekâ âin the morning lessonsâ âdost remember it?â
âY-e-sâ âmethinks I do. (It is not much of a lieâ âanâ I had meddled with the Greek at all, I had not faulted simply thrice, but forty times.) Yes, I do recall it, nowâ âgo on.â
âThe master, being wroth with what he termed such slovenly and doltish work, did promise that he would soundly whip me for itâ âandâ ââ
âWhip thee!â said Tom, astonished out of his presence of mind. âWhy should he whip thee for faults of mine?â
âAh, your Grace forgetteth again. He always scourgeth me when thou dost fail in thy lessons.â
âTrue, trueâ âI had forgot. Thou teachest me in privateâ âthen if I fail, he argueth that thy office was lamely done, andâ ââ
âOh, my liege, what words are these? I, the humblest of thy servants, presume to teach thee?â
âThen where is thy blame? What riddle is this? Am I in truth gone mad, or is it thou? Explainâ âspeak out.â
âBut, good your Majesty, thereâs nought that needeth simplifying.â âNone may visit the sacred person of the Prince of Wales with blows; wherefore, when he faulteth, âtis I that take them; and meet it is and right, for that it is mine office and my livelihood.â12
Tom stared at the tranquil boy, observing to himself, âLo, it is a wonderful thingâ âa most strange and curious trade; I marvel they have not hired a boy to take my combings and my dressings for meâ âwould heaven they would!â âanâ they will do this thing, I will take my lashings in mine own person, giving God thanks for the change.â Then he said aloudâ â
âAnd hast thou been beaten, poor friend, according to the promise?â
âNo, good your Majesty, my punishment was appointed for this day, and peradventure it may be annulled, as unbefitting the season of mourning that is come upon us; I know not, and so have made bold to come hither and remind your Grace about your gracious promise to intercede in my behalfâ ââ
âWith the master? To save thee thy whipping?â
âAh, thou dost remember!â
âMy memory mendeth, thou seest. Set thy mind at easeâ âthy back shall go unscathedâ âI will see to it.â
âOh, thanks, my good lord!â cried the boy, dropping upon his knee again. âMayhap I have ventured far enow; and yetâ ââ
Seeing Master Humphrey hesitate, Tom encouraged him to go on, saying he was âin the granting mood.â
âThen will I speak it out,
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