Multimedia Mania/abacus-multimedia-mania.iso/dp/0142/01428.txt

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$Unique_ID{bob01428}
$Pretitle{}
$Title{Prince And The Pauper, The
Chapter VI}
$Subtitle{}
$Author{Twain, Mark}
$Affiliation{}
$Subject{lord
tom
thou
thy
hertford
st
upon
prince
john
king's}
$Date{1909}
$Log{}
Title:       Prince And The Pauper, The
Author:      Twain, Mark
Date:        1909

Chapter VI

Tom Receives Instructions

     Tom was conducted to the principal apartment of a noble suite, and
made to sit down - a thing which he was loath to do, since there were
elderly men 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 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
here, save my lord the Earl of Hertford?"

     Observing that Tom did not seem to 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 had retired, Lord St. John
said:

     "His majesty commandeth, that for due and weighty reasons of state,
the prince's grace shall hide his infirmity in all ways that be within his
power, till it be passed and he be as he was before.  To wit, that he shall
deny to none that he is the true prince, and heir to England's greatness;
that he shall uphold his princely dignity, and shall receive, without word
or sign of protest, that reverence and observance which unto it do
appertain of right and ancient usage; that he shall cease to speak to any
of that lowly birth and life his malady hath conjured out of the
unwholesome imaginings of o'erwrought fancy; that he shall strive with
diligence to bring unto his memory again those faces which he was wont to
know - and where he faileth he shall hold his peace, neither betraying by
semblance of surprise, or other sign, that he hath forgot; that upon
occasions of state, whensoever any matter shall perplex him as to the thing
he should do or the utterance he should make, he shall show nought of
unrest to the curious that look on, but take advice in that matter of the
Lord Hertford, or my humble self, which are commanded of the king to be
upon this service and close at call, till this commandment be dissolved.
Thus saith the king's majesty, who sendeth greeting to your royal highness
and prayeth that God will of His mercy quickly heal you and have you now
and ever in His holy keeping."

     The Lord St. John 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 chafe, with deft evasions.  The king
shall be obeyed."

     Lord Hertford said:

     "Touching the king's majesty's ordainment concerning books and such
like serious matters, it may peradventure please your Highness 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 eyes bent sorrowfully upon him.  His lordship said:

     "Thy memory still wrongeth thee, and thou hast shown 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 two months flown, your
highness should attend.  Thou recallest it now?"

     "It grieves me to confess it had indeed escaped me," said Tom, in a
hesitating voice; and blushed again.

     At that 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 passed him, he said in
a low voice:

     "I pray ye, ladies, seem not to observe his humors, nor show surprise
when his memory doth lapse - it will grieve you to note how it doth stick
at every trifle."

     Meanwhile Lord St. John was saying in Tom's ear:

     "Please you, sir, keep diligently in mind his majesty's desire.
Remember all thou canst - Seem to remember all else.  Let them not perceive
that thou art much 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, the conversation among the young people
became a little embarrassing at times.  More than once, in truth, Tom was
near to breaking down and confessing himself unequal to his tremendous
part; 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 Jane turned to Tom and dismayed
him with this question:

     "Hast paid thy duty to the queen's majesty today, 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 not so, your highness?"

     Tom mumbled something that stood for assent, but felt that he was
getting upon dangerous ground.  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 were proceeding bravely.  But
bide thy time in patience; it will not be for long.  Thou'lt yet be graced
with learning like thy father, and make thy tongue master of as many
languages as his, good my prince."

     "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 in the sties 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 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"
hand between her two palms, respectfully but caressingly; "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' I may be so bold."

     Once the giddy little Lady Jane fired a simple Greek phrase at Tom. The
Princess Elizabeth's quick eye saw 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 changed the talk to
other matters.

     Time wore on 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 bent upon helping him and
overlooking 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 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; 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
taxed for the present, but also that they themselves were not in the best
condition to take their ship back and make their anxious voyage all over
again.  So they respectfully advised Tom to excuse himself, which he was
very glad to do, although a slight shade of disappointment might have been
observed upon my Lady Jane's face when she heard the splendid stripling
denied admittance.

     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, your ladyships can 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 good den, and God be with ye!" Then he smiled inwardly at the
thought, "'tis not for nought I have dwelt but among princes in my reading,
and taught my tongue some slight trick of their broidered and gracious
speech withal!"

     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 to command, it is for us to
obey.  That thou shouldst rest, is indeed a needful thing, since thou must
journey to the city presently."

     He touched a bell, and a page appeared, who was ordered to desire the
presence of Sir William Herbert.  This gentleman came straightway, and
conducted Tom to an inner apartment.  Tom's first movement there was to
reach for a cup of water; but a silk-and- velvet servitor seized it,
dropped upon one knee, and offered it to him on a golden salver.

     Next, the tired captive sat down and was going to take off his
buskins, timidly asking leave with his eye, but another silk-and- velvet
discomforter went down upon his knees 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 me, but I marvel they do not require to breathe for me
also!" Slippered, and wrapped in a sumptuous robe, he laid himself down at
last to rest, but not to sleep, for his head was too full of thoughts and
the room too full of people.  He could not dismiss the former, so they
stayed; he did not know enough to dismiss the latter, so they stayed also,
to his vast regret - and theirs.

     Tom's departure had left his two noble guardians alone.  They mused a
while, with much headshaking and walking the floor, then Lord St. John
said:

     "Plainly, what dost thou think?"

     "Plainly, then, this.  The king is near his end, my nephew is mad, mad
will mount the throne, and mad remain.  God protect England, since she will
need it!"

     "Verily it promiseth so, indeed.  But......have you 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 on - there is none to hear but me.  Misgivings as to what?"

     "I am full loath to word the thing that is in my 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! - 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 ears
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 recall how that
the old Baron Marley, being mad, forgot the favor of his own countenance
that he had known for sixty years, 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 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."

     After some further talk, in which the Lord St. John 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 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, the more he was bothered.  By and by he began to pace the floor
and mutter.

     "Tush, he must be the prince!  Will any he in all the land maintain
there can be two, not of one blood 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 he impostor and called himself prince, look you that would
be natural; that would be reasonable.  But lived ever an impostor yet, who,
being called prince by the king, prince by the court, prince by all, denied
his dignity and pleaded against his exaltation?  No!  By the soul of St.
Swithin, no!  This is the true prince, gone mad!"