The Prince and the Pauper Read online

  CHAPTER IV. The Prince's troubles begin.

  After hours of persistent pursuit and persecution, the little prince wasat last deserted by the rabble and left to himself. ?As long as he hadbeen able to rage against the mob, and threaten it royally, androyally utter commands that were good stuff to laugh at, he was veryentertaining; but when weariness finally forced him to be silent, he wasno longer of use to his tormentors, and they sought amusement elsewhere.He looked about him, now, but could not recognise the locality. ?Hewas within the city of London--that was all he knew. ?He moved on,aimlessly, and in a little while the houses thinned, and the passers-bywere infrequent. ?He bathed his bleeding feet in the brook which flowedthen where Farringdon Street now is; rested a few moments, then passedon, and presently came upon a great space with only a few scatteredhouses in it, and a prodigious church. ?He recognised this church.?Scaffoldings were about, everywhere, and swarms of workmen; for it wasundergoing elaborate repairs. ?The prince took heart at once--he feltthat his troubles were at an end, now. ?He said to himself, "It is theancient Grey Friars' Church, which the king my father hath taken fromthe monks and given for a home for ever for poor and forsaken children,and new-named it Christ's Church. ?Right gladly will they serve the sonof him who hath done so generously by them--and the more that that sonis himself as poor and as forlorn as any that be sheltered here thisday, or ever shall be."

  He was soon in the midst of a crowd of boys who were running, jumping,playing at ball and leap-frog, and otherwise disporting themselves, andright noisily, too. ?They were all dressed alike, and in the fashionwhich in that day prevailed among serving-men and 'prentices{1}--thatis to say, each had on the crown of his head a flat black cap about thesize of a saucer, which was not useful as a covering, it being of suchscanty dimensions, neither was it ornamental; from beneath it the hairfell, unparted, to the middle of the forehead, and was cropped straightaround; a clerical band at the neck; a blue gown that fitted closelyand hung as low as the knees or lower; full sleeves; a broad red belt;bright yellow stockings, gartered above the knees; low shoes with largemetal buckles. It was a sufficiently ugly costume.

  The boys stopped their play and flocked about the prince, who said withnative dignity--

  "Good lads, say to your master that Edward Prince of Wales desirethspeech with him."

  A great shout went up at this, and one rude fellow said--

  "Marry, art thou his grace's messenger, beggar?"

  The prince's face flushed with anger, and his ready hand flew to hiship, but there was nothing there. ?There was a storm of laughter, andone boy said--

  "Didst mark that? ?He fancied he had a sword--belike he is the princehimself."

  This sally brought more laughter. ?Poor Edward drew himself up proudlyand said--

  "I am the prince; and it ill beseemeth you that feed upon the king myfather's bounty to use me so."

  This was vastly enjoyed, as the laughter testified. ?The youth who hadfirst spoken, shouted to his comrades--

  "Ho, swine, slaves, pensioners of his grace's princely father, where beyour manners? ?Down on your marrow bones, all of ye, and do reverence tohis kingly port and royal rags!"

  With boisterous mirth they dropped upon their knees in a body and didmock homage to their prey. ?The prince spurned the nearest boy with hisfoot, and said fiercely--

  "Take thou that, till the morrow come and I build thee a gibbet!"

  Ah, but this was not a joke--this was going beyond fun. ?The laughterceased on the instant, and fury took its place. ?A dozen shouted--

  "Hale him forth! ?To the horse-pond, to the horse-pond! ?Where be thedogs? ?Ho, there, Lion! ho, Fangs!"

  Then followed such a thing as England had never seen before--the sacredperson of the heir to the throne rudely buffeted by plebeian hands, andset upon and torn by dogs.

  As night drew to a close that day, the prince found himself far down inthe close-built portion of the city. ?His body was bruised, his handswere bleeding, and his rags were all besmirched with mud. ?He wanderedon and on, and grew more and more bewildered, and so tired and fainthe could hardly drag one foot after the other. ?He had ceased to askquestions of anyone, since they brought him only insult instead ofinformation. ?He kept muttering to himself, "Offal Court--that is thename; if I can but find it before my strength is wholly spent and Idrop, then am I saved--for his people will take me to the palace andprove that I am none of theirs, but the true prince, and I shall havemine own again." ?And now and then his mind reverted to his treatmentby those rude Christ's Hospital boys, and he said, "When I am king, theyshall not have bread and shelter only, but also teachings out of books;for a full belly is little worth where the mind is starved, and theheart. ?I will keep this diligently in my remembrance, that this day'slesson be not lost upon me, and my people suffer thereby; for learningsofteneth the heart and breedeth gentleness and charity." {1}

  The lights began to twinkle, it came on to rain, the wind rose, and araw and gusty night set in. ?The houseless prince, the homeless heir tothe throne of England, still moved on, drifting deeper into the mazeof squalid alleys where the swarming hives of poverty and misery weremassed together.

  Suddenly a great drunken ruffian collared him and said--

  "Out to this time of night again, and hast not brought a farthing home,I warrant me! ?If it be so, an' I do not break all the bones in thy leanbody, then am I not John Canty, but some other."

  The prince twisted himself loose, unconsciously brushed his profanedshoulder, and eagerly said--

  "Oh, art _his_ father, truly? ?Sweet heaven grant it be so--then wiltthou fetch him away and restore me!"

  "_His_ father? ?I know not what thou mean'st; I but know I am _thy_father, as thou shalt soon have cause to--"

  "Oh, jest not, palter not, delay not!--I am worn, I am wounded, I canbear no more. ?Take me to the king my father, and he will make thee richbeyond thy wildest dreams. ?Believe me, man, believe me!--I speak nolie, but only the truth!--put forth thy hand and save me! ?I am indeedthe Prince of Wales!"

  The man stared down, stupefied, upon the lad, then shook his head andmuttered--

  "Gone stark mad as any Tom o' Bedlam!"--then collared him once more,and said with a coarse laugh and an oath, "But mad or no mad, I and thyGammer Canty will soon find where the soft places in thy bones lie, orI'm no true man!"

  With this he dragged the frantic and struggling prince away, anddisappeared up a front court followed by a delighted and noisy swarm ofhuman vermin.