The Prince and the Pauper

by Mark Twain

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.

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.

In fact, he was become a hero to all who knew him except his own family—these only saw nothing in him.

And when he awoke in the morning and looked upon the wretchedness about him, his dream had had its usual effect—it had intensified the sordidness of his surroundings a thousand fold. Then came bitterness, and heart-break, and tears.

“And prithee, why not? Who helpeth them undress at night? Who attireth them when they rise?” “None, sir. Would’st have them take off their garment, and sleep without,—like the beasts?” “Their garment! Have they but one?” “Ah, good your worship, what would they do with more? Truly they have not two bodies each.”

“In summer, sir, we wade and swim in the canals and in the river, and each doth duck his neighbor, and splatter him with water, and dive and shout and tumble and—” “’Twould be worth my father’s kingdom but to enjoy it once! Prithee go on.”

a full belly is little worth where the mind is starved, and the heart.

The world is made wrong; kings should go to school to their own laws at times and so learn mercy.”

The words “I do not know you, woman!” were falling from Tom Canty’s lips when this piteous thing occurred; but it smote him to the heart to see her treated so; and as she turned for a last glimpse of him, whilst the crowd was swallowing her from his sight, she seemed so wounded, so broken-hearted, that a shame fell upon him which consumed his pride to ashes, and withered his stolen royalty. His grandeurs were stricken valueless: they seemed to fall away from him like rotten rags.