The Prince and the Pauper

 The Project Gutenberg EBook of The Prince and The Pauper, Complete by Mark Twain (Samuel Clemens) This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.net Title: The Prince and The Pauper, Complete Author: Mark Twain (Samuel Clemens) Release Date: August 20, 2006 [EBook #1837] Last Updated: August 18, 2016 Language: English Character set encoding: UTF-8 *** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK PRINCE AND THE PAUPER *** Produced by David Widger. The earliest PG edition was prepared by Les Bowler THE PRINCE AND THE PAUPER by Mark Twain The Great Seal I will set down a tale as it was told to me by one who had it of his father, which latter had it of HIS father, this last having in like manner had it of HIS father--and so on, back and still back, three hundred years and more, the fathers transmitting it to the sons and so preserving it.  It may be history, it may be only a legend, a tradition. It may have happened, it may not have happened:  but it COULD have happened.  It may be that the wise and the learned believed it in the old days; it may be that only the unlearned and the simple loved it and credited it. CONTENTS I. The birth of the Prince and the Pauper. II. Tom’s early life. III.   Tom’s meeting with the Prince. IV. The Prince’s troubles begin. V. Tom as a patrician. VI. Tom receives instructions. VII.   Tom’s first royal dinner. VIII.   The question of the Seal. IX. The river pageant. X. The Prince in the toils. XI. At Guildhall. XII. The Prince and his deliverer. XIII.   The disappearance of the Prince. XIV. ‘Le Roi est mort--vive le Roi.’ XV. Tom as King. XVI. The state dinner. XVII.   Foo-foo the First. XVIII.   The Prince with the tramps. XIX. The Prince with the peasants. XX. The Prince and the hermit. XXI. Hendon to the rescue. XXII. A victim of treachery. XXIII.   The Prince a prisoner. XXIV. The escape. XXV. Hendon Hall. XXVI. Disowned. XXVII. In prison. XXVIII.   The sacrifice. XXIX. To London. XXX. Tom’s progress. XXXI. The Recognition procession. XXXII. Coronation Day. XXXIII. Edward as King. CONCLUSION.   Justice and Retribution.   Notes. ILLUSTRATIONS THE GREAT SEAL (frontispiece) THE BIRTH OF THE PRINCE AND THE PAUPER “SPLENDID PAGEANTS AND GREAT BONFIRES” TOM’S EARLY LIFE OFFAL COURT “WITH ANY MISERABLE CRUST” “HE OFTEN READ THE PRIEST’S BOOKS” “SAW POOR ANNE ASKEW BURNED” “BROUGHT THEIR PERPLEXITIES TO TOM” “LONGING FOR THE PORK-PIES” TOM’S MEETING WITH THE PRINCE “AT TEMPLE BAR” “LET HIM IN” “HOW OLD BE THESE “DOFF THY RAGS, AND DON THESE SPLENDORS”   “I SALUTE YOUR GRACIOUS HIGHNESS!” THE PRINCE’S TROUBLES BEGIN “SET UPON BY DOGS” “A DRUNKEN RUFFIAN COLLARED HIM” TOM AS A PATRICIAN “NEXT HE DREW THE SWORD” “RESOLVED TO FLY”