Принц і жебрак
Tom’s early life.
ButTom’sinfluenceamongtheseyoungpeoplebegantogrownow,daybyday; andintimehecametobelookedupto,bythem,withasortofwonderingawe,asasuperiorbeing. Heseemedtoknowsomuch!andhecoulddoandsaysuchmarvellousthings!andwithal,hewassodeepandwise! Tom’sremarks,andTom’sperformances,werereportedbytheboystotheirelders;andthese,also,presentlybegantodiscussTomCanty,andtoregardhimasamostgiftedandextraordinarycreature. Full-grownpeoplebroughttheirperplexitiestoTomforsolution,andwereoftenastonishedatthewitandwisdomofhisdecisions. Infacthewasbecomeaherotoallwhoknewhimexcepthisownfamily—these,only,sawnothinginhim.
Privately,afterawhile,Tomorganisedaroyalcourt! Hewastheprince; hisspecialcomradeswereguards,chamberlains,equerries,lordsandladiesinwaiting,andtheroyalfamily. DailythemockprincewasreceivedwithelaborateceremonialsborrowedbyTomfromhisromanticreadings; dailythegreataffairsofthemimickingdomwerediscussedintheroyalcouncil,anddailyhismimichighnessissueddecreestohisimaginaryarmies,navies,andviceroyalties.
Afterwhich,hewouldgoforthinhisragsandbegafewfarthings,eathispoorcrust,takehiscustomarycuffsandabuse,andthenstretchhimselfuponhishandfuloffoulstraw,andresumehisemptygrandeursinhisdreams.
Andstillhisdesiretolookjustonceuponarealprince,intheflesh,grewuponhim,daybyday,andweekbyweek,untilatlastitabsorbedallotherdesires,andbecametheonepassionofhislife.
