ThehousewhichTom's fatherlivedinwasup a foullittlepocketcalledOffalCourt, outofPuddingLane. Itwassmall, decayed, andrickety, butitwaspackedfullofwretchedlypoorfamilies. Canty's tribeoccupied a roomonthethirdfloor. Themotherandfatherhad a sortofbedsteadinthecorner; butTom, hisgrandmother, andhistwosisters, BetandNan, werenotrestricted—theyhadallthefloortothemselves, andmightsleepwheretheychose. Thereweretheremainsof a blanketortwo, andsomebundlesofancientanddirtystraw, butthesecouldnotrightlybecalledbeds, fortheywerenotorganised; theywerekickedinto a generalpile, mornings, andselectionsmadefromthemassatnight, forservice.
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BetandNanwerefifteenyearsold—twins. Theyweregood-heartedgirls, unclean, clothedinrags, andprofoundlyignorant. Theirmotherwaslikethem. Butthefatherandthegrandmotherwere a coupleoffiends. Theygotdrunkwhenevertheycould; thentheyfoughteachotheroranybodyelsewhocameintheway; theycursedandsworealways, drunkorsober; JohnCantywas a thief, andhismother a beggar. Theymadebeggarsofthechildren, butfailedtomakethievesofthem. Among, butnotof, thedreadfulrabblethatinhabitedthehouse, was a goodoldpriestwhomtheKinghadturnedoutofhouseandhomewith a pensionof a fewfarthings, andheusedtogetthechildrenasideandteachthemrightwayssecretly. FatherAndrewalsotaughtTom a littleLatin, andhowtoreadandwrite; andwouldhavedonethesamewiththegirls, buttheywereafraidofthejeersoftheirfriends, whocouldnothaveenduredsuch a queeraccomplishmentinthem.
No, Tom's lifewentalongwellenough, especiallyinsummer. Heonlybeggedjustenoughtosavehimself, forthelawsagainstmendicancywerestringent, andthepenaltiesheavy; soheputin a gooddealofhistimelisteningtogoodFatherAndrew's charmingoldtalesandlegendsaboutgiantsandfairies, dwarfsandgenii, andenchantedcastles, andgorgeouskingsandprinces. Hisheadgrewtobefullofthesewonderfulthings, andmany a nightashelayinthedarkonhisscantandoffensivestraw, tired, hungry, andsmartingfrom a thrashing, heunleashedhisimaginationandsoonforgothisachesandpainsindeliciouspicturingstohimselfofthecharmedlifeof a pettedprincein a regalpalace. Onedesirecameintimetohaunthimdayandnight: itwastosee a realprince, withhisowneyes. HespokeofitoncetosomeofhisOffalCourtcomrades; buttheyjeeredhimandscoffedhimsounmercifullythathewasgladtokeephisdreamtohimselfafterthat.
TomcouldalwaysfindsomethinggoingonaroundtheMaypoleinCheapside, andatthefairs; andnowandthenheandtherestofLondonhad a chancetosee a militaryparadewhensomefamousunfortunatewascarriedprisonertotheTower, bylandorboat. Onesummer's dayhesawpoorAnneAskewandthreemenburnedatthestakeinSmithfield, andheardanex-Bishoppreach a sermontothemwhichdidnotinteresthim. Yes, Tom's lifewasvariedandpleasantenough, onthewhole.
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By-and-byTom's readinganddreamingaboutprincelylifewroughtsuch a strongeffectuponhimthathebegantoacttheprince, unconsciously. Hisspeechandmannersbecamecuriouslyceremoniousandcourtly, tothevastadmirationandamusementofhisintimates. ButTom's influenceamongtheseyoungpeoplebegantogrownow, daybyday; andintimehecametobelookedupto, bythem, with a sortofwonderingawe, as a superiorbeing. Heseemedtoknowsomuch! andhecoulddoandsaysuchmarvellousthings! andwithal, hewassodeepandwise! Tom's remarks, andTom's performances, werereportedbytheboystotheirelders; andthese, also, presentlybegantodiscussTomCanty, andtoregardhimas a mostgiftedandextraordinarycreature. Full-grownpeoplebroughttheirperplexitiestoTomforsolution, andwereoftenastonishedatthewitandwisdomofhisdecisions. Infacthewasbecome a herotoallwhoknewhimexcepthisownfamily—these, only, sawnothinginhim.
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Privately, after a while, Tomorganised a royalcourt! Hewastheprince; hisspecialcomradeswereguards, chamberlains, equerries, lordsandladiesinwaiting, andtheroyalfamily. DailythemockprincewasreceivedwithelaborateceremonialsborrowedbyTomfromhisromanticreadings; dailythegreataffairsofthemimickingdomwerediscussedintheroyalcouncil, anddailyhismimichighnessissueddecreestohisimaginaryarmies, navies, andviceroyalties.
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Afterwhich, hewouldgoforthinhisragsandbeg a fewfarthings, eathispoorcrust, takehiscustomarycuffsandabuse, andthenstretchhimselfuponhishandfuloffoulstraw, andresumehisemptygrandeursinhisdreams.
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Andstillhisdesiretolookjustonceupon a realprince, intheflesh, grewuponhim, daybyday, andweekbyweek, untilatlastitabsorbedallotherdesires, andbecametheonepassionofhislife.
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OneJanuaryday, onhisusualbeggingtour, hetrampeddespondentlyupanddowntheregionroundaboutMincingLaneandLittleEastCheap, hourafterhour, bare-footedandcold, lookinginatcook-shopwindowsandlongingforthedreadfulpork-piesandotherdeadlyinventionsdisplayedthere—fortohimtheseweredaintiesfitfortheangels; thatis, judgingbythesmell, theywere—forithadneverbeenhisgoodlucktoownandeatone. Therewas a colddrizzleofrain; theatmospherewasmurky; itwas a melancholyday. AtnightTomreachedhomesowetandtiredandhungrythatitwasnotpossibleforhisfatherandgrandmothertoobservehisforlornconditionandnotbemoved—aftertheirfashion; whereforetheygavehim a briskcuffingatonceandsenthimtobed. For a longtimehispainandhunger, andtheswearingandfightinggoingoninthebuilding, kepthimawake; butatlasthisthoughtsdriftedawaytofar, romanticlands, andhefellasleepinthecompanyofjewelledandgildedprincelingswholiveinvastpalaces, andhadservantssalaamingbeforethemorflyingtoexecutetheirorders. Andthen, asusual, hedreamedthathewas a princelinghimself.
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Allnightlongthegloriesofhisroyalestateshoneuponhim; hemovedamonggreatlordsandladies, in a blazeoflight, breathingperfumes, drinkingindeliciousmusic, andansweringthereverentobeisancesoftheglitteringthrongasitpartedtomakewayforhim, withhere a smile, andthere a nodofhisprincelyhead.