CHAPTER 7 | The Writings of Mark Twain (beta)

Explanatory Notes Ⓔ
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Apparatus Notes Ⓐ
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CHAPTER 7

[begin page 97]

CHAPTER 7Ⓐ

Somewhat after one in the afternoon, Tom resignedly underwent the ordeal of being dressed for dinner. He found himself as finely clothed as before, but everything different, everything changed, from his ruff to his stockings. He was presently conducted with much state to a spacious and ornate apartment where a tableⒶalteration in the MS was already set—for one. Its furniture was allⒶalteration in the MS of massy gold, and beautified with designs which well nigh made itⒶhistorical collation Ⓐemendation priceless, since they were the work of Benvenuto.Ⓐalteration in the MS The room was half filled with noble servitors. A chaplainⒶalteration in the MS said grace, and Tom was about to fall to, for hunger had long been constitutional with him, but was interrupted by my lord the EarlⒶemendation of Berkeley, who fastenedⒶalteration in the MS a napkin about his neck—for the great [begin page 98]

“fastened a napkin about his neck.”

post of Diaperers to the Princes of Wales was hereditary in this nobleman’s family. Tom’s cup-bearer was present and forestalled all his attempts to help himself to wine. The Taster to his highness the Prince of Wales was there, also, prepared to taste any suspicious dish upon requirement, and run the risk of being poisoned. He was only an ornamental appendage, at this timeⒶ, and was seldomⒶ called upon to exercise his functionⒶ; but there had been times, not many generations past, when the office of Taster had its perils, and was notⒶ a grandeur to be desired. Why they did not use a dog or a plumber seems strange;Ⓐ but all the ways of royalty are strange. My lord d’Arcy, First Groom of the Chamber, was there, to do goodnessⒶ knows what—but there he was—let that suffice. The LordⒶ Chief Butler was there, and stood behind Tom’s chair, overseeing the solemnities, under command of the Lord Great Steward and the Lord Head Cook,Ⓐ who stood near. Tom had threeⒶ hundred and eighty-four servants beside these, but they were not all in that room, of course, nor the quarter of them; neither was Tom aware, yet, that they existed.

All those that were present had been well drilled, within the hour, to remember that the prince was temporarily out of his head, and to be carefulⒶalteration in the MS to show no surprise at his vagaries. These “vagaries” were soon on exhibition before them; but theyⒶalteration in the MS only moved their compassion and their sorrow, not their mirth. It was a heavy affliction to them to see the beloved prince so stricken.

Poor Tom ate with his fingers, mainly; but no one smiled at it, or even seemed to observe it. He inspected his napkin curiously,Ⓐalteration in the MS and with deep interest, for it was of a very dainty and beautiful fabric— then said,Ⓐalteration in the MS with simplicity—

[begin page 99]

“tom ate with his fingers.”

“Prithee take it away, lest in mine unheedfulness it be soiled.”

The Hereditary Diaperer took it away, with reverent manner, and without word or protest of any sort.

Tom examined the turnips and the lettuce with interest, and asked what they were, and if they were to be eaten; for it was only recently that men had begun to raise these things in England, in place of importing them as luxuries from Holland.*Ⓐalteration in the MS His question was answered with grave respect, and no surprise manifested. When he had finished his dessert, he filled his pockets with nuts, but nobody appeared to be aware of itⒶalteration in the MS or disturbed by it. But the next moment he was himself disturbed by it and showed discomposure; for this was the only service he had been permitted to do with his own hands during the meal, and he did not doubt that he had done a most improper and unprincely thing. At that moment the musclesⒶalteration in the MS of his nose began to twitch and the end of that organ to lift and wrinkle. This continued, and Tom began to evince a growing distress. He looked appealingly, first at oneⒶhistorical collation Ⓐalteration in the MS Ⓐemendation Ⓐtextual note and then another of the lords about him, and tears came into his eyes. They sprang forward with dismay in their faces, and begged to know his trouble. Tom said with genuine anguish—

“I crave your indulgence—my nose itcheth cruelly!Ⓐalteration in the MS What is the custom and usage in this emergence? Prithee speed, for ’tis but a little time that I can bear it.”

*See Note 4, at end of volume.Ⓐ [begin page 100]

None smiledⒶalteration in the MS, but all were sore perplexed, and looked one to the other in deepⒶalteration in the MS tribulation for counsel. But behold,Ⓐalteration in the MS here was a dead wall, and nothing in English history to tell how to get over it. The Master of Ceremonies was not present; there was no one who felt safe to venture upon this unchartedⒶhistorical collation sea,Ⓐalteration in the MS or risk the attempt to solveⒶalteration in the MS this solemn problem. Alas, there was no Hereditary Scratcher! Meantime the tears had overflowed their banks and begun to trickle down Tom’sⒶalteration in the MS cheeks. His twitching nose was pleading more urgently than ever for relief. At last natureⒶemendation Ⓐtextual note Ⓐalteration in the MS broke down the barriers of etiquette—Tom lifted up an inward prayer for pardon if he was doing wrong, and brought relief to the burdened hearts of his court by scratching his nose himself.Ⓐalteration in the MS

His meal being ended, a lord came and held before him a broadⒶalteration in the MS shallow golden dish with fragrant rose-water in it, to cleanse his mouth and fingers with, and my lordⒶalteration in the MS the Hereditary Diaperer stood by with a napkin for his use. Tom gazed at the dish a puzzled moment or two, then raised it to his lips and gravely took a draughtⒶalteration in the MS. Then he returned it to the waiting lord and said—

“Nay, it likes me not, my lord; it hathⒶalteration in the MS a pretty flavor, but it wanteth strength.”

“he gravely took a draught.”

[begin page 101]

“tom put on the greaves.”

This new eccentricityⒶalteration in the MS of the prince’s ruined mindⒶalteration in the MS made all the hearts about him ache, but the sad sight moved none to merriment.

Tom’s next unconscious blunder was to get up and leave the table just when the chaplain had taken his stand behind his chair, and with uplifted handsⒶalteration in the MS, and closed, uplifted eyes, was in the act of beginning the blessing. Still nobody seemed to perceive that the prince had done a thing unusual.

By his own request, our small friend was now conducted to his private cabinet and left there alone, to his own devices. Hanging upon hooks in the oaken wainscoting, were the several pieces of a suit of shining steel armor, covered all over with beautiful designs, exquisitely inlaid in goldⒶalteration in the MS. ThisⒶalteration in the MS martial panoply belonged to the true prince—a recent present from Madam Parr the queen. Tom put on the greaves, the gauntlets, the plumed helmet, and such other pieces as he could don without assistance; and for a while was minded to [begin page 102] call for help and complete the matter, but bethought him of the nuts he had brought away from dinner and the joy it would be to eat them with no crowd to eye him and no GrandⒶalteration in the MS Hereditaries to pester him with undesired services; soⒶalteration in the MS he restored the pretty things to their several places, and soon was cracking nuts and feeling almost naturallyⒶhistorical collation Ⓐemendation Ⓐtextual note happy, for the first time since God for his sins had made him a prince. When the nuts were all gone, he stumbled upon some inviting books in a closet—among them one about the etiquette of the English court.Ⓐalteration in the MS This was a prize. He lay down upon a sumptuous divan and proceeded to instruct himself, with honest zeal. Let usⒶalteration in the MS leave him thereⒶalteration in the MS, for the present.Ⓐtextual note

Historical Collation CHAPTER 7

Ⓐ it (Pr, A, E, C) ● them (MS)

Ⓐ first at one (Pr, A, E, C) ● at first to one (MS)

Ⓐ uncharted (MS, A, E) ● unchartered (C)

Ⓐ naturally (Pr, A, E, C) ● actually (MS)

Editorial Emendations CHAPTER 7

Ⓐ it (Pr) ● them

Ⓐ Earl (Pr) ● earl

Ⓐ appealingly, first at one (Pr) ● appealingly at first to one

Ⓐ nature (A) ● Nature

Ⓐ naturally (Pr) ● actually

Alterations in the Manuscript CHAPTER 7

Ⓐ CHAPTER 7] the MS reads ‘Chap. 7.’; ‘7.’ added in ink 3 in a space originally left blank.

Ⓐ table] followed by a canceled comma and canceled ‘whose furniture was all of’.

Ⓐ Its furniture was all] interlined without a caret to replace interlined and canceled ‘Its plates and dishes were all’ which in turn was interlined above canceled ‘Its furniture was all’.

Ⓐ Benvenuto.] follows canceled ‘old’; followed by canceled ‘A priest said grace’.

Ⓐ chaplain] interlined in ink 3 above canceled ‘priest’.

Ⓐ who fastened] follows canceled ‘in’.

Ⓐ at this time] follows canceled ‘however’.

Ⓐ seldom] interlined in ink 3 above canceled ‘never’.

Ⓐ function] followed by a caret added and canceled in ink 3.

Ⓐ was not] follows what appears to be canceled ‘so’ and canceled ‘n’ or ‘u’.

Ⓐ strange;] the semicolon replaces a canceled semicolon.

Ⓐ goodness] interlined in ink 3 to replace canceled ‘God’.

Ⓐ Lord] originally ‘lord’; ‘L’ written over ‘l’.

Ⓐ and the Lord Head Cook,] interlined in ink 3 above a canceled comma; ‘Head Cook,’ follows canceled ‘High Admiral,’.

Ⓐ three] interlined in pencil above canceled ‘a’.

Ⓐ to be careful] ‘be careful’ interlined above canceled ‘instructed’; ‘to’ added in pencil and then retraced in ink 3.

Ⓐ they] ‘these’ interlined in pencil without a caret above ‘they’ and canceled in ink 3.

Ⓐ curiously,] the comma added in ink 3.

Ⓐ said,] the comma added in ink 3.

Ⓐ Holland.*] the asterisk interlined in ink 3 and the footnote added to the bottom of the MS page in ink 3; see entry at 99 note.

Ⓐ be aware of it] follows canceled ‘consider it’.

Ⓐ the muscles] follows canceled ‘his’.

Ⓐ first at one] the MS reads ‘at first to one’ (emended); ‘to’ interlined in pencil.

Ⓐ cruelly!] followed by canceled closing quotation marks.

Ⓐ *See Note . . . volume.] added to the bottom of the MS page in ink 3; originally ‘note’; ‘N’ written over ‘n’.

Ⓐ smiled] follows canceled ‘sp’.

Ⓐ in deep] follows canceled ‘for’.

Ⓐ behold,] interlined above canceled ‘alas,’.

Ⓐ sea,] the comma apparently mended from a period.

Ⓐ to solve] ‘to’ interlined in ink 3.

Ⓐ Tom's] interlined in pencil.

Ⓐ At last nature] originally ‘Nature’, followed by ‘at last’ interlined in ink 3 and canceled; then ‘At last’ interlined in ink 3; the ‘N’ not reduced to ‘n’ (emended); see textual note.

Ⓐ himself.] followed by canceled ¶ ‘His next act was to commit a blunder without knowing it—he got up and left the table without waiting for his chaplain to ask a blessing.’

Ⓐ broad] interlined.

Ⓐ my lord] follows canceled ‘the’.

Ⓐ draught] originally ‘draft’; ‘f’ canceled and ‘ugh’ interlined in ink 3.

Ⓐ hath] originally ‘has’; ‘th’ written over ‘s’.

Ⓐ eccentricity] interlined above canceled ‘proof’.

Ⓐ mind] followed by a comma canceled in ink 3.

Ⓐ uplifted hands] follows canceled ‘clas’ or possibly ‘clos’.

Ⓐ in gold] originally ‘in gold’; ‘in’ canceled and ‘with’ interlined in pencil; ‘with’ canceled and ‘in’ interlined in ink 3.

Ⓐ This] follows canceled ‘It belonged’.

Ⓐ Grand] originally ‘grand’; ‘g’ underlined three times in ink 3.

Ⓐ services; so] originally ‘services. So’; the period mended to a semicolon in ink 3; ‘S’ not reduced to ‘s’.

Ⓐ of the English court.] originally ‘of courts and princes.’; ‘the English’ interlined, the ‘s’ of ‘courts’ and ‘and princes.’ canceled, and the period added after ‘court’; all revisions in ink 3.

Ⓐ Let us] follows canceled ‘Leav’.

Ⓐ there] follows canceled ‘there an hour.’

Textual Notes CHAPTER 7

Ⓐ appealingly, first at one] The manuscript reads “appealingly at first to one.” The reading of the first American edition has been adopted here as Mark Twain's alteration on proof. Even though this alteration occurs in one of the nine chapters of the first American edition with consistent nonauthorial changes in punctuation, the comma after “appealingly” has also been adopted here as part of Mark Twain's alteration.

Ⓐ nature] The manuscript reads “Nature.” Originally the word began the sentence, and when Mark Twain interlined “At last” he left the capital standing. Perhaps he wanted the word to remain a proper noun, but it is more likely that he simply overlooked the correction, as he did for instance at 96.13 (see the alterations list).

Ⓐ naturally] The first American edition reading is adopted here as Mark Twain's change from the manuscript reading, “actually,” although it is tempting to reject it as a memorial error.

Ⓐ present.] Mark Twain's note written in pencil and canceled in ink 3 follows in the manuscript: “Let him hide the Seal.”

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