illustration of the prince and the pauper standing back to back with a castle on the prince's side and a low building on the pauper's

The Prince and the Pauper

by Mark Twain

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Chapters 13-14 Summary

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After eating, Edward lies down to sleep after ordering Miles to undress him for the night. Miles covers him again and lies down across the door, as Edward had told him to do.

In the morning, Miles measures Edward and tells him to go back to sleep, covering up even his head. Miles goes out to buy some second-hand clothes for Edward to replace his rags. He plans to take Edward to his father’s home at Hendon Hall, some distance from London.

He returns and mends the clothes as Edward sleeps. When he is finished, Miles tells Edward to wake up but finds that Edward is gone. The servant arrives, bringing breakfast. Miles learns that a youth came for Edward with the message that he was to meet Miles at Southwark. The servant also says that the two were met by a ruffian, who took them away. Miles vows that he will search until he finds Edward.

Tom awakens, thinking that he has been dreaming of being a prince. He calls for his sisters to tell them about it, only to discover that it was no dream. He falls back asleep and dreams of a dwarf who tells him to dig by a stump, where he finds twelve pennies. He takes them home, giving some to his mother, proud that he did not have to beg or steal for them.

When he awakens again, Tom must undergo the ordeal of being dressed by a long line of attendants. After breakfast, he learns that the king is to be buried the following month. Tom asks if the body will keep. Tom must then listen to the business of the day, but soon falls asleep.

He is awakened by his whipping boy, who must bear the punishment that the prince is to receive for failing in his lessons. The whipping boy’s name is Humphrey Marlowe, and he explains to Tom that just a few days previously he had been whipped when the prince did not know his Greek lessons. Humphrey expresses great concern that, now that the prince is the king, his services will not be needed, since the king will be giving up his lessons. He fears that he and his sisters will starve once he loses his position.

Tom assures him that he will continue with his lessons and fail in them often to ensure Humphrey a job. He gives him the hereditary title of the Grand Whipping Boy, which will be passed down to his descendants.

The Earl of Hertford enters and asks once again if Tom remembers where the Great Seal is. When Tom asks what it looks like, Hertford despairs that the new king has once more lost his mind.

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