The Prince and the Pauper

(After Mark Twain)

Characters

Edward Tudor (Prince of Wales) — a tall, good-looking boy dressed in rags.

John Canty (Tom's father).

Hugo — a beggar boy of 14-16.

Miles Hendon (Edward's friend) — a strong, well-dressed young man.

Two Women Prisoners.

The Story-teller.

An Officer.

A Guard.

The First Prisoner.

The Second Prisoner.

A Servant.

People in the street.

Beggars.

Scene I

Story-teller: As you know, Edward, the Prince of Wales and Tom Canty, the poor beggar-boy, exchanged clothes and Edward left the palace. He began to wander about the streets of London. Tom's father found him, took him for his son and brought him to Offal Court; but the boy ran away and returned to the palace of his father, the king. On the left of the stage you'll see the gates leading to the palace, and the guard standing at the gates.

(The Prince, in Tom Canty's rags, appears from the left followed by a crowd of people. He goes up to the gates.)

Prince: Open the gates! I'm Edward, the Prince of Wales.

(The people begin to laugh.)

Voices: You? The Prince of Wales? Ha — ha — ha!

(The guard pushes Edward away.)

Prince (with tears in his eyes): I'm the Prince of Wales.

(Again laughter. The prince terribly upset begins to cry.)

Miles (to the prince): I don't know whether you are the prince or not, but I shall not allow them to laugh at you. I, Miles Hendon, shall defend you.

(Miles Hendon and the prince begin to talk in low voices. John Canty appears from the right and goes up to them.)

John Canty (angrily): Tom, where have you been all this time? If you try to run away from your father once more, you'll get a good beating.

Miles (in surprise): Is that man really your father, lad?

Edward (frightened): No, no, he isn't. I won't go with him.

Miles: If that is so, you can stay with me. (To John.) And you, you go your own way or it will be the worse for you.

(Miles Hendon puts his hand down to take out his sword. John Canty understands that Miles is dangerous and leaves without saying a word. An officer marches up to the gates.)

Officer: The king is dead! Long live the king!

All: The king is dead! Long live the king!

Miles: Long live king Edward the Sixth!

Edward (to the audience): So now I'm the king and I can't get into my palace.

(Miles Hendon and Edward go off together.)

Curtain.

Scene II

Place: A poorly furnished room in an inn with only a bed, a table, two chairs and a washstand.

(Miles and Edward enter. The prince goes over to the bed and lies down upon it.)

Miles (to the audience): He uses my bed as if he owned it. He really imagines himself to be the Prince of Wales. But I like him and I shall take care of him. I shall be a brother to him He needs a friend.

(A servant comes in with a hot meal, puts it on the table and leaves the room. Edward opens his eyes.)

Miles: Now, we shall have a good supper.

Edward (rises and goes over to the washstand): I want to wash. Hold the towel for me.

(Miles smiles to himself but takes a towel and holds it till the boy has finished washing. Then Miles goes to the table, sits down and starts to eat.)

Edward (angrily): How dare you sit in the presence of your king?

(Miles rises. Edward sits down and begins to eat hungrily.)

Miles (to the audience): All right! Let him imagine that he is the king. I shall let him think I believe him.

Edward (finishes his meal): You are a kind, brave man. You helped me when I needed help so much. I want to thank you and give you something for your kindness. Name your wish.

Miles (falling upon one knee): Sir, I have one thing to ask you: will you allow me to sit in your presence?

Edward: All right, Miles Hendon, I will allow you to sit in the presence of your king, and not only you, but your children and your grandchildren as well.

Miles: Thank you very much.

(He sits down and begins to eat.)

Edward (rising): I feel very sleepy. Take off my clothes.

(Miles Hendon takes off his rags and the boy lies down on the bed.)

Miles (to the audience): He has taken my bed as before. What shall I do?

Edward (sleepily): You'll sleep by the door and guard it.

Miles (lying down on the floor near the door): How well he plays his part.

(They both fall asleep. The lights go out. When they are switched on again we see the same room, Miles Hendon enters with a boy's suit.)

Miles Hendon (to the audience): I've bought a new suit for the boy. Now I'll wake him up. (Going up to the bed.) Please, rise, my lord! (In surprise.) He doesn't answer. He's still asleep.

(Miles throws back the blanket. The boy is not there. He looks about him and doesn't see the boy's rags. At that moment a servant enters with breakfast.)

Hendon: Where is the boy?

Servant: When you left, sir, a lad came and said that you had asked him to take the boy to you at once. He said that you were waiting for him at the near end of the bridge. The boy was angry but he put on his rags and went with the lad.

Miles: Was the lad alone?

Servant: He came alone. But now I remember that at the end of the bridge a man came up to the boy.

Miles (to the audience): It was the man who called himself his father. I'm sure. I've lost you, my poor little boy who thinks he's a prince. But I haven't! I shall look for him everywhere till I find him.

Curtain.

Scene III

(Edward and Hugo appear in front of the curtain. Edward stops.)

Edward: Where are you taking me? I shan't go any further. I shall stop where I am. Hendon must come to me, not I go to him.

Hugo: Do you want to stay here when your friend is lying wounded in the woods?

Edward: Wounded? Let us hurry then! Quick, quick, my lad! Where is he?

(John Canty appears from the left and goes up to them.)

John (ironically): So you run away from your father, do you?

Edward (shouts): You are not my father. I do not know you. I am the king. If you have hidden my servant, find him for me or I shall order my soldiers to hang you.

John (in a loud voice): You are mad, it is quite clear. I don't want to beat you, but if you continue to talk like that, I shall have to. Where are your mother and sisters?

Edward: I know nothing about your family. Nothing!

John (taking Edward by the hand): Come along now!

(They go off. The curtain rises and we see a barn, a tin basin, a dirty blanket and a barrel in the corner. John, Edward and Hugo enter.)

John: Sit down, Hugo, and rest a little.

(John and Hugo sit down on the floor and begin talking together in low voices. Edward goes to the farthest corner of the barn, lies down and soon falls asleep. Many people in rags, they are beggars, appear one by one and sit down on the floor in the middle of the stage. John and Hugo go over to them. One of them begins to talk and wakes Edward.)

First Beggar: Listen to me, friends! I was a farmer. I had a mother, a good wife, and good children. Now I'm alone in the world. My old mother took care of sick people, and one of them died. Nobody knew why. So she was burned as a witch. Then I had to beg from house to house because I couldn't bear to see my children hungry. But the English law doesn't allow people to beg. I was beaten many times and at last was sold as a slave. I've run away from my master, and when I'm found, the English law will hang me.

Edward (stands): No, it will not hang you. I'll not allow it.

First Beggar (in surprise): Who is that? (To Edward.) Who are you?

Edward (going towards them): I'm Edward, King of England. (Laughter.)

Edward: You thieves and beggars, is this how you thank your king? (The laughter grows louder.)

John: Friends, this is my mad son; he thinks he is the king.

Edward (stepping forward): I am the king.

Beggars (one after another): Long live Edward, King of England.

Edward (bowing his head): I thank you, my good people.

First Beggar: Foo-Foo the first, King of Fools.

Beggars: Long live Foo-Foo the first.

(They crown him with the tin basin, put the dirty old blanket on his shoulders and put him on the throne — the barrel. Then all of them fall upon their knees.)

Beggars (ironically): Oh, sweet king, oh, king Foo-Foo.

(Edward sits there unable to understand anything.)

Curtain.

Scene IV

Story-teller: Life with the beggars and thieves was hard for Edward, but he did not live with them for long. Miles Hendon found him again. Then they both went to Hendon Hall where Miles had been born and had lived as a boy. Of his three sons the father's favourite was Hugh, the youngest. Miles was sent to serve in the army. Some years later a letter came (Written by Hugh) that Miles had been killed in battle.

When Miles and Edward arrived at Hendon Hall, Miles found that his father was dead and that Hugh was the owner of the place. But Miles was the eldest son and by law he should be the owner.

Hugh Hendon was a cruel man and everyone obeyed him. No one recognized Miles, and Hugh ordered him and Edward to be put in prison.

Place: A prison cell with two benches at the wall.

(Edward is very angry. He is walking up and down the cell. Miles Hendon is sitting in the corner on one of the benches, silent and sad. Two other prisoners are sitting on the other bench. They are talking in low voices.)

Edward (stopping in front of Hendon): It's strange, very strange. I can't understand what has happened.

Miles: No, it isn't strange. I know Hugh. He was always cruel and he always hated me.

Edward: Oh, I don't mean him, Sir Miles.

Miles: Then what? What is strange?

Edward: That nobody is looking for the king; that no messengers go from town to town, from village to village describing me and looking for me.

(The door opens and two women appear. They go up to the king.)

Edward: Why are you in prison?

First Woman (sadly): We were baptists.

Edward: Is that a crime for which people have to be shut up in prison? I'm sure they will not keep you long for such a little thing. (The women don't answer.) Tell me, what will they do with you? (One of them begins to cry.) Will they beat you? I'm very sorry for you.

Second Woman (with tears in her eyes): Oh, don't think of us, dear boy.

Edward: Then I understand they'll beat you. Oh, you must not cry. When I'm the king again, I'll change these cruel laws. (The door opens again and an officer goes up to the women.)

Officer (to the women): Follow me. (He goes. They follow him.)

Edward (to Miles): What are they going to do with them?

Miles: I'm sorry to say it, but they are to be burnt to death.

Edward: Oh! How awful!

First Man: I killed a deer in the king's park and I am to be hanged.

Second Man: I found a bird one evening that had flown away from its owner. I took it home and now I am to be hanged for stealing.

Edward (to the two men): Nobody believes I'm the king. But it does not matter. In a month you will be free. All of you. And more than that, I shall change the laws that bring shame on England. The world is made wrong; kings must see what their laws do. In that way they will learn to be kind.

Curtain.

В пьесе "The Prince and the Pauper" все мужчины, кроме нищих, одеты в колготки, короткие шаровары, значительно выше колен, рубашки и камзолы, надетые поверх шаровар и почти закрывающие их. Каждый из них туго перетянут поясом. Хорошо, если рукава у рубашки широкие и присборены в двух местах — один раз выше локтя, другой — ниже. У Майлса Гендона за поясом — шпага, в руках у стражников алебарды. На длинном древке насажено топоровидное лезвие, заканчивающееся обычно острым копьем. Алебарды можно сделать из дерева на уроках труда. Две женщины, которых ведут на казнь, одеты в старые платья с заплатами. На Эдварде, Джоне Кенти, Гуго и на всех нищих — лохмотья.

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