Принц и нищий
Coronation Day
Withintheseatofthethroneisenclosedaroughflatrock—thestoneofScone—whichmanygenerationsofScottishkingssatontobecrowned,andsoitintimebecameholyenoughtoansweralikepurposeforEnglishmonarchs.Boththethroneanditsfootstoolarecoveredwithclothofgold.
Stillnessreigns,thetorchesblinkdully,thetimedragsheavily.Butatlastthelaggingdaylightassertsitself,thetorchesareextinguished,andamellowradiancesuffusesthegreatspaces.Allfeaturesofthenoblebuildingaredistinctnow,butsoftanddreamy,forthesunislightlyveiledwithclouds.
Atseveno’clockthefirstbreakinthedrowsymonotonyoccurs;foronthestrokeofthishourthefirstpeeressentersthetransept,clothedlikeSolomonforsplendour,andisconductedtoherappointedplacebyanofficialcladinsatinsandvelvets,whilstaduplicateofhimgathersupthelady’slongtrain,followsafter,and,whentheladyisseated,arrangesthetrainacrossherlapforher.Hethenplacesherfootstoolaccordingtoherdesire,afterwhichheputshercoronetwhereitwillbeconvenienttoherhandwhenthetimeforthesimultaneouscoronetingofthenoblesshallarrive.
Bythistimethepeeressesareflowingininaglitteringstream,andthesatin-cladofficialsareflittingandglintingeverywhere,seatingthemandmakingthemcomfortable.Thesceneisanimatedenoughnow.Thereisstirandlife,andshiftingcoloureverywhere.
