Никогде
One
Twothousandyearsbefore,LondonhadbeenalittleCelticvillageonthenorthshoreoftheThames,whichtheRomanshadencountered,thensettledin.Londonhadgrown,slowly,until,roughlyathousandyearslater,itmetthetinyRoyalCityofWestminsterimmediatelytothewest,and,onceLondonBridgehadbeenbuilt,LondontouchedthetownofSouthwarkdirectlyacrosstheriver;anditcontinuedtogrow,fieldsandwoodsandmarshlandslowlyvanishingbeneaththeflourishingtown,anditcontinuedtoexpand,encounteringotherlittlevillagesandhamletsasitgrew,likeWhitechapelandDept-fordtotheeast,HammersmithandShepherd’sBushtothewest,CamdenandIslingtoninthenorth,BatterseaandLambethacrosstheThamestothesouth,absorbingallofthem,justasapoolofmercuryencountersandincorporatessmallerbeadsofmercury,leavingonlytheirnamesbehind.
Londongrewintosomethinghugeandcontradictory.Itwasagoodplace,andafinecity,butthereisapricetobepaidforallgoodplaces,andapricethatallgoodplaceshavetopay.
Afterawhile,RichardfoundhimselftakingLondonforgranted;intime,hebegantopridehimselfonhavingvisitednoneofthesightsofLondon(exceptfortheTowerofLondon,whenhisAuntMaudecamedowntothecityforaweekend,andRichardfoundhimselfherreluctantescort).
ButJessicachangedallthat.Richardfoundhimself,onotherwisesensibleweekends,accompanyinghertoplacesliketheNationalGalleryandtheTateGallery,wherehelearnedthatwalkingaroundmuseumstoolonghurtsyourfeet,thatthegreatarttreasuresoftheworldallblurintoeachotherafterawhile,andthatitisalmostbeyondthehumancapacityforbelieftoaccepthowmuchmuseumcafeteriaswillbrazenlychargeforasliceofcakeandacupoftea.
