Принц и нищий/Prince and the Pauper (Марк Твен). Страница 74 из 153

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Now

let

the

ancient

chronicler

speak

:

"

A

gentleman

enters

the

room

bearing

a

rod

,

and

along

with

him

another

bearing

a

tablecloth

,

which

,

after

they

have

both

kneeled

three

times

with

the

utmost

veneration

,

he

spreads

upon

the

table

,

and

after

kneeling

again

they

both

retire

;

then

come

two

others

,

one

with

the

rod

again

,

the

other

with

a

salt-cellar

,

a

plate

,

and

bread

;

when

they

have

kneeled

as

the

others

had

done

,

and

placed

what

was

brought

upon

the

table

,

they

too

retire

with

the

same

ceremonies

performed

by

the

first

;

at

last

come

two

nobles

,

richly

clothed

,

one

bearing

a

tasting-knife

,

who

,

after

prostrating

themselves

three

times

in

the

most

graceful

manner

,

approach

and

rub

the

table

with

bread

and

salt

,

with

as

much

awe

as

if

the

King

had

been

present

.

"

So

end

the

solemn

preliminaries

.

Now

,

far

down

the

echoing

corridors

we

hear

a

bugle-blast

,

and

the

indistinct

cry

,

"

Place

for

the

King

!

Way

for

the

King

's

most

excellent

majesty

!

"

These

sounds

are

momently

repeated

--

they

grow

nearer

and

nearer

--

and

presently

,

almost

in

our

faces

,

the

martial

note

peals

and

the

cry

rings

out

,

"

Way

for

the

King

!

"

At

this

instant

the

shining

pageant

appears

,

and

files

in

at

the

door

,

with

a

measured

march

.

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Let

the

chronicler

speak

again

:

--

"

First

come

Gentlemen

,

Barons

,

Earls

,

Knights

of

the

Garter

,

all

richly

dressed

and

bareheaded

;

next

comes

the

Chancellor

,

between

two

,

one

of

which

carries

the

royal

sceptre

,

the

other

the

Sword

of

State

in

a

red

scabbard

,

studded

with

golden

fleurs-de-lis

,

the

point

upwards

;

next

comes

the

King

himself

--

whom

,

upon

his

appearing

,

twelve

trumpets

and

many

drums

salute

with

a

great

burst

of

welcome

,

whilst

all

in

the

galleries

rise

in

their

places

,

crying

'

God

save

the

King

!

'

After

him

come

nobles

attached

to

his

person

,

and

on

his

right

and

left

march

his

guard

of

honour

,

his

fifty

Gentlemen

Pensioners

,

with

gilt

battle-axes

.

"

This

was

all

fine

and

pleasant

.

Tom

's

pulse

beat

high

,

and

a

glad

light

was

in

his

eye

.

He

bore

himself

right

gracefully

,

and

all

the

more

so

because

he

was

not

thinking

of

how

he

was

doing

it

,

his

mind

being

charmed

and

occupied

with

the

blithe

sights

and

sounds

about

him

--

and

besides

,

nobody

can

be

very

ungraceful

in

nicely-fitting

beautiful

clothes

after

he

has

grown

a

little

used

to

them

--

especially

if

he

is

for

the

moment

unconscious

of

them

.

Tom

remembered

his

instructions

,

and

acknowledged

his

greeting

with

a

slight

inclination

of

his

plumed

head

,

and

a

courteous

"

I

thank

ye

,

my

good

people

.

"

He

seated

himself

at

table

,

without

removing

his

cap

;

and

did

it

without

the

least

embarrassment

;

for

to

eat

with

one

's

cap

on

was

the

one

solitary

royal

custom

upon

which

the

kings

and

the

Cantys

met

upon

common

ground

,

neither

party

having

any

advantage

over

the

other

in

the

matter

of

old

familiarity

with

it

.

The

pageant

broke

up

and

grouped

itself

picturesquely

,

and

remained

bareheaded

.

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Now

to

the

sound

of

gay

music

the

Yeomen

of

the

Guard

entered

,

--

"

the

tallest

and

mightiest

men

in

England

,

they

being

carefully

selected

in

this

regard

"

--

but

we

will

let

the

chronicler

tell

about

it

:

--

"

The

Yeomen

of

the

Guard

entered

,

bareheaded

,

clothed

in

scarlet

,

with

golden

roses

upon

their

backs

;

and

these

went

and

came

,

bringing

in

each

turn

a

course

of

dishes

,

served

in

plate

.

These

dishes

were

received

by

a

gentleman

in

the

same

order

they

were

brought

,

and

placed

upon

the

table

,

while

the

taster

gave

to

each

guard

a

mouthful

to

eat

of

the

particular

dish

he

had

brought

,

for

fear

of

any

poison

.

"

Tom

made

a

good

dinner

,

notwithstanding

he

was

conscious

that

hundreds

of

eyes

followed

each

morsel

to

his

mouth

and

watched

him

eat

it

with

an

interest

which

could

not

have

been

more

intense

if

it

had

been

a

deadly

explosive

and

was

expected

to

blow

him

up

and

scatter

him

all

about

the

place

.

He

was

careful

not

to

hurry

,

and

equally

careful

not

to

do

anything

whatever

for

himself

,

but

wait

till

the

proper

official

knelt

down

and

did

it

for

him

.

He

got

through

without

a

mistake

--

flawless

and

precious

triumph

.

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