Multimedia Mania/abacus-multimedia-mania.iso/dp/0143/01431.txt

Text File | 1993-07-27 | 6KB | 103 lines

$Unique_ID{bob01431}
$Pretitle{}
$Title{Prince And The Pauper, The
Chapter IX}
$Subtitle{}
$Author{Twain, Mark}
$Affiliation{}
$Subject{white

}
$Date{1909}
$Log{}
Title:       Prince And The Pauper, The
Author:      Twain, Mark
Date:        1909

Chapter IX

The River Pageant

     At nine in the evening the whole vast river-front of the palace was
blazing with light.  The river itself, as far as the eye could reach
citywards, was so thickly covered with watermen's boats and with pleasure-
barges, all fringed with colored lanterns, and gently agitated by the
waves, that it resembled a glowing and limitless garden of flowers stirred
to soft motion by summer winds.  The grand terrace of stone steps leading
down to the water, spacious enough to mass the army of a German
principality upon, was a picture to see, with its ranks of royal
halberdiers in polished armor, and its troops of brilliantly costumed
servitors flitting up and down, and to and fro, in the hurry of
preparation.

     Presently a command was given, and immediately all living creatures
vanished from the steps.  Now the air was heavy with the hush of suspense
and expectancy.  As far as one's vision could carry, he might see the
myriads of people in the boats rise up, and shade their eyes from the glare
of lanterns and torches, and gaze toward the palace.

     A file of forty or fifty state barges drew up to the steps.  They were
richly gilt, and their lofty prows and sterns were elaborately carved.
Some of them were decorated with banners and streamers; some with cloth-of-
gold and arras embroidered with coats-of-arms; others with silken flags
that had numberless little silver bells fastened to them, which shook out
tiny showers of joyous music whenever the breezes fluttered them; others of
yet higher pretensions, since they belonged to nobles in the prince's
immediate service, had their sides picturesquely fenced with shields
gorgeously emblazoned with armorial bearings.  Each state barge was towed
by a tender.  Besides the rowers, these tenders carried each a number of
men-at-arms in glossy helmet and breastplate, and a company of musicians.

     The advance-guard of the expected procession now appeared in the great
gateway, a troop of halberdiers.  "They were dressed in striped hose of
black and tawny, velvet caps graced at the sides with silver roses, and
doublets of murrey and blue cloth, embroidered on the front and back with
the three feathers, the prince's blazon, woven in gold.  Their halberd
staves were covered with crimson velvet, fastened with gilt nails, and
ornamented with gold tassels.  Filing off on the right and left, they
formed two long lines, extending from the gateway of the palace to the
water's edge.  A thick, rayed cloth or carpet was then unfolded, and laid
down between them by attendants in the gold-and-crimson liveries of the
prince.  This done, a flourish of trumpets resounded from within.  A lively
prelude arose from the musicians on the water; and two ushers with white
wands marched with a slow and stately pace from the portal.  They were
followed by an officer bearing the civic mace, after whom came another
carrying the city's sword; then several sergeants of the city guard, in
their full accouterments, and with badges on their sleeves; then the Garter
king-at-arms, in his tabard; then several knights of the Bath, each with a
white lace on his sleeve; then their esquires; then the judges, in their
robes of scarlet and coifs; then the Lord High Chancellor of England, in a
robe of scarlet, open before, and purfled with minever; then a deputation
of aldermen, in their scarlet cloaks; and then the heads of the different
civic companies, in their robes of state.  Now came twelve French
gentlemen, in splendid habiliments, consisting of pourpoints of white
damask barred with gold, short mantles of crimson velvet lined with violet
taffeta, and carnation-colored hauts-de-chausses, and took their way down
the steps.  They were of the suite of the French ambassador, and were
followed by twelve cavaliers of the suite of the Spanish ambassador,
clothed in black velvet, unrelieved by any ornament.  Following these came
several great English nobles with their attendants."

     There was a flourish of trumpets within; and the prince's uncle, the
future great Duke of Somerset, emerged from the gateway, arrayed in a
"doublet of black cloth-of-gold, and a cloak of crimson satin flowered with
gold, and ribanded with nets of silver." He turned, doffed his plumed cap,
bent his body in a low reverence, and began to step backward, bowing at
each step.  A prolonged trumpet-blast followed, and a proclamation, "Way
for the high and mighty, the Lord Edward, Prince of Wales!" High aloft on
the palace walls a long line of red tongues of flame leaped forth with a
thunder-crash; the massed world on the river burst into a mighty roar of
welcome; and Tom Canty, the cause and hero of it all, stepped into view,
and slightly bowed his princely head.

     He was "magnificently habited in a doublet of white satin, with a
front-piece of purple cloth-of-tissue, powdered with diamonds, and edged
with ermine.  Over this he wore a mantle of white cloth-of-gold, pounced
with the triple-feather crest, lined with blue satin, set with pearls and
precious stones, and fastened with a clasp of brilliants.  About his neck
hung the order of the Garter, and several princely foreign orders," and
wherever light fell upon him jewels responded with a blinding flash.  O,
Tom Canty, born in a hovel, bred in the gutters of London, familiar with
rags and dirt and misery, what a spectacle is this!