Bythistimethepeeressesareflowinginin a glitteringstream, andthesatin-cladofficialsareflittingandglintingeverywhere, seatingthemandmakingthemcomfortable. Thesceneisanimatedenoughnow. Thereisstirandlife, andshiftingcoloureverywhere. After a time, quietreignsagain; forthepeeressesareallcomeandareallintheirplaces, a solidacreorsuch a matter, ofhumanflowers, resplendentinvariegatedcolours, andfrostedlike a MilkyWaywithdiamonds. Thereareallageshere: brown, wrinkled, white-haireddowagerswhoareabletogoback, andstillback, downthestreamoftime, andrecallthecrowningofRichardIII. andthetroublousdaysofthatoldforgottenage; andtherearehandsomemiddle-ageddames; andlovelyandgraciousyoungmatrons; andgentleandbeautifulyounggirls, withbeamingeyesandfreshcomplexions, whomaypossiblyputontheirjewelledcoronetsawkwardlywhenthegreattimecomes; forthematterwillbenewtothem, andtheirexcitementwillbe a sorehindrance. Still, thismaynothappen, forthehairofalltheseladieshasbeenarrangedwith a specialviewtotheswiftandsuccessfullodgingofthecrowninitsplacewhenthesignalcomes.
5
Wehaveseenthatthismassedarrayofpeeressesissownthickwithdiamonds, andwealsoseethatitis a marvellousspectacle—butnowweareabouttobeastonishedinearnest. Aboutnine, thecloudssuddenlybreakawayand a shaftofsunshinecleavesthemellowatmosphere, anddriftsslowlyalongtheranksofladies; andeveryrankittouchesflamesinto a dazzlingsplendourofmany-colouredfires, andwetingletoourfinger-tipswiththeelectricthrillthatisshotthroughusbythesurpriseandthebeautyofthespectacle! Presently a specialenvoyfromsomedistantcorneroftheOrient, marchingwiththegeneralbodyofforeignambassadors, crossesthisbarofsunshine, andwecatchourbreath, theglorythatstreamsandflashesandpalpitatesabouthimissooverpowering; forheiscrustedfromheadtoheelwithgems, andhisslightestmovementshowers a dancingradianceallaroundhim.
6
Letuschangethetenseforconvenience. Thetimedriftedalong—onehour—twohours—twohoursand a half; thenthedeepboomingofartillerytoldthattheKingandhisgrandprocessionhadarrivedatlast; sothewaitingmultituderejoiced. Allknewthat a furtherdelaymustfollow, fortheKingmustbepreparedandrobedforthesolemnceremony; butthisdelaywouldbepleasantlyoccupiedbytheassemblingofthepeersoftherealmintheirstatelyrobes. Thesewereconductedceremoniouslytotheirseats, andtheircoronetsplacedconvenientlyathand; andmeanwhilethemultitudeinthegallerieswerealivewithinterest, formostofthemwerebeholdingforthefirsttime, dukes, earls, andbarons, whosenameshadbeenhistoricalforfivehundredyears. Whenallwerefinallyseated, thespectaclefromthegalleriesandallcoignsofvantagewascomplete; a gorgeousonetolookuponandtoremember.
7
Nowtherobedandmitredgreatheadsofthechurch, andtheirattendants, filedinupontheplatformandtooktheirappointedplaces; thesewerefollowedbytheLordProtectorandothergreatofficials, andtheseagainby a steel-claddetachmentoftheGuard.
8
Therewas a waitingpause; then, at a signal, a triumphantpealofmusicburstforth, andTomCanty, clothedin a longrobeofclothofgold, appearedat a door, andsteppedupontheplatform. Theentiremultituderose, andtheceremonyoftheRecognitionensued.
9
Then a nobleanthemswepttheAbbeywithitsrichwavesofsound; andthusheraldedandwelcomed, TomCantywasconductedtothethrone. Theancientceremonieswenton, withimpressivesolemnity, whilsttheaudiencegazed; andastheydrewnearerandnearertocompletion, TomCantygrewpale, andstillpaler, and a deepandsteadilydeepeningwoeanddespondencysettleddownuponhisspiritsanduponhisremorsefulheart.
10
Atlastthefinalactwasathand. TheArchbishopofCanterburyliftedupthecrownofEnglandfromitscushionandhelditoutoverthetremblingmock-King's head. Inthesameinstant a rainbow-radianceflashedalongthespacioustransept; forwithoneimpulseeveryindividualinthegreatconcourseofnobleslifted a coronetandpoiseditoverhisorherhead—andpausedinthatattitude.
11
A deephushpervadedtheAbbey. Atthisimpressivemoment, a startlingapparitionintrudeduponthescene—anapparitionobservedbynoneintheabsorbedmultitude, untilitsuddenlyappeared, movingupthegreatcentralaisle. Itwas a boy, bareheaded, illshod, andclothedincoarseplebeiangarmentsthatwerefallingtorags. Heraisedhishandwith a solemnitywhichillcomportedwithhissoiledandsorryaspect, anddeliveredthisnoteofwarning—
12
"I forbidyoutosetthecrownofEnglanduponthatforfeitedhead. I amtheKing!"
13
Inaninstantseveralindignanthandswerelaidupontheboy; butinthesameinstantTomCanty, inhisregalvestments, made a swiftstepforward, andcriedoutin a ringingvoice—
14
"Loosehimandforbear! HeistheKing!"
15
A sortofpanicofastonishmentswepttheassemblage, andtheypartlyroseintheirplacesandstaredin a bewilderedwayatoneanotherandatthechieffiguresinthisscene, likepersonswhowonderedwhethertheywereawakeandintheirsenses, orasleepanddreaming. TheLordProtectorwasasamazedastherest, butquicklyrecoveredhimself, andexclaimedin a voiceofauthority—
"WherelieththeGreatSeal? Answermethistruly, andtheriddleisunriddled; foronlyhethatwasPrinceofWalescansoanswer! Onsotrivial a thinghang a throneand a dynasty!"
31
Itwas a luckythought, a happythought. Thatitwassoconsideredbythegreatofficialswasmanifestedbythesilentapplausethatshotfromeyetoeyearoundtheircircleintheformofbrightapprovingglances. Yes, nonebutthetrueprincecoulddissolvethestubbornmysteryofthevanishedGreatSeal—thisforlornlittleimpostorhadbeentaughthislessonwell, butherehisteachingsmustfail, forhisteacherhimselfcouldnotanswerthatquestion—ah, verygood, verygoodindeed; nowweshallberidofthistroublesomeandperilousbusinessinshortorder! Andsotheynoddedinvisiblyandsmiledinwardlywithsatisfaction, andlookedtoseethisfoolishladstrickenwith a palsyofguiltyconfusion. Howsurprisedtheywere, then, toseenothingofthesorthappen—howtheymarvelledtohearhimansweruppromptly, in a confidentanduntroubledvoice, andsay—
32
"Thereisnoughtinthisriddlethatisdifficult." Then, withoutsomuchas a by-your-leavetoanybody, heturnedandgavethiscommand, withtheeasymannerofoneaccustomedtodoingsuchthings: "MyLordSt. John, goyoutomyprivatecabinetinthepalace—fornoneknoweththeplacebetterthanyou—and, closedowntothefloor, intheleftcornerremotestfromthedoorthatopensfromtheante-chamber, youshallfindinthewall a brazennail-head; pressuponitand a littlejewel-closetwillflyopenwhichnotevenyoudoknowof—no, noranysoulelseinalltheworldbutmeandthetrustyartisanthatdidcontriveitforme. ThefirstthingthatfallethunderyoureyewillbetheGreatSeal—fetchithither."
33
Allthecompanywonderedatthisspeech, andwonderedstillmoretoseethelittlemendicantpickoutthispeerwithouthesitancyorapparentfearofmistake, andcallhimbynamewithsuch a placidlyconvincingairofhavingknownhimallhislife. Thepeerwasalmostsurprisedintoobeying. Heevenmade a movementasiftogo, butquicklyrecoveredhistranquilattitudeandconfessedhisblunderwith a blush. TomCantyturneduponhimandsaid, sharply—
TheLordSt. Johnmade a deepobeisance—anditwasobservedthatitwas a significantlycautiousandnon-committalone, itnotbeingdeliveredateitherofthekings, butattheneutralgroundabouthalf-waybetweenthetwo—andtookhisleave.
36
Nowbegan a movementofthegorgeousparticlesofthatofficialgroupwhichwasslow, scarcelyperceptible, andyetsteadyandpersistent—a movementsuchasisobservedin a kaleidoscopethatisturnedslowly, wherebythecomponentsofonesplendidclusterfallawayandjointhemselvestoanother—a movementwhich, littlebylittle, inthepresentcase, dissolvedtheglitteringcrowdthatstoodaboutTomCantyandclusteredittogetheragainintheneighbourhoodofthenew-comer. TomCantystoodalmostalone. Nowensued a briefseasonofdeepsuspenseandwaiting—duringwhicheventhefewfaintheartsstillremainingnearTomCantygraduallyscrapedtogethercourageenoughtoglide, onebyone, overtothemajority. SoatlastTomCanty, inhisroyalrobesandjewels, stoodwhollyaloneandisolatedfromtheworld, a conspicuousfigure, occupyinganeloquentvacancy.
37
NowtheLordSt. Johnwasseenreturning. Asheadvancedupthemid-aisletheinterestwassointensethatthelowmurmurofconversationinthegreatassemblagediedoutandwassucceededby a profoundhush, a breathlessstillness, throughwhichhisfootfallspulsedwith a dullanddistantsound. Everyeyewasfasteneduponhimashemovedalong. Hereachedtheplatform, paused a moment, thenmovedtowardTomCantywith a deepobeisance, andsaid—
38
"Sire, theSealisnotthere!"
39
A mobdoesnotmeltawayfromthepresenceof a plague-patientwithmorehastethanthebandofpallidandterrifiedcourtiersmeltedawayfromthepresenceoftheshabbylittleclaimantoftheCrown. In a momenthestoodallalone, withoutfriendorsupporter, a targetuponwhichwasconcentrated a bitterfireofscornfulandangrylooks. TheLordProtectorcalledoutfiercely—
"Hold, thatisenough! Wasitround?—andthick?—andhaditlettersanddevicesgraveduponit?—yes? Oh, now I knowwhatthisGreatSealisthatthere's beensuchworryandpotherabout. An' yehaddescribedittome, yecouldhavehaditthreeweeksago. Rightwell I knowwhereitlies; butitwasnot I thatputitthere—first."
A silenceensued, undisturbedby a movementor a whisper, andalleyeswerefixeduponthenew-comer, whostood, withbentheadandcorrugatedbrow, gropinginhismemoryamong a throngingmultitudeofvaluelessrecollectionsforonesinglelittleelusivefact, which, found, wouldseathimupon a throne—unfound, wouldleavehimashewas, forgoodandall—a pauperandanoutcast. Momentaftermomentpassed—themomentsbuiltthemselvesintominutes—stilltheboystruggledsilentlyon, andgavenosign. Butatlastheheaved a sigh, shookhisheadslowly, andsaid, with a tremblinglipandin a despondentvoice—
50
"I callthesceneback—allofit—buttheSealhathnoplaceinit." Hepaused, thenlookedup, andsaidwithgentledignity, "Mylordsandgentlemen, ifyewillrobyourrightfulsovereignofhisownforlackofthisevidencewhichheisnotabletofurnish, I maynotstayye, beingpowerless. But—"
AsTomcheckedoffhisdetails, andtheotherboynoddedhisheadinrecognitionofthem, thegreataudienceandtheofficialsstaredinpuzzledwonderment; thetalesoundedliketruehistory, yethowcouldthisimpossibleconjunctionbetween a princeand a beggar-boyhavecomeabout? Neverwas a companyofpeoplesoperplexed, sointerested, andsostupefied, before.
53
"For a jest, myprince, wedidexchangegarments. Thenwestoodbefore a mirror; andsoalikewerewethatbothsaiditseemedasiftherehadbeennochangemade—yes, yourememberthat. Thenyounoticedthatthesoldierhadhurtmyhand—look! hereitis, I cannotyetevenwritewithit, thefingersaresostiff. AtthisyourHighnesssprangup, vowingvengeanceuponthatsoldier, andrantowardsthedoor—youpassed a table—thatthingyoucalltheSeallayonthattable—yousnatcheditupandlookedeagerlyabout, asiffor a placetohideit—youreyecaughtsightof—"
54
"There, 'tissufficient!—andthegoodGodbethanked!" exclaimedtheraggedclaimant, in a mightyexcitement. "Go, mygoodSt. John—inanarm-pieceoftheMilanesearmourthathangsonthewall, thou'ltfindtheSeal!"
"I willnothaveitso. Butforhim I hadnotgotmycrownagain—noneshalllay a handuponhimtoharmhim. Andasforthee, mygooduncle, myLordProtector, thisconductofthineisnotgratefultowardthispoorlad, for I hearhehathmadethee a duke"—theProtectorblushed—"yethewasnot a king; whereforewhatisthyfinetitleworthnow? To-morrowyoushallsuetome, throughhim, foritsconfirmation, elsenoduke, but a simpleearl, shaltthouremain."
65
Underthisrebuke, hisGracetheDukeofSomersetretired a littlefromthefrontforthemoment. TheKingturnedtoTom, andsaidkindly—"Mypoorboy, howwasitthatyoucouldrememberwhere I hidtheSealwhen I couldnotrememberitmyself?"
66
"Ah, myKing, thatwaseasy, since I useditdiversdays."
67
"Usedit—yetcouldnotexplainwhereitwas?"
68
"I didnotknowitwasthattheywanted. Theydidnotdescribeit, yourMajesty."