CHAPTER XVI. The State Dinner.
The dinner hour drew near--yet strangely enough, the thought broughtbut slight discomfort to Tom, and hardly any terror. ?The morning'sexperiences had wonderfully built up his confidence; the poor littleash-cat was already more wonted to his strange garret, after fourdays' habit, than a mature person could have become in a full month. ?Achild's facility in accommodating itself to circumstances was never morestrikingly illustrated.
Let us privileged ones hurry to the great banqueting-room and have aglance at matters there whilst Tom is being made ready for theimposing occasion. ?It is a spacious apartment, with gilded pillarsand pilasters, and pictured walls and ceilings. ?At the door stand tallguards, as rigid as statues, dressed in rich and picturesque costumes,and bearing halberds. ?In a high gallery which runs all around the placeis a band of musicians and a packed company of citizens of both sexes,in brilliant attire. ?In the centre of the room, upon a raised platform,is Tom's table. Now let the ancient chronicler speak:
"A gentleman enters the room bearing a rod, and along with him anotherbearing a tablecloth, which, after they have both kneeled three timeswith the utmost veneration, he spreads upon the table, and afterkneeling again they both retire; then come two others, one with the rodagain, the other with a salt-cellar, a plate, and bread; when they havekneeled as the others had done, and placed what was brought upon thetable, 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 gracefulmanner, approach and rub the table with bread and salt, with as much aweas if the King had been present." {6}
So end the solemn preliminaries. ?Now, far down the echoing corridorswe hear a bugle-blast, and the indistinct cry, "Place for the King!?Way for the King's most excellent majesty!" ?These sounds are momentlyrepeated--they grow nearer and nearer--and presently, almost in ourfaces, 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. Let the chronicler speak again:--
"First come Gentlemen, Barons, Earls, Knights of the Garter, all richlydressed and bareheaded; next comes the Chancellor, between two, one ofwhich carries the royal sceptre, the other the Sword of State in a redscabbard, studded with golden fleurs-de-lis, the point upwards; nextcomes the King himself--whom, upon his appearing, twelve trumpets andmany drums salute with a great burst of welcome, whilst all in thegalleries rise in their places, crying 'God save the King!' ?After himcome nobles attached to his person, and on his right and left march hisguard of honour, his fifty Gentlemen Pensioners, with gilt battle-axes."
This was all fine and pleasant. ?Tom's pulse beat high, and a glad lightwas in his eye. ?He bore himself right gracefully, and all the moreso because he was not thinking of how he was doing it, his mind beingcharmed and occupied with the blithe sights and sounds about him--andbesides, nobody can be very ungraceful in nicely-fitting beautifulclothes after he has grown a little used to them--especially if he isfor the moment unconscious of them. Tom remembered his instructions, andacknowledged 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 withoutthe least embarrassment; for to eat with one's cap on was the onesolitary royal custom upon which the kings and the Cantys met uponcommon ground, neither party having any advantage over the other in thematter of old familiarity with it. ?The pageant broke up and groupeditself picturesquely, and remained bareheaded.
Now to the sound of gay music the Yeomen of the Guard entered,--"thetallest and mightiest men in England, they being carefully selected inthis regard"--but we will let the chronicler tell about it:--
"The Yeomen of the Guard entered, bareheaded, clothed in scarlet, withgolden roses upon their backs; and these went and came, bringing in eachturn a course of dishes, served in plate. ?These dishes were receivedby a gentleman in the same order they were brought, and placed uponthe table, while the taster gave to each guard a mouthful to eat of theparticular dish he had brought, for fear of any poison."
Tom made a good dinner, notwithstanding he was conscious that hundredsof eyes followed each morsel to his mouth and watched him eat it with aninterest which could not have been more intense if it had been a deadlyexplosive and was expected to blow him up and scatter him all aboutthe place. ?He was careful not to hurry, and equally careful not to doanything whatever for himself, but wait till the proper official kneltdown and did it for him. ?He got through without a mistake--flawless andprecious triumph.
When the meal was over at last and he marched away in the midst of hisbright pageant, with the happy noises in his ears of blaring bugles,rolling drums, and thundering acclamations, he felt that if he had seenthe worst of dining in public it was an ordeal which he would be gladto endure several times a day if by that means he could but buy himselffree from some of the more formidable requirements of his royal office.