Chapter 28

CORONATION DAY

When the coronation procession was over, people filled Westminster Abbey to watch the coronation ceremony. Great lords and ladies clothed in silks and velvets, gathered in the Abbey, waiting for the young king. At a signal, the sounds of the anthem filled the Abbey, and Tom Canty, clothed in a beautiful long mantle, appeared in the door. He was led to the throne, which stood on a platform, and the ceremony began. At last the Archbishop of Canterbury lifted up the crown of England and held it over the head of Tom Canty. The boy got very pale and sadness filled his heart.

Suddenly something strange happened: a boy clothed in rags, came up to the platform. He raised his hand and said loudly: " Don't put the crown of England on his head. I am the king. "

In a moment several hands pulled the lad away from the platform, but at the same moment Tom Canty stepped toward him and cried out in a ringing voice: " Do not touch him. He is the king. "

Surprise and panic made the people rise from their places and look attentively at the two boys. Everybody noticed that they looked very much alike. Then the Lord Protector said:

" Pay no attention to the words of his majesty. He is ill again. Take the beggar. . . "

But Tom stepped forward and cried out:

" Do not touch him, he is the king! "

Silence fell upon the hall. No one moved, no one spoke: indeed, no one knew what to do or what to say. The boy climbed the platform, and Tom Canty ran with a glad face to meet him. He fell on his knees before him and said: " Oh, my lord the king. . . " The Lord Protector's eyes fell upon the stranger's face and he also noticed what the others had noticed before: the boys looked alike.

He thought a moment or two, then said:

" If you please, sir, I should like to ask you a few questions. "

" I will answer them, my lord. "

The Lord Protector asked him many questions about the palace, about King Henry VIII, the prince and the princesses. The lad answered them correctly. He described the king's rooms and those of the Prince of Wales.

It was strange; it was wonderful — so all said that heard. But the Lord Protector shook his head and said: " It is true, it is most wonderful. But it is not more than our lord the king can do. "

He still called Tom Canty 'king' and this made Tom very sad. He was losing all hope of returning home.

Answer the questions.

1) Where did the coronation ceremony take place?

2) What happened when the Archbishop of Canterbury lifted up the crown of England over the head of Tom Canty?

3) What did Tom Canty cry out?

4) What did all the people notice?

5) Did the Lord Protector ask Edward many questions?

6) Were Edward’s answers correct?

⇐ Предыдущая 19 20 21 22 23 24 252627 28 Следующая ⇒