Троє в човні крім собаки
Chapter 6
No,therewouldbetoomanyofthem!Itwouldbethehousesthathehadneverenteredthatwouldbecomefamous. "OnlyhouseinSouthLondonthatHarrisneverhadadrinkin!" Thepeoplewouldflocktoittoseewhatcouldhavebeenthematterwithit.
Howpoorweak-mindedKingEdwymusthavehatedKyningestun! Thecoronationfeasthadbeentoomuchforhim. Maybeboar’sheadstuffedwithsugar-plumsdidnotagreewithhim(itwouldn’twithme,Iknow),andhehadhadenoughofsackandmead;soheslippedfromthenoisyreveltostealaquietmoonlighthourwithhisbelovedElgiva.
Perhaps,fromthecasement,standinghand-in-hand,theywerewatchingthecalmmoonlightontheriver,whilefromthedistanthallstheboisterousrevelryfloatedinbrokenburstsoffaint-hearddinandtumult.
ThenbrutalOdoandSt.Dunstanforcetheirrudewayintothequietroom,andhurlcoarseinsultsatthesweet-facedQueen,anddragpoorEdwybacktotheloudclamourofthedrunkenbrawl.
Yearslater,tothecrashofbattle-music,SaxonkingsandSaxonrevelrywereburiedsidebyside, andKingston’sgreatnesspassedawayforatime,toriseoncemorewhenHamptonCourtbecamethepalaceoftheTudorsandtheStuarts, andtheroyalbargesstrainedattheirmooringsontheriver’sbank,andbright-cloakedgallantsswaggereddownthewater-stepstocry:"WhatFerry,ho!Gadzooks,gramercy."
Manyoftheoldhouses,roundabout,speakveryplainlyofthosedayswhenKingstonwasaroyalborough,andnoblesandcourtierslivedthere,neartheirKing,andthelongroadtothepalacegateswasgayalldaywithclankingsteelandprancingpalfreys,andrustlingsilksandvelvets,andfairfaces.