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the fighting men of England； masters of destruction； engineers of death！
Another race of men from those of the shops and slums； a totally different
race of men。
But here they come； in all the pomp and certitude of power； and still
they come； these men of steel； these war lords and world harnessers。
Pell…mell； peers and commoners； princes and maharajahs； Equerries to the
King and Yeomen of the Guard。 And here the colonials； lithe and hardy
men； and here all the breeds of all the world…soldiers from Canada；
Australia； New Zealand； from Bermuda； Borneo； Fiji； and the Gold Coast；
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from Rhodesia； Cape Colony； Natal； Sierra Leone and Gambia； Nigeria；
and Uganda； from Ceylon； Cyprus； Hong…Kong； Jamaica； and Wei…Hai…
Wei； from Lagos； Malta； St。 Lucia； Singapore； Trinidad。 And here the
conquered men of Ind； swarthy horsemen and sword wielders； fiercely
barbaric； blazing in crimson and scarlet； Sikhs； Rajputs； Burmese；
province by province； and caste by caste。
And now the Horse Guards； a glimpse of beautiful cream ponies； and a
golden panoply； a hurricane of cheers； the crashing of bands〃The King！
the King！ God save the King！〃 Everybody has gone mad。 The
contagion is sweeping me off my feetI； too； want to shout； 〃The King！
God save the King！〃 Ragged men about me； tears in their eyes； are
tossing up their hats and crying ecstatically； 〃Bless 'em！ Bless 'em！ Bless
'em！〃 See； there he is； in that wondrous golden coach； the great crown
flashing on his head； the woman in white beside him likewise crowned。
And I check myself with a rush； striving to convince myself that it is
all real and rational； and not some glimpse of fairyland。 This I cannot
succeed in doing； and it is better so。 I much prefer to believe that all this
pomp； and vanity； and show； and mumbo…jumbo foolery has come from
fairyland； than to believe it the performance of sane and sensible people
who have mastered matter and solved the secrets of the stars。
Princes and princelings； dukes； duchesses； and all manner of coroneted
folk of the royal train are flashing past； more warriors； and lackeys； and
conquered peoples； and the pagent is over。 I drift with the crowd out of
the square into a tangle of narrow streets； where the public…houses are a…
roar with drunkenness； men； women； and children mixed together in
colossal debauch。 And on every side is rising the favourite song of the
Coronation：…
〃Oh！ on Coronation Day； on Coronation Day； We'll have a spree； a
jubilee； and shout； Hip； hip； hooray； For we'll all be marry； drinking
whisky； wine； and sherry； We'll all be merry on Coronation Day。〃
The rain is pouring down。 Up the street come troops of the
auxiliaries； black Africans and yellow Asiatics； beturbaned and befezed；
and coolies swinging along with machine guns and mountain batteries on
their heads； and the bare feet of all； in quick rhythm； going slish； slish；
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slish through the pavement mud。 The public… houses empty by magic；
and the swarthy allegiants are cheered by their British brothers； who return
at once to the carouse。
〃And how did you like the procession； mate？〃 I asked an old man on a
bench in Green Park。
〃'Ow did I like it？ A bloomin' good chawnce； sez I to myself； for a
sleep； wi' all the coppers aw'y； so I turned into the corner there； along wi'
fifty others。 But I couldn't sleep； a…lyin' there an' thinkin' 'ow I'd worked
all the years o' my life an' now 'ad no plyce to rest my 'ead； an' the music
comin' to me； an' the cheers an' cannon； till I got almost a hanarchist an'
wanted to blow out the brains o' the Lord Chamberlain。〃
Why the Lord Chamberlain I could not precisely see； nor could he； but
that was the way he felt； he said conclusively； and them was no more
discussion。
As night drew on； the city became a blaze of light。 Splashes of
colour； green； amber； and ruby； caught the eye at every point； and 〃E。 R。；〃
in great crystal letters and backed by flaming gas； was everywhere。 The
crowds in the streets increased by hundreds of thousands； and though the
police sternly put down mafficking； drunkenness and rough play abounded。
The tired workers seemed to have gone mad with the relaxation and
excitement； and they surged and danced down the streets； men and women；
old and young； with linked arms and in long rows； singing； 〃I may be
crazy； but I love you；〃 〃Dolly Gray；〃 and 〃The Honeysuckle and the Bee〃…
…the last rendered something like this：…
〃Yew aw the enny； ennyseckle； Oi em ther bee； Oi'd like ter sip ther
enny from those red lips； yew see。〃
I sat on a bench on the Thames Embankment； looking across the
illuminated water。 It was approaching midnight； and before me poured
the better class of merrymakers； shunning the more riotous streets and
returning home。 On the bench beside me sat two ragged creatures； a man
and a woman； nodding and dozing。 The woman sat with her arms
clasped across the breast； holding tightly； her body in constant playnow
dropping forward till it seemed its balance would be overcome and she
would fall to the pavement； now inclining to the left； sideways； till her
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head rested on the man's shoulder； and now to the right； stretched and
strained； till the pain of it awoke her and she sat bolt upright。 Whereupon
the dropping forward would begin again and go through its cycle till she
was aroused by the strain and stretch。
Every little while boys and young men stopped long enough to go
behind the bench and give vent to sudden and fiendish shouts。 This
always jerked the man and woman abruptly from their sleep； and at sight
of the startled woe upon their faces the crowd would roar with laughter as
it flooded past。
Thi