DOI Seite / Zitierlink:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.3462#0073
THE STATE ENTRY 45
bejewelled throng. One felt a thrill of patriotism
as a magnificent elephant towering high above all
the rest came into view, the handsomest and finest
of all, at sight of which thousands of voices as
though from one throat murmured, " The Viceroy !"
Every hat was raised, every turbaned head bent
low, before that youthful, joyous figure under the
glittering golden umbrella. One felt that no other
Englishman could have carried himself better or
have fitted into that magnificent picture more
perfectly than Lord Curzon. He was the right
man in the right place. His elephant, you felt,
was an animal created for regal processions, for
carrying the representatives of kings—slow, massive,
majestic. The huge beast seemed conscious of his
success. He was also conscious when he was being
made a fool of. There were two clowns in the
procession, the pantaloons, the jesters in a solemn
scene. One carried a chandelier on each tusk,
and another sheepishly fanned the flies off his
master with a huge feather punkha. They hated
it, these elephants, just as much as a schoolboy
when he is made to kiss a girl in public; but to
us they were a relief from so much dignity, and
acted as an antidote, as did the Derby dog.
How shall I describe that retinue of elephants ?
bejewelled throng. One felt a thrill of patriotism
as a magnificent elephant towering high above all
the rest came into view, the handsomest and finest
of all, at sight of which thousands of voices as
though from one throat murmured, " The Viceroy !"
Every hat was raised, every turbaned head bent
low, before that youthful, joyous figure under the
glittering golden umbrella. One felt that no other
Englishman could have carried himself better or
have fitted into that magnificent picture more
perfectly than Lord Curzon. He was the right
man in the right place. His elephant, you felt,
was an animal created for regal processions, for
carrying the representatives of kings—slow, massive,
majestic. The huge beast seemed conscious of his
success. He was also conscious when he was being
made a fool of. There were two clowns in the
procession, the pantaloons, the jesters in a solemn
scene. One carried a chandelier on each tusk,
and another sheepishly fanned the flies off his
master with a huge feather punkha. They hated
it, these elephants, just as much as a schoolboy
when he is made to kiss a girl in public; but to
us they were a relief from so much dignity, and
acted as an antidote, as did the Derby dog.
How shall I describe that retinue of elephants ?