rocession pass
by.

Mr. George, having learned by inquiry what it was that the people were
waiting to see, determined that he and Rollo would wait too. So they
took their places in a convenient position, near a lamppost, and waited
for her majesty's coming.

They had not been there long before a great movement among the crowd
indicated that the royal retinue was in sight; and a moment afterwards
some horsemen, elegantly dressed and caparisoned, came rapidly on,
followed by a train of two or three carriages very elegantly decorated,
and with servants in splendid liveries before and behind, and finally by
other horsemen, who brought up the rear. The whole _cortege_ went by so
rapidly that Rollo could scarcely distinguish any thing in detail. It
passed before his eyes like a gorgeous vision, leaving on his mind only
confused images of nodding plumes, beautiful horses, gay footmen and
coachmen clothed in the gayest colors, and carriages plain and simple
in style, but inexpressibly elegant and graceful in their forms and in
their motions.

There was a moment's pause after the _cortege_ went by, which was,
however, broken at length by an exclamation of wonder and delight from
Rollo.

"Hi--yi!" said he. "I should like to be the queen, uncle George!"

"Should you?" said Mr. George.

"Yes," said Rollo; "or else one of the queen's soldiers, to ride on such
elegant horses as those."

As soon as the _cortege_ had passed, the crowd began immediately to
disperse; and yet they did not go away at once, but seemed to linger
along the sidewalks to gaze at the various single carriages which from
time to time were passing by. These carriages were all very elegant in
form and equipment, and had servants in gay liveries mounted upon them
before and behind, and they were often preceded and followed by
outriders. These equipages, as they passed to and fro along the street,
seemed strongly to attract the attention of the bystanders. The
children, particularly, stopped to gaze upon each one of them, as it
came by, with countenances full of wonder and admiration.

"There are a great many carriages out to-day," said Mr. George.

"And splendid carriages they are, too," said Rollo.

"Yes," said Mr. George; "the carriages and horses of the English
aristocracy are the finest in the world."

Not very long after this, Mr. George and Rollo, in the course of their
walk, happened to come to a place in the street that was opposite to the
entr