trumpets, and gusts of distant
cheering, like the sound of the wind in thick foliage. Anthony leaned out
again, and an excited murmur broke out once more, as all faces turned
westwards. A moment more, and Anthony caught a flash of colour from the
corner near St. Paul's Churchyard; then the shrill trumpets sounded
nearer, and the cheering broke out at the end, and ran down the street
like a wave of noise. From every window faces leaned out; even on the
roofs and between the high chimney pots were swaying figures.

Masses of colour now began to emerge, with the glitter of steel, round
the bend of the street, where the winter sunshine fell; and the crowds
began to surge back, and against the houses. At first Anthony could make
out little but two moving rippling lines of light, coming parallel,
pressing the people back; and it was not until they had come opposite the
window that he could make out the steel caps and pikeheads of men in
half-armour, who, marching two and two with a space between them, led the
procession and kept the crowds back. There they went, with immovable
disciplined faces, grounding their pike-butts sharply now and again,
caring nothing for the yelp of pain that sometimes followed. Immediately
behind them came the aldermen in scarlet, on black horses that tossed
their jingling heads as they walked. Anthony watched the solemn faces of
the old gentlemen with a good deal of awe, and presently made out his
friend, Mr. Marrett, who rode near the end, but who was too much
engrossed in the management of his horse to notice the two children who
cried out to him and waved. The serjeants-of-arms followed, and then two
lines again of gentlemen-pensioners walking, bare-headed, carrying wands,
in short cloaks and elaborate ruffs. But the lad saw little of them, for
the splendour of the lords and knights that followed eclipsed them
altogether. The knights came first, in steel armour with raised vizors,
the horses too in armour, moving sedately with a splendid clash of steel,
and twinkling fiercely in the sunshine; and then, after them (and Anthony
drew his breath swiftly) came a blaze of colour and jewels as the great
lords in their cloaks and feathered caps, metal-clasped and gemmed, came
on their splendid long-maned horses; the crowd yelled and cheered, and
great names were tossed to and fro, as the owners passed on, each talking
to his fellow as if unconscious of the tumult and even of the presence of
these shoutin