What may not come across clearly is the wonderfully incongruous
juxtaposition of it all. I was walking along Whitehall yesterday
past the massive seriousness of government buildings, and got to
Horseguards, where the soldiers in gleaming helments and scarlet
tunics sit on their black tunics (chiefly for the entertainment of
tourists, it must be admitted, rather than seriously forming the
first line of defence against attacks on the Sovereign, but a fine
show for all that). I turned through the archway, passing another
soldier (on foot, but dressed as above) with naked sword in hand,
and came out into the parade ground - and there in brilliant
sunlight was the elephant in full glory surrounded by an admiring
crowd of apparent pygmies, precisely in the best spot to be seen
perfectly from one of the reception rooms at 10 Downing Street. Two
very different forms of pomp and circumstance in splendid
collision.
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