Читать книгу The Ice Monster - David Walliams, Quentin Blake, Tony Ross - Страница 18

This was a day that would go down in history, so it was only fitting that the most powerful person in the world should be there. was not just the Queen of Great Britain and Ireland, but the monarch of a vast empire that spanned the globe. She had even adopted the title of “Empress of India”, despite the fact that she’d never actually been there.

These were different days.

As the crowd realised that they were in the presence of their queen, a woman who’d reigned over them for more than sixty years, they erupted in wild cheers, throwing their hats into the air.

“HURRAH!”

The golden carriage turned to the right to pass through the gates of the museum, and Elsie seized her chance. While the sky was black with hats, she leaped off the branch of the tree…

W H O O S H!

…and landed on top of the Queen’s carriage.

THUD!

With all the noise and commotion, no one seemed to notice this huge breach of security.

Elsie lay down flat on the roof of the carriage so she wouldn’t be seen. In 1899, anyone getting this close to Her Majesty without an invitation might very well pay the price with their life.

The carriage sped into the grounds of the museum, and came to a halt at the bottom of the stone steps. Elsie lifted her head a tiny bit, and peeked over the side of the carriage.

Thousands of faces were pushed up against the metal railings, open mouths roaring their approval for their queen.

“HURRAH!”

The carriage wobbled slightly as Her Majesty stepped out. The Queen was old and frail, and tottered up the stone steps, helped by a handsome Indian attendant in a turban.

She was dressed from head to toe in black and wore a solemn look on her face. That was because she was in deep mourning for her husband, Prince Albert, even though he had died nearly forty years before. Not wanting to disappoint the crowd, the Queen slowly turned round and gave them a polite wave.

“HURRAH!”

While all eyes were on the royal guest, Elsie slid off the roof and lowered herself down the side of the carriage. There she hid behind a wheel.

The hullabaloo must have startled the horses…

“NEIGH! NEIGH!”

…as the carriage shunted backwards a little. Elsie thought she was going to be trampled to death by the horses’ hooves, but the carriage driver cracked his whip…

SNAP!

…and ordered…

“WHOA!”

Elsie let out a sigh of relief as the horses came to a juddering stop.

The girl watched from her hiding place as the Queen was greeted with a bow by the director of the museum, the portly Sir Ray Lankester, and led inside.

The huge wooden doors were closed behind her.

THUD.

Now Elsie wasn’t feeling too clever. All around her she could see the legs of policemen. How was she going to get inside that museum without anyone seeing her? She was desperate to do so, but Elsie had more chance of becoming the next Archbishop of Canterbury.

As she pondered her next move on her hands and knees, the most unexpected thing happened. The carriage moved off, leaving the girl hiding behind nothing at all. She was concealed only by some air.

Air is the worst thing to find yourself hiding behind. Other bad ones include:

Elsie was in deep, deep doo-doo.