Tuesday, September 16, 2014

The Schism, parts 3638 - 3641

 3638. From his side of the fence Alexis the Coachman’s serf boy began to take a passive interest in the cadets in the school yard and their wrestling matches, and for what happened next the entire blame must fall on the minister’s wife. She is the one that caused the catastrophe that now befell the coachman’s boy. It was the fault of his clothes.


 3639. Military uniforms can be very elaborate and often involve multiple colors, and sashes of contrasting hues. Shoulder boards are used to hold those golden spangles and the cut of the pant leg, sometimes flaring out at the thigh, and tucked in at the high boot top, often imitates the riding jodhpur.


 3640. The doorman’s and house servant’s uniform is often very similar to a military uniform, there may be a satin strip running down the leg, and largish golden buttons in a set of six on the breast. Sometimes the lapels are a brilliant contrasting red on a coat otherwise dark blue, and even then the red lapel may in turn be bordered with gold.



3641. As elaborate as these servile garments may become, the design always manages to be somehow comical and slightly degrading. All the decorative elements of a coachman’s getup are somehow always over done and exaggerated to such an extent that a doorman can never mistaken for a five star general, even at a glance, even at a distance.

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