The Project Gutenberg EBook of Sketches, by Benjamin Disraeli

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Title: Sketches
The Carrier Pigeon, The Consul's Daughter, Walstein--Or
A Cure For Melancholy, The Court Of Egypt, The Valley Of
Thebes, Egyptian Thebes, Shoubra Eden And Lebanon, A Syrian
Sketch, The Bosphorus, An Interview With A Great Turk,
Munich, The Spirit Of Whiggism

Author: Benjamin Disraeli

Release Date: November 13, 2006 [EBook #19781]

Language: English

Character set encoding: ASCII

*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK SKETCHES ***

Produced by David Widger

SKETCHES

By Benjamin Disraeli

THE CARRIER PIGEON

CHAPTER I.

_Charolois and Branchimont_

ALTHOUGH the deepest shades of twilight had descended upon the broad
bosom of the valley, and the river might almost be recognised only
by its rushing sound, the walls and battlements of the castle of
Charolois, situate on one of the loftiest heights, still blazed in the
reflected radiance of the setting sun, and cast, as it were, a glance of
triumph at the opposing castle of Branchimont, that rose on the western
side of the valley, with its lofty turrets and its massy keep black and
sharply defined against the resplendent heaven.

Deadly was the hereditary feud between the powerful lords of these high
places--the Counts of Charolois and the Barons of Branchimont, but the
hostility which had been maintained for ages never perhaps raged with
more virulence than at this moment; since the only male heir of the
house of Charolois had been slain in a tournament by the late Baron of
Branchimont, and the distracted father had avenged his irreparable loss
in the life-blood of the involuntary murderer of his son.

Yet the pilgrim, who at this serene hour might rest upon his staff
and gaze on the surrounding scene, would hardly deem that the darkest
passions of our nature had selected this fair and silent spot for the
theatre of their havoc.

The sun set; the evening star, quivering and bright, rose over the dark
towers of Branchimont; from the opposite bank a musical bell summoned
the devout vassals of Charolois to a beautiful shrine, wherein was
deposited the heart