FREE BOOKS

Author's List




PREV.   NEXT  
|<   53   54   55   56   57   58   59   60   61   62   63   64   65   66   67   68   69   70   71   72   73   74   75   76   77  
78   79   80   81   82   83   84   85   86   87   88   89   90   91   92   93   94   95   96   97   98   99   100   101   102   >>   >|  
all modern experience, but it seemed to the impatient Edwy that the feast and the subsequent drinking of pledges and healths would never end, and he was impatient the whole time to get away and be in the company of the charmer. An opportunity seemed at last to offer itself to his immature judgment. Gleemen had sung, harpers had harped, but the excitement culminated when Siward, a Northumbrian noble, who was a great musician, and skilful in improvisation, did not disdain, like the royal Alfred, to take the harp and pour forth an extemporary ode of great beauty, whereupon the whole multitude rose to their feet and waved their wine cups in the air, in ardent appreciation of the patriotic sentiments he had uttered, and the beauty of the music and poetry. During the full din of their heated applause, when all eyes were fixed upon the accomplished musician, Edwy rose softly from his chair; a door was just behind him, and he took advantage of it to leave the hail and thread the passages quickly, till he came to the room where he had left Elgiva, when he threw aside his royal mantle and all his restraint at the same time. It was not for a few moments that the company in the hall discovered the absence of their king, but when they did there was a sudden hush, and men looked at each other in mute astonishment; it appeared to all, with scarce an exception, a gross insult to the assembled majesty of the nation. [xiii] Poor Edwy, in his thoughtlessness and want of proper feeling, little knew the deep anger such a proceeding would cause; in his lack of a reverential spirit he was constantly, as we have seen, offending against the respect due to the Church, the State, or himself--first as heir presumptive, then as king. Men stood mute, as we have said, then murmurs of indignation at the slight arose, and all looked at Dunstan. He beckoned to Cynesige of Lichfield, who came to his side. "We must bring this thoughtless boy back," he said, "or great harm will be done." "But how?" "By persuasion, if possible. Follow me." The two prelates entered the interior of the palace, and sought the king's private chamber. As they drew near they heard the sound of merry laughter, and each of them frowned as men might do who were little accustomed to condone the weakness of human flesh. Entering the chamber very unceremoniously, they paused, as if aghast, when they beheld the king in the company of Elgiva, his royal diadem ca
PREV.   NEXT  
|<   53   54   55   56   57   58   59   60   61   62   63   64   65   66   67   68   69   70   71   72   73   74   75   76   77  
78   79   80   81   82   83   84   85   86   87   88   89   90   91   92   93   94   95   96   97   98   99   100   101   102   >>   >|  



Top keywords:
company
 

musician

 

Elgiva

 

looked

 

chamber

 
beauty
 
impatient
 

offending

 
respect
 

unceremoniously


Entering

 

presumptive

 
murmurs
 

paused

 
Church
 

reverential

 
thoughtlessness
 
diadem
 

proper

 

assembled


majesty

 

nation

 

feeling

 

beheld

 

indignation

 

spirit

 

proceeding

 

aghast

 

constantly

 

prelates


entered

 
frowned
 

accustomed

 

Follow

 

interior

 
palace
 

private

 
laughter
 

sought

 
condone

persuasion
 

Lichfield

 
Cynesige
 
beckoned
 

Dunstan

 

thoughtless

 
weakness
 

insult

 
slight
 

Alfred