Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
The Ring Of Charlemagne.
¦ woman , —I who ought to raise my head as loftily as a queen !—1 who am the beloved of an Emperor !" " Speak of the Queen with more caution , Saphira , " interrupted Charles ; " and , again , let me intreat you to trust to Providence . I shall send you a holy father , whose counsels will probably have more influence with you than mine , and who will hear your confession . " When the Emperor had left her alone hira deliberated with herself
, Sap on the depth of despair to which she now found herself reduced . More than once the thought of suicide came into her mind ; more than once she had raised to her lips a ring , in ivhich she kept concealed poison . This ring was the only one she had now remaining . "Alas ! " she sighed , as she gazed attentively on the fatal ornament ; " alas ! it is not the ring the Bohemian presented me with !—it is not the ring which was to have shone over whole life like a protecting star
my . That powerful talisman is mine no longer ; I have lost it for ever , and all now left me is this poisoned remembrancer of it . Would that I could send it to my rival ! Oh ! thou wrinkled sorceress , cunning witch , who dwellest beyond the Tiber , would I were gifted with thy gifts of enchantment ! Would that thou had ' st taught me the terrible words which take away life ! I have only touched the surface of thy gifts without sounding their depths . I have heard the dread words of icit is
mag , true , but I have not been able to retain them in memory ! And , since it is so , let me abandon a hated life , with its hopes of revenge . Yes , I renounce the happiness , the glory , and triumph , which were promised me ! I give up all my dreams of love and ambition . Adieu , my own blue Italy ! Farewell , beloved Charles!—Adieu to all ! But—may I
die not unavenged ; may my blood fall upon others !'' Just as Saphira was about raising the fatal ring to her lips , the door turned softly on its hinges , and , opening , gave entrance to the " holy father , " whose approach Charles had intimated to her . This holy man was the new Bishop of Rhineberg , the poor priest—now a lordly prelate ; —it was , in a word , Gaul himself who entered . " Who told you to come hither ? " asked Saphira . " The most mihty and magnanimous Emperor Charles" was his
g , reply ; " he whose orders we all obey . " " What seek you here ?*' " I come , lady , to hear your confession ; for the soul must not suffer from the constraint imposed upon the body . The desire of the Emperor is to protect you against yourself , and to preserve you from the snares wliich the evil one seeketh to cast in your way . " " What mean ?"
you " I have heard that , since the time of the festival at which you and the august Queen Hildegarde were seated together , you have frequently deplored the loss of a precious ring . " " True ; and to him who is fortunate enough to restore that ring to me , I would , if required , give this finger to be cut off . " And Saphira pointed to the finger on which sparkled the poisoned ring . " God a hand so lovelladsuch barbarous mutilation !"
preserve y , y , said Gaul , with a look in which horror and admiration were mixed . " But have you not on your finger the very ring of which you spoke ?" " No , " replied Saphira , in bitterness of spirit , " or rather " While she spoke a fiendish idea presented itself to her imagination . " What would you have me do with this ring ?' ' she asked , in her turn interrupting the good bishop . VOL . VJ . 3 Ii
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
The Ring Of Charlemagne.
¦ woman , —I who ought to raise my head as loftily as a queen !—1 who am the beloved of an Emperor !" " Speak of the Queen with more caution , Saphira , " interrupted Charles ; " and , again , let me intreat you to trust to Providence . I shall send you a holy father , whose counsels will probably have more influence with you than mine , and who will hear your confession . " When the Emperor had left her alone hira deliberated with herself
, Sap on the depth of despair to which she now found herself reduced . More than once the thought of suicide came into her mind ; more than once she had raised to her lips a ring , in ivhich she kept concealed poison . This ring was the only one she had now remaining . "Alas ! " she sighed , as she gazed attentively on the fatal ornament ; " alas ! it is not the ring the Bohemian presented me with !—it is not the ring which was to have shone over whole life like a protecting star
my . That powerful talisman is mine no longer ; I have lost it for ever , and all now left me is this poisoned remembrancer of it . Would that I could send it to my rival ! Oh ! thou wrinkled sorceress , cunning witch , who dwellest beyond the Tiber , would I were gifted with thy gifts of enchantment ! Would that thou had ' st taught me the terrible words which take away life ! I have only touched the surface of thy gifts without sounding their depths . I have heard the dread words of icit is
mag , true , but I have not been able to retain them in memory ! And , since it is so , let me abandon a hated life , with its hopes of revenge . Yes , I renounce the happiness , the glory , and triumph , which were promised me ! I give up all my dreams of love and ambition . Adieu , my own blue Italy ! Farewell , beloved Charles!—Adieu to all ! But—may I
die not unavenged ; may my blood fall upon others !'' Just as Saphira was about raising the fatal ring to her lips , the door turned softly on its hinges , and , opening , gave entrance to the " holy father , " whose approach Charles had intimated to her . This holy man was the new Bishop of Rhineberg , the poor priest—now a lordly prelate ; —it was , in a word , Gaul himself who entered . " Who told you to come hither ? " asked Saphira . " The most mihty and magnanimous Emperor Charles" was his
g , reply ; " he whose orders we all obey . " " What seek you here ?*' " I come , lady , to hear your confession ; for the soul must not suffer from the constraint imposed upon the body . The desire of the Emperor is to protect you against yourself , and to preserve you from the snares wliich the evil one seeketh to cast in your way . " " What mean ?"
you " I have heard that , since the time of the festival at which you and the august Queen Hildegarde were seated together , you have frequently deplored the loss of a precious ring . " " True ; and to him who is fortunate enough to restore that ring to me , I would , if required , give this finger to be cut off . " And Saphira pointed to the finger on which sparkled the poisoned ring . " God a hand so lovelladsuch barbarous mutilation !"
preserve y , y , said Gaul , with a look in which horror and admiration were mixed . " But have you not on your finger the very ring of which you spoke ?" " No , " replied Saphira , in bitterness of spirit , " or rather " While she spoke a fiendish idea presented itself to her imagination . " What would you have me do with this ring ?' ' she asked , in her turn interrupting the good bishop . VOL . VJ . 3 Ii