 | CHAPTER THE LAST.
THE CATHEDRAL OF FLORENCE. The Ladye Annabel, or, The doom of the poisoner |  |
“THE ROMANCER.
A man attired in a tunic of dark velvet reaching
to his knee, and with long locks of dark brown
hair falling beneath the velvet cap of the scholar,
now came forward and ascended the throne. In
stature he was of the middle height, slim and well
formed, with a face marked by irregular features,
full cheeks, a mouth with large lips, while his
hazel eyes, looking from beneath dark eyebrows,
warmed with the inward soul.
“Most famed Romancer”—thus spoke the Duke
to the person who knelt before him. “Most
famed Romancer of the North, wear this signet
for my sake. Men shall long keep in memory
the wondrous Histories which thy pen, full of
fancy, hath pictured. Add now to the number
the Historie of the House Di Albarone. Take
this ring as an earnest of future bounty. Thou
shalt away with me to the Holy Land, thou shalt
chronicle the wars of the Christian and the Paynim.
Ericci Il Normani arise!”
Thus spoke the flattery of the Duke to the
humble Romancer, thus he bade me indite my
poor Historie, which, should it ever outlive this
century, will serve at least to give some small
glimpses of the crimes, the glory and the fame of
the House Di Albarone.”
And now, with his beaming eye no longer
glowing with gaiety, but dark and thoughtful,
came the Page Guiseppo; and side by side with
the damsel Rosalind he knelt and did homage to
his Lord. But why tell of Guiseppo and Rosalind—Is
not the story of their fortunes found in
the Historic of the Page and the Damsel?
| CHAPTER THE LAST.
THE CATHEDRAL OF FLORENCE. The Ladye Annabel, or, The doom of the poisoner | |