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The Ladye Annabel, or, The doom of the poisoner

a romance
Lippard, George (1822-1854)
  
[title page]
  
[acknowledgements]
  
The Scene of the Romance.

  
THE LADYE ANNABEL; OR, THE DOOM OF THE POISONER.
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BOOK THE FIRST. The Death. The Sunlight is broken by the Cloud.
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CHAPTER THE FIRST. THE SIGNET RING OF ALBARONE.
  
THE STRANGE FEAR OF THE SIGNIOR ALDARIN.
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CHAPTER THE SECOND. THE WHITE DUST IN THE GOBLET OF GOLD.
  
THE WARRIOR AND THE MAIDEN.
  
THE ACCUSATION.
  
THE BLOODHOUND SALADIN.
  
THE SIGNET-RING—THE ROBE—THE SECRET DOOR
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CHAPTER THE THIRD. THE EMBRACE OF A BROTHER.
  
ALDARIN, THE SCHOLAR, AND ROBIN, THE SOLDIER.
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CHAPTER THE FOURTH. THE DEATH-TRAP.
  
ROBIN THE ROUGH IS ADVANCED TO HONOR, WHILE THE SKELETON-GOD LAUGHS OVER HIS SHOULDER.
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CHAPTER THE FIFTH. THE CHAMBER OF MYSTERIES.
  
THE DREAM OF THE DAMNED.
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CHAPTER THE SIXTH. THE CELL OF THE DOOMED.
  
THE DOOMSMAN.
  
THE DOOMED.
 7. 
CHAPTER THE SEVENTH. THE FELON AND THE DUKE.
 8. 
CHAPTER THE EIGHTH. THE SECRET PASSAGE.
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BOOK THE SECOND. The Demon Form. The Cloud Gathers and Blackens.
 1. 
CHAPTER THE FIRST. THE PIT OF DARKNESS.
 2. 
CHAPTER THE SECOND. ROBIN ALONE IN THE EARTH-HIDDEN CAVERN.
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CHAPTER THE THIRD. THE CHAPEL OF THE ROCKS.
  
THE MONKS OF THE ORDER OF THE HOLY STEEL HOLD SOLEMN COUNCIL IN THE WILD WOOD.
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CHAPTER THE FOURTH. THE CHAPEL OF ST. GEORGE OF ALBARONE.
  
THE SOLEMN FUNERAL RITES OF THE MIGHTY DEAD, CONVEYED TO THE TOMB, NOT AS THE VICTIM, BUT THE CONQUEROR.
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CHAPTER THE FIFTH. THE CAVERN OF THE DEAD.
  
THE FUNERAL TRAIN, BEARING THE CORSE ALONG THROUGH THE GROUPS OF SPECTRAL-FORMS ARE AWE-STRICKEN BY THE APPEARANCE OF A STRANGE KNIGHT.
 6. 
CHAPTER THE SIXTH. THE ORDEAL.
 7. 
CHAPTER THE SEVENTH. THE BLOW FOR THE WINGED LEOPARD.
 8. 
CHAPTER THE EIGHTH. THE PAGE AND THE DAMSEL.
 9. 
CHAPTER THE NINTH. THE STORY OF GUISEPPO.
 10. 
CHAPTER THE TENTH. THE MEMORY OF GUILT.
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BOOK THE THIRD. The Drial. The Cloud is Dark with Doom and Fate.
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CHAPTER THE FIRST. THE MAIDEN IN HER BOWER.
  
ALDARIN PICTURES TO THE LADYE ANNABEL THE GLORIES OF A LIVING-TOMB.
 2. 
CHAPTER THE SECOND. THE LADY AND THE YEOMAN.
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CHAPTER THE THIRD. THE VALLEY OF THE BOWL.
  
THE SCENE CHANGES TO THE MOUNTAIN LAKE, WHERE THE TRAGEDY OF THE HOUSE OF ALBARONE WILL AT LAST COME TO AN END.
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CHAPTER THE FOURTH. THE BRIDAL EVE.
  
THE HEBREW AND THE ARAB-MUTE ENTER THE COURT YARD OF ALBARONE, WHILE THE LADYE ANNABEL IS PASSING TO THE CHAPEL OF SAINT GEORGE.
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CHAPTER THE FIFTH. THE BRIDAL MORN.
  
THE WEDDING GUESTS CIRCLE ROUND THE HOLY ALTAR, WHILE THE SCHOLAR ALDARIN STRIKES HIS DAGGER AT THE INTANGIBLE AIR.
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CHAPTER THE SIXTH. SIR GEOFFREY O' TH' LONGSWORD.
  
THE SPIRIT OF THE CHRONICLE THROWS BACK THE CURTAIN OF FATE, AND GIVES TO VIEW SOME GLIMPSES OF THE LAST SCENE, IN WHICH THE BARBS OF ARIMANES BECOME THE AVENGERS OF HEAVEN.
 7. 
CHAPTER THE SEVENTH. THE STUDENT AND THE FAIR STRANGER.
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CHAPTER THE EIGHTH. THE CASTLE GATE.
  
THE GROUP CLUSTERED BESIDE THE CASTLE-GATE ARE STARTLED BY THE PEAL OF A STRANGE TRUMPET.
 9. 
CHAPTER THE NINTH. ALDARIN AND HIS FUTURE.
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CHAPTER THE TENTH. THE SCHOLAR ALDARIN AND THE LORD GUISEPPO.
  
THE LAST INTERVIEW BEFORE THE GRAND SCENE, FOR WHICH ALDARIN HAS TOILED, STRUGGLED AND ENDURED FOR THRICE SEVEN YEARS.
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CHAPTER THE ELEVENTH. THE WHITE WATERS OF THE ALEMBIC.
  
ALDARIN AND IBRAHIM, GATHERED WITHIN THE CONFINES OF THE ROUND ROOM, HOLD THEIR SOLEMN WATCH, WHILE THE LAST SECONDS OF THE MYSTIC AGE ARE PASSING TO ETERNITY.
 12. 
CHAPTER THE TWELFTH. THE TRIAL OF THE WATERS OF LIFE.
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CHAPTER THE THIRTEENTH. THE OATH.
  
THE VENGEANCE OF ALDARIN, THE SCHOLAR.
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CHAPTER THE FOURTEENTH. THE FATE OF THE FRATRICIDE.
  
THE ELEMEMTS ARISE IN BATTLE, DARKENING THE EARTH WITH THEIR STRIFE, AS THE WIND SHRIEKS THE DEATH-WAIL OF ALDARIN THE SCHOLAR.
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BOOK THE FOURTH. The Grabe. The Fate and the Doom Unite and the Cloud Bursts.
 1. 
CHAPTER THE FIRST. A SILVERY MOON AND A CLOUDLESS SKY.
 2. 
CHAPTER THE SECOND. THE CLOUD GATHERS AND THE SKY DARKENS.
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CHAPTER THE THIRD. THE DEATH-BOWL.
  
THE FOOTSTEPS OF THE RAVISHER STARTLE, THE SILENCE OF THE MAIDEN'S CELL, WHILE ADRIAN PREPARES FOR HIS DOOM IN THE VAULTS BELOW.
 4. 
CHAPTER THE FOURTH. THE CELL OF ST. ARELINE.
 5. 
CHAPTER THE FIFTH. THE WONDERS OF ST. ARELINE.
 6. 
CHAPTER THE SIXTH. THE WATCH BESIDE THE DEAD.
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CHAPTER THE SEVENTH. THE COFFIN AND THE CORSE.
  
THE CLOCK STRIKES ONE, AND THE SWORDER SEALS HIS FATE BY A TOUCH OF THE FATAL SPRING.
  
THE SONG OF THE ANCIENT MAN.
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CHAPTER THE EIGHTH. THE FATE OF THE BETRAYER.
  
SWEETER THAN THE LOVE OF WOMAN, DEARER THAN GLORY TO THE WARRIOR, POWER TO THE PRINCE, OR HEAVEN TO THE DEVOTEE, IS THE CONSUMMATION OF A LONG SOUGHT AND SILENTLY TREASURED REVENGE.
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CHAPTER THE NINTH. THREE DAYS ELAPSE.
  
JOY COMES AND POWER, BUT DEATH HAS GRASPED THE VICTIM.
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CHAPTER THE TENTH. THE MYSTERIES OF THE CHRONICLE.
  
TO BE READ BY ALL WHO WOULD LOOK BEHIND THE CURTAIN OF FATE, AND GAZE UPON THE SECRET SPRINGS THAT MOVE MEN TO DEEDS OF WOE AND WAR AND DEATH.
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CHAPTER THE ELEVENTH. THE BURIED ALIVE.
  
THE SPIRIT OF THE CHRONICLE, LEADING THE WAY THROUGH THE CHAMBERS OF SLEEP, AND TRANCE, AND DEATH, SOLVES THE MYSTERIE OF THE LIFE OF ADRIAN DI ALBARONE.
  
THE MYSTERIE OF LIFE.
  
THE MYSTERIE OF DEATH.
  
THE REAL MORE TERRIBLE THAN THE UNREAL.
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CHAPTER THE LAST. THE CATHEDRAL OF FLORENCE.
  
THE TASK OF THE WIERD SPIRIT IS DONE —THE CURTAIN OF FATE FALLS OVER THE TRAGEDY OF THE HOUSE OF ALBARONE.
  
THE POSTILLION AND THE BUXOM DAMSELS.
  
THE CORONATION.
  
THE HOMAGE.
  
“THE ROMANCER.
  
THE SPECTRE FATHER.

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THE HOMAGE.

While her heart yet throbbed with indefinable
emotion, Adrian led his gentle bride to the ducal
chair, and side by side, they awaited the homage
of the noble throng of lords and ladies, knights and
damozels.

Many a noble lord, and many a haughty dame,
advancing to the throne, bowed low at the feet of
the Duke Adrian, and kissed the fair hand of the
Duchess Annabel.

At last a man of lofty stature, and commanding
port, with locks of grey hair falling back from a
stern, determined face, paled by disease, and wan
with thought, and ascending the steps of the throne,
sank on one knee before the duke.

“Rise, brave knight,” exclaimed Adrian; “rise
brave Sir Geoffry O' Th' Longsword; rise lord
keeper of our castle Di Albarone. Thy youth has
been wasted fighting for the cause of the late venerated
lord; thy age shall be rendered calm and
peaceful within the walls of the castle, with whose
brave soldiers thou hast so often gone forth to the
ranks of battle.”

And placing the baton of command within the
hand of the brave knight, he raised him from his
kneeling position. Sir Geoffrey o' th' Longsword
replied not to the Duke with words of flattery.—
One glance of the eye, and one grasp of the hand,
was all the answer that greeted the Duke Adrian.

132

Page 132

Then came Robin the Rough, ascending the
throne with a half-solemn air, as though he were
afraid of soiling the steps of gold. With a true
soldier's salute he drooped on one knee, awaiting
the command of the Duke to rise.

“Arise, bold Robin,” said Adrian, unsheathing
the sword that hung at his side—“Arise—no longer
Robin the stout yeoman, but Sir Roberto Di
Capello, Lord of the Lands of Capello!”

No sooner did bold Robin feel the sword of the
Duke slightly pressed upon his shoulder conferring
knighthood, than he sprang upon his feet, and
looked around with surprise and wonder expressed
in his distended eyes and parted lips.

“Hast any boon to ask, Sir Roberto?” exclaimed
the Duke.

“Why, an' it please thee, my Lord Duke,” answered
Robin, recovering from his surprise—
“Why an' it please thee, I have a boon to ask.
I had much rather follow thee to battle in my old
attire, in my coat of buff and my armour of steel.
I like not this dainty trim.”

With a smile the Duke granted his characteristic
request, and as the bold soldier retired, Adrian
waved his hand to one who stood in the throng
around the throne. From the ancient chronicle
we gather these words concerning.

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