'he Angel took the sword again, and swore, And walks on earth unseen forevermore. INTERLUDE. HE ended and a kind of spell His solemn manner and his words That vibrate in each human breast At last, but in a voice subdued, "What mean these words?" The clerk made answer meet, "He has put down the mighty from their seat, And has exalted them of low degree." Thereat King Robert muttered scornfully, ""T is well that such seditious words are sung Only by priests and in the Latin tongue; For unto priests and people be it known, There is no power can push me from my throne!" And leaning back, he yawned and fell asleep, Lulled by the chant monotonous and deep. When he awoke, it was already night; The church was empty, and there was 110 light, Save where the lamps, that glimmered few and faint, Lighted a little space before some saint. He started from his seat and gazed around, But saw no living thing and heard no sound. He groped towards the door, but it was locked; He cried aloud, and listened, and then knocked, And uttered awful threatenings and complaints, And imprecations upon men and saints. The sounds re-echoed from the roof and walls As if dead priests were laughing in their stalls. At length the sexton, hearing from without The tumult of the knocking and the shout, And thinking thieves were in the house of prayer, Came with his lantern, asking, "Who is there?" Half choked with rage, King Robert fiercely said, "Open 't is I, the King! Art thou afraid?" The frightened sexton, muttering, with a curse, "This is some drunken vagabond, or worse!" Turned the great key and flung the por tal wide; ring, King Robert's self in features, form, and height, But all transfigured with angelic light! It was an Angel; and his presence there With a divine effulgence filled the air, An exaltation, piercing the disguise, Though none the hidden Angel recognize. A moment speechless, motionless, amazed, The throneless monarch on the Angel gazed, Who met his look of anger and surprise With the divine compassion of his eyes; Then said, "Who art thou? and why com'st thou here?" To which King Robert answered, with a sneer, It was no dream; the world he loved so much Had turned to dust and ashes at his touch! Days came and went; and now returned again To Sicily the old Saturnian reign; Under the Angel's governance benign The happy island danced with corn and wine, And deep within the mountain's burning breast Enceladus, the giant, was at rest. Meanwhile King Robert yielded to his | The solemn ape demurely perched be hind, King Robert rode, making huge merri And now the visit ending, and once more | And when his courtiers came, they foun Valmond returning to the Danube's shore, Homeward the Angel journeyed, and again The land was made resplendent with his train, Flashing along the towns of Italy wall, And, seated on the throne in his great hall, He heard the Angelus from convent towers, As if the better world conversed with ours, He beckoned to King Robert to draw nigher, And with a gesture bade the rest retire; And when they were alone, the Angel said, "Art thou the King?" Then, bowing down his head, King Robert crossed both hands upon his breast, him there Kneeling upon the floor, absorbed i silent prayer. INTERLUDE. A Saga of the days of old. Upon his violin he played, THE MUSICIAN'S TALE. THE SAGA OF KING OLAF. I. THE CHALLENGE OF THOR. I AM the God Thor, Here amid icebergs Rule I the nations; This is my hammer, Miölner the mighty; Giants and sorcerers Cannot withstand it ! These are the gauntlets The light thou beholdest Jove is my brother; Force rules the world still, Thou art a God too, And thus single-handed II. KING OLAF'S RETURN. AND King Olaf heard the cry, Laid his hand upon his sword, There he stood as one who dreamed; To avenge his father slain, Came the youthful Olaf home, Through the midnight sailing, sailing, Listening to the wild wind's wailing, To his thoughts the sacred name And the tale she oft had told Then strange memories crowded back How a stranger watched his face Scanned his features one by one, Saying, "We should know each other; I am Sigurd, Astrid's brother, Thou art Olaf, Astrid's son !" Then as Queen Allogia's page, Chief of all her men-at-arms; Then his cruisings o'er the seas, And to Scilly's rocky shore; All these thoughts of love and strife Northward in the summer night. Trained for either camp or court, Young and beautiful and tall; When at sea, with all his rowers, He along the bending oars Outside of his ship could run. He the Smalsor Horn ascended, And his shining shield suspended On its summit, like a sun. |