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Article THE RING OF CHARLEMAGNE. ← Page 6 of 8 →
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The Ring Of Charlemagne.
further , but that Alcuin reminded the crowd that the Scripture had said , " God will raise the humble , and destroy the proud . " A few days after this occurrence , Charles was about to sit down to dinner , and the attendants were in the act of placing before the Emperor his favourite dish . The learned Alcuin had just opened " the City of God , ' ' the admired work of St . Augustine , his custom being to read during the Emperor ' s repastwhen a sudden exclamation was
heard—, . It was from Saphira , who had lost her ring . lt was eagerly sought for in all directions , butsought for in vain ; one of the golden ewers , that in which she had washed her soft and silken hands , had been removed , and the water it contained thrown into a pond in the palace gardens . " Wherefore , " asked Hildgarde , " all this trouble about a ring ? My clear lord , allow this Italian to look after her ring herself , and let it not the loss of
cause you your dinner also . " The Emperor was not so much annoyed at the tone of the Queen ' s remark , as he would formerl y have been , but remained silent , and approaching the table , commenced his dinner . The repast was a silent one . Hildegarde removed her chair some distance from that of Saphira , casting upon her , so lately her bosom friendfrequent looks of anger and jealous mistrust . It appeared as if
, she only now discovered , that in her she had always had a rival , and the discovery awoke all her first resentment . Charles , to get rid of his own thoughts , which were tinged with no small degree of annoyance , spoke of his music and his chapel . The kings of the Franks gave the latter name to the sacred relic which they possessed , on account of the cope ( chape ) of St . Martin , which they carried with them in all their wars as a gage of victory .
" Is there not , " said he , " a bishoprick vacant somewhere ?" " That of Rhineberg , my lord , " replied Alcuin . " So high a dignity must not be suffered to remain longer unoccupied ; I appoint to the vacant seige , Father Hetton , the wisest priest of my court , and who to wisdom adds all the other necessary acquirements . Let him learn our pleasure , and prepare by fasting and prayer for the performance of his sacred duties ; but above all , let him not forget that this is the vigil of St . Martin . "
The Queen rose abruptly , saying , that she coulcl not continue to sit at the same table with a stranger , who had introduced herself into the palace by stratagem , if not by . magic , and whose presence was to her an intolerable offence . " The Emperor restrained his anger , and made a signal that he wished to be left alone . As Saphira approached the door , he detained her gently by the arm , and addressed her , — "Hildegarde was not altogether wrong , beauteous Saphira ? " " My Lord , " replied the Italian , ivith a strange smile , " I fear a Queen as little as 1 do a buffalo . "
" Saphira , you leave Aix to-morrow . " " Charles , you have repudiated your first wife ; you have deceived your present . Nought else remained , most magnanimous Emperor , but to drive me away who am your mistress , or to deprive her of life who has saved yours . " " Listen , Saphira ; your wrath breaks forth in the language of imprudence ; the Queen must be appeased , ancl not annoyed in this manner . You shall only pretend to leave Aix ; but you shall still inhabit this
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
The Ring Of Charlemagne.
further , but that Alcuin reminded the crowd that the Scripture had said , " God will raise the humble , and destroy the proud . " A few days after this occurrence , Charles was about to sit down to dinner , and the attendants were in the act of placing before the Emperor his favourite dish . The learned Alcuin had just opened " the City of God , ' ' the admired work of St . Augustine , his custom being to read during the Emperor ' s repastwhen a sudden exclamation was
heard—, . It was from Saphira , who had lost her ring . lt was eagerly sought for in all directions , butsought for in vain ; one of the golden ewers , that in which she had washed her soft and silken hands , had been removed , and the water it contained thrown into a pond in the palace gardens . " Wherefore , " asked Hildgarde , " all this trouble about a ring ? My clear lord , allow this Italian to look after her ring herself , and let it not the loss of
cause you your dinner also . " The Emperor was not so much annoyed at the tone of the Queen ' s remark , as he would formerl y have been , but remained silent , and approaching the table , commenced his dinner . The repast was a silent one . Hildegarde removed her chair some distance from that of Saphira , casting upon her , so lately her bosom friendfrequent looks of anger and jealous mistrust . It appeared as if
, she only now discovered , that in her she had always had a rival , and the discovery awoke all her first resentment . Charles , to get rid of his own thoughts , which were tinged with no small degree of annoyance , spoke of his music and his chapel . The kings of the Franks gave the latter name to the sacred relic which they possessed , on account of the cope ( chape ) of St . Martin , which they carried with them in all their wars as a gage of victory .
" Is there not , " said he , " a bishoprick vacant somewhere ?" " That of Rhineberg , my lord , " replied Alcuin . " So high a dignity must not be suffered to remain longer unoccupied ; I appoint to the vacant seige , Father Hetton , the wisest priest of my court , and who to wisdom adds all the other necessary acquirements . Let him learn our pleasure , and prepare by fasting and prayer for the performance of his sacred duties ; but above all , let him not forget that this is the vigil of St . Martin . "
The Queen rose abruptly , saying , that she coulcl not continue to sit at the same table with a stranger , who had introduced herself into the palace by stratagem , if not by . magic , and whose presence was to her an intolerable offence . " The Emperor restrained his anger , and made a signal that he wished to be left alone . As Saphira approached the door , he detained her gently by the arm , and addressed her , — "Hildegarde was not altogether wrong , beauteous Saphira ? " " My Lord , " replied the Italian , ivith a strange smile , " I fear a Queen as little as 1 do a buffalo . "
" Saphira , you leave Aix to-morrow . " " Charles , you have repudiated your first wife ; you have deceived your present . Nought else remained , most magnanimous Emperor , but to drive me away who am your mistress , or to deprive her of life who has saved yours . " " Listen , Saphira ; your wrath breaks forth in the language of imprudence ; the Queen must be appeased , ancl not annoyed in this manner . You shall only pretend to leave Aix ; but you shall still inhabit this