The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1850-07-09
King Roderick boldly seized upon the cas-

King Roderick boldly seized upon the cas-.
kct.
The venerable Archbishop laid his hand
upon his arm and made the last remonstrance
Forbear, my son said he, 'desist while
there is yet time, Look not into the mys-
ierious decree of Providence. God has hid
den them in mercy from our sight. and it is
impious 20 rend the veil by which they are
concealed
What have TO dread from knowledge
of the future p replied Roderck with an air
of naughty presumption. If good be des-
tined me, shall enjoy it by anticipation il
evil shall arm myself to meet it, So say
ing he rasshly broke the lock.
Within the corner he found nothing hu'
linen cloth, folded between two tables ol
copper On unfolding it, he beheld painted
on it figures of men on horseback, of fierce
demednor, clad in turbans and robes of va
rious colors, after the fashion of the Arabs
with scmitars hanging TO their necls, and
cross bows ai their saddle backs, and they
carried banners with divers devices. Above
them was inscribed in Greek characters
Rash Monarch behold the men who are to
hurl thee from thy throne, and sub1ue thy
| kingdom y
At the sight of these things the king was
troubled in spirit, and dsmav fell upon his
attendants While they were vet regarding
The paintincs. it seemed as if the figure be-
gan 10 move. and strange sound of warlike
tumult arose from the cloth, with the clash
of cvmbal and The brayina of trumpets the
neigling of stcels and the shout Of an army
hut all was heard indistinct,, as if afar off
or in reverie or dream. The more they
gazed the palmer became the motion, and
the louder the noise, and the more distinct
and the cloth rolled forth, amplied and
spread out as it were "A mighty banner and
filed The hall, and mingled with the air, un.
til its texture was no longer visible, appear
ed as transparent cloud and the shadowv
figures became all in motion, and the din
and uproar became ferccr and fercer, and
whether The whole were m animated pic
ture or a vision, or an array Of embodied
spirits coniured up by supernatural power
no one present could tell. They beheld be.
fore them great field of battle, where Chris
tians and Moslems were engaged in deadly
I n la. ri l,a
of steeds, The blasting of the trumpet and
clarion, the clash of cymbal, and the stormy
din of a thousand drums. There was the
clash of sword and maces, and ba,tle-axes
with the whislling of arrows, and the hurting
of darts and lances. The Christians Quailed
before the foe the inGdels passed upon thcm
and put them TO utter rout; the standard
and the cross were cast down. the banner o.
Spain was troddcn under foot, the air re-
sounded with shouts of triumph, with veil.
of fury, and with the groans of dying men
Amid the flying squadrons, King Roder
lex beheld crowned warrior whose back
was turned towards him, but whose armoi
was his own; and who was mounted on :
white steel that resenihled his own war hors,
Orelia. In the conclusion of the flight, III,
warrior was dismouned, and was no longct
to be seen,and Orelia gallopcd wildly through
the field Of battle without a rider.
Roderick stayed TO see no more, hut rush
ed from the fatal ha followed by his terri
fled attendants. They fled through the out
cr chamber where the gigantic figure anc
whirling mace had disappeared from his pc
acstal ; and on issuing into the open air
they found the two ancient guardians of tn,
tower lying dead at the portal as thougl
they had been crushed by mighty blow
All nature which had been clear and seren
was now in wild uprosr. The heavens wer
darkened by heavy clouds; loud bursts q
thunder ren; the air and the earth was del
uGed with rain and rattling hail.
The king ordered the iron portal 10 b
closed but the door was immovable, an
the cavaliers were dismayed by the tremen
dous turmoil and the mingled shouts an
sroans that continue to prevail within. TIL
king and his train fastened to Toleda, pun
sued and pelied by the tempest. The mour
tains shook and echoed with thunder, tree
were uprooted and blown down, the Tagu
ragged and roared and flowed above its bank
It seemed to the aTrighted courtiers as
the phantom legend of the tower had issue
forth and mingled with the storm. Tn,
beaten by the tempest, and overwhelme
with horror, the king and his courliers a
rived at Toleda, clappering across III
bridge of the Tagus. and entered The cat
in headlong confusion, as though they ha
been pursued by an enemy.
In the morning The heavens were agai
; serene, and all nature was restored TO trai
| guilty. The King, therefore, issued fort
with his cavaliers, and took the road to Il
tower, followed by great multitude, for /
, was anxious once more TO close the iro
door, and shut up those evils that lhrealene
I to overwhelm the land. But 10 on comm
in sight of the tower new wonder met the
I eyes. An eagle appeared high in The al
q seeming to descend from heaven. lie boz
!. in his beak burning brand and lighted G
G the summit of the lower, famed the I'll
c with its wings. In a little while tie edift
burst forth in a blaze as though il had bee