Monmouth weekly herald. [volume] (Freehold, N.J.) 1854-1860, 1858-12-16

part OF the hall, asslduOusly dlscharging
their duty doing nothing, or teasing a
leash OF dogs, that every now and then
set up a growl, or broke out into a fierce
barking, requiring the angry seneschal to
come forward to keep order amongst
them, lest their noise should reach the
ears OF the queen, and woe betide them
then.
The waiting maidens, with danes of
higher quality, were gathered within the
embrasure of a vast oriel, busted with
their endless tapestry work or coming
their brevlaries. Their whispers barely
reached the richly tapistried daisy where
the queen sat with a cloud on her lofty
brow, and %devouring the words she read
as II some revelation of marvellous import
were couched beneath them. Scarcely
did her eye lift itself up and wander round
the hall.
Beside a low arched doorway leading
from the hall to the queens own suite Of
chambers, and to those set apart for the
young prince Ethelred-within a circum.
scrlbed space. and as one having special
guard over that particular spot-there
stalked a tall, herculean figure, clad in
the costume Of a soldier of the period,
partly formed Of untanned skins, and
partly OF cumbrous and massive pieces of
arrnor, which however, sat upon his
mighty limbs as easily as the snowy raj
ment the queen wore lay upon her lovely
rounded shoulders.
His countenance was dark, immovable,
and stern. Eyes of fire and a black beard
together with long tangling hair falling
beneath his steel cap, added to the statu-
esque figure of the sentinel Gunthrum,
the Dane.
Ii now and then, he turned his steady
~uie" DID o0nbro+ya.-~pe-4hn
queen, 1t was to 1asten them upon her
sculptured face, until they would kindIe
up with a strange and ardent fire and a
glow of exultation of admiration, of pas.
s%lonate intense regard, would kindle in
his face, and clothe it with some indie
scrlbable touch of rude barbaric beauty.
For Gunthrum the Dane loved the
queen, and vas himself, despite of his
impassibility, as full of ambition on his
own account, as the queen was on behalf
of her own son.
A moment after as Gunthrum lowered
his massive axe, as a salute to one who
passed the low arched doorway, a youth,
of about eleven or ~twelve-fair, feminine,
and very beautiful. though Of a languid
and inactive manner-stood before the
queen.
Ethelred" she cried, smiling and
she drew his rudy face between her
hands, and kissed him, murmuring fondly.
My boy my sonl my fair beautiful
prince-who ought to be king tool !"
May, but mother,'' he laughed, my
brother Edward makes a very good king,
they say !; and n is quite enough, is't
not? think it must be very trouble
some T. aud he cast himself YEARLY on a
footstool at her feet, leaning his bright
head on her lap.
"Dost think so, boy troublesome /"
and the parchment falling at her seat, she
fixed a keen look upon him =; partly kin
ding with the ambition that would raise
him so high and again partly ~quenching
in the contempt her proud and command
ing nature felt towards his INDECENT ma
ture.
Troublesome, my Ethelred p she re-
peated, " to WELD a scepter--to lead ar
mics, to rule a nation, to command a
people! and thou callest troublesome J.
File. boy, fe!"
Il wonder how my brother loves it,"
he said. When | see him, l will ask"
"DoF' and her lip curled. but for
him thou highest have experience for
myself. AS it is-as it is"
:" As it is, good mother'-and he rose,
laughing, his boyish form lifting itself
before her in an attitude of unstudied
grace-"as it is, it is much the best /;
and, faith, when I'm a little older, I'll
go to court to him."
"Ay p murmured the queen, to be
the ready ~vassal, and the first subject
But for all that's come and gone, the
CROWNS still within reach |"
What say you, mother 2" asked the
youth.
Nothing nothing !" she hastily re
turned, snatching up the letter she had
let fall upon the floor. Nothing get
thee to thy studies, or forth with horse
and hound"
There is smooth water in the bay
replied the young Ethelred and it is
less trouble to glide over its surface, pro-
PEELED by the arms of the stout rowers.
III go order the galley ;" and kissing her
haLd, he passed through the great hall,
calling his page, and giving orders to his
attendants, as he quilted the portal.
His disposition partakes of the idle.
esse and more languid nature of his faith
err" she murmered. "If the crown were
but on his head-the possible is within
reach! can it be kept there secure p
What Of that T And her noble features
resumed their proud and naughty placid.
ity. II should be beside him and
Gunthrum, ay, there is in that man, if |
can read him rightly, which would
tit him as a leader of men, and wise in
counsel, to be the right hand Of a king.
dom. And this communication, which
seems to whisper to my very soul that