Spirit of the age. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1849-1865, 1860-03-07

naru, Inefe existed an OOStaci6 originated |
by Charlemagne himself Proud of the
loveliness of Emma, be was desirous that
she should shine in the eyes OF a nation
which he held in great esteem, and prom
ised her hand to the king of the Greeks,
who was expected to claim his bride when |
she shoSld have completed her eighteenth
year, So arbitrary in those days was the |
will of a parent in matters Of matrimony,
and so imperative above al, the determine |
ton of king r ragard syofs rrisge Of
either son or daughter, That EnuIa, ALL
though she secretly loved EgiEhar had not
dreamed of daring to oppose the will of her
father.
Such an unheard of thing as marriage
between kings daughter and one who, in
in reality, was nothing pore than menial
in the royal household, had at that time
neither been heard or dreamed of. Egin-
hard was but too well aware how presume
tuous, how hopeless was his love for En-
ma. He had but one hope that she might
share it: that he Nigh, dare to reveal it,
and beyond that all seen Jed blank. Even
audacious hope could 90 no farther than
to look for sympathy inItead of anger from
the princess. How ofte had Charlemagne
spoken of his determine aion to found dy-
nasty, and that all his lin should wed no
bly9 While these sad thoughts progressed
in weary procession through the brain of
the "arch-champlain," s Eginhard was al
so entitled, the chase proceeded. 1t was
not till the party was returning that he
again found himself near the princess Ems
ma. The king had ridden forward to speak
to Mathalgarde, then bis favori:e, as she
had continued to be for several years, and
the rest of the court RIDE slowly, falling
gradually back so as to leave a space around
the king. At this moment the palfrey of
the princess Emma reaied and paved the
air with its feet. The princess preserved
her self-command but Eginhard rode up
to her steed and pattedits neck, thus sub
DUNG it. The princess aid, in a low voice,
to Eginhard, "you are always ready
''To die in your service" answered the Sec
retary, quickly, but in a voice of tender
ness. After this conversational such it
should be called, and surely it contained a
whole days protestations-many and. Sc
cret were the interchanges of love and Low.
ing thoughts between the pricess Emma
and the humble secretary of Charlemagne.
Eginhard continued to acquit himself
very honorably of his offices near the king
and was much beloved and cherished by
/ All Gne court. Every Gay TuufyssS1cs -.
love between himself and Emma. Fea
restrained them from meeting. From ap
prehension of the royal displeasure. the,
did not dare to incur the grave danger o
seeing each other in private. But love
ever on the alert conquered at last. Egin
hard, consumed by his ardent passion, sud
denly took confidence in himself, and Sc
cretly, in the middle Of the night, stole t
the royal apartment of the Princess Emma
Having knocked softly as if to speak to th
young girl by order of the king, he obtain
ed permission to enter. When he had en-
tered, he threw himself at her feet, implor
ed her pardon for his boldness, and tn,
princess, overwhelmed with Joy at bein,
at last able to hear her lover speak withou
reserve of his passion, permitted him to re
main. When at the approach of day Egin
hard wished to return whence he came
through the departing shadows of th,
night, he perceived that great quantit,
of snow had fallen and he dared not 90 ont
for fear the traces of mans foot shoult
betray bis secret. Both the princess an,
himself were now full of anguish, and re
mained within. At length, the unhapp
young girl, whom love rendered daring, al
ter long celebrating what they should dc
gave her advice to Eginhard, and said tina
STOPPING she would take him on her shoul
ders and carry him close to his own dwell
ing, and having deposited him there sh
would return, carefully following the sam
steps.
Now the emperor had passed the nigh
without sleep and rising before day, he lool
1 ed from etower of his palace. He saw b
I daughter bearing the youthful Eginhar
and tottering beneath the weight which b
4 bore, and when she had deposited her b.
loved burden ON the ground, slowly an
carefully retracing the same steps. Aft
having looked upon her, Charlemagne WI
seized at once with admiration and gri
but thinking that this could not ha,
happened without afprovidential interp
4 StGlOU, uC Al1uoClL duu piCSCItS
silence upon what he had seen.
In the meantime, Eginhard, full of +
morse at what he had done-and certa
that, in some way or other his guilt won
soon be revealed to the king-at last 7
solved, in the depth of his misery, to Sc,
the emperor, his lord, and on his kne
! demand mission of him; saying that |
services, already great and numerous, hs
! ! received no fitting recompense. At the
:, words the king, without betraying VIII
!. he had discovered, held silence for sor
time, and then assuring Eginhard that
would soon give him an answer, he nam
! day for doing so. He Immediately CO
. voked his counsellors, the chief of the kir
> dom, an1 his other familiar adherents, a
! bade them hasten to him.
When the magnificent assembly of t
! various lords was met, he spoke to the
:, saying that the imperial majesty had be
insolently outraged by the guilty love
J his daughter for his secretary, and .Lat
: was greatly troubled at it. The assent
:, was struck with amazement, and some
y them still appeared to doubt, the story
- ing so unheard of and daring. The ki
now recounted matters exactly as he h
p seen them, and asked the advice of
= lords upon the subject.
sn Various sentences were pronounceda agar
lte the presumptuous author of the deed ; 50
lef wished him to be punished in man
al hitherto without example-others adv