Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-10-14
CHAPTER XIX-Continued.

With half-smile upon her lip Rosamoi'a
listened while her father Cunimund oriehy
explained the purpose for which she hao
been summoned. Then, standing erect Win
girlish grace. Rosamond pleaded, In sweet
and maidenly language not to be given up
to the will of king well known Tor his
savage character. There was something
SO pathetic and touching in her appeal as
she stood alone facing the rough warriors
that tears rose to the eyes of many ladies
in the audience 1t seemed not to be acting,
but nature itself.
Tumultuous shouts from the Gepid war
riors applauded Rosamond's decision, and
the curtain descended upon an exciting
tableau-the running to and fro of men, the
buckling on of armor, and the giving Oh
orders for the coming fray.
On turning to ascertain ldrls OPINION "
the first act Beatrice found him with look
of perpleXity on his face.
The earl, The EARL he murmured.
Am l dreaming. or have 1 seen him be-
fore? His attitude in raising his hand to
his brow recalls gesture on the part of
some one 1 have known in far-on times.
In his voice. too, there is something Ia
miliar: it is like the echo of one heard in
my childhood
Beatrice gave faint cry of surprise.
''I.orelie was right them in her conjec-
ture.' she said. Yes; Cousin 1dris. you
have seen the earl before under very diff
ferent circumstances from the present. Pa
thence. you shall learn where ere long.
Quickly the curtain rose upon the second
act
The scene represented the interior of a
church by night. Lamps cleaning from
lofty columns shed solemn light around.
RoSamond was present with her maidens
and a few armed attendants. Their words
showed that the Gepid army had suffered
defeat. Cunimund himself was dcad-not
X led n fpi nd mon q
Cusy assassinated by the Bishop Paulnus.
who had gone over to the Lombard side III
the midst of the battle. carrying with him
the head of the fallen king, and securing
by that gift the favor of Alboin. The Lom-
bards were now marching upon the Gepid
capital. and Rosamond was seeking 10
elude capture by taking sanctuary.
Vain hope. From without came cries,
the tramp of warriors the clang of arms.
Torches cleaned through the windows of
the church Rosamonds attendants tried
to bar the door; their feeble efforts yielded
to the superior force of the foe, and the
Lombards entered the church with Albon
at their head. the role of that king being
sustained by War. The sanctuary became
the scene of an unequal combat Soon the
sword glimmered in the grasp of the last
defender, and the triumphant and savage
Alboin seized the lovely and shrinking form
of ROSamond
Not till Alboin had sworn to accomplish
his purpose. with or without marriage. did
come his wife. The ceremony took place
on the spot, Pauinus himself, the traitor
bishop performing the marriage rite.
Rosamond. half-fainting, was led by her
attendant maidenS to the altar, and hold
ing Alboin's hand, was forced to utter the
words of the wedding ritual amid the rude
shouting of the Lombard soldiery. one OF
whom carried the head of Cunimund at
fixed to the point of a pike.
Language fails to convey an adequate
conception of the wild horror displayed by
Rosamond at this juncture in being mated
to man she ioathed. and by an eccIesi-
her fathers blood. In an agony of
grief and rage she mingled the holy words
of the ritual with fierce 'asIdes." She was
no longer the sweet maiden of the first
act but a woman thirsting for vengeance.
1t struck Idris that the situation of Rosa
mond offered an analogy to that of Lorelie
herself in being welded to an uncongeniaI
consort and living in daily communion with
man guilty of bioodshed. Then slowly
the belief came over him that this emotion
on her part was not g piece of acting but
the real expression of her feelings 1t was
no mock princess that he beheld brea tn
ing an imaginary hatred against stage foes.
but a. wronged woman animated with a
deadly purpose against her husband and
her father-in-law. What had happened to
transform Lorelie's sweet and gracious ma
ture to this dark and vengeful mood?
LAS L live" muttered Idris WHOM the
curtain had descended upon the scene .ssha
is importing her own personal feelings into
the piece. She hates the earl and Iyar
and is laying some snare for them"
You nave It,. replied Beatrice. This
play is for their humiliation and ruin
How is it that her object did not reveal
itself TO them during the rehearsal?"
Because she did not act then in the
same spirit as now: and, moreover she will
insert some words not in the printed ed-
ton of her play in order to mark their eff
feet upon the earl. There will be no need
to ask what words or for what burmese
uttered; you will know as. soon as YOU
near. See. exclaimed Beatrice in voice
trembling with suppressed excitement, 1.-THE
third act is beginning"
AS the curtain assembled again a ,alrnur
OF admiration rose from the audience at
Ine beauty or the tabeau revealed to view.
he scene represented the refectory of a
paiace and was so arranged that the actual
walls OF the Gothic hall in which the an
dlence sat formed the wings and rear of
Tie stage scenery. thus producing an effect
more realistic than could have beep ar
tanned by painted canvas A spacious ana
splendid arched easement facing the an
dlehce made part of this refectory: the
scene mad been purposely timed with re-
gafd 10 the moons course, and It was M
mock planet. but the real silver orb of
night that shone through the panes of
stained glass from sky of darkest bIue
The moonlight without contrasted curiousIy
with the glow cast by the Iamps nendant
from the vaulted roof of the sunnosad han
quoting hall.
feast was taking place, given by Kipg
ANON TO celebrate his victory over Cunt
mund. Historically speaking the rnemor
aple ana fatal banquet with which the
name of Rosamond is associated hannenad
several years after the defeat of the Canid
KING, but for the sake of dramatic affact
l-ofeHe mad repro scented it as the imrna
diate consequence of that defeat
Robed IN purple. and with a iewe,ed dia
Qem upon mis- head. sat Alboin and beside
him. and now his chief co,InseIIo tbe
trattor-bshop Paulinus whose enisconaI
ATTIRE was sttH with brocade and gems
disposed along the board with pictureeora
enect were the Lombard chiefs and w.
riors all arrayed in cleaning mail
Ihe royal table giittered with a nrofusio,
OF plate The shelves of a carved oal.ap
sideboard were filled with a variatv of
SoIden and silver vessels. The stage twin
kied with so many dazzling points of light
'h9t II became hurtful to gaze too long
upon 1t. All the Ravengar heirlooms vera
being paraded in this banouetinp SCENE
probably to impress the visitors with tho
extent of the Ravengar wealth
Are those Jewels. and is that plate raa,1.,
mattered ldris, examining them through n
lorgnette. q
All genuine. and not stage property. 1
was once promised" murmured Beatrice Il,
a dreamy manner, Il was once nroTniSad ~
molety of that wealth. wonder Cous;n
Idris. whether you will keep YOUR word.
Tor II is all yours, or soon will he
idris did not catch the last part of ber
utterance. but he had heard enough IN
"