Agincourt: A Romance: The Works of G. P. R. James, Volume XXJames, G. P. R. (George Payne Rainsford)
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Agincourt: A Romance: The Works of G. P. R. James, Volume XX
James, G. P. R. (George Payne Rainsford)
Agincourt, Battle of, Agincourt, France, 1415 -- Fiction
"Indeed, I know not," said Ella Brune; "there is a small leathern bag
at the inn, in which we used to put all that we gathered; but I
thought not to look what it contained. My heart was too heavy when I
went back, to reckon money. But there is enough to pay all that we
owe, I know; and as for the time to come," she added, with a
melancholy smile, "I eat little, and drink less; so that my diet is
soon paid."
Her words and manner had that harmony in them, which can rarely be
attained when both do not spring from the heart; and Richard of
Woodville became more and more interested in the fair object of his
kindness every moment. He detained her some time longer to ask farther
questions; but, at length, the host opened the door, and told him,
there was a young man without who sought to speak with him. This
interruption terminated his conversation with Ella Brune; for, drawing
her hood farther still over her face, she again rose, took his hand
and pressed her lips upon it.
"The blessing of the queen of heaven be upon you, noble sir," she
said; and then passed through the door, at which the landlord still
stood, wondering a little at the deep gratitude which she seemed to
feel towards his young guest.
CHAPTER XI.
THE DECEIVER.
The King of England remained seated for many minutes exactly where
Richard of Woodville had left him. His right hand rested on the arm of
his chair; his left upon the hilt of his dagger; and his eyes remained
fixed apparently upon the heavy building of the Abbey, such as it then
appeared, before a far successor of his added to it a structure, rich,
and perhaps beautiful in itself, but sadly out of keeping with the
rest of the pile. But Henry saw not the long straight lines of the
solemn mass of masonry; he heard not the bells chiming from the belfry
hard by: his mind was absent from the scene in which his body dwelt;
and his thoughts busy with things very different from those that
surrounded him.
On what did they rest? Over what did the spirit of the great English
monarch ponder, the very day after he had solemnly assumed the crown
and sceptre?--Who can say?
He might, perhaps, remember other days with some regret; for we can
never lose aught that we have possessed, without some mournful
feelings of deprivation returning upon us from time to time, however
great and overpowering be the compensation that we obtain; we can
never change from one state and station in our mortal course to
another without sometimes thinking of former joys, and gone-by
happiness, even though we have acquired grander blessings, and a more
expansive sphere: and oh! how great is the change, even from the
position of a prince, to that of a monarch! so great, indeed, that
none who have not known it can even divine.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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