English fiction -- 19th century; Horror tales; Penny dreadfuls
“He longed to wreak his desperate feelings even on his brother.
“Nor had he ever, in his jealous heart, forgiven that brother his
virtues and his renown.
“At the appointed hour the brothers met as foes.
“Lord Edward Warbeck’s visor was up, and all the settled sternness of
his soul was stamped upon his brow.
“But Sir Charles, more willing to brave the arm than to face the
front of his brother, kept his visor down.
“Redgill stood by him with folded arms.
“It was a study in human passions to his mocking mind.
“Scarce had the first trumpet sounded to this dread conflict, when a
new actor entered on the scene.
“The rumour of so unprecedented an event had not failed to reach the
convent wherein Leoline had sought refuge.
“And now, two by two, came the sisters of the holy shrine, and the
armed men made way as, with trailing garments and veiled faces, they
swept along into the very lists.
“At that moment one from among them left her sisters, and, with a
slow, majestic pace, paused not till she stood right between the
brother foes.
“‘Lord Edward Warbeck,’ she said in a hollow voice, that curdled up
his dark spirit as she spoke, ‘is it thus thou wouldst prove thy
love, and maintain thy trust over the fatherless orphan that thy sire
bequeathed to thy care? Shall I have murder on my soul?’
“At that question she paused, and those who heard it were struck
dumb, and shuddered.
“‘The murder of one man by the hand of his own brother! Away,
Warbeck!—_I command!_’
“‘Shall I forget thy wrongs, Leoline?’ said Warbeck.
“‘Wrongs! they are forgiven, they are no more. And thou, Sir
Charles—(here her voice faltered)—thou, does thy conscience smite
thee not—wouldst thou atone for robbing me of hope by barring against
me the future? Wretch that I should be, could I dream of mercy—could
I dream of comfort—if thy brother fell by thy sword in my cause? Sir
Charles, I have pardoned thee, and blessed thee and thine. Once,
perhaps, thou didst love me; remember how I loved thee—cast down
thine arms.’
“Sir Charles gazed at the veiled form before him.
“Where had the soft Leoline learned to command?
“He turned to his brother.
“He felt all that he had inflicted upon both; and casting his sword
upon the ground, he knelt at the feet of Leoline, and kissed her
garment with a devotion that votary never lavished on a holier saint.
“The spell that lay over the warriors around was broken.
“There was one loud cry of congratulation and joy.
“‘And thou, Lord Edward Warbeck!’ said Leoline, turning to the spot
where, still motionless and haughty, Warbeck stood.
“‘Have I ever rebelled against thy will?’ said he, softly, and buried
the point of his sword in the earth. ‘Yet, Leoline—yet,’ added he,
looking at his kneeling brother, ‘yet art thou already better avenged
than by this steel!’
“‘Thou art! thou art!’ cried Sir Charles, smiting his breast; and
slowly, and scarce noting the crowd that fell back from his path,
Lord Edward Warbeck left the lists.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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