Soon, falling into slumber, he
clenched his hands, and ground his teeth. The sleep of a traitor is
ever haunted by uneasy dreams, and dark shadows of coming doom fell
upon his spirit.
Richard watched till dawn. Sometimes he started up to walk to and fro,
beating his bosom, and wringing his hands in agony. Anon he threw
himself prostrate in the stupor of despair. At the first carol of
birds in the forest, sleep surprised his weary senses, and the peace
of the innocent settled upon his features.
Side by side lay the brothers, alike in form, alike even in
feature. But in heart they bore no mark of the resemblance of kindred.
Envy of the elder-born early possessed the soul of Robert, like a base
fiend; first had it driven thence love, and lastly honor.
Does no one seek for the absent lord of the castle, while the weary
hunters return to be his guests? Keeps no one anxious vigil, the
live-long night? The unloving is not loved. But he hath a king beneath
his roof; a king and lords of high degree sit at the morning board,
and shall none but vassals be hospitably proud and busy?
Ladies of rank were there, and among them, pale and silent, sat
Bertha, looking on the king, it seemed, with an upbraiding eye. An
angry gloom sat upon his grimly compressed lips, and sadness was upon
his brow; for kingly power was naught, since remorse could not undo a
wrong done to one who no longer lived, and vengeance could not reach
its absent object.
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