King Helge Volume 10; Aslog (Paperback)

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1900 Excerpt: ...Tell me all thou know'st, And all there is to know concerning this. Thora--Speak in a gentler tone, my son, for now Thy father's eyes are clos'd in soothing sleep. I pray thee, Harald--tell him--tell him all (Rolf and Harald move away from the vicinity of the King and Thora.) Harald--The king, O Rolf, lies wounded unto death. King Adils' cowardly sword hath pierc'd his heart, To gain his treasures that he coveted. Thy father, Torsten, and myself, --alone--Were passing through the woods from Adils' court, When, ere we knew what fearful thing had chanc'd, King Adils, and some hundred warriors, Rush'd from the darkness and surrounded us. Torsten and I were bound by unseen hands; And Adils, laughing in thy father's face, And crying in a taunting, cruel voice: "Thy jewels and Yrsa now shall both be mine " Plung'd his mean sword with force into his breast, So that he fell with groans upon the ground. Then noble Adils searched and found the jewels, And rode with all his followers away. We loos'd the cords that bound us, speedily, And brought our wounded king unto this hut; But death alone can end his suffering, And free him from this fearful agony Which great King Adils' sword so well hath wrought. Rolf--O Harald can a man have stoop'd to this? A warrior, a courtier, and a king? O never has the face of villainy Seem'd half so cunning and so treacherous He who can bend to deeds of cowardice And gain his ends by falsest bravery, Is traitor to his name and to the world, Which ever by some great and natural law, Cleanses itself from all that is too vile, Too foul and loathsome for humanity. This laughing Adils soon shall learn my smile, While groaning in the tortures of his death; And thus my father shall be well aveng'd For all that he hath suffer'd by th...