Fair Rosamond, Or, the Days of King Henry II Volume 2; An Historical Romance

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.1839 Excerpt: … and cometh forth to be rebuked V No! by the holy order of which it hath pleased Heaven to make me the head, they shall, by the grace of God, this day see that I am not unworthy of being their leader.” He paused short; for as he waved his arm aloof in the earnestness of his speech, the rough hair-shirt grazed his shoulder by the motion, and reminded him that his feelings but ill-accorded with the garment of penitence which he wore. ” Leave me for a short space,” added he, waving his hand for the attendant to depart, who, without replying, quitted the chamber. Left alone,–with slow and measured step, and arms folded on his bosom, did Becket pace the apartment; while a thousand contending emotions rushed through his bosom, like the headlong waves struggling and foaming to overleap the narrow outlet which the torrent has torn through the river-banks. In vain did he attempt to quell these contending passions. He took up his beads,–every drop of which was formed of the purest gold;–but ere he had numbered three; the whole string was gathered up in his unconscious grasp, and he was again pacing the apartment with long and furious strides; every step of which caused the richly painted window to chatter. The names of Henry, Hereford, and York, also fell from his lips; and when he made mention of Clarendon, and reverted to the deed which he promised to sign, he stood as suddenly still in the centre of the room, as if he had been struck by a thunderbolt; while the nails of his fingers doubled up into the palms of his hands with a fierce involuntary grasp, and his brow grew dark as midnight. At length he heaved a deep sigh, and passing his hand over his face, threw himself into a massy chair, and sat motionless as a statue. The dark spot gradually left his brow, and…