ascended the steps in
front of the altar, and, drawing the huge blade from its sheath, lunged
with it four times into the air--once to the north, and once to the
south, once to the east and once to the west. Sheathing the sword, he
descended, and walking to the western portal mounted his war-horse, and
paced slowly down the street, followed by a brilliant cavalcade, to the
Mound of Coronation.

Urging his steed up the ascent, he drew rein on the summit, and once
more bared the holy brand, and, wheeling to the four quarters of
heaven, thrust it into the air in token of lordship and power
inalienable; and when he rode down the Mound to his people a great cry
was raised in greeting, and four pigeons were loosed. High they flew
in circles overhead, and, each choosing his own airt, darted out to the
four regions of the world to bear the news of that crowning.

The first years of the new reign seemed to be the dawn of a Golden Age
in the land of Sarras, and in those years no man was more beloved and
honoured by the King than was Archbishop Desiderius. As time passed
by, however, and the evil leaven of unrestrained power began to ferment
in the King's heart, and the Archbishop opposed and reproved him,
gently and tenderly at first, but ever more gravely and steadfastly,
coldness and estrangement divided them; and soon that strange
resemblance which gave them the aspect of twin brothers, became a root
of suspicion and dread in the King's mind, for he reasoned with
himself, "What more likely than that this masterful prelate should
dream of wearing the crown, he who so nearly resembles the King that
the mother of either might well pause ere she should say which was her
son? A foot of iron, and a sprinkling of earth, and farewell Talisso!
None would guess it was Desiderius who took his ease in thy chair."

Thus by degrees limitless power waxed into lawlessness, and suspicion
and dread into moroseness and cruelty, and on this rank soil the red
weeds of lust and hate and bitter pride sprang up and choked all that
was sweet and gracious and lovable in the nature of the man.

Then did the wise and gentle folk of Sarras come to perceive how
woefully they had been deceived in the tyrant they had crowned, and
speedily it came to pass that when they spoke of King Talisso they
breathed not his name, but using an ancient word to signify such insane
and evil pride as that of Lucifer and the Fallen Angels, they called
him the King O