e time was soon to come when he too could depart to
the Islands of the Blessed, where the spirit of his wife awaited him.

KING ROBERT
OF SICILY

There was once a proud and selfish monarch, named King Robert, who ruled
over the kingdom of Sicily. One of his brothers was the mighty Pope
Urbane, and the other the rich Emperor Valmond, and King Robert spent as
lavishly and held even a more magnificent court than either of them. But
the Sicilian monarch was not beloved by his subjects, for he treated
them all with disdain, and in fact only looked on them as mere slaves,
whose duty it was to carry out all his orders, no matter at what
inconvenience to themselves.

One evening King Robert sat in state in the royal chapel and listened
idly to the priests chanting the service. Clad in his magnificent robes
he looked every inch a king, but his handsome face was marred by its
look of conceit and weariness. He soon grew tired of listening to the
service and let his thoughts wander, but suddenly his ear was caught by
some Latin words which were repeated over and over again, and, turning
to a learned clerk who stood near him, he asked: "What mean these
words?"

The learned man at once made reply: "He hath put down the mighty from
their seat, and has exalted them of low degree."

"'Tis well," said King Robert scornfully, "that such treason is only
uttered by priests and in the Latin tongue. My subjects, whether priests
or common people, know full well that there is no power which can hurl
me from my throne." Saying these words he yawned and leaned back in his
throne, and soon, lulled by the monotonous chanting, he fell fast
asleep.

When he awoke it was late at night. All the lights in the church had
been extinguished, except a few flickering candles, which were burning
before the shrine of some saint. The King started up from his seat and
gazed with anger and amazement round the empty church. He groped his way
towards the great door, but it was locked; then he shouted for
assistance, uttered angry threats, and hammered against the door, but
all in vain. At length the sexton, who lived hard by, was roused by the
tumult, and, fearful lest thieves or some drunken revelers had made
their way into the church, he came to the door, lantern in hand, and
cried in a quavering voice: "Who is there?"

"Open the door; 'tis I, the King!" shouted King Robert, almost choking
with rage.

"This is some drunken rogue," muttered the