Rosamund Author:George Sterling Purchase of this book includes free trial access to www.million-books.com where you can read more than a million books for free. This is an OCR edition with typos. Excerpt from book: ACT H Scene 1 Four years later. A goldsmith's shop in the city of Verona, in Lombardy. Authari, the goldsmith, a white-haired man, holds a skull in his han... more »ds, and converses -with Aio, a Lombard warrior. What do you with the skull? Authari: It comes to me From Alboin. I am charged to make of it A wine-cup. Tell me how the thing is done. Authari: The task is easy. I but saw the skull In half. The lower part I cast away, Then line the upper with a skin of gold. Four golden bands shall clutch the outer side And twining, make the handle and the base. Then sot I rubies deeply in the bands And emeralds around the rest. 'T will make A goodly cup. The skull, you see, is round. The man was of the North. Author!: The North had part 'T is certain, in him. But I was not told His name. You may be sure he had the hate Of Alboin. (Enter Guelph, a singer.) Guelph: Alboin? What a king! Thou sayest! Guelph: Ravenna hears his trumpets, and calls out To Justin! Soon the forehead of that bull Shall ring upon the trembling gates of Borne! But there's a head whose war is done. (pointing to the skull.) Autharl: 'T will be In use when yours is dust. Perchance. My songs Shall not be dust. Will they be sung in Heaven? Guelpb: Nay, but on earth. I'm not so sure of that. Where are the songs of Caesar's harping-men? Authari: Hardly in Heaven! Guelph: It must be they sang ill. Perhaps they sing in Hell. Guelph: Well, better there Than nowhere. Heaven send my soul content1 Let me be happy while I live! The dead Are welcome to their revels. Authari: (holding up the skull) Here is one Must grace the mortal banquets. As a cup! 1 wager 't will be filled with sounder stuff Than when it laughed a...« less