DOI Artikel:
Lee, Vernon: Prince Alberic an the Snake Lady: to H. H. the Ranee Brooke of Saràwak$nElektronische Ressource
DOI Seite / Zitierlink:https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.26393#0328
324 Prince Alberic and the Snake Lady
came to his senses, it appears, and after abandoning the Snake
Lady fulfilled his duty as a prince, and married the princess. . . .
I cannot exactly remember what princess, but it was a very
suitable marriage, no doubt, from which your Highness is of course
descended.
“As regards the Marquis Alberic, second of the name, of whom
it is accounted that he died in the odour of sanctity, (and indeed
it is said that the facts concerning his beatification are being
studied in the proper quarters), there is a mention in a life of
Saint Fredevaldus, bishop and patron of Luna, printed at the
beginning of the present century at Venice, with approbation and
license of the authorities and inquisition, a mention of the fact
that this Marquis Alberic the second had contracted, having
abandoned his lawful wife, a left-handed marriage with this same
Snake Lady (such evil creatures not being subject to natural death),
she having induced him thereunto in hope of his proving faithful
ten years, and by this means restoring her altogether to human
shape. But a certain holy hermit, having got wind of this
scandal, prayed to St. Fredevaldus as patron of Luna, whereupon
St. Fredevaldus, took pity on the Marquis Alberic’s sins, and
appeared to him in a vision at the end of the ninth year of his
irregular connection with the Snake Lady, and touched his heart
so thoroughly that he instantly forswore her company, and
handing the Marquisate over to his mother, abandoned the world
and entered the order of St. Romuald, in which he died, as
remarked, in odour of sanctity, in consequence of which the
present Duke, your Highness’s magnificent grandfather, is at this
moment, as befits so pious a prince, employing his influence with
the Holy Father for the beatification of so glorious an ancestor.
And now, my son,” added the good priest, suddenly changing his
tone, for he had got the table ready, and lighted the candles, and
only
came to his senses, it appears, and after abandoning the Snake
Lady fulfilled his duty as a prince, and married the princess. . . .
I cannot exactly remember what princess, but it was a very
suitable marriage, no doubt, from which your Highness is of course
descended.
“As regards the Marquis Alberic, second of the name, of whom
it is accounted that he died in the odour of sanctity, (and indeed
it is said that the facts concerning his beatification are being
studied in the proper quarters), there is a mention in a life of
Saint Fredevaldus, bishop and patron of Luna, printed at the
beginning of the present century at Venice, with approbation and
license of the authorities and inquisition, a mention of the fact
that this Marquis Alberic the second had contracted, having
abandoned his lawful wife, a left-handed marriage with this same
Snake Lady (such evil creatures not being subject to natural death),
she having induced him thereunto in hope of his proving faithful
ten years, and by this means restoring her altogether to human
shape. But a certain holy hermit, having got wind of this
scandal, prayed to St. Fredevaldus as patron of Luna, whereupon
St. Fredevaldus, took pity on the Marquis Alberic’s sins, and
appeared to him in a vision at the end of the ninth year of his
irregular connection with the Snake Lady, and touched his heart
so thoroughly that he instantly forswore her company, and
handing the Marquisate over to his mother, abandoned the world
and entered the order of St. Romuald, in which he died, as
remarked, in odour of sanctity, in consequence of which the
present Duke, your Highness’s magnificent grandfather, is at this
moment, as befits so pious a prince, employing his influence with
the Holy Father for the beatification of so glorious an ancestor.
And now, my son,” added the good priest, suddenly changing his
tone, for he had got the table ready, and lighted the candles, and
only