DOI article:
Lee, Vernon: Prince Alberic an the Snake Lady: to H. H. the Ranee Brooke of Saràwak$nElektronische Ressource
DOI Page / Citation link:https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.26393#0343
By Vernon Lee 339
Balthasar woke up one morning with a strong apprehension of
dying.
But no more was said of the mysterious female friend of Prince
Alberic, still less was any attempt made to gain her intervention
in the matter of the drysalter Princess’s marriage.
XII
More desperate measures were soon resorted to. It was given
out that Prince Alberic was engrossed in study, and he was
forbidden to leave his wing of the Red Palace, with no other
view than the famous grotto with the verde antique apes and the
porphyry rhinoceros. It was published that Prince Alberic was
sick, and he was confined very rigorously to a less agreeable apart-
ment in the rear of the palace, where he could catch sight of the
plaster laurels and draperies, and the rolling plaster eyeball of one
of the Twelve Caesars under the cornice. It was judiciously
hinted that the Prince had entered into religious retreat, and he
was locked and bolted into the State prison, alongside of the
unfinished sepulchral chapel, whence a lugubrious hammering
came as the only sound of life. In each of these places the recal-
citrant youth was duly argued with by some of his grandfather’s
familiars, and even received a visit from the old duke in person.
But threats and blandishments were all in vain, and Alberic per-
sisted in his refusal to marry.
It was six months now since he had seen the outer world, and
six weeks since he had inhabited the State prison, every stage in
his confinement, almost every day thereof, having systema-
tically deprived him of some luxury, some comfort, or some mode of
passing his time. His harpsichord and foils had remained in the
gala
Balthasar woke up one morning with a strong apprehension of
dying.
But no more was said of the mysterious female friend of Prince
Alberic, still less was any attempt made to gain her intervention
in the matter of the drysalter Princess’s marriage.
XII
More desperate measures were soon resorted to. It was given
out that Prince Alberic was engrossed in study, and he was
forbidden to leave his wing of the Red Palace, with no other
view than the famous grotto with the verde antique apes and the
porphyry rhinoceros. It was published that Prince Alberic was
sick, and he was confined very rigorously to a less agreeable apart-
ment in the rear of the palace, where he could catch sight of the
plaster laurels and draperies, and the rolling plaster eyeball of one
of the Twelve Caesars under the cornice. It was judiciously
hinted that the Prince had entered into religious retreat, and he
was locked and bolted into the State prison, alongside of the
unfinished sepulchral chapel, whence a lugubrious hammering
came as the only sound of life. In each of these places the recal-
citrant youth was duly argued with by some of his grandfather’s
familiars, and even received a visit from the old duke in person.
But threats and blandishments were all in vain, and Alberic per-
sisted in his refusal to marry.
It was six months now since he had seen the outer world, and
six weeks since he had inhabited the State prison, every stage in
his confinement, almost every day thereof, having systema-
tically deprived him of some luxury, some comfort, or some mode of
passing his time. His harpsichord and foils had remained in the
gala