McCarthy, Justin H. (Justin Huntly) / 2008-07-27 00:00:00
EBOOK IF I WERE KING ***
This eBook was created by Charles Aldarondo (pg@aldarondo.net).
IF I WERE KING
BY
JUSTIN HUNTLY McCARTHY
DEDICATION
To Her
Through Whom and For Whom
This Book was Written
"The Loveliest Lady this side of Heaven."
XXI. XII. MCMI.
If I were king--ah love, if I were king!
What tributary nations would I bring
To stoop before your sceptre and to swear
Allegiance to your lips and eyes and hair.
Beneath your feet what treasures I would fling:--
The stars should be your pearls upon a string,
The world a ruby for your finger ring,
And you should have the sun and moon to wear
If I were king.
Let these wild dreams and wilder words take wing,
Deep in the woods I hear a shepherd sing
A simple ballad to a sylvan air,
Of love that ever finds your face more fair.
I could not give you any godlier thing
If I were king.
CHAPTER I
IN THE FIRCONE TAVERN
In the dark main room of the Fircone Tavern the warm June air seemed
to have lost all its delicacy, like a degraded angel. It was sodden
through and through, as with the lees of wine; it was stained and
shamed with the smells of hams and cheeses; it was thick and heavy
as if with the breaths of all the rogues and all the vagabonds that
had haunted the hostelry from its evil dawn.
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