264. The King Orgulous

The first years of the new reign seemed to
be the dawn of a Golden Age in the land of
Sarras, and in those years no man was more
beloved and honoured by the King than was
Archbishop Desiderius. As time passed by,
however, and the evil leaven of unrestrained
power began to ferment in the King’s heart,
and the Archbishop opposed and reproved
him, gently and tenderly at first, but ever
more gravely and steadfastly, coldness and
estrangement divided them; and soon that
strange resemblance which gave them the
aspect of twin brothers, became a root of
suspicion and dread in the King’s mind, for
he reasoned with himself, “What more likely
than that this masterful prelate should dream
of wearing the crown, he who so nearly
resembles the King that the mother of
either might well pause ere she should say
which was her son? A foot of iron, and a
sprinkling of earth, and farewell Talisso!
None would guess it was Desiderius who
took his ease in thy chair.”

Thus by degrees limitless power waxed
into lawlessness, and suspicion and dread
into moroseness and cruelty, and on this
rank soil the red weeds of lust and hate and