G I L B L A S. 29
derate your grief. The king, your unde, is dead, after having left you heir to his fceptre, ami Sicily is fubjeft to your i'way. The grandees of the realm, who attend your orders at Palermo, have commifli- oned me to receive them from your mouth : and I am come, Sir, with my daughter, the firft of your new fubje&s, to offer our early and fincere homage.” The prince, who knew very well that Roger had laboured two months under a dileafe that gradually confumed him, was not much furprized at this piece of news; neverthclefs, ftruck with the fudden change of his condition, he felt a thoufand confufcd emotions rife within.his breaft ; and having mufed fome time, broke filence, by addrefling himfelf to Lcontio, in thefe words : “ Sage Sifiredi, I fhall always look upon you as my father, glory in regulating my conduct by your counfel, and you fhall be as much king in Sicily as I am.” So faying, lie advanced to a table, on which there was a ftandifh, and taking a fhect of paper, wrote his name at the bottom of the page. “ What are you about to do, Sir,” faid Siffredi to him. u I am going to manifeft my gratitude and fileem,** anfwered Henriquez, prefenting the fheet to Blanch, and faying, “ Receive, madam, this pledge oi my faith, and of the empire over my inclinations which I now yield to you.” Blanch took it, bluih- ing, and made this anfwer to the piince ; “ I receive with refpe£fc the favours of my king; but I depend upon a father ; and I hope your majciiy will not take it ill that I depoflt this paper in his hands, to be uled as his prudence fhall dirc£i him.”
She accordingly gave-the? fubfeription of Ilenriquez to her father, wiio then obferved what till that mo^ ment had efcaped his penetration. He difeerned the prince’s fentiments, and faid to him, “ Your majefty lhall have no caufe to reproach me ; for I will not abide the confidence”-— i{ My dear Lcontio ! cried Ilenriquez, interrupting him, don’t imagine you can abufe it. Whatever ufe you (hall make of the paper, ii 3 l will