King Robert of Sicily (1913)
Robert, King of Sicily, a proud and haughty monarch, scoffs at the church and proudly declares there is no power that can remove him from the throne. One evening, while at vespers in the church, Robert falls asleep. Afraid to awaken him the attendants steal away at the end of the service, Robert sleeps soundly far into the night, and awakens to find only a few candles flickering on the massive altar. Gazing with astonishment around him, Robert suddenly discovers that he is clothed in the rags of a beggar. Rage gaining possession of him, he escapes from the church and rushes to the palace throne room. Here he finds an angelic king seated upon the throne, wearing his robes, his crown and signet ring. Wild with fury Robert denounces the angel as an impostor, and is thrown into a dismal dungeon. Later he is visited by the angel, who again asks if he is still the king. Proudly Robert answers in the affirmative, and is further punished by being transformed into the court jester. The angel slowly fades from sight, and Robert finds himself with nothing but an ape for counsel. In the great banquet hall Robert is ridiculed by the pages when found eating scraps of food from the plates after the guests have gone. Still his pride dominates and his haughty answer, "I am, I am the King," saddens the angel, who realizes the task is not yet finished. As the Holy Week approaches the ambassadors from Pope Urban summon the Angel king to Rome. At last Robert sees a way to dethrone the impostor, for is not the pope his own brother? Surely he will right the great wrong that has been done. So they depart o'er land and sea, into the lovely land of Italy. Upon arriving in Rome the Pope receives them with great pomp on St. Peter's Square, but Robert's hopes are dashed to earth when, after an impassioned appeal to his own brother, he finds the Pope knows him not, and jests with the angel, saying, "It is strange sport to keep a madman at court." Seizing the furious Robert the guards imprison him in a cell. Easter Sunday gleams upon the sky and Robert, rising from his pallet, eagerly watches the people as they enter the church for early mass. Suddenly a celestial gleam of light falls upon his upturned face and, feeling within a power unfelt before, he kneels humbly, and for the first time lifts his voice in prayer. The Holy Week ending, the Angel King returns once more to Sicily. Now it is that Robert seems to feel the angelic presence of the impostor king, and humbles himself for the first time. Later, in the great throne room, Robert, still in his jester garb, gazes from the open casement and is aroused from his reverie by the sound of the vesper bells and the chanting of the monks nearby. Watching him closely, the Angel King dismisses the court, and appearing before Robert, once more asks, "Art thou the king?" For a moment Robert hesitates, then crosses his hands meekly upon his breast and makes answer, "Thou knowest best." At this acknowledgment of his lowliness the angel reveals himself to the king and slowly fades from view with a last blessing. Discovering that he is once more clothed in his regal robes. King Robert impulsively goes alone to the church and there, kneeling before the holy altar, he silently prays, while a shaft of heavenly light breaks over the lofty crucifix and falls upon his humbled head.
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GenresDrama
Short
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