"True," returned Beatrice. "But—we are losing the words of the play."
This last was quite true. So occupied had Idris been in contemplating the scenic effects, that he had not yet caught a word of the act then in progress.
Fixing his attention upon the dialogue Idris noticed that Alboin (or Ivar) was inviting his companions-in-arms to drink to their recent victory. While speaking he lifted on high his own goblet, a goblet of a very curious character, for it was fashioned from a human skull, supposedly that of the fallen Cunimund. The upper portion of the cranium had been sawn off, and being attached to the lower part by silver hinges, formed the lid of the grim drinking-vessel.
"Do you recognize the relic taken by you from Ormfell?" asked Beatrice.
"That cup is not the 'Viking's' skull," returned Idris decisively, as he surveyed it through his glasses. "Its colour is white: mine was a yellowish-brown. Now, notice the lid; it is lifted and turned towards us: it ought to contain a circular perforation, but there is none, you see. Trust me, I know my relic too well to be deceived."
"You are quite right, Cousin Idris: the cup now in Ivar's hands is not the 'Viking's' skull; being merely the one used in the rehearsal. It would have been a betraying of her purpose had Lorelie employed the real relic, but it will make its appearance soon."
She turned her attention to the dialogue again, and Idris did the same, wondering what the end of it would be.
Extending the skull-cup to a slave, Ivar-Alboin cried, in the words of history:—
"Fill this goblet to the brim: carry it to the queen, and bid her in my name drink to the memory of her father."
The attendant poured wine into the cup and carried it off the stage for the purpose of presenting it to Queen Rosamond. And pre-informed by Beatrice, Idris knew that the goblet carried out would not be the same as that which would be brought in. Lorelie would enter with the identical skull taken from Ormfell. Why should this be? He awaited the sequel with breathless interest, an interest that would have been far more intense had he known with what person Godfrey had connected this same skull. But some things had been kept from the knowledge of Idris, and this was one of them.