The Bronze Statue, or, The Virgin's Kiss — page 136: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

— £34 THE BRONAE STATUE. = raise the brand of war against the Archangel, and wield the gleaming slaive in defiance of the Majesty of Heaven! A taintness came over the knight ; ai langnor weighed dofWn his eye-lids ; and | he felt a lethargy growing upon him) which he could not shake off. Con- Sclousness was ebbing away once more —a palsy was fastening on his senses. ‘lhe form of his terrible CONQGUCYTOr ap- peared to dilate into more colossal pro- portions, and to assume a shape and bulk more tremendously appalling. Sir Ernest closed his eyes to shut out the | dread object; and then, while feeling as if a somnolent numbness were shed- ding its influenc6é over him, he heard the clanking of the armor and the trampling of the impatient steed as the sable warrior mounted the coal-black animal. Another moment: and the din of the galloping horse’s hoofs fell upon his ears; and ere the sounds had died |. away in the distance, De Colmar’s senses once more abandoned him alto- ether. | When he awoke to consciousness again, a female form was bending over him; but although the moon was now peeping forth from amidst the heavy curtuins of the sky, he could not im-| mediately distinguish the countenance that looked down upon his own. ‘The thought which first flashed to his mind end sent a thrill of pleasure through his | heart, was that it was Satanuais; but! there,was light sufficient to show him that the face was too fair to be her’s: and then he imagined that it must be) Gloria. Scarcely, however, was this| latter idea formed, when the female spoke; and, although her voice was harmonious with the sweet melody of youthfulness, yet it was softer and more silvery in its tone than that of the Daughter of Glory. ‘Are you wounded, Sir Knight ?’ she inquired, in an accent denoting a kind and generous interest. ‘Alas! I fear that you are, for the fragments of a/| spear upon the ground bear dread and unmistakeable testimony to some recent | conflict.’ ‘Thanks! a thousand thanks. fair un known, for your humane solicitude,’ | said De Colmar, raising himself partial- | ly up and resting on his elbow. ‘No, I] am not wounded, but sorely bruised; | for, as you surmise, this spot has proved the scene of a combat in which my lance broke, and my adversary unhors ed me.’ or S as * f ‘Your steed, then, has doubtless wandered away, Sir Knight ?’ observed the female ; ‘ for when I first discovered you lying upon the ground, there was nO horse near.’ ‘That animal is, then, your own? said De Colmar, now perceiving. a steed } | | CiOS8C DY. ‘It is, Sir Knight, and at your service to bear you either LO Your Own home, or else to the nearest habitation. Butif the information which -l have received be correct,’ she added, ‘ Prague can be at no great distance hence.’ ‘'lThree quarters of an hour’s gentle riding,’ answered De Colmar, now feel- ‘ing himself so tar recovered as to be able to regain his feet. * How lone have you been thus kindly watching me, fair unknown ?’ he inquired. | ‘Nearly ten minutes,’ was the re- sponse. ‘1 endeavored to remove your helmet, but knew not how to unfasten it. Hortunately 1 had a flask of water ‘in the saddle-bag, and by sprinkling your countenance | succeeded in fre- | covering you,’ added the young female, in a tone of modest bashrulness. ‘Accept my sincerest thanks,’ ex- claimed De Colmar: ‘and in return for your kindness, permit me to offer my services in any way where they may be useful. tor meseems that you are travelling alone, unfriended, and at dan- serous hours- buat, great heaven! is it possible ?’ he cried, in a sudden trans- port of astonishment, as the moon came out with increased power and threw its silver beams full upon the countenance of the young temale, thus revealing traits of the sweetest expression and ‘lineaments of the most perfect classical | beautv. ‘What mean you, Sir Knight? de- manded the trembling girl, startled by his abrupt ejaculation, and fearing that he either saw something terrible in the — — semi-obscurity which curtained the heath, or else that he experienced the pang of a wound unsuspected before. ‘Yes, it is indeed the same! he cried, not heeding her question; ‘] could not forget so sweet a countenance. Once away from the memory.’ And now, as the young female saw that the warrior’s eyes were fixed in- tently upon her face, she cast down her looks and. blushed deeply, although there was a noble frankness in his bear- ing, and an unmistakeable ingenuous- ness in his manner, which forbade her comicbooks.com —_ a seen, it were Impossible to pass