The Bronze Statue, or, The Virgin's Kiss — page 145: what you’re looking at

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

THE BRONZE STATUE. 143 trees had been cut down in order to] sat upon that countenance which seem- vy make room for half-a-dozen tents that ed formed to wear only smiles of plea ‘S : were pitched there, and in the midst of | sure and of love. vat which was a pavilion of elegant appear- | The truth was that Gloria could not i ty ance. Into this handsome, though tem-| divest her mind of a certain painful sen- i porary dwelling-place, did Linda and | sation which had seized upon it, when Waly Beatrice conduct Angela, while the!she beheld Sir Ernest de Colmar be- teak two T'aborite soldiers escorted De Col-|stowing tender, yet delicate, attentions as mar to one of the surrounding tents |on the young female whom he had res- thy ba ol ad “er - € pd & ~- -= - “wa reo > wat + Se wi as I In the pavilion the two hand-m: nidens cued from the Moldau. She endeavor- rendered Angela all the services requir- ed to discard this feeling of jealousy as ed by one in her condition. ‘l’hey as-; one unworthy of herse sf and derogatory sisted her to lay aside her dripping ap-|to him; but she could not thus e easily parel, fur nished her with other raiment, | thrust it forth from her soul. It clung and made her repose her exhausted| with a vexatious tenacity to the tender- frame upon a couch, where a deep slum- | est chords which vibrated in her heart. ber soon visited her eyes. Lience was it that Glotia’s counte- Meantime the officer commanding the | nance had become mournful, and that little Taborite outpost established in the|she was plunged in a deep reverie, as grove, paid his respects to Sir Ernest de| she proceeded slowly along the bank of Colmar, and supplied him with the best | the river. suit of apparel which his wardrobe could| And nowshe reached that shady place possibly furnish ; and when the knight| where she had encountered Sir Ernest had thus exchanged his wet garments/ de Colmar on the occasion whey she re- for clothing that was at all events dry | vealed to him her own love, and learnt and comfortable, if not so elegant as his|from his lips that he was enamored of own, he hastened to make inquiries con-|Satanais. But. oh! strange to tell, a cerning Angela. The information he} sudden glow of joy and delight animated obtained was satisfactory ; the maiden | her features as her eyes settled upon was entirely out of danger, and had fal- | the very spot where she and De Colmar len into a refreshing sleep, while Linda| had stood when he imparted to her the and Beatrice were prepared to show | secret of his love for Satanais, and when her every attention when she should|she gave vent to that ejaculation which awake ! sounded like a cry of ecstacy, and not of Being thus relieved from any appre- | anguish, in his ears. hension with regard to the interesting ‘Oh! wherefore should I yield to young woman whom he had thus a se-|this sentiment of jealousy which has cond time rescued from peril, Sir Er- | seized upon me 2’ she exclaimed aloud, nest de Colmar thanked the Taborites | her countenance becoming radiant with for their kindness towards himself, and | triumph, joy, hope, and fervid passion. then hastened through the grove to re-| ‘ He is mine—mine—that hero so chi- join the charming Gloria on the bank of} valrous in character, s0 geverous ip eal rr (re ayy _ . oe _ ~ane Pr = = <> a “a- = * « _— — —— ee -_ — ees —— the river. /soul, and so handsome in person—oh ? In the meantime that being of tran | he is mine—mine!’ scendent be auty—the Daughter of Glory And ler voice rolled in its golden —was moving slowly along by the mar-| harmony amongst the trees gin of the Moldau, her eyes bent upon But suddenly from amidst the eme- the ground, so that the long fringes of| rald shade a form appeared ; and Gloria, the lids rested on her damask chee sks,/ the radiant Gloria, found herself con- and veiled the supernal power of those| fronted all in an instant by an old wo- orbs which shone with the effulgence of | man, whose appearance, though in it- heaven. Her veil, being thrown par-|self having nothing terrible, neverthe- tially back, e xposed a portion of her hair | less produce da strange and startling ef to the sunlight, which made her head | fect upon the Daughter of Glory. seem as if crowned with a blaze of vol-| ‘Demoness! what dost thou here?? den lustre, so rich and so glowing were|she exclaimed, her lustrous eyes dart- the tresses which thus caught and im- ing forth lightning upon the composed | prisoned the beams of the orb of day. | and unrifiled countenance of the old a But though so dazzling in her won-| woman who stood calmly in her pre- : drous charms, yet Gloria was not alto- | sence. gether happy now. Her manner was; ‘Sister Marietta, wilt thou return pensive, her step was slow and even; with me to those who are prepared to mournful, and a melancholy expression} give thee a cordial welcome, and will oe comicbooks.com