The Bronze Statue, or, The Virgin's Kiss — page 149: what you’re looking at

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

THE BRONZE STATUE. 147 unworthy feelings,’ he answered ; then, | and it was not therefore an easy matter taking her hand, he pressed it cordially, | to obtain access to the portrait, even if saying, ‘ Farewell, Gloria, farewell, un- | it were still in the royal dwelling. But til the sixth morning hence.’ Lionel and Konrad were not to be ‘Farewell!’ she murmured, throwing | daunted by any opposition, until expe- upon him a leok full of unutterable | rience had proved it to be insurmount- feeling, while her bosom swelled with | able. They accordingly one night pene- the profound sigh which thus power | trated into the palace by the simple fully upheaved it. process of breaking their way through The knight and the lady separated ; | a window; and provided with the means the former retracing his steps into the | of procuring a light, they wandered city, and the latter returning to her pa- | from room to room in search of the por- vilion in the grove. trait. ‘Their task seemed hopeless, But what idea was uppermost in the | and they were about to quit the spacious mind of each? The assassination o | building under the impression that they Dame Martha |had inspected every part of it, whem Oh! the Daughter of Glory would | they unexpectedly found themselves in have given worlds that it should not|a small sleeping-chamber which the have taken place; or, at all events, that | had previously missed or overlooked. the deed should have remained con-| And what did they behold here? A cealed from Sir Ernest de Colmar; | portrait! yes—but, to their unspeakable while, on his part, the knight would | amazement, it was the exact represen- likewise have made no_ insignificant | tative of a living original whom they had personal sacrifice to have saved Gloria | seen elsewhere ! from that blood-stain which was now| You will not fail to recollect, gentle upon her brow! reader, a certain beautiful young lady Nevertheless, the radiant being gave | to whom Lionel had been introduced at not way to despair; but more than once, | that gorgeous festival where he and his as she traversed the grove on her way | fellow-page had become such welcome back to her pavilion, she repeated that | guests, under circumstances so my ste- strange and exulting ejaculation,—* He | rious and romantic. That young lady ais mine! he rw mine!” | was described by us as being of ravish- ing loveliness, attired in crimson velvet, and holding a variegated fan in her 'hand; and this fair creature it was whose CHAPTER XXXVIII. |portrait the youths now found in the ' royal palace ! LIONEL AND KONRAD. | But how did they acquire the assur- _|ance that it was the portrait of the T'ne reader will remember the in-| Princess Elizabetha? Because the structions which Sir Ernest de Colmar|name appeared amidst the armorial gave to his two pages respecting his de- | blazonry which embellished the top of sire that they should endeavor to find | the ponderous frame! out the place of concealment where the| Thus far, then, their researches were Princess Elizabetha of Bohemia bad} rewarded with success, They had dis- sought refuge. covered an important clue to the where- In pursuance of those commands, the | abouts of the princess; but for certain youths held a consultation together;/ reasons which will appear hereafter, and their first step was to make inqui- | they were not only stricken with mingl- ries whether any portrait of the prin- |ed surprise and sorrow at the thought cess was in existence, so that they might | that she was an inmate of that splendid obtain a view thereof, and by becoming | mansion where they had seen her, but acquainted with her highness’s personal | they were likewise resolved to dare any appearance, be enabled to recognize her | peril and run any risk in order to re- even under a disguise and false name. } move her thence. F'rom worthy Master ‘lemplin they as-| But how were they to discover where certained that there was indeed such a|that mansion was situated? The en- portrait in the palace at the time of|virons of Prague were dotted with nu- King Wenzel’s death; but whether it} merous beautiful villas, and the youths were still within those deserted walls, | knew not in which direction they had the worthy landlord could not say.—/|been conducted by the old woman, after Moreover, the palace was shut up, the | they were blindfolded in the cemetery keys were in the possession of Zitzka,!on the memorable night of their intro- (a > al = > ho eg gh 7 ~ as oe "5 op —> = . . el i tM Ml He — ee eS = = et, tage? @ oe oe, o a —— ‘- es ~s h .-y < - ——— eee on ee ee See comicbooks.com