The Bronze Statue, or, The Virgin's Kiss — page 167: what you’re looking at

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

:_ ee, > P «= 4 =2* 3 ote OP ee ee THE BRONZE STATUE. 165 if thee by day and by night—become thy | ror having passed away, they no longer 4 slaves until the cold hand of Death shall! beheld her through the false and dis- itt be laid upon us, and prove more obedi- | torted medium of their startled fancies. 47 ent to thee than ever we were even to} On the contrary, they now saw advanc- ‘ai | our own parents—still should we be| ing towards them a lady whose counte- “a | unable to convey an adequate seuse of | nance was free from all vital tint, it was ie | the boundless gratitude which fills our|true—but whose lineaments retained Wi | souls.’ the traces of great beauty, and whose ite ‘Yes,’ said Konrad, taking up the| features expressed a holy mildness and ie discourse with equal fervor, ‘we must| beatific amiability. hid not repine now at the destiny on which | Her vesture, white as snow, and Be we are entering... ‘l‘hough henceforth | seeming at first to be the garments of i dead to the world—though doomed per- | the grave, proved to be the raiment of :@ haps to linger out the rest of our exis-| a nun of the Carmelite order; and in | ~- tence in this place—yet we are bound| her whole demeanor there was some- | a | to be thankful for that salvation which| thing plaintively touching and mourn- io leaves us even the enjoyment of such} fully dignified, now that the pages were ‘f a life. Fear not, then, good Hubert, | enabled to observe her unbiassed by the at that any more repinings will fall from| sway of superstitious terror. ie our lips. With comparative content-| ‘Good youths,’ said the White Lady, (ih ment shall we now enter into that bro-| in a voice which corresponded in touch- Bits therhood of which thou hast spoken—a| ing softness with her looks, ‘I do not brotherhood consisting of those whom) tell you that ye are welcome here, be- thou hast saved from the vengeance of| cause that were a mockery of a sorrow the Bronze Statue.’ most natural, and of regrets most legiti- ‘But if at times we may Peay rents mate on your part. But this much | s. 9 ful, and if a hasty word of regret should | may aver, that every kindness which, a ee escape our tongues,’ said Lionel, ‘you| under circumstances, can possibly be ae will attribute it, good Hubert, to a na-| shown you, shall ye receive—yes, until ney Aas ; tural and irrepressible longing that our| death or a happier deliverance worthy master and our dear parents| The lady paused, deep sobs choked should at least be made acquainted with | her utterance, and the youths, falling at the fact that we are alive, though invisi-| her feet, took her thin pale hands and ble to them—still in existence, though! touched them respectfully with ther ee doomed perhaps never more to behold | lips. nor be beholden by them ' ‘Lady, give not way to affliction now,” | said Hubert, in a tone of mingled yene- ration and entreaty ; ‘but let us hope | that the mission of that dear girl to a Prague | ‘Qh! that I could be as sanguine as you, my faithful friend, in this respect” interrupted the White Lady, addres- sing herself to Hubert, while gently compelling the pages to rise from their suppliant posture. ‘ At the same time,’ ‘Alas! alas! my dear young friends,’ interrupted Hubert, ‘ I have already ex- plained to you how absolutely impos- sible it is that any communication, even the slightest, the faintest, the vaguest, can be made to those whom you love, and who must regret your disappear- ance. to them so unaccountable. Dead to the world, in all respects, must you remain—dead to all save those whom LL LL IL LL you will meet within these walls, dead| she added solemnly, ‘1 am well aware at to everything save the routine of an ex-| that heaven often works out its alms by ai istence passed herein !’ /means the most marvellous, and by sy | At this moment one of the side doors| agents the most humble; and, despite opened, and the pages started in af-|of years of bitter affliction, my soul ut fright. It seemed as if fresh horrors | cherishes so much confidence in the # were in store for them, inasmuch as a| Almighty, and such illimitable faith in Rg figure clothed in white and pale as a| His goodness, His power, and His wis- | corpse made her appearance. 'dom, that there are moments when [ 23 ‘ Behold the excellent lady whose be-| abandon myself to hope,--moments nevolence has rescued so many lives} which contrast strangely and thrillingly ieee from the infernal vengeance of the|} with the dark intervals of mournfulness sas: Bronze Statue !’ exclaimed Hubert. and sorrowing.’ | ae Lionel and Konrad turned once more ‘Oh! lady, talk not of grief and an- : a) | upon the white figure those eyes which | guish !’ exclaimed Lionel, in an impas- Fa 4 they had at first shudderingly averted;|sioned tone; ‘but speak to us of hope oF and, the influence of a momentary ter-|and sunny prospects! Already do I. oe comicbooks.com