The Bronze Statue, or, The Virgin's Kiss — page 209: what you’re looking at

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

THE BRONZE ‘in which your excellency distin- | the knight ; guished yourself so highly,’ added Gio- ria, casting upon him a look full of in- effable affection mingled with ardent = eanghanaeae ‘And from whose flattering lips, lady, have you heard my praises?’ inquired De Colmar, fixing upon her a searching elance, as if to ascertain whether she were acquainted with something more concerning him than she choose to ap- pear to know. ‘The ( your skill as a leadér, your bravery as a warrior, and your generosity as a con- queror,’ answered Gloria. The noble-hearted Zitzka has spoken of me in flattering terms,’ said De Col- mar. ‘ But is that all that he hath said to you concerning me 2?’ ‘Not all, most assuredly, Gloria, with a winning smile, as he has speken frequently and at sreat length in your praise. But the whole purport and bearing of his com- ments may be summed up in the man- ner I have already explained.’ ‘Ah! then! Zitzka has kept my se- cret,’ said De Colmar to himself; and, after a short pause, he turned again to- wards Gloria, obse rving, ‘| was telling you, beauteous lady. a few moments > exclaimed ‘inasmuch vaptain-General has told me of ago, that the past night has been one of | strange and regard to myself. Deep treachery en- meshed me in its toils—perils threaten- ed me on all sides—and there were mo- | ments when my life was not worth a purchase even at the smallest coin. ‘Is it possible |’ exclaimed Gloria, her large black eyes losing for nearly a mi- nute the intensity of their brightness manifold adventures with | STATUE. 207 ‘or in plainer a aa he is unwilling to disclose who he eally 18 and therefore does he keep his vizor of his helmet closed over his countenance. tor he is attired in a complete suit of armor, which gives to his slight form all the martial elegance and warrior-like crace ot an Amazon.’ | am now anxious indeed for the ar- rival of this gallant unknown, who was enabled to re mnder your excellency such signal service,’ said Gloria. ‘* But you have not yet told me the nature of the perils w hich environed you, and the bare allusion ‘to which has already made me shudder—on your account,’ she added, in a low and touching tone, and with e& look of fervent passion. ‘It would be a long tale to tell now,. beauteous lady,’ said De Colmar; ‘and besides, lam fearful that my ndventites of the past night were in some measure connected with a terrible mystery, the mere mention of whose name would make you shudder, [I know full well, trom head to foot.’ ‘Ah! ejaculated Gloria, the color suddenly leaving her chooks: as if it were the cold palor attendant upon a dread presentiment. ‘But that mys- tery—that name ‘‘lhe Bronze Statue!’ responded De Colmar, bending forward from his horse in sucha manner that the terrible words. ? ‘should only fall whisperingly upon the as that splendor became subdued into | the melting tenderness of the touching | 'sprung up the thought that his beaute- ous companion must know the secret of interest with which she now survey ed the Austrian knight. ‘My position was as dangerous as [ have intimated,’ he replied, ‘and it were impossible to exaggerate the peri ‘the Bronze Statue. whence | was most unexpectedly deli- | vered by the brave youth who will pre- sently join us. But he appears to be a singular and mysterious being ; therefore deem it necessary to inform you, fair lady, beforehand, that he has cogent reasons of his own for keeping his name and personal identity alike secret.’ ‘His personal identity !’ exclaimed Gloria, scarcely comprehending the meaning of the phrase in the sense in which De Colmar used it. and | | ears of the Daughter of Glory. ‘O God!’ she murmured, as this re~ alization of her presentiment struck her as if with the sudden blow of a weapon ; ‘what danger have you incurred, Er- nest, and what know you of the Bronze Statue 7 ‘T will tell you, Gloria,’ replied the warrior, in whose mind had. suddenly whatever it were, and that she might now perhaps be in- duced to make a confidant of him.— ‘Last night [ found myself in a place which | cun only look upon as the head- quarters of the miscreants connected with some secret tribunal of fearful, portent, and appalling attributes.’ —E that some object which she ‘knew her looks must inevitably meet ‘And that place?’ demanded Gloria, in a rapid and wildly excited tone, as her eyes swept the scene around with shuddering furtiveness, which showed that she dreaded to eneounter nevertheless somewhere in the direction whither ‘Yes, his personal identity,’ repeated | they were turned. comicbooks.com ™ ry as Er aS Ge —- ~~ ont Fe “mn 7 4 7 a7 a o . ' a *4 f ' . P.. -—* bo ee —_— —_ * ‘ e + ” —