The Bronze Statue, or, The Virgin's Kiss — page 21: what you’re looking at

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

i THE BBONZE STATUE. 19 ~~ » — - * a * Ss - Tt reds ~~ tion which you must send of Elizabeth’s|ed with tents and pavilions of all shapes charms to the Duke of Austria.’ and sizes. ‘ Be satisfied that I shall doample justice! The scene was at once striking and pic- to the merits of her Royal Highness, res- |turesque. Surrounded by the natural dra- ponded De Colmar. ‘ And now, reverend | pery of the wood, which was clothed in its father, in which direction lies your route? | brightest emerald garb, the encampment ‘Not by the main road,’ answered the | presented a spectacle of patriarchal simphi- priest: ‘for it were dangerous for one in | city mingled with a warlike aspect: for my garb to fallin with Zitka and his repub-|those temporary dwellings were of the lican rabble,’ he added bitterly. ‘We |rudest construction—and the repasts, at shall meet at Prague, Sir Knight: till then | which the hardy Taborites and their fami- farewell.’ | lies were seated, consisted of the most fru- Thus speaking, the Carthusian rose from | gal fare. Moreover, many of the women the verdant bank—drew the cowl over his | were clad in the scantiest raiment; not on features—and, striking into one of the bye- | account of a real want of necessary cloth- paths diverging from the point where the|ing; but because they songht to emulate chapel stood, was speedily lost to De Col-|the primitive manners and customs of the mar’s view. ‘earliest ages of the world. The half-naked ‘forms of these females, some of whom were snpaaliaen iof striking beauty, contrasted strangely |with the appearance of their fathers, hus- >» 2 = — lentes * ‘ a = Po ae me ¥ t, ae oP rer, * Z CHAPTER VI, bands, or brothers, who were all attired in | substantial garments and were fully equip- ZITKA 8 ENCAMPMENT. |ped with corselets, helmets, and the various | offensive weapons then in vogue. Ir was-about seven o’clock in the even- ‘\‘hrough this wild scene did Sir Ernest ing, when the Knight asd his two pages and his pages follow their guide ; until they were suddenly challenged by an armed reached a spot in the centre of the encainp- man, who was evidently performing the | ment, where several persons were reclining duty of asentinel on the border of a wood | on the verdant grass, in front of a pavilion the outskirts of which the travellers had | larger and more imposing than the numer- now reached. oustents by which it was surrounded, ‘Who are ye? and wither are ye going, But amidst this group of loungers there > was one being on whom the looks of the rorey ah os es sats Knight and his pages immediately rested My name is Ernest de Volmar—my | with a feeling of admiration which they rank is that of knighthood—and L 4! | could neither subdue nor conceal. | journeying to Prague, was the prompt re-| The object of attraction was a female of ply. ‘ These boys are my attendants. but | the most ravishing beauty. if, as I suspect, the renowned 4itzka is en-| Fey complexion was of a deep olive— camped in this neighborhood, I would fain dark as that of a Spaniard; but so pure, hold some conversation with him ere 1 con-| .joar and transparent, that all the richness tinue my route.’ of its glowing tints shone through the po- ‘Your request, Sir Knight,’ returned the lished skin. The liveliest carnation shed sentinel, ‘ is the more easily granted, inas-| its bloom upon her cheeks: the brightest much as I could not very well have permit- | scarlet lent its hue to herlips. Her fore- ted you to pursue your path without first | head was grandly beautiful,—high—broad, introducing your Excellency to the pre- | and so smooth and spotless that it would senre of the Captain-Gencral.’ have seemed to belong to a statue, had not While the soldier was. still speaking, | intellect sat enthroned thereon as a glory about a dozen of his comrades, all armed | surrounds the brow of an angel. to the teeth, emerged fromthe wood. Three} But the eyes—never did more splendid or four of them accosted the Knight, and | orbs shine from the heaven of a lovely wo- his pages in a respectful manner; and,| man’s countenance - Vark as night and having assisted them to dismount led away | deep as an unfathomable abyss, they seem- their horses with an intimation that the ani- |} ed to concer. trate all the glory of the sun, mals should be properly cared for. One of | moon, and stars. ‘l’o say that they gisten- the Taborites—for by this name was Zitz-|ed like diamon is, were to convey but a ka’s band known—then volunteered to con-| feeble idea of their almost supernatural duct the travellers to the head-quarters of | power. Mor they shone with a steady— the chief; and De Colmar, attended by | burning—dazzling lustre, as if formed of Lionel and Konrad, accordingly followed | condensed light. Lhe impression which the man through the tnazes of the wood, | they made upon the mind, when first gazed until they reached a vast open space cover- | upon, was that they were eyes which could ee a EEE EE comicbooks.com