The Bronze Statue, or, The Virgin's Kiss — page 245: what you’re looking at

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

THE BRONZE STATUE. woven, and that the two threads of the skein must be yet more closely knit ere our destiny be fulfilled. Now you gaze upon me with astonishment, and per- haps your looks will grow full of indig- nation and annoyance ere | ps. HA the remarks which | am bound to make.’ ‘Indignation and annoyance at any- thing you may say *’ ejaculated De Col- mar : no, no—it were im possible that 4 | could experience such sentiments with | regard to my well-beloved Satanais !’ And. drawing her head towards him, | he kissed her moist, red lips with sach impassioned ardor that her blood ran like lightning in her veins, and the rich carnation deepened to its intensest hue upon her cheeks, and her bosom palpi- tated violently against his chest. But suddenly disengaging herself from this dangerous embrace, and with her whole | frame vibrating and trembling beneath the influence of those glowing emotions | from the perils of which she was thus abruptly inspired with the presence of mind sufficient to save herself, starting | to her feet, smoothing down her glossy sable hair, and then laying her hand | softly upon his own, she said with all | the most melting, winning, touching} softness of her golden voice, ‘ ‘The | terms upon which I am enabled to en- joy perfect freedom in respect to my | movements, and to settle where I choose or proceed whithersoever my fancy may leud me, those terms are that I should possess the love of a Christian warrior who never loved before *’ + And that love is indeed thine, O my Satanais !’ exclaimed De Colmar, once more seizing her hand and pressing it to her lips. A long pause then ensued, during | which Satanais remained standing by at present aan the side of the couch, gazing down upon the handsome features of the | warrior, whose face was now upturned towards her own; and inexpressible indeed were the profound tenderness. and the fervid devotion which filled that | absorbing contemplation on either side. The lustre of the lamp shone in such a manner upon Satanais as to display the flowing outlines from her splendid proportions ; and the tall, elegant, graceful form whose rich contours were thus voluptuously profiled in the mel- low light, appeured something thun human beauty of shape and superb length of limb were set off to such advantage by the picturesque garb which she wore. more indeed as its statuesque ‘he was dazzled and bewildered for a |few moments by the looks which Sata- . . . . . ‘satisfaction and delight overspreading ‘himself; then fixing this eyes fondly 243 And as De Colmar gazed up fondly into her countenance, and then suffered his looks to wander slowly over her magni- ficent figure, he felt his heart stirred by emotions of the liveliest rapture ; and, yielding at length to the influence of those feelings which thus hurried him along. and which he could not. have re- sisted even had he become suddenly aware that they were precipitating him onward to destruction, he exclaimed, ‘Satanais, tell me, my well-beloved, wilt thou become my wife ?? At he felt her hand tremble in his own—he observed her entire frame quiver, as it were, with the strength of powerful emotions pass- ing through it and agitating her to the very deepest confines of her being, and these words nais cast upon him und wherein the wildness of joy and the delirium of tri- umph were mingled with the fervor of passion and the tenderness of gratitude. ‘ Will I become your wife !’ at length she exclaimed, in an almost hysterical outburst of ecstacy; and sinking upon her knees by the bed-side, she glued her lips for nearly a minute to De Col- mar’s hand, her eyes all the while pour- ing floods of unspeakable feeling into the depths of his soul. ‘Yes, will you become my wife, Sa-- tanais?’? again demanded our hero, whose senses appeared to be steeped in the bliss of paradise. ‘But first,’ he exclaimed ere the dark houri had time to reply, ‘ tell me whether John Zitzka has ever made any particular communi- cation to you concerning myself?” ‘Many and many admirable things has he said in your favor, Ernest,’ re- plied the Daughter of Satan; ‘but I do not comprehend to what particular statement you may allude ; ‘Enough, Satanais, enough ?’ the cried warrior, a peculiar expression of his countenance. ‘Il see that every- thing on this point is as 1 could wish it to be.’ he observed in a musing tone to upon the dark hourt, he added, O, Sa- tunuis, 1 love you devoted/y—devotedly, because I know that you love me for niy own sake only " ‘Were you the meanest mendicant upon the face of the earth.’ cried Sata- nuis in atone of gushing enthusiasm, ‘I should love thee as 1 now love; and wert thou a prince | could not love thee more !’ ComIcDOOKS.cCOm