The Bronze Statue, or, The Virgin's Kiss — page 325: what you’re looking at

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

THE BRON Statue would then have instituted re- searches and discovered that Gloria was likewise in the land of the living, and the consequences micht have been fa- talin the extreme. All these matters were well weighed and calculated by the hbaroness and Zitzka; and as the latter had none of that morbid and ri- diculous ambition which aspires to titles, nor that love of luxury which cruves the possession of great wealth, he cheerfully sacrificed his own personal aggrandizement to the peace of mind of his sister and the security of his niece.’ ‘John Zitzka is a noble character !’ exclaimed Sir Ernest de Colmar, his countenance lighting up with the en- thusiastic admiration he had always experienced for the ‘l'aborite hero. ‘But pray continue your narrafive, for I see that you have still much to. reveal to my ears.’ | ‘The relationship so singuiarly dis- covered between the Baroness Emilia and John Zitzka,’ pursued Satanais, ‘was kept profoundly secret from the old domestic, on account of the neces- sity of avoiding every circumstance that might direct public attention to- wards the lady who was dwelling in such strict seclusion with her daughter. Zitzka went back to Prague, to resume the duties of the king’s household ; but in the course of a few weeks he re- turned to pass some days at the cottage. It was on this occasion that the baro- ness was seized with a sudden and most severe illness; and although medical | assistance was promptly procured by Zitzka from thé nearest town, she ra- pidly grew worse. Finding her end approaching, she besought Zitzka, to fulfil the dedicatory vow which her late husband and herself had pledged in respect to Gloria ; brother faithfully promised that when his niece attained the proper age, he would place her in aconvent. ‘Ihen, 4E STATUE. and the weeping 323 be?’ For this grief, so profoundly awakened, appeared to be such as a daughter would shire experience when memory renewed the | | | imagination—‘ Who. could touching scene of a mother's death- bed ; and yet Satanais had said nothing to induce a belief that she was in any way related to the deceased Baroness | Emilia of Iidegardo. Who, then, could i she be ? | § You seem to feel most deeply’ the | reminiscences which this narrative has }aroused in your mind?’ said De Ceol- mar, speaking in a low, gentle, and compassionating tone, so soon as the lviolence of the lady’s afiliction had somewhat abated. | ‘Oh! if you knew all—if I dared tell you all, Ernest!’ exclaimede Sata~ /nais, raising her tear-bedewed counte- nance from the pillow, and wringing her hands with the strong paroxysm of her grief. | ‘Ah! well do | remember that. upon : certain ovcasion Gloria made use of | | nearly those self-same words in a mo- ment of mental anguish,’ said the knight, struck by the coincidence. ‘ She also exclaimed, under the influence of feel- ings powerfully wrung, * Oh! if JI could tell you the truth—the whole truth at once But, no—JI am mad to think of it!’ What, then, is this truth which | Gloria longed to reveal, yet dared not? and to what did you allude, Satanais, /'when you ere now expressed a similar feeling ?’ ‘Ah! torture me not with these questions, Ernest, | implore you!’ cried |Satanais. ‘But let me continue my | narrative—that is to say,’ she added in ‘amore reflective tone, ‘as much as [ am at liberty to unfold. ‘To resume, ‘then, the thread of my history, I must | proceed to state that immediately af- iter my mother was consigned to the tomb ‘Your mother, Satanais ?’ exclaimed : : : ~ hee ee Wee open a * > a * ~. ' or * eh Fa ® — with her arm encircling the innocent; De Colmar, his voice and looks denot- girl’s neck, and with her hand locked ing a wild and bewildered amazement. in the grasp of Zitzka, the baroness in-| And the Daughter of Satan, instanta- voked heaven’s choicest blessings upon! neously starting with the air and man- the heads of those who were so near| ner of one who has just let slip a most and dear to her—and her spirit fled for- | unintentional admission, became over- ever !’ The voice of Satanais, which had been gradually growing fainter and more tremulous, was now lost in sobs; and, | whelmed with confusion, | But at the same instant. and ere 'another word was exchanged upon the subject, the sounds of loud voices and —_ <* « -* . : burying her countenance upon the pil- heavy footsteps approaching outside; low, she wept convulsively for a few| reached the ears of De Colmar and the minutes. Daughter of Satan. Then again, for the hundredth time, ‘What! are we again menaced with did the question recur to De Colmar’s! an attack bythat Carthusian and his vile 7 Phe Rad ye comicbooks.com