The Bronze Statue, or, The Virgin's Kiss — page 341: what you’re looking at

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

THE BRONZE STATUE. way through that mighty resting-place of the departed; and upwards of an hour and a half were expended in wan- dering amidst the tombs. No inter- ruption was experienced by the little party, no intrusive footstep raised an echo in the vast cemetery. At length the White Lady observed that it must be very late; indeed, judg- ing by the time which had elapsed dur- ing this ramble in the subterraneans, she calculated that it was close upon one o’clock in the morning. retracing her steps, followed by the two pages, her eyes caught a glimpse of some dark object which was lying be- tween two monuments and which she had overlooked when ere now passing up the avenue. She paused, and threw the light of the lamp upon the object which had thus attracted her attention, when, to the mingled surprise and ter- ror of herself and the two pages, it proved to be a coffin: Yes—a handsome coffin, covered with black velvet and studded with sil- ver nails! There was no plate upon the lid—no inscription of any kind; it was evident- ly quite new, and nothing of a pestife- rous nor fetid nature exhaled therefrom. - ¢ What can be the meaning of this!’ said the White Lady, speaking audibly, but in a musing tone. ‘No death has taken place lately in this Castle: and even if there were, it is not usual to de- osit the remains of the dead in this place otherwise than in the vaults pur- posely opened for theirreception. What can it mean !”’ Then prompted by an undefinable and likewise an irresistible impulse of curi- osity, the Carmelite stooped down— loosened the hook which, according to the usage of the times, was the only fastening bestowed upon coffins—and raised the lid, which opened like a door. A winding sheet appeared :—but, in- stead of leaving bare the countenance of a corpse, it stretched completely over the hollow of the coffin. Scull im- pelled by that invincible feeling for which she could not account, the White Lady drew aside the snowy linen, but with trembling hand and respectful looks ; and now the lustre of the lamp, ‘nstead of flinging its beams upon the marble face of the dead, was reflected in a vast accumulation of gold cons, rich jewels, splendid. ornaments, and massive pieces of plate: Surprised and dazzled by a spectacle go little anticipated, the lady and the But as she was. eS 339 aa a ihe -_ _ \ ; \ Ne ee ue sue 7 % two pages were for some minutes lost in the contemplation of this enormous wealth; and again did the Carmelite, after a long pause, put to herself the question—** What can it mean ihe Then. as the thought flashed to her mind that the new Queen of Bohemia 'was an inmate of Altendorf Castle, she judged that the treasure might, perhaps belong to her; and conceiving that she had thus discovered the solution of the enigma, she hastened to close the coffin. ‘s Now let us retrace our way, my young friends,” she said ; and, followed ‘by the two pages, the Carmelite re- turned along the principal avenue of the subterranean cemetry towards the chamber of the machinery, which, as the reader is already aware, it was ne- cessary to traverse in order to regain the dwelling-place of the brotherhood, ut just as they were entering the Place where the hideous mechanism ‘stood, with the trap door above the mighty cylinders and the rapid stream- ‘let gurgling beneath, just as they cross- ed the threshold of the door leading from the cemetry into that stone cham- ‘ber of the ghastly machinery, the loud hollow din of a bell struck suddenly upon their ears. ‘Twas a single stroke, like the first solemn note of a death-knell: and the White Lady, who knew its tremendous /meaning and comprehended the awful 'warning which it conveyed, gave vent | to an ejaculation of indescribable an- -guish! me CHAPTER LXXXIV. THE MIDNIGHT CONFERENCE. | Wer must now return to the chamber ‘occupied by the Baroness Hamelen. | Believing himself to be totally unob- | served,—indeed, little suspecting that the Carthusian priest had lain upon the watch, and equally far from anticipating ‘the tremendous mischief which was brewing, the Marquis of Schomberg ‘entered the apartment where his mis- ‘tress was sleeping. Carefully closing the door behind him. he advanced towards the couch; ‘and on observing that the Bbatoness was wrapt in a profound slumber, his first ‘impulse was to retire. But remember- ing that in the midst of the banquet she !had found an opportunity to whisper in |his ears a few words to the effect that a ae s “- « « 4 * o ‘st yo eG ——— ee ee 1. o-oo 5 vo & > = « = o * ‘ee as ~ae™ a tah alt PPO - . 4 > > ie Se a > * <_< Ky , - = = - a. uw | comicbooks.com