The Bronze Statue, or, The Virgin's Kiss — page 35: what you’re looking at

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

ed —_-_ ee 2 = THE BRONZE STATUE. 33 through my fault—my self-willed obstina-| fixing his one eye upon our hero’s counten- C ’ ance, though speaking ina tone of great ‘Do not afflict yourself, dear lady,’ said | respect-—t how happened it that you were Sir Ernest de Colmar, in a soothing tone: } abroad in this vicinity at so unseasonab:e an the brave and generous Zitzka will not| hour? die.’ : ‘Sir Ernest de Colmar repeated to the Thus speaking, the Knight raised the | Taborite chief the same ingenuous and can- T'aborite chief in his arms and bore him in-! did explanation which he had already giv to the room whence Gloria had procured 4% oe ee ~ - wee r= E - > z —. ~ — om : ys at 5 : P emai e ‘or 7! i ‘ « , rs i»: ps ~_ if - . 7 7 . : - = — = > ‘en to the beautiful Gloria, and which im- vs the light, and which was the vestry belong- | mediately satisfied the grim warrior, he ing to the church. Distressed as the young| ‘You have done this lady a most essen- ei] lady was at the condition to which ZitzKa | tial service,’ he observed, glancing towards ai was thus reduced, and for which she had | the radiant being who stood near, ‘in res- Re go emphatically blamed herseif, yet she ‘cuing her from he power of her enemies, ‘ could net help admiring the comparative | Me also has your excellency laid under a i ease with which Sir Ernest de Colmar car-| geep* debt of gratitude by saving from ried so heavy a burden; for it was evident | harm a young creature in whom I am pro- * that the Knight was as strong and muscu- | foundly interested—whom I love, indeed, i lar as he was brave and dauntless. ‘as much as her @ister Satanais. But you 2 Placing the Tuborite chief upon a sort | have still another boon to confer upon me, i of couch hastily formed by arranging the | Sir Knight,’ added the Taborite chief. chairs together, Sir Ernest loosened his} ‘Name it, brave General,’ exclaimed De corselet, while Gloria bathed his brow with | Colmar. ‘What do you require of me?’ water. Ina few minutes the grim-warrior ‘A silence the most guarded—-a secrecy recovered sufficiently to observe where he | the most implicit, relative to the adventures was and who were attending upon him :—' of this night, returned Zitzka, in a solemn and as he glanced with his single eye from | tone and with earnest manner. ‘I ask you, the heaveuly countenance of Gloria to the l as a belted Knight and a true gentleman, handsome features of Sir Ernest de Colmar, !to look on these adventures as a mere he appeared much surprised but by no | dream—or as something relative to which means displeased at beholding them thus |no word must ever fail from your lips.— tn each other’s society. Should accident henceforth throw you in ‘To our brave Austrian guest,’ said Glo- | Gloria’s way again, you will not allude to ria addressing herself to Zitzka, but gaz- | these incidents—much less question her ee ing bashfully towards the Knight, ‘am concerning their meaning or significancy. indebted for my safety. Ile rescued me} May I demand this at your hands, with the from those who had thus treacherously con-| certainty that my request will be granted 2” certed and plotted to snatch me away from} * You may,’ responded Sir Ernest De Col- your guardianship and bear me hence, God| mar: and raising& his cross-handled sword only knows whither, she added, a cold/to his lips, be said emphatically, ‘1 swear shudder convulsing her entire frame. ‘that I will keep inviolably secret all that I ‘] know why you tremble, Gloria, observed | have this night heard or seen.’ the Taborite chief,speaking with difficulty,| Zitzka expressed his thanks for this as- although with a terribly ferocious expres- | surance; and Gloria conveyed her grati- sion of coustenance: ‘but by heaven! if|tude from those magnificent orbs which the priests and nuns of the Catholic Church | seemed capable of dazzling, overawing, and dare toharm only one single golden thread | enthralling the soul. of the myriads which make up the mass of | ‘ Let us now retire to the encampment,’ your shining hair, 1 will Jay waste every said the ‘l'aborite chieftain. monastery—every convent—every church| Sir Ernest de Colmar proffered his hand wm Bohemia!’ to Gloria, who took it with an enchanting And the exertion which the grim warrior | and unaffected irankness—as if the inci- | made to give utterance to these menaces, | dents of this night had already made them actually aided in his complete recovery, | intinate and familiar friends; and he led rather than plunged him into a relapse, | her from the church, Zitzka following close from the effects of the: very severe and vio- | behind. lent blow he had evidently received on the| Along the pathway they went—the bridge temple from some blunt weapon or mur-| was crossed—and at a little distance on the derous bludgeon. other side of the stream, Gloria said, *‘ Here ‘My best thanks are however due to Sir} must I leave you, Sir Koight.’ Ernest de Colmar, for the part he has played ‘But I shall doubtless have the pleasure | —_——E—E in this night’s adventures,’ resumed Zitzka, | of seeing you again in the morning, ere . ay . “4 after un few moments’ pause. ‘But how |quit the Taborite encampment: observed happened it, worthy Knight, he demarded, | De Colmar, pressing her fair hand in his comicbooks.com