The Bronze Statue, or, The Virgin's Kiss — page 351: what you’re looking at

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

THE BRONZE STATUE. 349 taining flowers, and others perfume, | expressive of the festivities which had were ranged round the chapel, so that} celebrated her recognition as Sovereign the atmosphere was full of a delicious|of Bohemia; next the music became fragrance. exquisitely melting and tender, as if to Near the great folding-doors, which | imply that Rodolph had wooed and won opened from the entrance-hall of the|the love of the beauteous Elizabetha: Castle, a guard of honor was drawn up; | then the solemn and sacred service of and in front of the serried rank of war-|the nuptial-rites was duy delineated; riors stood an ensign bearing the royal | again the harmony grew divinely sweet, standard of bohemia. to illustrate the happiness of the honey- The ladies, as already observed, were| moon: then suddenly it rolled and most elegantly clad. Precious stones | swelled into martial numbers, imitating shone in profusion upon their plumes, | the roar of battle and the rage or strife, their hair, their dresses; as if a gentle | the thunder of cannon and the clash of shower had sprinkled them and the | arms; and lastly it burst into an enthu- drops had congealed into diamonds. It| siastic pean of crowning triumph. was a perfect blaze of lustre and Joveli-| The winding-up of this voluntary per- ness, artificial flowers combined with | formance was inexpressibly grand ; the as € > oe . —_" . ——- : ~ nd i} a) ye? : natural charms. body of harmony appeared to fill not The nobles and gentlemen were prin- | only every part of the spacious chapel, cipally apparelled in Court dresses ;— | but to roll through the walls until imagi- though some few wore their armor in| nation could follow and fancy how it testimony of their readiness to die for | died away in the far-off extremities of the cause wherein they had embarked: | the ancient Castle. all had elegant pages in attendance up-| And while the glow of enthusiasm on them; and those who appeared in | produced by this grand achievement of their steel panoply were followed by | the divine art, was still throbbing in their squires bearing their helmets, | every breast, shining in every eye, and shields, and lances. | burning upon every cheek, the vast Shortly after nine o’clock the vestry- | folding-doors were thrown open, and the door was thrown open; and five priests | Baron of Altendorf appeared upon the entered the chapel, attended by four| threshold, exclaiming, ‘’The Queen! beautiful boys carrying censers of frank-| Then every lady rose from her seat, incense and which they swung back-| every noble and knight fell back, the ward and forward by means of the gilt| guard presented arms, and the organ chains to which they were suspended. | played a thrilling welcome, as Elizabe- The ecclesiastical procession, which was tha entered the chapel. headed by Father Cyprian, slowly and; But, oh: what a hideous mockery solemnly ascended the steps of the | was all this pomp—what a delusion was altar; and during the progress thither | that rapturous swell of the organ’s glo- the organ began to play a sacred sym- | rious tones—what a false halo was shed phony which echoed grandly through | by artifice upon that scene! Pale as the fret-work of the lofty Gothic chapel. | death, with trembling steps and fright- Then the magnificent music was blend- | ened looks, and with an awful feeling ed with the voices of a band of youths|of oppression at the heart, did the and maidens in the organ-gallery ; and| young queen advance slowly towards a sacred hymn was chanted with a most | one of the thrones placed in front of the snblime effect. | altar. When the anthem was concluded,; She was robed in virgin white ; alas! the organist continued to pour forth a) that the purity of her soul corresponded flood of voluntary music, throwing into | not with that of her garments! And the performance so much exquisite | yet the royal lady was far more to be taste and skill, that he accomplished a/| pitied than blamed: for she was rather perfect triumph of the art. Endeavor- |a victim to treachery black as hell, than ing to render his harmony a sort of pa- | an accomplice in her own dishonor. noramic painting to the ear, if we may; The four handmaidens who we have be permitted the expression, he deline- | already seen in attendance upon her ated the progress of certain phases of; during the journey from Prague, were the queen’s fortunes. First the organ | now her principal ladies-in-waiting ; imitated the national air which had | and these were followed by twelve oth- welcomed her to the Castle: then it| ers, all selected with due regard to poured forth a strain where the mellow | their beauty, their youth, their rank, harmonies of harp and horn combined, | and their aptitude to perform the part comicbooks.com