The Bronze Statue, or, The Virgin's Kiss — page 355: what you’re looking at

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

THE BRONZE STATUE. 393 regulated the movements of his army, denoted the consummate skill of the ge- neral who delivered them, and the ad- mirable discipline of the warriors who gave them their prompt obedience. Upon every rampart, turret, eleva- tion, and tower of Altendorf Castle, were the spectators gathered in dense crowds to behold the progress of the besieging force, as it thus defiled from the main road into the various positions which John Zitzka’s skill directed the numerous sections totakeup. The en- thusiasm of Lord Rodolph and some of the younger warriors belonging to the garrison, would have prompted an im- mediate sally from the castle, in order to attack the Taborite armament while it was thus broken into divisions and small parties; but the Baron of Alten- dorf, whose more experienced eye in- stantaneously comprehended how easy it were for Zitzka to form his batle-line in a moment, explained the rashness of the step proposed by his son, whose ar- dor he nevertheless approved and en- couraged, alleging, however, that in the first instance the policy of the garrison must be to defend and not to attack—to weary out the besiegers, and not to ex- haust its own strength, much less stake every thing upon the risk of a general battle. Thus was it that the Taborite army proceeded without molestation to form a complete circle about the vast strong- hold of Altendorf; and when the sun went down, its latest beams, as they quivered above the horizon, threw into strong relief the white tents of the be- sieging forces, and glinted on the spear- points that marked the posts of the sen- tinels. Then, the watch-fires being lighted, and the lurid glare of the flame flinging a ruddy glow upon the outskirts of the forest, the ‘l'aborite minstrels struck up exciting airs throughout the encamp- ment, and the grand music of the harp and horn, the trumpet and the drum, the clarion and the cymbal, was accom- panied by myriads of voices chanting the war-song of the hardy Republican Reformers. THE TABORITE HYMN. Sons of labor! sons of toil! Human worms upon the soil, Trampled ’noath the great ones’ heel,— Rise, now or never, and proclaim The ireeman’s cause—the tyrant’s shame: On—on. for all the rights ye claim— Revenge for a!l the wrongs ye feel! Esdurance is a crime; And Patience, crushed by Time, Turns to despair and grasps the glittering steel. i Sweating brows and blistered hands, Starving serfs on fertile lands, List unto your children’s moans. What ! shall they starve while every plain Nurtures fat herds or golden grain? K’en for a crust ye ask in vain— The Jord of acres gives ye stones! Endurance is a crime; And Patience, crushed by Time, Turns torevenge for starving children’s groans. Long—too long, O God! have we Borne the chains that tyranny Rivetted around us fast. Help us, thou Lord of hosts! and raige Thy people up, that they may praise, Not curse, the author of their days; And let this chorus swell at last, ** Endurance is a crime; And Patience, crushed by Time, Turns to just retribution for the past!” Lo! a brighter dawn appears, F’raught with hope for coming years— Freedom’s smile for evermore ! Unfurl the banner—grasp the glaive; A freeman’s life or patriot’s grave Awaits the hero! On, ye brave, Though the path lead through floods of gore. Endurance is a crime; And Vengeance, fed by Time, Turns into Hope when despots’ sway is o’er ! Such was the hymn which swelled from the Taborite encampment—that encampment which stretched its vast circumference completely around Al- ' tendorf Castle; and as the thrilling words, issuing from myriads of tongues, rose into waves of swelling, pealing, thundering sound, the tremendous vol- ume of rude martial harmony made the casements rattle and the doors quiver aye, and even the massive walls shake, throughout the beleaguered stronghold. For against that mighty edifice did the stupendous chaunt beat like a battering- ram, sounding through and through the ancient fortalice, finding reverberations in every chamber, hall, and court-yard, and awakening the echoes even down into those awful subterraneans where so many mysteries lay cradled and so many momentous secrets were locked up! Karly on the ensuing morning the fighting commenced. It being, as already stated, the Bar- on’s policy to act entirely upon the de- fensive—at least for the present,—the initiative was taken by the Taborite ar- my. trom the breast-work before al- luded to, Zitzka’s cannon opened upon the Castle, which returned the fire with considerable effect. The Republicans then made an attack upon some out- houses which stood outside the circuit of the larger moat, occupying a little island formed by a smaller canal, and thus constituting a position of conside- . ” . — = — s ~ > a es = ate @ _ s — -— - " —— — “—_ —* i. - — eg eo we i : : > ee ae , 2 . y —— : = 7€ é Cv. 4 = . 7 > wry ¢ . . i. MB be - le * © ton <S am : mr: - ¥. +z? tf ~ — - - * 3 e se oe -% > ~ . oo = »~ . e a . — 4 ee | - ° ma my ~ P< d - a | - ie - & % , * a — ~~. » - _-— ms, Py + ° : ote te pes 4 . : pt. wou " Pg ~~ -” 2 * ra) > on < 5 i“ i= ors » wv ~ ‘> bon, ’ - >» = 7 nh - 7 s . . - SS et . - a - comicbooks.com