The Bronze Statue, or, The Virgin's Kiss — page 365: what you’re looking at

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

THE BRONZE STATUE. 363 est home to give such explanations to; mar might be eventually restored to her adopted parents as would satisfy | health and life, if it were only for the and tranquillise them relative to the|sake of the admirable young woman cause of her absence; while the other| who had devoted herselr to his bed- groom was sent off to the nearest town | side. to procure guch medicaments as Ber-| Now, therefore, when, at the expira- nard’s selffaught experience enabled| tion of six long weeks, Bernard, on him to prescribe. /entering the sick chamber, as usual, Thus was it that Angela became aj found the Austrian knight not only ina ‘ministering angel’ by the bed-side of; state of complete consciousness, but De Colmar. But when she and Ber-|also in a fair way to speedy convales- nard had leisure to converse together,| cence, he could scarcely restrain his it was with an indescribable amazement! joy; and cutting short the expressions that she heard from the old man’s lips| of gratitude which Sir Ernest was how Satanais and Gloria were one and| pouring forth in acknowledgement of the same person—a fact proved by Zitz- | his kindness and attentions, the old man ka’s note, which Sir Ernest de Colmar| turned towards Angela and caught her had dropped, and which Bernard had | by the hand, exclaiming, ‘ Your excel- subsequently picked up. ‘lency must thank God first, and this For six weeks did Angela remain in| maiden next; for without the mercy of constant attendance upon De Colmar—|the former and the unwearied devotion sometimes passing the whole night in| of the latter, you would have long ere sleepless vigils by his bed-side, and only | this been cold in the tomb ©’ quitting him for a few minutes at a| Then how deep was the blush which time to breathe the fresh air upon the | overspread the countenance of Angela roof of the Donjon. The little sleep|—suffusing the purity of the lily with she obtained during that iong interval, | the crimson of the peony—then deep- was snatched while reclining in the| ening as rapidly into the richest hue of chair by the patient’s bed-side, or else| the carnation; and, although Bernard by stretching her weary limbs upon aj had spoken from the best and most con- cloak spread on the floor of the cham-| scientious motives, yet at the moment ber; and yet her health gave not way, | she scarcely thanked him for the speech nor did the bloom fly from her cheeks, | —nay, she even felt vexed and annoyed, nor the lustre leave her eyes; for it} because it covered her with such con- was a labor of love, a task of pleasure, | fusion. with the devoted maiden; and as her' And De Colmar, who read all these spirit was sustained, so where her phy-| feelings in her countenance, took her sical energies supported. ‘hand once more; and, raising himself Hard was the battle which De Col-| by a strong effort in the couch, he car- mar’s constitution had to wage against) ried it to his lips, saying, ‘ I love thee, the multifarious assaults made by Death; | Angela, as asister. Bear witness, Ber- and often was the influence of the de-|nard, to this fraternal love which I stroyer repelled solely by the succor | pledge to the generous-hearted, noble- which the invalid received at the hands | minded Angela Wildon.’ of his lovely nurse. For she wasever| ‘No language can express the praise there to bathe his feverish brow; to| which she deserves,’ exclaimed the old hold the cooling cup to his parched lip ;| man, with as emphatic an accentuation to administer his medicine; to lull him} as before. ‘Would to God that she into slumber with the melody of her| were my daughter—Oh! how proud of sweét voice; to watch him when he| her [ should be!’ was raving in delirium; to apply re- | ‘And you may be proud of her ac- storatives when.utter prostration super- | quaintance and friendship yet, said De vened; in fine, to tend upon him with| Colmar, with a strange and mysterious all that holy devotion and blessed self-| significancy. sacrifice which Woman alone can de-| [In spite of herself did Angela throw monsitrate. a glance of mingled curiosity and sur- In her difficult task she derived from| prise upon the knight’s countenance ; Bernard such occasional assistance as it| for this was not the first, nor yet the was requisite for him to afford; and| second time that she had heard him the old man, speedily perceiving how | hint at his power to recompense those profound was the interest which An-| who served him or for whom he cher- ela took in the recovery of her patient, | ished a friendship. , rvently prayed to heaven that De Col-' On the night when they escaped from comicbooks.com a. oe : ' a Er ic a Dt - . ad - -* = = >< a = = e - s = ‘eo = vw erake ag ee eC tpt ee ee ee oe =< “t go ii ae 7 OE - caw oe : r) . 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