The Bronze Statue, or, The Virgin's Kiss — page 379: what you’re looking at

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

—_ —_ —_—- —— ee ee ~—— ~ = A _ = “= 3 od THE BRONZE STATUE. 377 main in any uncertainty upon this point; | some six or seven weeks ago, when the for the individual himself soon cleared knight who wore it at that time pre- up the mystery. vented the arrest ‘Yes, by heaven! ’tis the samecoun-| | © Of this very damsel when disguised tenance !’ he cried, in a tone of wild | in the steel armor,’ interjected the ‘Ta- astonisbment. ‘1 should know it again borite soldier, whose recognition of An- at the end of the world, despite of any | gela now threatened her with some- disguise yes, it is the same and | what unpleasant circumstances. ‘ It yet a woman '__whereas I took you, fair | appears,’ continued the man, ‘ that the one, for a page Oh! you became | arrest took place at some way-side inn, that armor marvellously well, lovely but and that when a certain Sir Ernest de erfidious creature that you are ° Colmar insisted upon urging the autho- ‘What do you mean? who is this | rity of the ring on the prisoner’s be- oung female ?’ demanded the captain | half, the venerable magistrate who was of the guard, surprised and angry at the | present on the occasion, liberated his apparent rudeness with which the sol- | captive.’ dier was gazing upon Angela, as well | ‘Yes, such were the facts which as the incomprehensible ejaculations to | reached my ears, also,’ said the ‘Tabor- which the man was giving utterance. ite captain; ‘and as the authority of ‘Who is she?’ exclaimed the in di- | the ring was in that instance turned to vidual, ‘If she be not the same who |} a purpose never contemplated by the tricked me whenl was m ounting guard | noble Zitzka—namely, the perversion aed over the three State Prisoners in the | of justice—it hath since been decreed Castle of Prague ‘that in no wise shall the influence of ‘What! a woman rescued those pri- | the ring interfere with warrants legally goners ?’ interrupted the captain, ‘it is | issued for the arrest of offenders. impossible! You are dreaming, my | Therefore, my poor young woman,’ ad- ne good friend.’ ded the officer, in a tone of profound anit ‘Let the young damsel deny it if she | commiseration, ‘1 have no alternative Le can,’ exclaimed the Taborite aoldier.— | but to make thee my prisoner, and es- Pik ‘T will swear to her countenance at any | cort thee at once into the presence of ne time, by any light, and under any cir-| the captain-general.’ rye cumstances.’ ‘Be it so,’ said the forest-maiden, Bie ‘ Well, in good sooth, it is not one of | resigning herself with all the courage i those faces which, once seen, can be |of a heroine to whatsoever destiny i readily forgotten,’ observed the captain, | might be in store for her. ‘The chief- ri then perceiving that the compliment to | tain of the reformers is chivalrous and which he thus gave wtterance with so | noble-hearted, and L will throw myself much honest sincerity, had covered An- | upoa his mercy ! Lead the way, sir; l gela with confusion, he snid. * Pardon | am prepared to follow.’ me, fair damsel, if | have given thee of-| ‘hus speaking, with that calm digni- fence. Even without that ring on thy | ty which intimated more eloquently finger, shouldst thou command my re-| than ten thousand tongues could have spect ; but more particularly with that | succeeded in doing, that there was no gem flashing before my eyes, art thou | necessity to lay the hands of coercion entitled to courteous treatment. What) upon her, Angela Wildon moved for- | say you, then, to the charge which my | ward. follower here makes against you | ‘Hah! what have we here!’ ex- ‘T cannot deny the truth of the alle-| claimed the Taborite captain, who had gation,’ responded Angela, in a mur-| just kicked against, the parcel which the muring tremulousness. * But, if there | maiden had deposited on the pavement, tay be any virtue left in this ring, I beseech | and which she had forgotten to take up bs 2g you to suffer me to depart hence.’ when suddenly disturbed by the arrival ‘Nay, that must not be, fuir maiden;|of the guard. * Stop one moment. and more’s the pity that ‘++ must not,’ | continued the officer; * we must exam- 4 observed the captain. ‘ For, look you, |ine this packet. It grieves me, gentle | the commands of our glorious Captain- damsel, thus to treat thee,’ he added, General have recently modified the in- | turning towards our heroine : ‘ but my fluence which was originally attached | duty rides paramount over my inclina- to that ring; and this circumstance | tions.’ arose from a report having been duly| ‘ Perform your duty, si,’ said the made to him in respect to the use and | maiden, in a voice of calm dignity. ‘1 purpose to which the ring was turned | am already grateful to you for the evi- al - > = ae at ne Ae ee Pad . ——. = <p e* , ~~ a=}. * rn ee = > igs, 3 ae pe Ae ek 7. Nay “Spe — many om = ¢ comicbooks.com